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Michael Kosenko
is one of 27 people who
are currently on trial because of their involvement in
the mass demonstration on 6th of May 2012. On that date,
immediately before President Putin's inauguration, about
100,000-120,000 people took part in a peaceful protest
in Moscow. The police suddenly blocked the way to
Bolotnaya (Swamp) Square where the SANCTIONED march was
to terminate thus provoking a clash with the protesters.
Then the police announced the demonstration was
cancelled and immediately attacked the protesters,
beginning to disperse them with the aid of batons and
tear gas. As a result, approximately 600 people were
arrested on the spot, hundreds were injured. Criminal
charges were initiated not against the unlawful police
officers but against the lawful protesters for
participating in mass disorder and acts of violence. 27
people were selected by the authorities to serve as
examples in a theatre of show-case prosecutions.
Michail Kosenko, was arrested on the 8th of July 2012. He is
facing the particularly serious accusation of "the
life-threatening violence against authorities". The only
support for this accusation is the video of the event
showing him standing still, not participating in the
events and the words of a police officer who stated
he saw that Kosenko "with some other unidentified
people" hit another officer.
While
serving in the army Kosenko suffered a serious head
trauma which provoked schizophrenia and made him an
invalid receiving the health pension. His serious
illness grossly worsened over months of imprisonment
without medicine leading to hospitalization and then
return to prison. Despite this Kosenko was refused to be moved from
prison to house arrest. Furthermore the judge has been
prohibiting the visits of his relatives for eight months
at the this time of writing. The prosecution is now
demanding a sentence of indefinite detention and "compulsory
psychiatric treatment" in a mental hospital.
Recently his court hearings have been
cancelled several times because of "illness" and
"possible surgery".
His
Moscow neighbors stated that prior to his arrest he was
a quite, calm person. He needs to be returned to the
constant supervision of his medical specialist and
calm home environment in which he was doing so well.
Michael
Kosenko before his arrest
Released 11.07.2014 |
