The accusations against the director of the Andrey Sakharov Museum and Public Center and his employees, who organized an exhibition ‘Attention, Religion’, entered the final phase. The procurator is demanding a 3 to 5 year sentence as well as banning him from any future professional activities.The decision will be given on 28 of March. Vastlav Gavel, Amnesty International and Russian Research Center for Human Rights defend the Sakharov Center. (27-MAR-05)
From the 14th to the 18th January 2003, at the Andrey Sakharov Museum and Public Center (a human rights center), a new exhibition of contemporary art, called ‘Attention, Religion’, was vandalized by a group of religious fanatics. Following this, a court hearing took place in which those who took part in the vandalism, where found not guilty.
Under the initiative of several members of the Russian State Duma, the Moscow City prosecutor’s office started processing a civil case, against the Andrey Sakharov Museum and Public Center, for insulting religious feelings while using religious symbols.
In his final courtroom speech, Mr. Samodurov, the museum’s director, said it doesn’t matter what the court’s sentence will be. Guilty or not guilty, it will arouse the people. As far as the court procedure affects his personal reputation and honor, he wanted to say that he never had any hostile intentions towards other religions and nationalities. As the Center’s director, Mr. Samodurov said that there was no picture which presented the belief in God as something negative, absurd, harmful and stupid. Mr. Samodurov emphasized that in these accusations he had never seen any normal law which forbids and prohibits artistic expositions in a non religious and social place.
Representatives of the Russian human rights movement don’t understand why this proceeding was instituted against the Museum and Public Center. Whereas similar exhibitions films are shown, the legal battle against this exhibition, which was called an insult to the senses of religious people, it’s clear to many, is a planted operation, by a government run by the special services, against the Andrey Sakharov Museum and Public Center.
Amnesty International is worried because of the possible imprisonment of Yuri Samodurov, Ludmila Vasilovskaia (curator of the Andrei Sakharov Museum and Public Centre), and Anna Mikhalchuk (an artist). “If imprisoned, Amnesty International would consider them to be prisoners of conscience, detained solely for exercising their right to freedom of expression”, – Amnesty International. (http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGEUR460072005)
The director of the Russian Research Center for Human Rights, Liubov Vinogradova (picture), calls on everybody who upholds democratic values to come out and support Mr. Samodurov and the Andrey Sakharov Museum and Public Center.
Vastlav Gavel, the former President of Czech Republic said that the accusations towards Yuri Samodurov, Ludmila Vasilovskaia and Anna Mikhalchuk are the worst attacks on free speech. He thinks that the society needs to consider the artistic view and not persecute for them. (http://www.hro.org/editions/sovok/2005/03/25-2.php)
Photos: Maria Paramonova
