Professor fired for pro-Ukrainian online content now detained for sharing a Ukrainian folk song on social media

Andrii Bilozerov, a former professor at the Bilohirsk vocational school, was beaten and detained for 14 days after he shared a recording of Chervona Kalyna, a Ukrainian folk song, on Vkontakte, a Russian social network. Source: Kholod, a Russian media outlet Details: Bilozerov told Kholod that Russian law enforcement officers entered his home at 06:10 on 28 October.

"I was thrown to the floor, practically naked, in just my underwear, and handcuffed; then they kicked me with their feet in my kidneys, stomach and chest. They kicked me all over," Bilozerov described the process of being detained.

He said that the law enforcement officers stepped on his head while he was lying down, damaging his ear lobes. Bilozerov added that one of the officers punched him in the face "for no reason".

The officers confiscated Bilozerov's laptop, phone and documents, including his Ukrainian passport, diplomas, and employment and medical records. Following his detention, Bilozerov was taken to the Centre for Combating Extremism in Simferopol, where a protocol on the use of Nazi symbols (Article 20.3 of the Administrative Code) was drawn up against him because he has shared Chervona Kalyna, a Ukrainian folk song, on his Vkontakte profile.

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A report on resistance during detention was drawn up against Bilozerov (Article 19.3 of the Administrative Code).

He was arrested for 14 days (Kholod journalists have obtained the protocols of Bilozerov's detention and charges). In September, Bilozerov was arrested for 13 days and dismissed from the school where he taught because of the footage which captured the professor and several students watching a video accompanied by a Ukrainian song about the Bayraktar drone. Bilozerov's documents have not been given back to him despite the fact that he filed complaints with the Investigative Committee of Simferopol.

He now cannot find employment without those documents. "I will not be hired for a new job, I cannot confirm that I worked in the field of education for 23 years," Bilozerov explained. Previously: In September, the Bakhchysarai District Court brought charges against six wedding guests; Ukrainian songs, including Chervona Kalyna, were played at the wedding.

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