Police detained a Pussy Riot member for alleged 2019 riot involvement

Pussy Riot have faced a number of run-ins with police in the past. Nika Nikulshina, a member of the Russian punk activist group, was arrested back in 2019. As well, the group have previously faced various deportation problems after trying to seek asylum in other countries. Now, Pussy Riot member Peter Verzilov has been detained by police.

Verzilov has been accused of organizing riots by anti-extremist police. Verzilov has also been charged with “hooliganism.”

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The Russian punk activist group have had various run-ins with Russian police over the years. Back in 2018, they were sentenced to prison after storming the pitch during the World Cup final in Russia in attempt to upstage Vladimir Putin. Shortly after, Verzilov was hospitalized after what has been described by Pussy Riot as attempted murder. Verzilov was possibly poisoned and was in critical condition. He was treated in Berlin and flown out of Russia due to the fears of state involvement in the possible poisoning. Following this, Pussy Riot planned to open a criminal case for attempted murder.

Now, Verzilov has had another run-in with law enforcement. According to Associated Press reports, Verzilov was seized from his apartment on June 21. Pussy Riot claim that he was then interrogated for 18 hours under the suspicion that he organized riots in July of 2019. The group claim that on the day of the riots, Verzilov was in Estonia meeting the country’s president.

Pussy Riot took to social media to update fans on the situation when it first began.

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“SHARE! Pussy Riot’s Peter Verzilov is nowhere to be found,” Pussy Riot share. “At 7 am Moscow time his door was broken by the police, and he disappeared (for more than 6 hrs now).‬ ‪In 2018 Verzilov was poisoned by the Russian government and almost died. ‬UPDATE Peter is in the police station; for the last 18 hours he was interrogated.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/CBsghRAjs-U/

According to BBC News Russia, Verzilov may have also been detained over rumors that he plans to stand in front of a tank during rehearsals for an upcoming Russian military parade. This action would provoke anger and also share comparisons to the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests in Beijing. At this time, Verzilov states that he has no plans to launch such a protest against the Russian military.

Following his release after being interrogated, Pussy Riot allege that Verzilov was confronted and provoked by a member of the police. He was then arrested for a second time. According to his lawyer, Verzilov was charged with hooliganism for “repeatedly expressing obscene language in the presence of other citizens.” He then spent a night in custody.

Verzilov has now reportedly been sentenced to 15 days in prison for the hooliganism charges. At this time, Verzilov has not been charged with organizing mass riots which is a more serious crime.

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