Pavel Kushnir, a renowned Russian concert pianist and vocal anti-war activist, passed away in police custody after a hunger strike, his mother confirmed on Monday. Kushnir, 39, had been held in a pre-trial detention center in the Jewish Autonomous Oblast, a remote region in Russia’s Far East, when he died on July 28.
Kushnir was arrested by Federal Security Service (FSB) agents in May, accused of inciting terrorist activities through YouTube videos where he spoke out against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. His death has raised concerns about the treatment of political prisoners and the conditions within Russian detention centers.
The independent news website Mediazona reported that they were able to verify Kushnir’s death through his mother, Irina Levina. “I was informed by the FSB investigator in [the regional capital] Birobidzhan. [My son died on] July 28 of this year. From a hunger strike,” Levina, 79, stated.
Levina revealed that authorities claimed they had attempted to assist Kushnir during his hunger strike by providing intravenous therapy, but their efforts were insufficient. “They say they helped. They say there were IVs and they tried to support him somehow, but apparently it wasn’t enough,” she added.
Details surrounding Kushnir’s death and the official cause remain unclear. Mediazona reported that the circumstances leading to his death are still under investigation, with no official statements released by the detention center.
Kushnir, a graduate of the prestigious Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory, was known for his performances with various regional philharmonic orchestras. Before his arrest, he was a soloist with the Birobidzhan Regional Philharmonic. His body is expected to be repatriated to his native Tambov region soon, according to Levina.
Vot Tak, a Russian-language affiliate of the Poland-based broadcaster Belsat, initially reported Kushnir’s death. The channel noted that his YouTube account, which led to his arrest, had only five subscribers at the time of his detention. This revelation has sparked debate over the proportionality of the charges against him and the severity of his punishment.
Svetlana Kaverzina, an independent councilwoman from Novosibirsk, expressed her dismay over the lack of public awareness regarding Kushnir’s arrest and hunger strike. “Birobidzhan is a city where there are no connections between dissidents. There was no one to tell. Apparently, the relatives were afraid to go public and the man was left alone with the system,” she wrote on Telegram.
Kushnir’s death has drawn attention to the harsh realities faced by political dissidents in Russia. Human rights activists and international observers have long criticized the Russian government for its treatment of political prisoners, alleging that conditions in detention centers are often inhumane and that detainees are frequently subjected to harsh measures to silence dissent.
As the investigation into Kushnir’s death continues, his case underscores the ongoing struggle for freedom of expression in Russia. His tragic end serves as a somber reminder of the risks faced by those who dare to speak out against the government.