New details of the persecution of Ales Pushkin, who died in prison, became known

2023-07-28 14:02:15

Human rights center “Viasna” informs that according to art. 370 of the Criminal Code (“mockery of state symbols”) qualified his performance in Kyiv. There, at the exhibition of Belarusian protest art “Every Day”, Ales recreated his most famous performance “Dung for the President”, but slightly updated – on the portrait of Alexander Lukashenko, instead of the inscription “For 5 years of fruitful work”, he spilled red paint, which symbolized blood .

Ales Pushkin said at the opening of the exhibition on March 25, 2021, shortly before his arrest, that he was pleased to open the presentation of Belarusian contemporary art in Kyiv and sad at the same time:

“It’s sad because even after 22 years, my performance is still relevant, and I rolled this wheelbarrow into the Art Arsenal, did the same thing, only painted the portrait of Lukashenka, who has already become a bloody dictator, with red paint.”

In July 1999, at the five-year anniversary of Alexander Lukashenko’s rule, the artist performed for the first time with manure, which he rolled in a wheelbarrow to the presidential administration in Minsk. He scattered manure and devalued rubles, put the Constitution, Lukashenka’s portrait on top, and pierced it all with a pitchfork. For this action, the artist was then sentenced to 2 years of conditional imprisonment.

As it was known before, under Art. 130 of the Criminal Code failed to place portraits of representatives of the Belarusian anti-Soviet resistance Michal Vitushka, Vsevolad Rodzka and Yevgeny Zhihar at the exhibition in the city “Center of City Life”. This was interpreted as “rehabilitation of Nazism”. The portrait of the resident was painted in 2014 and was previously exhibited in Belarus and Russia. During the exhibition, the artist was in Kyiv, where he participated in the exhibition “Every Day”. Knowing about the criminal case, Pushkin decided to return to Belarus.

The trial of the artist began on March 10, 2022. It was closed almost immediately. 20 days later, judge Alena Shylko sentenced Pushkin to 5 years in a penal colony.

At the court, Ales was wearing a white overall with the inscription “Belrestavratsiya”, in which he was detained on March 30, 2021, in the village of Zhylichy, Kirau District, Mogilev Region, where the artist was working on the restoration of the Bulgakov Palace. At the trial, he was lying on the bench. He was also brought into the building in a horizontal position, he refused to go to court.

“Viasna” human rights defenders learned that he was brought to the court in handcuffs.

On March 25, Ales Pushkin cut his stomach in protest against his imprisonment and 5,000 political criminal cases opened in Belarus. On March 30, during the announcement of the sentence, Pushkin undressed himself so that the scratches in the shape of a cross could be seen, and demanded the release of all political prisoners. The artist also thanked those present for participating in the political performance.

According to the information of “Viasna”, Ales Pushkin prepared the last word on 23 pages, but due to the fact that the court was closed, the public did not hear it.

Kartsar during the trial

“Viasna” human rights activists learned that Ales was put in solitary confinement on March 18 – even before the performance at the court. He was sent there for “indecent behavior” at one of the court sessions, the order to this effect was signed by the head of the detention center Andrei Tsedryk. For 15 days, Ales was kept in cell No. 2.