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Pussy Riot co-founder Pyotr Verzilov jailed for 15 days on ‘hooliganism’ charges, activist says he was set up by police | Pussy Riot co-founder Pyotr Verzilov jailed for 15 days on ‘hooliganism’ charges, activist says he was set up by police |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Pyotr Verzilov, a controversial Russian shock artist and co-founder of ‘punk’ art collectives Pussy Riot and Voina - along with ex-wife Nadezhda Tolokonnikova - has been jailed for 15 days for “swearing in public.” | |
The penalty comes the day after Verzilov said police questioned him about last year’s Moscow protests, specifically over allegedly using violence against a law enforcement officer. | The penalty comes the day after Verzilov said police questioned him about last year’s Moscow protests, specifically over allegedly using violence against a law enforcement officer. |
On Sunday evening, the activist was released, but after a street altercation he was again detained, taken to a police station, and kept overnight. Cops accused him of “repeatedly expressing obscene language.” | On Sunday evening, the activist was released, but after a street altercation he was again detained, taken to a police station, and kept overnight. Cops accused him of “repeatedly expressing obscene language.” |
On Monday, a Moscow court found him guilty of using foul language in public. Verzilov contended that he was physically targeted twice by a ‘provocateur’, but he did not use offensive words in his speech. | On Monday, a Moscow court found him guilty of using foul language in public. Verzilov contended that he was physically targeted twice by a ‘provocateur’, but he did not use offensive words in his speech. |
The incident happened near the entrance to the Krasnoselskaya metro station in the Russian capital. | The incident happened near the entrance to the Krasnoselskaya metro station in the Russian capital. |
Verzilov told the judge that after the interrogation, he noticed he was being watched by police. Soon after, a man knocked him over. | Verzilov told the judge that after the interrogation, he noticed he was being watched by police. Soon after, a man knocked him over. |
“Realizing that I was in a classic example of police provocation – when you are deliberately provoked, I abruptly stood up and Margarita (his girlfriend) and I started to run away from him, but he caught up with us at the shopping center and knocked me over a second time, screaming some words,” the accused said, according to his own news site MediaZona. | “Realizing that I was in a classic example of police provocation – when you are deliberately provoked, I abruptly stood up and Margarita (his girlfriend) and I started to run away from him, but he caught up with us at the shopping center and knocked me over a second time, screaming some words,” the accused said, according to his own news site MediaZona. |
“But he caught up with us at the shopping center and knocked me over a second time, screaming some words, After 20 seconds, police officers appeared.” | “But he caught up with us at the shopping center and knocked me over a second time, screaming some words, After 20 seconds, police officers appeared.” |
Verzilov’s arrest sparked a flurry of speculation on social media on Sunday, and in some Russian news outlets, where reporting accuracy was rather tenuous. | Verzilov’s arrest sparked a flurry of speculation on social media on Sunday, and in some Russian news outlets, where reporting accuracy was rather tenuous. |
There were initial suggestions that he had been detained by the police anti-extremism division. MediaZona and several other pro-opposition outlets initially described the incident as a “kidnapping” of the activist. | There were initial suggestions that he had been detained by the police anti-extremism division. MediaZona and several other pro-opposition outlets initially described the incident as a “kidnapping” of the activist. |
Britain's state broadcaster the BBC raised plenty of eyebrows when it announced that Verzilov had planned to stand in front of a tank during a rehearsal for this week's rescheduled Victory Day parade in Moscow. The outlet – which has received tens of millions of pounds from the London government to bulk up its coverage of Russia – told its readers that Verzilov was hoping to emulate the iconic Tiananmen Square ‘tank man’ photo from 1989. | Britain's state broadcaster the BBC raised plenty of eyebrows when it announced that Verzilov had planned to stand in front of a tank during a rehearsal for this week's rescheduled Victory Day parade in Moscow. The outlet – which has received tens of millions of pounds from the London government to bulk up its coverage of Russia – told its readers that Verzilov was hoping to emulate the iconic Tiananmen Square ‘tank man’ photo from 1989. |
The man himself has denied the BBC’s allegation, saying that he didn't plan any public action of that nature. | The man himself has denied the BBC’s allegation, saying that he didn't plan any public action of that nature. |
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