Igor Pokusin

According to OVD-Info

Head of the public movement "Till When?", former civil aviation pilot. Winner of an author's song contest in the category "Poet". The "Till When?!" movement represented the interests of the residents of Khakassia who faced abuses by law enforcers. In 2013 he tried to register as a candidate in the elections to the Supreme Council of Khakassia. In 2012, he held pickets in defence of his son Maxim Pokusin, who had been convicted of drug trafficking. He insisted that the court had destroyed evidence of Maksim's innocence.

In May 2022, it became known that a criminal case of vandalism was opened against Pokusin because, according to the investigation, he painted over with yellow and blue paint the inscription on a banner in support of the Russian army, located at the intersection of Katanova and Pushkin streets, and put an anti-war inscription on the facade of the Khakass National Museum of Local Lore, where a light screen with the letter Z symbolising the Russian invasion of Ukraine had previously appeared. Initially it was reported that Pokusin was prosecuted under Part 1 of the article, but later it became known that he was charged with Part 2 - apparently, it was vandalism motivated by political hatred. Pokusin pleaded guilty. He was under a recognizance not to leave.

On 24 July Pokusin was detained at Krasnoyarsk airport when he was about to fly to Astana. His wife told "Present Time" that after the detention Pokusin was put a bag over his head and threatened with a stun gun. According to his wife, he was going to Astana "to have a look around, to see if it would be possible to move there". Pokusin's wife says that "his hip joint and knee joint were replaced, and he has a metal structure in his ankle. He is a 'tin soldier'. He has a stent on his heart after the operation.

Pokusin was placed under house arrest. On 7 December, Pokusin was sentenced to six months of restricted freedom. The next day he was detained again, after which he was sent to custody in a case of attempted treason. During the court arguments the prosecutor reclassified the charge to preparation for state treason (Article 275 of the Criminal Code with application of part 1 of Article 30 of the Criminal Code). On 19 January 2024, Pokusin was sentenced to eight years and one month in a strict regime penal colony.

On 14 June 2024 it became known that Pokusin died.