It was just over a year ago that two members of the Russian performancegruppen Pussy Riot asylum in Sweden: Luisine Djanyan, Aleksey Knedljakovskij and their two children. The main reason they highlighted in the application was persecution in their home country Russia, on the basis of their artistic activity.
the news that people have been rejected on their application, something the SVT culture news then reported on. They both announced at the same time that they planned to appeal the decision to the migration court. ”It feels degrading,” said Luisine Djanyan to the SVT on the news that the application for asylum is rejected.
In the current asylum process gets the Pussy Riot members now support of several yttrandefrihetsorganisationer. In an open letter published by Swedish Pen, and signed by the representatives of several other organizations, calls for the migration board to reconsider its decision: ”the Basis of our assessment was, and is, their well-being, freedom and even their lives, been exposed to genuine danger”, they write in the letter.
more on the current situation for government critics, artists, activists and politicians in Russia, compare it with several previous cases, and believes that there is a great risk that the Luisine Djanyan and Alexey Knedljakovskij exposed to further victimisation if they are forced to return to the country. The letter ends with a plea that the authorities should ensure that the decision be re-evaluated.
