Ryutin Affair

The Ryutin Affair began in the summer of 1932 in the Soviet Union. Martemyan Ryutin was a right-wing communist. He wrote a 200-page document called the "Ryutin platform".^[1] In the document, he criticized Joseph Stalin's leadership of the communist party.^[1] Twelve or so party members met with Ryutin and read the document.^[2] This was in August 1932. They passed it on to other party members. Stalin thought Ryutin and his friends were trying to have him assassinated.^[2]

Ryutin was arrested. When Stalin tried to have him executed, he was instead sent to a forced labor camp for ten years.^[3] Every party member who read the document was arrested. In 1933 as many as 800,000 were arrested.^[1] In 1934 another 340,000 were sent to camps.^[1] This shows that Stalin did not yet have enough power to order Ryutin's execution.^[3] But by 1937 things had changed. After a 40-minute trial on 1 January 1937 Ryutin was executed.^[4]