Across the world, anti-war campaigners, trade unionists, political figures, academics, writers and others are speaking out after the arrest of Boris Kagarlitsky in Russia.

Back this statement:

We are writing in protest at the detention of the distinguished Russian anti‑capitalist intellectual and anti-war activist Boris Kagarlitsky on charges of “justifying terrorism”.

His trial will be held in the remote northern town of Syktyvkar in order to prevent effective political protest.

Dr Kagarlitsky was a left‑wing dissident during the late Soviet era and was arrested for “anti-Soviet activities” in 1982.

After the fall of the Soviet Union his prolific writings established him as Russia’s best known critical Marxist.

He has taught at numerous Russian academic institutions, directed the Institute of Globalization Studies and Social Movements, and is an associate of the Transnational Institute. Dr Kagarlitsky’s arrest is no doubt a response to his opposition to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, as part of a more general move against the anti-war left.

In June the Russian government declared him a “foreign agent”.

This is absurd. Dr Kagarlitsky has been a forthright critic of the West’s imperialist adventures in Afghanistan and Iraq and a prominent figure in the movement against neoliberal globalisation.

We call on the authorities of the Russian Federation to respect their citizens’ freedom of speech and right to protest and to release Boris Kagarlitsky and all other anti‑war prisoners immediately and unconditionally.

To sign this statement, and see the present signatories, go to chng.it/tFYLHxYbq8

Signatories in the first few days included:

Jeremy Corbyn MP

John McDonnell MP

Claudia Webbe MP

Richard Boyd Barrett TD

Richard Burgon MP

Ken Loach, film director

Michael Rosen, poet and author

Mark Rylance, actor

Tariq Ali, writer

Kevin Courtney, joint General Secretary, NEU (personal capacity)

Etienne Balibar, Université Paris-Nanterre

Richard Bellamy, University College London

Chris Wickham, Universities of Oxford and Birmingham

Jodi Dean, Hobart-William Smith

Lindsey German, convenor, Stop the War Coalition

Kate Hudson, General Secretary, Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament

Shelly Asquith, chair, Stop the War Coalition

Bob Jessop, Lancaster University

Alex Callinicos, King’s College London

John Rees, Counterfire

Kohei Saito, University of Tokyo

Kieran Allen, University College Dublin

Kevin B Anderson, University of California, Santa Barbara

Craig Brandist, Sheffield University

Lucia Pradella, King’s College London

David McNally, University of Houston

Paul Le Blanc, La Roche University

Olena Lyubchenko, York University

Ben Fine, School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London

Mark Seddon, University of Buckingham

Lord John Hendy, Barrister

Des Freedman, Goldsmiths, University of London

Vladimir Unkovski-korica, University of Glasgow

Maud Bracke, University of Glasgow

Rebecca Kay, University of Glasgow

Andreas Bieler, University of Nottingham

Ashok Kumar, Birkbeck University of London

Jenny Morrison, University of Glasgow

Alexei Penzin, Wolverhampton University

Feyzi Ismail, Goldsmiths, University of London

Gilbert Achcar, School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London

Alfredo Saad Filho, King’s College London

Joseph Choonara, Leicester University

James Foley, Glasgow Caledonian University

Kai Heron, Lancaster University

Waseem Ahmed, University College London

Andrew Murray, Vice-President, Stop the War Coalition

Chris Nineham, Vice-Chair, Stop the War Coalition

Carol Turner, London CND and Officer, Stop the War Coalition

Shabbir Lakha, Officer, Stop the War Coalition

Sweta Choudhury, Officer, Stop the War Coalition

Shadia Edwards-Dashti, Officer, Stop the War Coalition

Jenny Clegg, Officer, Stop the War Coalition

Jess Barnard, Labour NEC

Matt Willgress, Editor, Labour Outlook & National Organiser, Arise – A festival of Left Ideas

Doug Henwood, Editor, Left Business Observer

Charlie Kimber, Editor, Socialist Worker

David Jamieson, Conter Editor