Person of the Week: Andrei Bubeev

posted 28 Dec 2016, 03:07 by Rights in Russia   [ updated 28 Dec 2016, 03:07 ]
On 23 December 2016, Andrei Bubeev [also transliterated as Bubeyev], a blogger serving a 2.5 year sentence for social network reposts, was to be moved to a prison with harsher conditions. As Halya Coynash, writing in Human Rights in Ukraine, has reported, 'Andrei Bubeev, who was convicted for posting social network reposts of an article entitled "Crimea is Ukraine" and a picture of a toothpaste tube with the caption "Squeeze Russia out of yourself" is being moved to a prison with harsher conditions. The reasons appear to include "bad influence on other prisoners", with this based on him encouraging them to read. He is currently in a punishment cell and cannot receive or send any letters. His wife Anastasia does not even know for certain where they will be taking him after the court ruling from 12 December comes into force on 23 December.'

Halya Coynash comments: 'Andrei and his wife have two children. 11-year-old Polina and Ognear, who is just 4 years old, have not seen their father since his arrest on May 24, 2015. Both children find it desperately difficult not having their father there. Little Ognear understands only that Papa is a superhero who is being held prisoner for telling the truth. He’s right. Bubeev, a mechanical engineer from Tver, was charged over two pieces of material written or drawn by others which he had merely reposted on his VKontakte social network page.'

Source:
Halnya Coynash, 'Further reprisals against Russian blogger jailed for reposting that Crimea is Ukraine,' Human Rights in Ukraine, 23 December 2016
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