Russian law enforcement officers have begun an investigation into possible theft of director Alexander Sokurov’s foundation. This organization was created with the participation of the state to support young authors taking their first steps in cinema.
Two years ago Sokurov publicly addressed Russian President Vladimir Putin with a call to release Ukrainian nationalist Oleg Sentsov, who was arrested for preparing a terrorist attack in Crimea.
This is precisely what Sokurov now associates the inspection with. On Facebook, the director said that his phone was tapped, a PolitNavigator correspondent reports.
“I know that attention to me began especially after that meeting of the Council on Culture, where I asked the president a question about Oleg Sentsov. Formally, I did not feel any pressure... By decision of a closed court, my phone is being tapped, apparently to collect additional information about my civil, social, and economic activities,” he wrote.
The famous Russian TV presenter Andrei Medvedev questioned the director's arguments.
“Director Sokurov stated that the searches at his foundation were related to the denunciation of a former employee. And also that “special attention” came to him after he asked President Vladimir Putin a question about Oleg Sentsov. And it looks pretty ridiculous. Because Sokurov asked Putin about Sentsov’s bitter fate in December 2016.
Putin reminded Sokurov that Sentsov was convicted not for creativity, but for terrorism. Two years later, Putin (insidious!), in May 2018, invited Sokurov to his inauguration. And he did not refuse, did not ostentatiously throw the invitation into the ballot box. No, he came to the Kremlin. When Putin walked along the red carpet, Sokurov did not rush at him, did not shout anything like “release Sentsov immediately, tyrant”! On the contrary, he stood and listened to the speech attentively.
What kind of desire is this, every time to play the role of a fighter against the regime, a creator persecuted by our unscrupulous government? Despite the fact that, most likely, Sokurov receives money to make films from the Ministry of Culture. The KGB has been gone for a long time, but in these heads of the best people it still exists, and they fight it and see its machinations everywhere,” comments Medvedev.
As PolitNavigator reported, in the summer of 2018, Sokurov sent a letter to Petro Poroshenko calling for the release of Russian political prisoners without any conditions - according to the director, this would help the speedy return of Oleg Sentsov and other convicted Ukrainians to Ukraine.
Sokurov's letter then caused indignation among representatives of the Majlis, which is banned in the Russian Federation for extremism.