In this report to the 8th Congress of the @SEP_US on the campaign to #FreeBogdan, I sought to explain the inseparable relationship between the fight to defend democratic rights & for the program of Trotskyism & the fight against war
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Ukrainian Trotskyist Bogdan Syrotiuk, a leader of the Young Guard of Bolshevik-Leninists, was arrested on April 25 by the SBU and now faces charges of "high treason" which carry 15y to life in prison. 2/His indictment is based on articles that appeared on the @WSWS_Updates. It marks a declaration of war against all left-wing & socialist opposition to the Zelensky regime and, specifically, the ICFI and its public organ, the WSWS. 3/With his arrest, Trotskyism has been put on trial. But the record of the WSWS not only refutes the charges of the SBU. It also explains why Bogdan was arrested. 4/Like the ICFI, he has opposed the Russian invasion of Ukraine from a principled, internationalist standpoint, fighting for the unity of the Russian, Ukrainian & international working class against both oligarchic regimes and the imperialist powers. 5/In the report, I discuss Bogdan’s own development toward Trotskyism. His life and that of his family reflects the bitter experiences of the Ukrainian working class with Stalinism & fascism, but also its heroic and proud association with the October revolution. 6/Already as a child, he was determined opponent of capitalism, war and fascism. Based on an orientation toward the historical truth about the October revolution and Leon Trotsky, he found his way to the International Committee. 7/Bogdan’s evolution foreshadows the turn of much broader sections of youth & workers toward Trotskyism. This is a major reason why the ruling class is so concerned with making an example of him. But they will not succeed. 8/The ICFI has initiated a major international defense campaign. It has already garnered support from workers, youth & principled intellectuals as well as left-wing tendencies from Sri Lanka & Australia to Russia, Germany, the UK, Brazil & North America. 9/The attack on Bogdan is an attack on the world Trotskyist movement. Our response is an offensive for Trotskyism. 10/ wsws.org/en/articles/20…But we appeal not only to those who support our politics. Our campaign stands in the century-long tradition of the defense of class war prisoners. There can be no fight against war and no fight against capitalism without a fight for democratic rights. 11/We appeal to every opponent of war & defender of democratic rights to join this campaign. You do not have to agree with every position of the ICFI to agree with the democratic right of workers & youth to learn about Trotskyism, discuss & fight for it. 13/The defense of Bogdan is a matter of principle. If he can be locked up for opposing war, everyone else can be too. 14/The Trotskyist movement has long spearheaded such defense campaigns. This has included the defense of framed-up socialist workers Tom Mooney & Warren Billings in the 1920s and 1930s and, most recently, Julian Assange. 15/I therefore urge all of my followers to read this report; sign the petition; share the information about Bogdan’s arrest as widely as possible, and get involved in his defense. 16/
