I am lucky to have met lots of nice people

The interview with Maxim Efimov, a writer, blogger, political refugee, civil journalist.

- Dear Maxim, please tell us about yourself in short. - I graduated from the Russian philology faculty, my major was Russian language and literature. While I was a student, I was engaged in human rights activities. I founded the Karelian branch of Youth Human Rights Group and was head of the regional branch of "Amnesty International" in Karelia. I also published a human rights and anti-fascist newspaper Zero Hour, magazines, and brochures. I used to organize a number of educational projects for pupils and students of Petrozavodsk. I also participated in the projects of the Moscow Helsinki Group, drafting reports on human rights violations in the Republic of Karelia. - How does it feel to be a political refugee in the West? - Being a political refugee is better than a political prisoner or a patient in a mental hospital in Russia. I am lucky. While in Russia, I faced the illegal persecution, and in the West, many people have expressed solidarity with me. Wonderful, very smart and famous people help me! I could call them as spiritual guides and the salt of the earth. - How have you discovered Ukraine for yourself? - For the first time, I came there when I was a child. I visited Odessa. Apparently, my sense of humor was shaped there. When I was a student, I went to the Crimea - Saki. I traveled a bit in the Crimea. I had a lot of fun: the Sun, the sea, easy-going students and "real" Massandra wine for 4 hryvnias. Then I was a participant of the international project "The philosophy of human rights", that took place in the Western Ukraine. Most intelligent people of America and Poland taught us, Russian and Ukrainians, the philosophy of human rights. Young Ukrainian women, whom I met abroad, have made me delighted with their level of civil responsibility, thoughts, responsiveness, empathy and interpersonal skills. - What were your first impressions about Ukrainians and Ukraine? - I am lucky to have met lots of nice people. There are only decent people, mainly young scientists, among my Ukrainian friends. I have visited Kiev, Odessa, Lviv, Dnipropetrovsk, the Crimea and several town. Everywhere I found something interesting and entertaining. - What do you think about the political situation in Ukraine? - I'm so sorry for Ukraine and Ukrainians. I think that there are just few decent people, and it’s not enough for building a prosperous country. Just like in Russia. - Please comment on the annexation of the Crimea. - This is an international crime committed by the mafia and the criminal state called Russia. - What would you advise the Ukrainians? - Putin’s evil deeds and crimes against humanity should be the subject of the International Criminal Court. Regarding my friends, please stay strong. - How do you see Ukraine in the nearest future? - I see it as a prosperous, democratic European state. Interviewed by Inna Romani https://www.facebook.com/457438034448068/photos/a.463453443846527.1073741828.457438034448068/463453393846532/?type=3&theater

The refugee crisis means the crisis of democracy, solidarity and human rights

Maxim Efimov, the political refugee and the dissident opinion about refugee crisis in Europe. It means a crisis of solidarity, crisis of democratic values, crisis of humanity. 21.02.2016. Estonia. https://youtu.be/mbclxgqwwpw

It`s a pity that i am not still a European Union citizen

The interview with Maxim Efimov, political refugee, writer, blogger, civil journalist, human rights activist. - What are the reasons to come to Estonia? - The only reason is my criminal prosecution, a threat of my freedom and life in Russia from the criminal Russian state. I am here from 2012. - How have you been persecuted in Russia? - I am a civil journalist, videoblogger, writer and human rights activist. The authorities did not like my activity and one day they decided to stop me. The reason was my critical article "Karelia is tired from the priests" which i wrote, critisizing Russian Orthodox church in Karelia. FSB decided that this article is very dangerous for social secutity and that it insults a social group Orthodox beliviers. They began spying and wiretapping me for two months. And then the Investigating Committee initiated a criminal proceeding, according to the part 1 article 282 of the Criminal law. The empoyees of three security agencies searched my appartment in the night and took my computer. It was huge stress for me. After two months the investigator proposed me to pass the ambulatory psychiatric examination. And i did it. Psychiatrists recognized that i am OK. But it was not enough for FSB and they exerted pressure on Karelian expert group of psychiatrists to put me into the psychiatric clinic for stationary examination for an indefinite term. It could be some kind of freedom restraint for nothing. It reminded many people the Soviet era punitive psychiatry. I would like to share with you the unique fact that i was only person in Russia who had opinions of 16 psychiatrists that i am mentally healthy. But it did not help. And the judge decided to send me into the clinic with the prison regime. Thanks to federal mass-media and international human rights organisations they wrote about it and the intelligence service refused from their plans to take me away to the clinic accompanied FSB employees at this moment, immediately. I had 10 days of freedom to appeal the decision. So, in 9 days i fleed from Russia to West and when i knew that my name is in a Federal wanted list and i decided to ask for political assylum in Estonia because i had Estonian visa. - What are your activity in Estonia? - I am writing my books. I wrote 7 books and 3 of then have already been published, one is in the process of printing. - Your possibility to interact with thouse left in Russia for changes. - My organisation Youth Human Rights Group of Karelia has been eliminated by the court on the claim of the Karelian Ministry of Justice. Now i am just a member of the international commitee of protection of Boris Stomakhin, who is the Russian journalist and dissident. Recently a member of our Commitee from Saint-Petersburg has been attacked by unknown guy. His nose was broken. He is still threatened. I think that opposition political activity is impossible in Russia and activists should flee Russia as soon as possible. It is impossible to resist the modern regime in peaceful manner but only with guns like during Nazi regime in Europe. I would like that the fate and help to political prisoners and political activists in Russia would become a subject and priority of foreign policy in Estonia. - How do you live in Estonia? - It is a new experience and i open to it and sometimes like it, sometimes i feel depressed. Life in Estonia is a new challenge for me and i must deal with it any way. Never give up! - How have you been accepted? - I don`t feel needed here as well as in Russia. There are many intelligent people are not in demand in the post-Soviet space. But i have a great mission in this life and i try not to get lost here on the Planet. It`s a pity that i am not a European Union citizen, because it would give me more possibilities to realise myself and to be a part of European Union family. The temporary residence permit restricts my human rights in EU.