In essence:
The main reason for Serebrennikov’s demonstrative detention is to make sure the other “cultural figures” don’t get too full of themselves and instead hurry to sign up as Putin’s trusted representatives. The election is just around the corner, after all. And the bravest among them—and there are some, who will not sign up—must not even think of openly or subtly supporting the opposition. Let them stay silent behind their universal formula, “I’m outside politics,” which in Russia functions as a euphemism for “I’m a coward living off state budget money.”
In fact, Serebrennikov, with all due respect to him, has consistently demonstrated loyalty, but his work contains an obvious spirit of defiance. And in private conversations, he has no respect for the authorities whatsoever.
So they are drawing a new “double solid line” (a reference to the road marking you must not cross). Your art, too, must glorify them. And don’t talk too much with your friends.
And this will work on many of them. Vartfolomeyev wrote it well: in a couple of months, we will see a little stream of lackeys—people who condemned Serebrennikov’s detention—appearing in videos supporting Putin, who, and there is 100% no doubt about it, personally sanctioned that detention.
It is very important to show that your success in no way means you can stop doing “ku” (a submissive gesture from the Soviet/Russian cult film *Kin-dza-dza!*) or fail to look enthusiastic when you kiss the boss’s hand.
They really are all living on state budget money, and really, anyone can be jailed. The rules are so idiotic that it is simply impossible to work within them.
Procedurally:
The detention is, of course, unlawful even under the current Criminal Procedure Code. It is also pointless. Harmful. And contrary to the public interest.
Come on, Investigative Committee, don’t make us laugh. Is there reliable evidence that he is preparing to flee? Has he willfully violated his travel restrictions? Has he intimidated witnesses, and does he even have the means to do so? Has he committed a violent crime? Does he have no family and no place of residence? Has he committed crimes before?
They say drugs were found in his home. Though that is what they are saying on the zombie box (slang for state TV), which means they could very well be lying. Fine, if they found them, open another case. But he was not dealing them, not shooting competitors with a pistol like in *Breaking Bad*.
Has society set the state the task of removing citizen Serebrennikov from the streets? Keeping him away from us and our children? Is he frightening us?
No, it has not.
Then why detain him at all? Detention and pretrial arrest are exceptional measures.
I think—and hope—that Serebrennikov will now be released again under travel restrictions, or at least placed under house arrest, though from personal experience I know that is no picnic either.
And what happened once again raises the issue of just how broken and stupid the law enforcement system is. That is why it devours such a large share of the budget while giving us no safety in return. Money is spent on all sorts of nonsense, like constant arrests.
It is very expensive for the state. Expensive for the defendant. It requires a large and complex infrastructure and endless paperwork. Orders, courts, prisoner transports, police vans, cells, food, guards, doctors, alarm systems, locks, and bars. It is hugely costly.
For example, if Serebrennikov is arrested, beyond the general harm of worsening the public atmosphere and reducing the country’s investment appeal, it will cause us concrete damage: we will pay for it in the hundreds of thousands and millions of rubles.
Everyone thinks I am terribly bloodthirsty when it comes to corrupt officials. Maybe I am, and I certainly do want to see them all jailed.
But arrest even these rather unsympathetic people before trial? Of course not.
In the Beautiful Russia of the Future, we will not do expensive and barely useful stupid things. If we know for certain that Sechin is planning to flee on his yacht Princess Olga, and investigators can prove it in court, then we arrest him. If not, let him remain under travel restrictions until the verdict. We will put an electronic monitoring bracelet on him and that is that.
If we find out that Shuvalov broke the legs of a key prosecution witness, then we lock him up. If he did not, and is quietly awaiting trial, let him walk around with his corgis.
And for a larger number of defendants under investigation, that would be enough. A court order can be quite inventive and impose serious restrictions on a person without placing them in pretrial detention at the state’s expense.
And from law enforcement practice tested over decades, we know that this approach works far better than the Russian model of “lock everyone up and keep them in torturous conditions.” Irrational cruelty achieves nothing in terms of fighting crime. Otherwise, Russia would not have crime—but it certainly does, and plenty of it.
In the beautiful Russia of the future, we will act intelligently.
And director Serebrennikov should be released. There is no reason to keep him under lock and key. Society is not afraid of him.