Julia Tsvetkova has been persecuted for years for her art in Russia. So that she can hold a public hearing, she has now announced that she will go on a hunger strike. “I demand my trial to be made public,” she wrote on Saturday. The reasons for excluding the public are far-fetched. The 27-year-old womanist is accused of producing and distributing pornographic material to share artistic depictions of the female body on social media. His lawyer protested the innocence of his client at the beginning of the trial in April.

Zwetkowa is on the list of politically persecuted people

You have also sought to be able to defend yourself “with all legal means” and not to delay proceedings, wrote Zwetkowa. “As you can see, I am not asking to be acquitted.” Prosecutors and judges must be honest with themselves and decide in the end. It is difficult for them to be isolated and not able to work.

Human rights organizations Memorial and Amnesty International have officially placed Zvetkova on their list of persecuted people. Amnesty recently asked Russian authorities to drop all charges against them. According to human rights activists, he only exercised his artistic freedom. The artist is known nationwide for his commitment to the rights of gays, lesbians, bisexual, transgender and intersex people (LGBTI).