BK83
Junior Member
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October 2006
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Judge Rejects Banksy's Offer to Post Bail, by BK83 on Jan 19, 2011 6:28:12 GMT 1, www.artinfo.com/news/story/36758/judge-rejects-banksys-offer-to-post-bail-for-russian-activists-citing-the-artists-anonymity/
Judge Rejects Banksy's Offer to Post Bail for Russian Activists, Citing the Artist's Anonymity
ST. PETERSBURGโBanksy's anonymity has been a central aspect of his Robin Hood-like cachet, and the difficulty of accessing his inner circle has conferred an extra veneer of counter-cultural glamor on those who manage to crack its secrecy โ just ask Mr. Brainwash. But the street art maestro's clandestine persona has its drawbacks too. Last Friday, a Russian judge rejected Banksy's offer to pay the bail for two members of the Moscow-based Voina art collective, who have been jailed since November as the result of a performance-art action that involved turning over cop cars in the center of St. Petersburg. According to earlier reports, Banksy had stepped in after hearing about the plight of Voina on the BBC and held a special online fundraiser for the duo, gathering the money required to post their bail, set at $66,000 apiece. But at a January 14 pre-trial hearing, the judge presiding over the case refused to free the two men, Leonid Nikolayev and Oleg Vorotnikov, citing a "lack of information about the person providing the money," the Moscow Times reported.
In other words, it sounds very much like the judge is using Banksy's anonymity against him. He also cited concerns that Nikolayev might pressure witnesses in the case if freed.
A post on the blog "Free Voina" alleges that the day before the hearing, Vorotnikov was threatened by the prison administration, who were angry about his contact with the media, in particular an interview he gave exposing unsanitary and overcrowded conditions at the facilities. "During the talk in the warden's office Oleg was blatantly told that, should he continue talking about prison conditions, the administration would find ways to make it worse for him," the blog states. "As soon as the interview came out, according to Oleg, his cell was searched and his cellmates were harassed."
In an ARTINFO Op-Ed from December, Voina member Yana Plucer-Sarno emphasized the political context of the group's anarchist graffiti work and of their subsequent persecution by the authorities: "Voina struggles against the climate of socio-political obscurantism and right-wing reaction that has overtaken Russia," she wrote.
www.artinfo.com/news/story/36758/judge-rejects-banksys-offer-to-post-bail-for-russian-activists-citing-the-artists-anonymity/Judge Rejects Banksy's Offer to Post Bail for Russian Activists, Citing the Artist's AnonymityST. PETERSBURGโBanksy's anonymity has been a central aspect of his Robin Hood-like cachet, and the difficulty of accessing his inner circle has conferred an extra veneer of counter-cultural glamor on those who manage to crack its secrecy โ just ask Mr. Brainwash. But the street art maestro's clandestine persona has its drawbacks too. Last Friday, a Russian judge rejected Banksy's offer to pay the bail for two members of the Moscow-based Voina art collective, who have been jailed since November as the result of a performance-art action that involved turning over cop cars in the center of St. Petersburg. According to earlier reports, Banksy had stepped in after hearing about the plight of Voina on the BBC and held a special online fundraiser for the duo, gathering the money required to post their bail, set at $66,000 apiece. But at a January 14 pre-trial hearing, the judge presiding over the case refused to free the two men, Leonid Nikolayev and Oleg Vorotnikov, citing a "lack of information about the person providing the money," the Moscow Times reported.
In other words, it sounds very much like the judge is using Banksy's anonymity against him. He also cited concerns that Nikolayev might pressure witnesses in the case if freed.
A post on the blog "Free Voina" alleges that the day before the hearing, Vorotnikov was threatened by the prison administration, who were angry about his contact with the media, in particular an interview he gave exposing unsanitary and overcrowded conditions at the facilities. "During the talk in the warden's office Oleg was blatantly told that, should he continue talking about prison conditions, the administration would find ways to make it worse for him," the blog states. "As soon as the interview came out, according to Oleg, his cell was searched and his cellmates were harassed."
In an ARTINFO Op-Ed from December, Voina member Yana Plucer-Sarno emphasized the political context of the group's anarchist graffiti work and of their subsequent persecution by the authorities: "Voina struggles against the climate of socio-political obscurantism and right-wing reaction that has overtaken Russia," she wrote.
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Judge Rejects Banksy's Offer to Post Bail, by Happy Shopper on Jan 19, 2011 11:27:12 GMT 1, I'm fairly sure Banksy wouldn't have offered the money using the name "Banksy" on the forms! There's obviously more to posting someone's bail than just the money... especially as the money has been raised as it has...
I'm fairly sure Banksy wouldn't have offered the money using the name "Banksy" on the forms! There's obviously more to posting someone's bail than just the money... especially as the money has been raised as it has...
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