Russian Poets Imprisoned for Anti-War Verse Designated Prisoners of Conscience

Three Russian poets – Artyom Kamardin, Yegor Shtovba, and Nikolai Dayneko – have been designated prisoners of conscience by Amnesty International following their imprisonment in 2022 for publicly reading anti-war poetry. Their case highlights the escalating crackdown on dissent in Russia following the invasion of Ukraine.

Poetry Readings and Arrests

The poets were initially detained on September 28, 2022, just days after holding an anti-war poetry reading on September 25, 2022, in front of the Vladimir Mayakovsky monument in Moscow’s Mayakovskaya Square. Amnesty International reports they were accused of “incitement of hatred and enmity with a threat to use violence” (Article 282(2)(a) of the Criminal Code). The charge was later modified to “incitement of hatred done as an organized group” (Article 282(2)(v)), and further expanded to include “public calls to actions directed against the state security” (Article 280.4(3)).

Sentencing and Allegations of Torture

Nikolai Dayneko received a four-year sentence in May 2023 after entering a guilty plea and cooperating with the investigation. BBC News reported that in December 2023, Artyom Kamardin was sentenced to seven years and Yegor Shtovba to five and a half years in prison. Amnesty International UK and other sources detail credible allegations of torture against Artyom Kamardin, including sexualized violence, during his arrest, and detention. Despite documented injuries, he was reportedly denied adequate medical care.

Amnesty International’s Response

Marie Struthers, Amnesty International’s Eastern Europe and Central Asia Director, condemned the imprisonment as “retaliation for daring to express their views.” She stated, “Reading poetry in public cannot threaten national security, nor did their poems express prohibited forms of hatred or contain calls to violence. Quite the opposite – the messaging was anti-violence and anti-Russia’s war of aggression.” Amnesty International is calling for the immediate and unconditional release of the poets and a thorough investigation into the allegations of torture.

Background on the Mayakovsky Readings

The poetry readings took place at the Mayakovsky Readings, a tradition dating back to the 1950s where dissidents and activists have gathered to share their function in Triumfalnaya Square (formerly Mayakovsky Square) in Moscow. The BBC notes the event gained prominence as a platform for expressing dissent.

Call for Justice

Amnesty International asserts that Kamardin, Shtovba, and Dayneko are prisoners of conscience, imprisoned solely for exercising their right to freedom of expression. The organization urges Russian authorities to quash their convictions and ensure those responsible for any ill-treatment are brought to justice in fair trials. Amnesty USA has likewise raised concerns about the risk of further torture and ill-treatment as Kamardin is transferred to a penal colony.