Russian police intervenes against the demonstration. Illustrative photo.
Moscow – Russian poet Artyom Kamardin faces up to seven years behind bars, accused by investigators on Thursday of inciting hatred against a social group of participants in combat operations in eastern Ukraine, as well as of inciting activities aimed at against the security of the state. This was announced by the lawyer and human rights defender Pavel Čikov.
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Kamardin thus became the first accused under the new section on state security, which was introduced into the Russian criminal code last July along with new definitions of espionage, treason and cooperation with foreigners
Kamardin is being prosecuted for his the anti-war verses he recited last September in Moscow at the poet Vladimir Mayakovsky's monument in protest against the mobilization announced by President Vladimir Putin to replenish troops depleted in the war against Ukraine. In his verses, he urged to “obey the rules” during mobilization and specifically advised not to accept summonses to military administrations, not to sign acceptance of documents and not to appear at military administrations. Two other co-accused then loudly repeated Kamardin's verses, Čikov quoted from the accusation.
The poet has been in pre-trial detention since the end of September. The arrest was preceded by a house search, after which, according to the treating doctor, Kamardin ended up with a concussion, head and chest injuries, and numerous abrasions on his face, Kommersant wrote at the time. Opposition Moscow representatives demanded an investigation and punishment of the police officers who beat the suspect and his companions during the search.
