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Save Political Prisoner Ildar Didan from Imprisonment and Torture!
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Dear friends, Last year, 34-year-old Ildar Dadin made history, but not the encouraging kind. After Ildar held several single-person protests, he became the first Russian citizen imprisoned under a new law that criminalizes repeated public assemblies. As punishment for Ildar's political dissent, a judge sentenced him to three full years in prison. But now, the situation has gotten even worse. Ildar's lawyer recently smuggled a letter out of prison that Ildar wrote to his wife. In it, he describes being tortured and threatened with death on a daily basis. So Michael started a petition urging the international community to take immediate action to free Ildar from this hell. Sign his petition now! In the letter, Ildar says he has been beaten as many as four times a day by up to 12 people at once. Guards handcuff his wrists behind his back and hang him from the ceiling by the cuffs. He writes: "Being suspended in this manner brought about terrible pain in the wrists, twisted out my elbows, and caused horrible back pain. I was suspended like that for half an hour. Then they took off my underwear and said they would bring another prisoner to rape me..." The European Union and United States have the power to successfully pressure the Kremlin and demand Ildar's release by freezing the assets of officials responsible for his torture. We must send a strong, united message to these governments that the time to act is now. Thank you for all that you do,
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