On June 27, the police of Arkhangelsk detained local resident Andrei Kichev near the regional government’s building. He was holding a one-person picket in support of Andrei Borovikov, the former head of the local Navalny’s headquarters* who was sentenced to 2.5 years in prison for posting Rammstein’s music video. This is reported by the SOTA Media Outlet.
"In my opinion, Borovikov has not committed any offenses or wrongful conducts. The decision of the authorities is simply framed up in order to put him out of their way. It is impossible for the people to simply keep silent and do nothing when our citizens are simply arrested for no reasons, when our citizens are simply beaten at rallies and forbidden to speak," Kichev told the Sever.Realii** Media Outlet in an interview.
Police officers detained Kichev shortly after the picket started. He is charged with a health code violation.
At the same time, according to SOTA, Arkhangelsk is especially crowded on June 27, since festive events within the City Day are going to be held in the center. But one can get to most of them only with a negative PCR test or a certificate confirming the vaccination against COVID-19.
On April 29, the Lomonosovsky District Court of Arkhangelsk sentenced local activist Andrei Borovikov to 2.5 years in a general regime penal colony. He was accused of distributing pornography because he posted “Pussy” music video by German band Rammstein on vk.com in 2014.
The consideration of the appeal in the case has already been postponed twice: first, the judge was sick, then there was no videoconferencing channel in the Pre-Trial Detention Facility 1 in the city of Kirov, where Borovikov was transferred before the sentence takes effect. The court session is scheduled for June 29.
