ARTICLE 19 is sad to hear of the death of Russian activist and actor Alexei Devotchenko. His death is a huge loss for the artistic community as well as civil society. According to news reports he was found dead in his Moscow apartment on Wednesday evening, and the circumstances of his death were not immediately clear.
We will be closely following developments in the case, and urge the authorities to ensure the investigation into his death is carried out in a prompt, effective and transparent manner.
Devotchenko, 49, was a well-known critic of the Russian government and took part in dozens of anti-Kremlin protests over the past decade.
He was also a strong proponent of gay rights. In 2013, Russia introduced legislation to prevent the promotion of ‘non-traditional’ sexual relationships, which has been used to target positive expression about LGBTI people.