Is Artist Ales Marachkin to be charged with insulting Lukashenka?

• 14.05.2008, 15:15

On May 13 an artist Ales Marachkin was summoned to the police department of Tsentralny district of Minsk.

As we have informed, a member of the Belarusian Popular Front party Alyaksei Marachkin was detained on he eve of Freedom Day. His studio was searched; streamers and banners, as well as his painting “Puppets” were confiscated. The artist was arrested for 5 days, allegedly for using foul language. The artist served the arrest in the remand prison in Akrestsin Street.

Ales Marachkin has told to Radio Svaboda that today policemen asked him who made streamers and what was the intention of making them. He was also asked bout their subject. Besides, policemen asked questions about the well-known picture “Puppets”. All these things haven’t been returned to the artist yet.

A report was drawn up against him for “administrative violation”.

“The painting “Puppets” appeared after a TV program “Puppets” appeared on NTV channel. It was a topical program interesting to watch. And I painted these grotesque personages. People were laughing at them, there was sarcasm, and it was allowed. I demonstrated that painting in the Palace of Arts. It was taken out from a storing-place where it stayed rolled for about 10 year. I was not exhibiting it. And suddenly they need it. They will unfurl it. It was understandable tat they are going to charge me with insult of the first person. I am certainly surprised by that. Though he looks more like a little grotesque Barmaley (a pirate from a children’s book). And as it turns out, this person is ‘untouchable’, and one cannot even paint a caricature of him. After that, they said, some expert examination will take place. They will check these images, measure noses. How the nose and the moustache stand in relation to the original, and so on,” the artist said.