Jacobin Radio: The Cost of Speaking Out Against Russia’s War w/ Simon Pirani
Get the full intelligence
Search transcripts, export clips, track mentions, and explore all topics from “Jacobin Radio: The Cost of Speaking Out Against Russia’s War w/ Simon Pirani” inside PodZeus.
The Russian state has escalated its repression of anti-war dissent into a systematic campaign of terror, using absurd charges like 'terrorism' and 'extremism' to sentence activists to decades in prison—often in brutal Arctic penal colonies. Simon Peroni and Sasha Zapolskaya, experts on Russian political repression, reveal how ordinary citizens, from anarchists to elderly dissidents, have made defiant final statements in court, refusing to stay silent despite torture and death threats. These speeches, compiled in the book *Voices Against Putin's War* and adapted into the free film *Try Me for Treason*, expose a chilling continuity with Stalinist-era repression—where conscience is the crime, and speaking truth is treason. The episode underscores that the war in Ukraine is not just a military conflict but a war on dissent, and that the fate of political prisoners like Asad Miftikov—tortured, sentenced twice, and imprisoned near where Alexei Navalny was murdered—reveals the regime's true nature: a machine of fear that targets the most vulnerable first. Yet, the authors argue, resistance persists through global solidarity, letter-writing campaigns, and the radical act of speaking out, proving that even in darkness, the human spirit refuses to be extinguished.
Political prisoners in Russia are being sentenced to decades in prison using absurd charges like 'terrorism' and 'extremism'—a tactic directly echoing Stalinist repression.
The final words spoken by Russian dissidents in court are not spontaneous but carefully crafted statements of conscience, reflecting deep moral conviction and long-term resistance.
Asad Miftikov, a mathematician and anarchist, was tortured, sentenced twice, and transferred to an Arctic penal colony—proof that the Russian state uses political prisoners as test subjects for new torture systems.
Letter-writing campaigns to political prisoners are a powerful form of solidarity; over 30 million Russians use VPNs daily, meaning exile media like Postly and Robcor reach a vast underground audience.
The war in Ukraine is not just military—it's a war on dissent. The regime targets anarchists first, building its terror apparatus on their bodies before expanding to others.
…and 3 more takeaways available in PodZeus
The Rise of the 21st Century Gulag
“The Russian state actively uses extremist and terrorist articles for politically motivated prosecutions to jail human rights defenders, so-called foreign agents, activists, really anyone who actively criticizes the government or whom the government perceives as a threat.”
Voices from the Courtroom: The Final Words of Resistance
“My conscience would not allow me to stay quiet. And I said we need to think about what will we tell our children and grandchildren many years from now about these troubled times.”
From Anarchists to Dissidents: A Spectrum of Resistance
“I felt the human in me come into bloom. And that's an incredible thing to say in a courtroom.”
The Case of Asad Miftikov: A Test of the State's Terror
“When your first term is over, they give you the second term. And how to imagine a second term? I mean, what he could have possibly done when he was in prison.”
Solidarity in Exile: Building Bridges from Abroad
Zapolskaya explains how Russian exiles are maintaining connections with those inside Russia through media, VPNs, and coordinated actions. Despite censorship, over 30 million Russians use VPNs daily, enabling underground communication.
“Try me for treason. I betrayed your deranged state.”
“When your first term is over, they give you the second term. And how to imagine a second term? I mean, what he could have possibly done when he was... you know,”
“my conscience would not allow me to stay quiet. And he said we need to think about what will we tell our children and grandchildren many years from now about these troubled times.”
Host
Guests
simon peroni
person
alexandra zapolskaya
person
asad miftikov
person
try me for treason
media
memorial
organization
postly
organization
voices against putin's war
book
solidarity free asad
organization
alexei navalny
person
mediazona
organization
Confronting Capitalism: This Century’s Biggest Labor Battle
Jacobin Radio • 47m • 4/1/2026
Behind the News: Venezuela After Maduro w/ Gabriel Hetland
Jacobin Radio • 53m • 4/6/2026
The Dig: Nusantara Ep. 2 — National Awakening, Red Movement
Jacobin Radio • 2h 37m • 4/10/2026
Behind the News: The Greed Driving US Politics w/ Andrew Cockburn
Jacobin Radio • 53m • 4/13/2026
Jacobin Radio: Escaping Capitalism w/ Clara Mattei
Jacobin Radio • 57m • 4/14/2026
Get the full intelligence
Search transcripts, export clips, track mentions, and explore all topics from “Jacobin Radio: The Cost of Speaking Out Against Russia’s War w/ Simon Pirani” inside PodZeus.
Start discovering podcast insights today
Start with a 7-day trial and explore a growing catalog of popular podcasts. No credit card required.
No credit card required • 7-day trial • Cancel anytime