Dear Maria and Nadezhda,â€â€¬
as initiators of the protest against your imprisonment,†‬we decided to write an open letter to you.†‬Our protest†‬took place in front of the Russian Embassy in Prague at our annual DIY†‬Carnival†‬last year.†‬The event was attended by approximately†‬three thousand people and†‬has,†‬therefore,†‬become the largest solidarity event in the Czech Republic so far.†‬Our action had no official support be it from Czech mainstream media,†‬the state or non-government organizations.
We understand there are differences between the Russian and†‬Czech†‬situation.†‬Maybe that is†‬why some of your†‬Czech supporters†‬happen to represent precisely what you fight against in Putin’s Russia.â€
We wanted to support you and also draw attention to tendencies that†‬were†‬rightfully the target of your criticism†‬-†‬the connection of†‬church and state.†‬Even though the situation in†‬the†‬Czech Republic can hardly be compared to the one in Russia under Putin’s leadership,†‬the†‬involvement of†‬our elites†‬with the interests of Catholic church’s conservative†‬representatives is obvious.
We understand there are differences between the Russian and†‬Czech†‬situation.†‬Maybe that is†‬why some of your†‬Czech supporters†‬happen to represent precisely what you fight against in Putin’s Russia.†‬In the interview for†‬the†‬Czech†‬Television you have mentioned Karel Schwarzenberg,†‬our former minister of foreign affairs.†‬As a representative of†‬aristocracy and a member of our former government,†‬he†(‬and not only heâ€) ‬is personally responsible for†‬very controversial†‬restitution of†‬property to Catholic Church and anti-social right-wing reforms to privatize public sector.†‬These†‬measures†‬go against modern tendencies of†‬our society†‬and†‬will†‬bring more power and wealth to conservative circles†‬in the future.†‬Karel Schwarzenberg†‬also represents†‬a very†‬selective†‬understanding of†‬human†‬rights supporting only those oppressed groups and individuals that serve the interests of transatlantic coalition while overlooking others.†‬We fully respect your right to choose your partners in your fight against†‬Putin’s authoritarian regime and we understand that your position is not always simple.†‬However,†‬we feel†‬we must†‬explain the context†‬of your remarks.
In the past,†‬we have witnessed many former opponents of the Communist regime†‬undermining their moral authority by†‬purpose-built alliance with the Western power elites.†‬This was the case of Václav Havel.†‬We would†‬not want the same to happen to you too.†‬Like you,†‬we come from†‬anarchist†‬circles and†‬thus very†‬well understand the risks†‬of power and†‬stardom.
Respectfully,â€
the DIY†‬Carnival teamâ€
P.S.:†‬Like Pussy Riot,†‬we don’t give our names as we also prefer collective action†‬of anonymous individuals.