A month ago, Artyom Kirpichyonok—a journalist, Middle East specialist, and leftist activist—was detained by Israeli security services at Tel Aviv airport and subsequently taken into custody. For nearly 20 days, his legal status remained unknown, and he was denied access to a lawyer for an extended period. Ultimately, Israeli law enforcement authorities charged him with “committing crimes against state security.”
During a meeting with his lawyer, Artyom described the conditions of his detention and the prolonged interrogations—which violate international conventions, as sleep deprivation constitutes torture—as well as his confinement in a cell with the lights left on around the clock and a ban on possessing writing materials or books. His defense counsel also stated that investigators repeatedly employed psychological pressure tactics, threatening him with life imprisonment and claiming that he had no public support.
After a month in custody, investigative proceedings were carried out, and the case was soon referred to court for a trial on the merits. The formal indictment is expected to be approved shortly, at which point the details of the case will be revealed.
Based on publicly available information, it can be concluded that the case against Artyom Kirpichyonok is political in nature, stemming from his principled criticism of Israel’s policies regarding Palestinians and his public condemnation of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in several of his works.
Repression against dissent occurs not only in Russia, Ukraine, and other post-Soviet states but also in Israel—a country that describes itself as a “democratic state governed by the rule of law.”
Post-Soviet Left demands the immediate release of Artem Kirpichenok, as well as adherence to proper detention standards, in light of the violations of his rights while held in the custody of the Israeli security service, Shin Bet (Shabak).
We also call upon left-wing parties and organizations across Europe to join the solidarity campaign en masse and demand Artem Kirpichenok’s release!
In addition to this statement, we ask our supporters to sign the petition demanding Artem Kirpichenok’s release!
Freedom for all political prisoners! Solidarity knows no borders!
