Defund the Police

Defund the Police

Our goal is to create and implement a new security strategy for local communities based more on strengthening social bonds than on the number of police patrols. We want to revise local and national budgets by reducing police funding in favor of other elements of the infrastructures of cities and villages without which a comfortable and safe existence of their residents is impossible.

We believe that improving police equipment, creating new departments and increasing police staff will not solve citizens’ problems, e.g. poor quality of education, lack of affordable housing, lack of cultural facilities, etc. We are convinced that governments should not concern themselves with the consequences of social problems, but rather with systemic solutions to these problems.

In order to achieve these goals, we plan to carry out a financial audit of law enforcement agencies, to organize round tables with representatives of the authorities and international colleagues, to organize conferences, media campaigns and to build up a network of international partner organizations. We want to target our activities to local communities and to the representatives of the governments, local and national councils, as those people have the power to implement our demands.


Nazarii Sovsun

Nazarii Sovsun is a civic activist and cultural manager working for the Freedom March and Visual Culture Research Center. He holds a Master of Arts degree in Cultural Studies. His main interests are drug policy, nightlife and police law reform.

E-mail: nazarii.sovsun@gmail.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nazariy.sovsun/

Freedom March


Freedom March

Freedom March is an all-Ukrainian movement to reform cannabis law. It was launched in 2005 by a group of activists to open a public debate on the principles of government drug policy. Its activists have consistently advocated legal access to medical cannabis treatment in Ukraine, decriminalization of cannabis users and effective public scrutiny of law enforcement agencies.

Numerous public protests, discussions and media campaigns were organized. In addition, Freedom March is advocating in court on behalf of those accused of caring drugs containing THC or CBD or growing a plant for their health needs, and is monitoring the drug situation in Ukraine.

Freedom March cooperates with various initiatives and communities, such as the patient organizations "Veterans for Medical Cannabis", "Athena. Women against Cancer","People with Epi" as well as with individual scientists, medics, artists, night clubs etc. Legal entity of Freedom Marsh is NGO «МІСТ».

Website: https://marshsvobody.in.ua
Facebook-page: https://www.facebook.com/marshsvobody/