Skip to content

Marathon “You are not alone”

Ksenia Fadeeva

The Marathon of solidarity with political prisoners “You are not alone” raises money every year on 12 June for Russian political prisoners and their families, and spends it throughout the year: it pays for parcels and tops up prisoners’ accounts, buys medicines, and helps relatives travel to the penal colonies for visits. The Marathon is organised by TV Rain, the Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK) and Meduza; in Russia they are labelled “undesirable” organisations, which is why the Marathon never names the people it helps.

Ksenia Fadeeva, a former coordinator of Navalny’s office in Tomsk and a former political prisoner herself, writes regularly to the Marathon’s supporters about where the money goes. We have translated her letters and collected them here. We also raise donations for the Marathon at our letter-writing events.

You kept hundreds of political prisoners warm this winter08.10.2026 · How the warm clothes appeal went: over €24,000 instead of the €5,000 hoped for. Winter is coming: we're raising money for warm clothes for political prisoners24.09.2026 · Cold cells, freezing punishment cells and uniforms that don’t keep you warm. Happy Visits Day!23.04.2026 · A political prisoner’s letter, carried out of a long visit. The most vulnerable political prisoners06.03.2026 · Women in Russian penal colonies and the prison service’s monthly hygiene kit. About Navalny16.02.2026 · Ksenia’s personal letter about the day she learned of Alexei Navalny’s death. The first letter of 202627.01.2026 · The results of the New Year appeal and thanks from prisoners’ families. You won't starve on prison food02.10.2025 · Former political prisoner Evgeny Bestuzhev on his two years in Kresty prison. How we helped political prisoners this summer, and what comes next11.09.2025 · The Marathon’s report from 1 June to 31 August 2025. Support the families of those who paid for the truth with their freedom26.08.2025 · Political prisoners’ children go back to school. “Now it's all on us”: how you help a political prisoner's family in a village07.08.2025 · A farm left on the shoulders of a political prisoner’s sons. 80,000 roubles, a cancelled flight and a taxi to the colony, for a single visit15.07.2025 · How the Marathon helps relatives reach a penal colony for a visit.