Monstration 2004. Novosibirsk

Sad as it to say, the case against Artem Loskutov is probably not personal: to invoke a mafia cliché, it’s just business. But what is this business? Narrowly speaking, the Center for Extremism Prevention, which was formed from Interior Ministry units previously charged with combating organized crime (the so-called UBOP), has to justify its own existence. Since its mission is to prevent extremism (whatever that means), it has to find, interrogate, and intimidate “extremists”, even if there are no real extremists to be found. Whenever possible and using whatever means are necessary, it tries to bring criminal and administrative charges against its victims. Thus, young anarchists who want to advocate the free distribution of information are charged with jaywalking (on a street crowded with police and other May Day demonstrators). Likewise, in order to show free-spirited young people in Novosibirsk that their Monstrations are a nuisance to “public order,” Center “E” arrests one of the people associated with this terrible nuisance and charges him with narcotics possession, a crime that is not even in their remit…

More: chtodelat news

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1. You can contribute to Artem’s legal defense fund.

Contributions in US Dollars

Correspondent bank of beneficiary’s bank:
Bank of New York, New York, One Wall Street, New York, NY 10286, USA
SWIFT code:
IRVTUS3N
Account number with correspondent bank:
890-0570-822
Beneficiary’s bank:
Alfa-Bank Moscow
SWIFT code:
ALFARUMM
Beneficiary’s bank account number:
40817840708110001957
Beneficiary:
Chesnokov Ulyan Mihaylovich

Contributions in Euros

As above, except for the benificiary’s account number: 40817978808110002061

2. You can mail, call in, fax or e-mail your protest to the Novosibirsk Regional Court, which will next hear Artem’s case on June 10.

Novosibirsk Regional Court
ul. Pisareva, 35
Russian Federation 630091 Novosibirsk

Telephone: +7 (383) 221-17-72
Fax: +7 (383) 221-95-30

E-mail: oblsudnso@nsk.raid.ru

3. You can publicize Artem’s case in blogs, e-mail lists, and in the non-Russian language press.

There are two principal, constantly updated sources of information on Artem’s case:
The website of the art group Babuskha Posle Pokhoron: kissmybabushka.com
And the website Free Artem Loskutov!: free.kissmybabushka.com

The first site is Russian-language only, while the second contains articles in English, German, and French.

Feel free to copy/paste and otherwise use anything in this post.

If you need more information or would like us to translate or interpret any articles from the Russian media, please contact us by writing in the comments section.

4. You can organize your own performances and protest actions.

Take your inspiration from the tremendously creative and brave public actions we’ve described above. Poetry, music, art, and performance are powerful instruments of knowledge and political action. Use them!

If you do decide to organize a public protest, do it outside a Russian consulate or embassy, or the venue of a Russian concert, ballet, art exhibition, theater performance or other public event. While Artem sits in jail there should be no peace for Russia’s ruling, creative and thinking classes. Their actions and inaction are responsible for the present dismal state of affairs in Russia, one of whose victims is Artem.

Artem is our comrade. To know him is to love him, but even if you don’t know him or even if the dubious lads at Center “E” don’t love him, that it is no reason why Artem should waste the best years of his life facing down criminal charges or a prison sentence. Artem should be out in the world making art.

The action you take now to publicize his case, support his defense, and inform the Russian authorities that the whole world is watching, will make a difference.

Lazarev Oleg Vladimirovich

In 2006 the same case was concoct again the leader of “Red Youth Vanguard” (youth communistic organization) Vadim Ivanov. Vadim Ivanov has planed to go to the anti-g8 summit in Moscow and Sankt-Peterburg. But the FSB has told him, what he should not do it. But he has bought a train ticket. And when he has left his house to go to the train station a car from Administration on Fight with Organised Crime (now - Department of Counteraction Against Extremism ) was near. This officers have found a package with marijuana during a search of Vadim Ivanov. One of the officers was Oleg Lasarev, who have arrested Artem Loskutov.

Lieutenant colonel Pevnev (head of a Department of Counteraction Against Extremism, E-center) has his own creative way to fight against extremism. Why should we search for evidences? His methods allow to open the case against everyone. All the more so if it is allowed to encroach the rights of sitisens. Can you prove, what you are not going to robber a bank or kill your dear wife’s mother, if evidences are not required to accuse? Was Artem’s and his criminal gang’s plans to blow up metro stations, organize chaos, disorders and arsons presented to the court? No! Some one has told, because some one has commanded. Such method has allowed to the E-center to find a student in Nowosibirsk, who is not smoking or drinking alcohol, and put him in a jail by absurd reasons. But E-center can use it’s creativity. Whey invite old parent’s of adult attestors for preventive talks. Show Artem’s videos and prove what there children are associating with a criminal. ‘”Look here - can a normal man make such films? He smokes grass, absolutely!” You can appraise this movies in different ways, but many of them have received award. And only sick imagination can find extremism in them. Of course, if you will not place an “extremism” label to everything, what is unintelligible to your boss.

lzhezayac (Der falsche Hase). Vasja Lozhkin

Today near 50-70 peoples have came to attend the open judgement. But at 10 p.m. the judge told, what the advocate have given the appeal too late and the court need more time to consider it.

Free Artem Loskutov. Solidarity actions

Art - is the extremism. Action and one day of the street univercity in Sankt-Peterburg

On may 24th was a class day of the street university was for support for Artem Loskutov. It was a discussion “On the use and harm of art for life” (day and action in support Artem Loskutov) .

www.streetuniver.narod.ru

Picket for support for Artem Loskutov in Moskow

In Moscow near the Prosecutor Investigating Committee was a picket of soladarity for arrested Artem Loskutov. There was near 30 activists of different left political groups, artists and journalists.

www.vpered.org.ru

Monstration. Novosibirsk

There are more and more confusions in investigative information from the Department of Counteraction Against Extremism. There are also strange calling to advocate - some one call to him and ask to sell drugs.

Two main reasons to keep Artem under arrest are wrongous:

- Artem will continue to sell drugs in the Nowosibirsk State Institute. There is no “Nowosibirsk State Institute” in Nowosibirsk. Artem is studying in Nowosibirsk State University of Technology.

- Some proofs of witness without date from Artem’s neighbors, what he is not living in his registration address. But his neighbors are telling us in personal conversation, what Artem is living here  from the beginning of the may.

This facts prejudice all others argument from Department of Counteraction Against Extremism. Only one thing what we can oppose to this illegal actions - full publicity of this case.

Department of Counteraction Against Extremism schould serach for criminals, but not for ostentatious cases against peoples, who are guilty only of there nonindifference to the world.

„Friends, thank a lot for coming! This is very important for me and Artem. I can see your real support! It’s wonderful to feel, what I am not alone. I am very proud of my son!“ - say Artem’s mother on the picket.

On Pimenov’s square in Novosibirsk was near 200 peaples to support Artem, to declare there disagreement with such cruel restraint, to tell that the art is not the extremism and that all identification evidences from anti-extremismus center are nonsense. The picket was reratively peacefull in spite of provocations from „molodaja gvardija“.

The crime investigator does not allow to meet Artem to ony one, except his advocate. From Artem: „The crime investigator persuades me to admit, but I refuse. It is better to be imprisoned as not guilty rather then cancel all your affords and accepts UBOP’s grass.“

Slogans are talking about art, world and love. But police and riot squads who have came on two trucks and three  minibuses can not recognize this.

Picket in support for Atrem Loskutov

Picket in support for Atrem Loskutov

Picket in support for Atrem Loskutov

News from Sankt-Peterburg: plain-air hunger strike is in progress.

Sankt-Peterburg’s artists are disturbed by the arrest of Artem Loskutov, they are painting the police’s outrage from nature for two days and refuse to eat till there demands will be fulfilled:

from Sankt-Peterburg’s authorities:
- open the criminal case on the illegal arrest of participants of the legal 1st st may demonstration.

from federal authorities:
- create an anti-extremism subdivision control public committee
- stop the case on Artem Loskutov due to the absent of a corpus delicti

Officers from different subdivision have started to show there interest on starving artists. Policemans from a park security are coming to the painting artists and copy there passport’s data and make photos of the artists, who refuse to implement this illegal demands.

A FSB (ex-KGB, ex-ex-MGB; ex-ex-ex-NKVD, ex-ex-ex-ex-OGPU, ex-ex-ex-ex-ex-GPU, ex-ex-ex-ex-ex-ex-VChK) officer have introduced himself as an journalist and tried to find plain-air’s organizers.

Plain-air hunger strike

Plain-air hunger strike

We, the artists in Russia, faced with a situation where our creativity and our lifestyles criminalized, our constitutional rights are being violated! We call on authorities to respect its own laws and stop the repression against artists.

We are creative people and we do not have any “power instruments”. Therefore, we choose the simplest and strongest way to be heard - we are going on a hunger strike!

1 May, 2009 we planed to make street-party in city-center of St.Petersburg. However, despite the fact that the event has been permitted by the authorities, there was a mass arrest of participants: police arrested more than 120 people.

They were accused of crossing the street in a wrong place, but as you know, street Ligovskiy prospect, was blocked and was a walkway area because of demonstration.

In the Police station police officers made illegal fingerprinting, threatened, attempted to take photographs, have used violence. And all this is happening in the city, which is considered “the cultural capital of Russia”.
May 15, in Novosibirsk was arrested popular artist Artem Loskutov, one of the inspirers of “Monstration” – mayday carnival procession, which taking place a lot of years and brought fame to the city in Russia and abroad.

Loskutov was kidnapped by civil-clothes officers, who did not presented themselves according to law. Currently he is held in police station of, where reception comments to phonecalls that he is under arrest as he possessed drugs (with a special cynicism, exactly 11 grams, the amount required for the initiation of criminal proceedings). In the same time Anti-extremist center (Russian political police) accuses the Artist of «creating a criminal group with the aim of organizing mass disturbances». How they called now exhibitions and peaceful street parties.

At first blush all these cases are totally absurd. But this is part of struggle with so-called «extremism» - new level of state repression. When a progressive-minded creative people are being chase and declare criminals – its clear, this is good old fight with the dissidence.

We will not tolerate that!

The hunger strike - an extreme measure, which can choose despaired people. Other way we have not.

We call everybody who care about the situation, to support us! Take canvases, paints, easels and go plein air! Now is the time to paint the horror from nature! Draw near Russian embassies and missions in your cities. It is very important that as many people go to the streets with the easels, and thereby showed that art is not possible to conclude in any frame. Do you want to - go hungry strike as we or just paint, express themselves by all possible and impossible ways. Form does not matter, your solidarity is important. Art must be free!

Our requirements
From the authorities of St. Petersburg:

• Start a criminal case under Art. 149 of the Criminal Code (Obstruction of holding meetings, rallies, demonstrations, marches, picketing, or participating in them, an official using his official position or with the use of violence) into the illegal detention of participants in the legal street-party on Mayday.

State authorities:

• To create a Public Commission for the Supervision of the Anti-extremist center;
• Dismiss the case against the artist Loskutov by the reason of total lack of offence.

Photos
http://i069.radikal.ru/0905/5f/7c4654687f7e.jpg
http://s49.radikal.ru/i124/0905/84/9b62a74a7573.jpg
http://s59.radikal.ru/i164/0905/f1/b59f11f9255d.jpg
http://s49.radikal.ru/i125/0905/4b/9e12f10d7d78.jpg
http://s42.radikal.ru/i097/0905/24/b9209f0e578b.jpg

21th of May, In Novosibirsk, city where Artem lives, british artist Kimbal Bumstead made performance “Arrest me, I am an artist!” in gallery “White Cube”

Video from performance:

In Tula 23 May in support of Artem Loskutov and against the “Anti-extremist law” left-wing and art community made street performance: activists built cardboard barricades and put it in front of City Administration building.

In Saint-Petersburg anarchists made graffiti action: activists put graffitis on the wall Above the entrance to the Art Academy (main artistic institution countries are inscribed the words “Free hudozhestvovat. Despite this persecution of artists in Russia have a long tradition. Suffice it to recall the process of 30-ies, the times of stagnation, high-profile cases of post-Soviet Russia, such as the case Avdeyev Ter-Ohanyan.

We believe that the freedom of creativity can not be declared a crime, but in fact it makes today’s power! Aretmu give drugs, it is also clear that the reason - his creative activity.
Art - not extremism! The artist can only be free!”

We ask you to organize protests and to distribute information in your cities about going lawlessness! Solidarity with Artem! Solidarity with all Russian imprisoned political activists!

The judge delayed the start of the hearing, moving the meeting to
12:30, then came ten minutes late, awaited by a waiting room full of
press and supporters who overflowed into the street.

The hearing lasted approximately six hours, while the judge herself
took two hours for deliberation. During the course of the proceedings,
a prosecutor left at one point, and investigating attorney Lebedeva
apparently sent numerous SMS messages.

Despite the “blue seal certifications” and other personal testimony
from prominent citizens, honored scientists and artists,
representatives of public organizations of Novosibirsk (a list which
will be posted later), saying that they personally vouch for Artem,
the judge believed the allegations of the “Extremism Prevention
Center”.

Justice has not occurred today.

http://kissmybabushka.com/?p=2093
http://imc-siberia.org/ru/node/2344

Photos from a court hall:
http://dotfoto.blogspot.com/2009/05/blog-post_20.html

Short timeline (events and dates local time)

Friday 15th of May 9 AM - Artem was called by an officer of CPE (Center of Counteraction against Extremism), demanding him to show up for a “chat”. It was day of preliminary defence of his thesis for an art degree, and he demanded police to pass him a legal order. Police officer responded with some threats.

Around 8 PM these threats got released - he went to prepare an installation for “night of museums” next day with his friend, when he got stopped at Gogol street by 3 plain clothes cops. Cops failed to identify themselves (which is illegal), they announced that Artem is arrested as a accused of a crime (which was not defined), they wore handcuffs on Artem and drove him away. Friend of Artem tried to call police to halt the kidnapping, which of course was useless.

Artem was taken to a yard nearby and searched, this time reasons of his arrest was already different - he was now suspected for a crime. His backpack was taken by police, put to trunk of a car (filled with all kind of stuff) and searched there - and 11 gram of marihuana is “found”.

For hours, whereabouts of Artem are unknown, but then it is clarified that he is held in Dzerzhinsky police station. 11 grams is not considered a big amount in Russia, and usually nobody is remanded with such a cases - however for police, Artem is an exception.

Sunday 17th of May - there is first hearing on remanding Artem. Police attempts not to let lawyer to participate to hearing, but eventually lawyer is let to the hearing. Judge is complying to request of lawyer to pass hearing to 20th of May in order to gather enough documents which prove that Artem may be freed in prior to court (that he is studying, about to defend his thesis, involved in art projects and has not committed any crimes).

Currently, funds are gathered for defence of Artem - you may contribute directly to Novosibirsk by following the instructions (in Russian) in http://kissmybabushka.com/?p=2076#more-2076,

or by account of ABC-Moscow (in English).

Also, some artwork is currently sold in defence of Artem, such as paintings from “PLAN” exhibition, which was held in prior to mayday, 28th of April.

These paintings actually feature plan for this years “Monstration” demonstration in Novosibirsk, which is an ironic, “post-political” mass performance which has taken place in 1st of May since year 2004. “PLAN” exhibition lasted for 30 minutes until police arrived, at that point artists took paintings and ran away, uncaught by the police. Artem is one of the organisers of the event, which has grown from original 100 participators to an event of up to 1000 participators, an unique phenomena in Russian politics. You may read reports of some of the past actions here:

2004: www.ainfos.ca
2006: www.ainfos.ca
2009: www.russia-ic.com

Wait for more updates on case of Artem!

Contemporary artist, cameraman, antifascist, political and cultural
activist Artem Loskutov was arrested on May 15 by security forces in
Novosibirsk, and is now being held at a police station awaiting trial.
He has been charged with drug possession and “organizing a criminal
group for mass disturbances, vandalism of shops and offices, arson and
the defacement of private property”.

In the morning of the same day, one of the heads of Novosibirsk’s
anti-extremist militia task force called Loskutov and invited to stop
by for a conversation. Artem declined this invitation because he was
busy with preparations for his diploma project at the university, and
asked for an official notice to be called in for questioning. The
police officer answered that Artem was being impudent and said, “I
will send will send a car with a dog to find you. We will drive to
your workplace.” But they did not.

In the evening of the same day, Artem was surrounded by three
plainclothesmen and handcuffed. They told him that he was being
charged with a criminal act, but did not tell him which one, nor did
they show any official documents or police badges. After that, they
drove into the nearest courtyard and ransacked Artems bag. Here, they
“found” a package with a green substance and took Artem to the local
militia. According to Artem’s lawyer Valentin Demidenko, Artem
maintains that he was not in possession of any illegal substances and
the case is being fabricated. In addition to the drug charge, Artem is
being charged with political extremism and conspiracy to create public
unrest.

Artem Loskoutov is well known in Novosibirsk as one of the leaders of
the underground art-scene. Since 2004, he has developed a number of
performances, known to international artistic community. He is also
the founder and leader of the contemporary art group “Babyshka posle
pokhoron” (www.kissmybabushka.com) and has made several films. To a
broader public, Artem is primarily known as leader of Monstration, a
street performance unique to the Russian situation. This week, he is
to defend his diploma thesis at university, but will not be to do it,
as he is still being detained. He has never been implicated or
involved in any “extremist” actions, although his art practice could
be considered subversive. In the history of the Novosibirsk art scene,
this case is completely unprecedented.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 20th at the Dzerzhinsky
court of Novosibirsk (Promyshlennaya str., 1), 12:00 local time (9:00
AM Moscow time). Its phones are: (007) 383 232-14-14, (007) 383 232-14-14,
Lubov Belyatskaya, who witnessed Artem’ capture, is coordinating
efforts to help him. Her phone: (007) 913-370-78-60