Russia's crackdown continues as arrest order issued for exiled literary icon Boris Akunin
In a relentless crackdown, Russia has issued an arrest order for exiled writer Boris Akunin, a literary icon. The move is causing ripples of concern among dissident circles, raising questions about freedom of expression. Stay tuned for updates on this developing situation.
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FollowA Russian Court on Tuesday pronounced its verdict against author Boris Akunin. The literary icon who has been living abroad since 2014 was issued an arrest warrant by the Basmanny District Court after absentia throughout the proceedings so far. Boris Akunin has not yet reacted to the developments.
The Georgia-born Russian author will be arrested immediately if and when he lands in Russia and if and when he is extradited. Boris Akunin was pranked by a group of Russians over a call posing as Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky. The 67-year-old expressed his support in the call against Russia.
As the voice note became viral, a court proceeding was sanctioned against Boris Akunin. The failure of his turning up for the court proceedings led Moscow to the issuance of the arrest warrant. The Russian author is one of the most popular literary figures in contemporary times in Russia as he has delivered multiple best sellers.
Boris Akunin critiqued the Russian offensive against Ukraine right from the beginning. He even criticized Russian President Vladimir Putin for the misadventure against Kyiv. The 67-year-old was labeled as a foreign agent in December. Many celebrity icons in Russia have raised the issue of unnecessarily going to war. Many of them have left the country after the March 2022 offensive. Those who remain in the country are reportedly facing censorship.
