A well-known pianist from Russia passed away in prison while he was awaiting trial for expressing defiance towards Moscow's military operations in Ukraine.
Last month, Pavel Kushnir died while in custody at a prison located in Birobidzhan, a city situated in the far eastern region of Russia, close to the Chinese border, as reported by a Russian local media outlet reported.
Irina Levina, the mother of the late musician, shared that she was informed by an investigator that Kushnir had passed away during a hunger strike.
Upon completing his studies at the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory, Kushnir showcased his musical talents as a solo performer at various philharmonic venues in Kursk and Kurgan. He later transitioned to the Birobidzhan philharmonic in the previous year.
In the wake of President Vladimir Putin's decision to deploy troops into Ukraine in February 2022, the Kremlin has escalated its suppression of dissenting voices, targeting opposition activists, independent reporters, and critics of the government.
A significant number of individuals have been subjected to legal action, including criminal charges, for participating in protests or speaking out against Moscow's actions in Ukraine, resulting in fines and short-term incarcerations for many.
Kushnir found himself in legal custody in May for expressing opposition toward the Kremlin and its involvement in Ukraine on his YouTube page.
Amid Kushnir's death, pianist Alexander Melnikov shared a heartfelt message that bore the signatures of other renowned figures in the music world, as reported by The Violin Channel.
This included signatures of Martha Argerich, Daniel Barenboim, Elena Bashkirova, Boris Berman, Andrey Boreyko, Yefim Bronfman, Isabelle Faust, Julia Fischer, Sol Gabetta, Kirill Gerstein, Vladimir Jurowski, Igor Levit, Alexei Lubimov, Mischa Maisky, Alexander Melnikov, Anne-Sophie Mutter, Emmanuel Pahud, Sir Antonio Pappano, Sir Simon Rattle, Sir András Schiff, Katia Skanavi, and Andreas Staier.
The open letter was published in Germany's Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.
"The greatest tragedy of Pavel's life is that only now are we beginning to realise what a wonderful artist, writer and thinker he was. We simply did not know him. This reminds us that the perverse 'selection process' of law enforcement leads to the most remarkable and fearless people being thrown into prison, often the best people in a sick nation."
"We bow to those heroes and visionaries who, in their desperate loneliness, sacrifice themselves for humanity and pay the ultimate price."
The open letter, which was published in Germany’s Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung on Monday, was signed by musicians including Daniel Barenboim, Sir Simon Rattle, Sir András Schiff and Alexander Melnikov.
— Novaya Gazeta Europe (@novayagazeta_en) August 14, 2024
