Russian classical pianist and anti-war activist Pavel Kushnir has died in pretrial custody in the city of Birobidzhan, the capital of Russia’s Jewish Autonomous Oblast, at the age of 39, friends and supporters reported. Kushnir died on July 27 of the consequences of a dry hunger strike that he launched to protest Moscow's war against Ukraine. Kushnir was detained in late May and was under investigation on suspicion of issuing public calls for terrorism. In 2023, Kushnir became a soloist with the Birobidzhan Regional Orchestra. To read the original story by RFE/RL’s Russian Service, click here.
Russian Anti-War Musician Kushnir Dies In Custody
Pavel Kushnir had been held in pretrial custody since May (file photo)