The musician was arrested for taking part in peaceful protests against corruption.
The police of the town of Cheboksary detained violinist Andrei Osipov at an orchestra rehearsal. The musician participated in the peaceful rally against corruption in Cheboksary on March 26. Osipov’s fellow musicians filmed the arrest.
He didn’t resist and said he stood against corruption and had participated in the rally. Osipov underlined it was his civic stance. The musician’s colleagues tried to explain to the policemen that Osipov was at work and said the Constitution guarantees freedom of expression. The musicians asked the police officers not to break Osipov’s hands.
Andrei Osipov is a well-known violinist in Cheboksary. He is a member of the Chuvash State Symphony Capella. The local media describe him as a talented performer and a violin virtuoso.
The rally against state corruption took place in Cheboksary on March 26. Similar protests were held across Russia following the publication of the Anti-Corruption Foundation’s report that exposed information about corruption schemes and assets owned by Dmitry Medvedev, the country’s prime minister and former president. More than 1,000 people were arrested during the protests. The rally in Cheboksary gathered about 500 people. Several activists were detained. Dmitry Semenov, a coordinator of the Open Russia initiative in Chuvashia, says the police had lists with names of several tens of activists who are likely to be detained for protests.
Photo: Andrei Osipov
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