Russia, 15-year jail term for street artist who daubed city hall in protest of war

Very harsh punishment for a Crimean street artist, Bogdan Ziza, who was guilty of daubing the town hall of his city, Jevpatorija in Crimea, with paint in the colors ofUkraine to protest the war, and for this he was sentenced to a 15-year sentence for terrorism by a military court in Rostov-on-Don in Russia. The news was reported by both Russian and Ukrainian agencies and newspapers and has since spread around the world. The facts date back to May last year: 28-year-old Ziza(his Instagram profile here), around 4 a.m. on May 16, 2022, first threw cans of yellow and blue paint at the facade of the Jevpatorija town hall, after which, from the trolley he was carrying, he threw two Molotov cocktails (one of which did not catch fire, while the other exploded while still in the air).

In the afternoon of the same day, Ziza was taken from his home by Russian law enforcement: the street artist immediately confessed to his action, and stated that he acted “voluntarily” and “obligatorily.” According to Ukrainian sources, Ziza also allegedly received beatings during his arrest, and was forced to make a video in which he declared his repentance for his act, all for a dual purpose: to intimidate the population and to make the video a basis for his accusation. Ziza recounted being beaten for not “showing any emotion” in the video (“I’m not a very good actor,” he allegedly said). Initially, the military court wanted to prosecute only for vandalism and attempted destruction of other people’s property, but soon after the vandalism was deemed to be supported by political motives and Ziza was charged with committing a terrorist act (i.e., the court’s indictment reads, “arson, frightening the population, causing a danger of death and causing damage to property in order to destabilize the activities of institutions and influence their decision-making process”).

The main evidence for the prosecution consists of two videos of the incident, one taken by the local government’s surveillance cameras, and the other by Ziza himself, who filmed himself during the action. The street artist, according to TASS news agency reports, will have to spend the first four years of his sentence in prison. Finally, Ziza announced a hunger strike starting June 10, called for the revocation of his Russian citizenship, and demanded the release of all Ukrainian political prisoners from Russian jails.

Pictured: the facade of Jevpatorija City Hall after Bogdan Ziza’s action

Russia, 15-year jail term for street artist who daubed city hall in protest of war

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