Committee for the Abolition of Illegitimate Debt

At the end of January 2021, a wave of mass protests swept through all of Russia’s major cities. The occasion for these protests was the arrest of opposition leader Alexei Navalny, but the genuine cause was the enormous social inequality and political disenfranchisement prevailing in the country. Not all of those who took to the streets were supporters of Navalny, but they were all united by a desire for social and political change and a fatigue with the corrupt, authoritarian regime ruling Russia today.

Peaceful protesters faced unprecedented (even for Putin’s Russia) police brutality: in a few days, over 10,000 people were arrested, many of them beaten on arrest. A climate of fear was created in the country: students who participated in the rallies have been expelled from universities, teachers who sympathized with them have lost their jobs, and school students have been intimidated for voicing their political stance.

While we disagree with Navalny’s pro-capitalist orientation, which on this point is not different from that of Putin’s regime and represents no real social and democratic alternative, we demand the immediate release of Alexei Navalny and all political prisoners, and stand in solidarity with all those in Russia who are fighting for social and environmental justice and fundamental democratic rights.

Argentina
Nicolás del Caño, Deputy PTS/FIT
Myriam Bregman, Deputy PTS/FIT
Martín Mosquera, Professor at the University of Buenos Aires & editor, Jacobin Latin America https://jacobinlat.com/
Nora Ciapponi, militante, candidate in 1973 as vice president of the Nation for el Partido Socialista de los Trabajadores.
Eduardo Lucita, Economistas de Izquierda (EDI)

Australia
Federico Fuentes, journalist
Mick Armstrong, Socialist Alternative
Susan Engel, Associate Professor, Politics & International Studies

Austria
Helmut Dahmer, sociologist and Professor Emeritus at the University in Darmstadt

Belgium
Yannis Thanassekos, ex-director of Fondation Auschwitz (1983-2010)
Eric Toussaint, PhD University Liège and Paris VIII, spokesperson CADTM international
Mateo Alaluf, Sociologue, professeur émérite de l’Université Libre de Bruxelles ULB
Corinne Gobin, Professeure à l’Université libre de Bruxelles
Lucien Perpette, ex shop steward FGTB metal, militant IV International
Christine Pagnoulle, Université de Liège, ATTAC Liège
Jean-Marie Chauvier, journalist, ex permanent correspondant Drapeau Rouge (Red Flag) in Moscow
Jean Delval, Editions du Cerisier
Danièle Ricaille, Editions du Cerisier
Mauro Gasparini, Gauche anticapitaliste – SAP
Bernard Duterme, director CETRI - Centre tricontinental
Willy Estersohn, ex-journalist
Marianne Rathmès, member of Attac Liège
Olivier Bonfond, Economist at CEPAG

Brazil
Fernanda Melchionna, Federal Deputy of the PSOL Rio Grande do Sul
Roberto Robaina, Member of Municipal Council/Vereador of Porto Alegre/Brazil, National Direction of PSOL
Gustavo Seferian, Professor at the Federal University of Minas Gerais. Director of ANDES-SN
Israel Dutra, responsible for international relations of the PSOL
Sâmia Bomfim - federal diputada PSOL São Paulo
Vivi Reis - federal diputated PSOL Pará
David Miranda - federal diputate PSOL Rio de Janeiro
Luciana Genro - PSOL state diputada Rio Grande do Sul
Mônica Seixas - PSOL São Paulo state owned company
Sandro Pimentel - PSOL Rio Grande do Norte state diputado
Fábio Félix - PSOL district diputado Distrito Federal
Luana Alves - concejala PSOL São Paulo/SP
Mariana Conti - concejala PSOL Campinas SP
Josemar Carvalho - concejal PSOL Saint Gonçalo/RJ
Jurandir Silva - concejal PSOL Pelotas/RS
Max Costa - Secretary of Human Rights of Belém/PA
Mariana Riscali - National Secretariat of Finance of PSOL
Zeneide Lima - National PSOL Executive
Leandro Recife - National PSOL Executive
Pedro Fuentes - International PSOL Observatory
Bruno Magalhães - International PSOL Observatory
Danilo Serafim - Union of Educators and Professionals of Education of Rio de Janeiro (SEPE/RJ)
Paulo Neves - State Union of Teachers of São Paulo (APEOESP)
Ana Borguin - Union of Metroviarios of São Paulo
Luan Badia - Federation of University Workers (FASUBRA)
Camila Souza - Youth Movement Together!
Maurício Costa - Red Emancipa de Educación Popular
Nathalie Drumond - Movimiento de Mujeres Juntas!
Paula Kaufmann -Movimiento de Mujeres Juntas!
Tiago Aguiar - Editor of the Movement Magazine

Britain
Julie Ward, National Committee member Another Europe Is Possible & Former Labour Member of European Parliament
Costas Lapavitsas, University of London
Tariq Ali, writer
Gilbert Achcar, Professor, SOAS, University of London
Michael Roberts, marxist economist, https://thenextrecession.wordpress.com/
Alex Callinicos, Emeritus Professor of European Studies, King’s College London
Dr Neil Faulkner FSA, Archaeologist and Historian
Simon Pearson, Anti-capitalist Resistance
Mike Phipps, member of the editorial board of labourbriefing.org
Andrew Kilmister, Editor, Journal of Contemporary Central and Eastern Europe
Ian Parker, Emeritus Professor of Management, University of Leicester
Erica Burman, Professor, University of Manchester
Mark Findlay, Anti-Capitalist Resistence
Richard Abernethy, International Marxist-Humanist Organization

Canada
Michael A. Lebowitz, Professor Emeritus of Economics, Simon Fraser University
David Mandel, professor, Université du Québec à Montréal
M V Ramana, Professor, University of British Columbia.
Haideh Moghissi, Emerita Professor of Sociology, York University, Toronto
Saeed Rahnema, Professor (retired) Political Science and Public Policy, York University
Ronald Cameron, Plateforme altermondialiste
Ken Hiebert, retired trade unionist, Palestine solidarity activist
Todd Gordon, Associate Professor, Wilfrid Laurier University
David Camfield, Associate Professor, Labour Studies & Sociology, University of Manitoba
Earl Turcotte, former diplomat
Barry Weisleder, Federal Secretary, Socialist Action / Ligue pour l’Action socialiste
Cynthia Wright. Associate Professor, York University, Toronto, Canada
Julia Barnett, Director, Support Service AIDs Committee of Toronto

China
Wang Zhikun, student

Croatia
Srecko Horvat, Diem25
Dimitrije Birac, Subversive Festival, Zagreb

Denmark
Søren Søndergaard, Member of Parliament, Spokesperson on International Affairs, Red-Green Alliance

Ecuador
Fernando López Romero, Movimiento Revolucionario de los Trabajadores -Ecuador –MRT
Carlos Rojas, MRT
Alberto Acosta, ex-president of the Constituent Assembly in 2008, ex-minister of Energy in 2007

France
Gérard Chaouat, immunologist, Ensemble
Patrick Silberstein, Éditeur, Editions Syllepse
Pierre Cours-Salies, Sociologue. Professeur émérite, membre d’Ensemble !
Pierre Rousset, Europe solidaire sans frontières (ESSF)
Franck Gaudichaud, Professeur des universités, Université Toulouse Jean Jaurès
Christine Poupin, porte-parole du Nouveau Parti Anticapitaliste
Karine Clément, Sociologue, CNRS
Catherine Samary, économiste altermondialiste, IV Internationale
Serle Le Quéau, syndicaliste
Olivier Besancenot, NPA
Jan Malewski, Responsable de la rédaction d’Inprecor, http://www.inprecor.fr
Josette Trat, Sociologue féministe
Claude Calame, Directeur d’études Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales, Paris
Penelope Duggan, International Viewpoint, IV Internationale, https://internationalviewpoint.org/
Michèle Leclerc-Olive, chercheure CNRS (retraitée) et Présidente de CIBELE
Bruno Della Sudda, autogestionnaire et altermondialiste, ex-conseiller municipal de Nice – Ensemble!
Didier Epsztajn, animateur du blog « entre les lignes entre les mots »
Stefan Bekier, interprète de conférence, membre de la Commission internationale d’Ensemble!
Christian Mahieux, syndicaliste SUD-Rail |Union syndicale Solidaires], éditeur (Syllepse)
Henri Mermé, coordinateur de la commission internationale d’Ensemble !
Nicole Abravanel, historienne
Gustave Massiah, fondateur du CEDETIM
Christophe Aguiton, militant altermondialiste, ex secrétaire général d’ATTAC
Gilles Manceron, historien
Martine Boudet didacticienne, membre du Conseil scientifique d’Attac France
Daniel Guerrier, éditeur des Editions Spartacus
Pedro Vianna, poète, homme de théâtre, enseignant universitaire
Marie-Claude Herboux, Militante d’Ensemble!
Ugo Palheta, membre de la rédaction de la revue Contretemps, membre IV internationale
Léon Crémieux, IV Internationale
Patrick Farbiaz, PEPS - Pour une Ecologie Populaire et Sociale
Bénédicte Monville, PEPS - Conseillere régionale
Sergio Coronado, PEPS, ancien député
Jean Malifaud, Syndicaliste SNESUP-FSU
Hubert Krivine, physicien
Monique Dental, Présidente Réseau Féministe « Ruptures »
Alexis Cukier, Philosophe, Attac, CGT Ferc Sup
Nicole Fouché, Vice-présidente de REFH
Jef Pellissier, Porte-parole d’Ensemble!
Pierre Khalfa, Fondation Copernic
Evelyne Perrin, syndicaliste
Gérard Filoche, porte-parole de la Gauche démocratique et sociale
Eric Thouzeau, conseiller régional GDS des Pays de la Loire
Frank Mintz, anarchosyndicaliste, CNT-Solidarité ouvrière
André Rosevègue, Militant girondin multicarte
Yves Quintal, associatif enseignant membre d’Ensemble
Antoine Pécard
Roland Mérieux, Commission internationale d’Ensemble!
J-F Pellissier, Porte-parole d’ENSEMBLE!
Vincent Buard, Président de la C.I.S.E.
Myriam Martin, conseillère régionale Ensemble France Insoumise Occitanie
Lucky Thiphaine, journaliste, ancienne Secrétaire nationale du MRAP, Ensemble, Attac
Françoise Kiefe, militante féministe altermondialiste
Nouzarede Pierre, Retraité et syndicaliste CGT
Jean Lafont, PEPS - Pour une écologie populaire et sociale
Paquito Schmidt, retraité, syndicaliste et associatif
Théo Roumier, syndicaliste et libertaire
Jacques Simon, Ensemble! Perpignan
Pascal Boissel, vice-président de l Union syndicale de la psychiatrie
Benoit Derijard, ColsolCat Collectif des Alpes Maritimes de solidarité avec le peuple catalan
Roselyne Rollier, Maison des Femmes Therese Clerc Montreuil
Christian Delarue, Amitié entre les peuples
Hélène Gallis, Citoyenne insoumise
Angélique Sapolin, militante de la société civile
Samy Johsua, professeur émérite Aix Marseille Université
John Barzman, professeur émérite d’histoire contemporaine, Université Le Havre Normandie
Susan George, PhD, Honorary President, Attac France, President of the Transnational Institute
Janette Habel, Academic, Political Scientist

Germany
Loren Balhorn, Editor, Jacobin.DE
Jakob Schäfer, ISO, Fourth International
Wolfgang Alles, Trade unionist, ISO, Fourth International
Angela Klein, ISO, Fourth Internationaland editor of Sozialistische Zeitung, https://www.sozonline.de/
Christian Boissevain, ISO, Fourth International

Greece
Antonis Ntavanelos, DEA
Yorgos Mitralias, Journalist
Tassos Anastassiadis, journalist, Magazine “4” & Synantissi (for an Anticapitalist Internationalist Left) https://tpt4.org/

Italy
Roberto Savio, Othernews

India
Achin Vanaik, Retired Professor, University of Delhi
Kunal Chattopadhyay, Professor of Comparative Literature and Russian/ Soviet History specialist, Jadavpur University
Shalmali Guttal, Focus on the Global South
Sushovan Dhar, CADTM-India
Soumya Sahin, Associate Professor of Economics, The WB World Bank
WB The World Bank was founded as part of the new international monetary system set up at Bretton Woods in 1944. Its capital is provided by member states’ contributions and loans on the international money markets. It financed public and private projects in Third World and East European countries.

It consists of several closely associated institutions, among which :

1. The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD, 189 members in 2017), which provides loans in productive sectors such as farming or energy ;

2. The International Development Association (IDA, 159 members in 1997), which provides less advanced countries with long-term loans (35-40 years) at very low interest (1%) ;

3. The International Finance Corporation (IFC), which provides both loan and equity finance for business ventures in developing countries.

As Third World Debt gets worse, the World Bank (along with the IMF) tends to adopt a macro-economic perspective. For instance, it enforces adjustment policies that are intended to balance heavily indebted countries’ payments. The World Bank advises those countries that have to undergo the IMF’s therapy on such matters as how to reduce budget deficits, round up savings, enduce foreign investors to settle within their borders, or free prices and exchange rates.

National University of Juridical Sciences, Kolkata
Pratip Nag, Radical Socialist, IV International
Manoj Bhattacharya, General Secretary, Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP), former member of parliament

Ireland
Paul Murphy, TD, Member of the Irish parliament, RISE, www.letusrise.ie

Japan
Tsutomu Teramoto, ATTAC Japan

Kenya
David Otieno, Kenyan Peasants League

Luxemburg
Justin Turpel, ancien député Dei Lenk-La Gauche
David Wagner, Député de déi Lénk - La Gauche

Martinique
Philippe Pierre Charles, Groupe Révolution Socialiste, IV internationale
Rita Bonheur présidente de l’union des femmes de la Martinique
Gilbert Pago, historien

México
Edgard Sánchez, Partido Revolucionario de los Trabajadores (PRT)
Pedro Manuel Acosta Granado, Investigador de Ciencias Médicas, PRT, Ciencia para el Pueblo
José Luis Hernández Ayala, Coordinadora Socialista Revolucionaria de México
Manuel Aguilar Mora, Liga de Unidad Socialista (LUS)
Jorge Bojalil, Liga de Unidad Socialista (LUS)
Ismael Contreras Plata, Liga de Unidad Socialista (LUS)
Jaime González, Liga de Unidad Socialista (LUS)
José Juan Grijalva, Liga de Unidad Socialista (LUS)
Román Munguía Huato, Liga de Unidad Socialista (LUS)
Álavaro Vázquez, Liga de Unidad Socialista (LUS)

Morocco
Aziz Rhali, Forum Social Mondial de la santé et de la sécurité sociale
Omar Aziki, ATTAC-CADTM Maroc, membre du Secrétariat international partagé du CADTM
Fatima Zahra EL Belghiti, Secrétaire générale d’Attac-Cadtm Maroc, membre du Secrétariat international partagé du CADTM

Netherlands
Alex de Jong, co-director IIRE www.iire.org
Fiona Dove, director, Transnational Institute http://www.tni.org/

Poland
Stefan Zgliczyński, director,"Le Monde diplomatique (Poland)
Roland Zarzycki, profesor university
Zbigniew Marcin Kowalewski, researcher and editor

Philippines
Walden Bello, PhD Adjunct Professor of Sociology State University of New York at Binghamton

Puerto Rico
Rafael Bernabe, Senador en el gobierno de Puerto Rico
Antonio Garcia Padilla, former president of University of Puerto Rico
Jorge E Lefevre Tavárez, Democracia Socialista
Manuel A Rodriguez Banchs, abogado

Serbia
Aleksandar Matković, Institute for Economic Sciences, Belgrade
Senegal
Mamadou Mignane Diouf, Coordonnateur du Forum social sénégalais Dakar

South Africa
Brian Ashley, AIDC & editor Amandla magazine
Patrick Bond Bond A bond is a stake in a debt issued by a company or governmental body. The holder of the bond, the creditor, is entitled to interest and reimbursement of the principal. If the company is listed, the holder can also sell the bond on a stock-exchange. , Professor, University of the Western Cape School of Government
Charles Abrahams, Lawyer

Spanish State
Miguel Urban, Member of the European Parliament, member of Anticapitalistas in the Spanish State, Fourth International
Manuel Gari, Economist Ecosocialist
Raúl Camargo, Anticapitalistas
Jesus Uzkudun Illarramendi, Sindicalista y miembro de ASVIAMIE (Asociación de victimas del Amianto) País Vasco
Alfons Bech, sindicalista de Comisiones Obreras, CCOO
Jordi Armadans, director FundiPau
Teresa Rodríguez Rubio, diputada en el Parlamento de Andalucía
José Ignacio García Sánchez, diputado en el Parlamento de Andalucía
Ángela Aguilera Clavija, diputada en el Parlamento de Andalucía
Concejales:
Leonor Rodríguez Salcedo, concejala Adelante Algeciras
David Rodríguez Alhambra, concejal de Sanlúcar de Barrameda
Fátima Martín, CADTM
Juan Manuel López Nadal, retired diplomat

Sri Lanka
Dharmasiri Lankapeli, Federation of Media Employees’ Trade Unions
Linus Jayatilake, United Federation of Labour
Niel Wijethilake, Left Voice, Fourth International

Sweden
Andreas Malm, Associate professor in human ecology
Kjell Östberg, Professor in Contemporary History, Södertörn University
Lars Henriksson, Auto worker and trade unionist
Eva Nikell, specialist in human rights
Marco Jamil Espvall, Editor in Chief Internationalen

Switzerland
Stéfanie Prezioso, Conseillère nationale (MP), Ensemble à Gauche
Sébastien Bertrand, SolidaritéS
Paolo Gilardi, historien & militant
Charles-André Udry, https://alencontre.org/
Jocelyne Haller, députée au Grand conseil genevois, Ensemble à Gauche- solidaritéS)
Juan Tortosa, CADTM Suisse

Tunisia
Ahlem Belhadj, pédopsychiatre & féministe
Olfa Lamloum, chercheur

USA
Noam Chomsky, Professor (emeritus) MIT; Professor U. of Arizona
Suzi Weissman, Professor of Politics Saint Mary’s College of California
Robert Brenner, professor emeritus of history and director of the Center for Social Theory and Comparative History at UCLA (California)
Vivek Chibber, Professor of sociology at New York University & Editor, Catalyst : A Journal of Theory and Strategy
Enzo Traverso, historian & Susan and Barton Winokur Professor in the Humanities, Cornell University.
Jeff Mackler National Secretary Socialist Action; Steering Committee Assangedefense.org
Todd Chretien, editor, No Borders News
Paul Le Blanc, Professor of History, La Roche University, Pittsburgh, PA
David Adler, Progressive International
John Leslie, National Committee, Socialist Resurgence US
Dan Piper Socialist Resurgence US Candidate for State Representative, Connecticut)
Dianne Feeley, labor activist (UAW Local 235)
Ashley Smith, member of The Democratic Socialists of America and National Writers Union
Dan La Botz, writer
Frieda Afary, Producer of Iranian Progressives in Translation
Nancy Holmstrom, Professor of Philosophy Emerita, Rutgers University - Newark
Peter Hudis, Professor of Philosophy and Humanities at Oakton Community College
Kevin Anderson, Professor of Sociology, University of California, Santa Barbara
Danny Postel, Member, Internationalism from Below
Howie Hawkins, Presidential candidate for Green Party, 2020
Margaret Guttshall, National Writers Union (NWU)
Wayne Heimbach, Retired Trade Union Representative
Samuel Farber, Professor Emeritus of Political Science, Brooklyn College of CUNY.
Alan Wald, H. Chandler Davis Collegiate Professor Emeritus, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
Danny Postel, United States Member, Internationalism from Below
Purnima Bose, Professor, English and International Studies, Indiana University
Kit Wainer, Movement of Rank and File Educators, United Federation of Teachers, New York City Ansar Fayyazuddin, physicist active in Solidarity and Science for the People. He is an associate editor of Against the Current.
Barry Sheppard, long time socialist activist and journalist
Tom Twiss, Faculty Emeritus, University of Pittsburgh
Tony Smith, Professor of Philosophy and Political Science, Iowa State University
Al Kagan, African Studies Bibliographer at the UIUC library
David McNally, NEH Cullen Distinguished Professor of History and Business at the University of Houston
Tithi Bhattacharya, Director, Global Studies, Associate Professor, History, Purdue University
Ann Ferguson, socialist-feminist activist, retired professor at UMass Amherst

Venezuela
Stalin Pérez Borges, Liga Unitaria Chavista Socialista (LUCHAS)

Organizations

Britain
Anti-capitalist resistance https://www.anticapitalistresistance.org/

France
Le Nouveau Parti Anticapitaliste (NPA)
Europe solidaire sans frontières (ESSF)
Union syndicale Solidaires
ENSEMBLE! (Mouvement pour une Alternative de Gauche, Ecologiste et Solidaire)

Germany
Internationale Sozialistische Organisation (ISO), section of the FI

Morocco
Courant Al Mounadil-a

Mexico
Partido Revolucionario de los Trabajadores, PRT
Coordinadora Socialista Revolucionaria de México, CSR

Portugal
Toupeira Vermelha

Spanish state
Anticapitalistas, IV Internacional

Switzerland
SolidaritéS

USA
Socialist Action socialistaction.org
Solidarity https://solidarity-us.org/

Venezuela
Liga Unitaria Chavista Socialista (LUCHAS)

International
Fourth International
Revolutionary Communist International Tendency (RCIT)
International Marxist-Humanist Organization www.imhjojournal.org

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