Trio in Moscow face up to 10 years in prison for anti-Russia poetry slamming Ukraine war
Russian poet and anti-war activist Artyom Kamardin
Three Russian men were detained after participating in a poetry reading session critical of Moscow's military assault on Ukraine. Each of them could spend up to 10 years in jail, their lawyerLeonid Solovyov toldAFP on Tuesday (March 14).
Artyom Kamardin, Yegor Shtovba, and Nikolai Dayneko were detained in September 2022after participating in a poetry reading in Moscow square where dissidents have gathered since the Soviet period.
The young men were charged with "public calls to commit activities directed against state security", Solovyov told AFP.
This is the first time a case has been launched based on these charges, he said.
They have also been charged with "inciting hatred" and they face up to 10 years in prison, he added.
Kamardin recited his poem, "Kill me, militia man!" at the reading, which made an allusion to the pro-Russian rebels in eastern Ukraine.
The next day, Kamardin was arrested during a search of his apartment, where he was residing with his girlfriend.
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Kamardin told AFP that he was beaten and raped with a barbell by the police.
His girlfriend, Alexandra Popova, told AFP in November 2022 that the cops had threatened to rape her and had violently treated her during the search.
Russia has intensified its attempts to silence dissent and proposed new legislation to stifle opponents since sending soldiers to Ukraine more than a year ago.
(With inputs from agencies)
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