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Russian Youth Climate Activist Arshak Makichyan Freed from Jail

HeadlineDec 26, 2019

In Russia, youth climate activist Arshak Makichyan has been freed from jail, after staging a school strike in Pushkin Square, Moscow, for more than 40 weeks. The 25-year-old violinist began his solo strike on Fridays after being inspired by Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg. He was sentenced to six days in prison last Friday on charges of participating in a protest without permission. He was released from prison earlier this morning and has vowed to continue his Friday protests. This is Arshak Makichyan speaking earlier this month at COP 25 — that’s the U.N. climate summit — on a panel alongside Greta Thunberg.

Arshak Makichyan: “I am from Russia, where everyone can be arrested for anything. But I am not afraid to be arrested. I am afraid not to do enough. And I think and I believe that we can change everything, because behind us there are millions of people, behind us there is the science, and activism is the solution.”

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