The theater community demands a fair trial in the case of "7 studios"

Director Mikhail Bychkov appealed to all his craft colleagues with an appeal:

"People! Theater Russia! The process of the so-called "theater business" is being completed. I think this applies to all of us. If at the very beginning of this shameful persecution of our colleagues, someone could admit that “there is no smoke without fire” and “they just don’t attract”, now, after we learned from the materials of the process what was on the Platform project and as the prosecution interprets this and the “injured party” has shamefully manifested itself, I don’t think that doubts remain about the innocence of our comrades. Colleagues, interrupt your professional and vacation days! Understand that each of us is responsible for what is happening.

If we do not find the opportunity to show our guild and human support to our comrades who have fallen into the millstones of a cruel and terrible system, to declare our demand for unconditional and full compliance with the law and justice in their respect, then our projects, theories, and “new ethics are worthless ", Eternal values and intellectual claims. We will prove ourselves as banal cowards and egoists.

What theatrical works, breakthroughs, openings, festivals will we talk about, write, discuss if Kirill Serebrennikov, Alexei Malobrodsky, Sofya Apfelbaum and Yuri Itin will be found guilty based on the testimonies of Maslyaeva and the “expertise” Bazhenova and Koroleva? How will we look into each other's eyes when we meet ?! What to do? The trial is on the verge of a verdict. To reassure oneself that “the court will figure it out” can only be done with an irresistible desire to lull common sense and conscience in oneself. This is practically complicity. This will fall on everyone who is silent. Let's find a way to express our solidarity with our accused comrades!

Let us demand that all arguments and evidence in the “theatrical case” be taken into account by the court in the sentencing. Let's say out loud: REQUIRING A FAIR SENTENCE! And this requirement should be supported by all decent people in theatrical Russia, and above all, the leaders of Russian theaters, well-known representatives of our community, and we are theater people from the Russian province, so that it is clear that we ALL demand it. Well, some figures lured by the “injured party” and the supreme power do not count. I do not want to call them colleagues. Speaking of the "injured party."

I understand that it’s very inconvenient that there are funding, grants, titles, appointments. But can professional honor be more expensive? Maybe conscience is not entirely a rudiment? Why do the figures of the Russian theater not appeal to the new Minister of Culture Lyubimova with a demand to withdraw the claims against the accused? After all, those experts who have full professional competence and an impeccable reputation - M. Andreikina and V. Silyunas proved the absence of damage to the Ministry of Culture. Ministry of Culture does not recognize their assessment? Why do not we ask the Minister a direct question: explain publicly the essence of your claims, the essence of “damage”? Maybe it's not too late to ask? Maybe it’s not too late to demand to withdraw the claim, to recognize it as erroneous?

So: I propose to formulate two public appeals - to the court with the requirement of legality and justice and to the Ministry of Culture with the requirement to recognize the lawsuit as erroneous and withdraw it before the sentencing. I urge you to sign these appeals to all your colleagues in the Russian theater, as well as our foreign colleagues. I urge the maximum repost of this publication. I hope that the texts of the appeals will be formulated by colleagues and published for signing ... "

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Colleagues unanimously responded to Bychkov’s call. So, for example, the wonderful actress Oksana Mysina published on her blog an “Open Letter to the Minister of Culture of the Russian Federation, urging colleagues to put their signatures under it:

“Dear Olga Borisovna! We are sure that you, just like us, carefully monitor the progress of the investigation and trial in relation to our colleagues, the case of the Seventh Studio. On Monday, June 22, the debate begins and a verdict will be pronounced soon. For more than two years, Russian society has been following the trial against our highly respected colleagues, cultural and contemporary artists, and world-renowned professionals. During this time, we have observed so many violations of the law that we believe that this case has reached an impasse. And we offer you to help untie this Gordian knot.

We think that it is in your interests, as well as in our interests, to radically correct the current impasse. We assure you that if you officially withdraw the lawsuit of the Ministry on the day of the trial, on Monday, this will play a huge role in solidifying our society and will be a comforting example in the eyes of those who have disbelieved in common sense and the desire for Justice and Mercy people in power in Russia.

I hope for your common sense and your conscience. The reputation of the Ministry of Culture now depends on your decision. Thus, you will return the Master to his students, the Director to his Artists. And the Public is her favorite Theater. And this decision of yours will also return to the theater community other, no less well-known masters of theatrical affairs, who have proved themselves to be the best of their whole professional life, but who have unjustly and illegally found themselves in the dock. We hope for your understanding of the historical moment of what is happening.

Sincerely, Oksana Mysina, actress, director, musician..."