15-year prison sentence for protesting: the story of Bohdan Ziza.

I spoke about his case and the fight for his release to his activist sister Sasha Barkova.

Kseniia Levadna: Who is Bohdan? What is he about?

Sasha Barkova: Bohdan is a person with a strong sense of justice. Even before Russia’s invasion, he used to take a clear stance from which he hasn’t wavered once. Openly protesting the occupation in a city that, at that time, had been under occupation for eight years already was not just an act of bravery, but a demonstration of utmost altruism.

However, he’d be way too modest to present himself as an activist. In his mind, activism is something much greater. In my mind, he did far more for the people of Crimea than just pouring paint on a building of the Russian occupiers. He delivered proof that resistance is indeed possible and that people – despite the occupation – will rise to loudly declare that Crimea is Ukraine.

For many, this is a source of strength, especially for those still living on the occupied peninsula and for those who were forced to leave Crimea. And I think that is exactly what defines his activism.

To me, Bohdan is an incredibly warm, insightful, and sensitive person who creates prose, poetry, movies, and paintings to make his perceptions and experiences known. At the same time, he has this enormous strength. You can always count on him. Even now, under the direst of circumstances, he finds the strength to support our family and me from prison.

Maybe that is because of how his life turned out. He lost his parents at an early age and was raised by his grandmother. In many ways, he has been on his own quite early on. That is why human values and family have always been of great importance to him. He might not always have said it with words, but he always found ways to let us know in other ways.

K: What does activism mean to Bohdan?

S: In fact, Bohdan poured paint over Yevpatoria’s administration building once before, in 2019 – back then in pink. He also created street art on walls, showing Lukashenko with bloodstained hands, to protest the fraudulent elections in Belarus. His “weapon” has always been art.

When, in May 2022, we learned about the horrible acts of the Russian occupiers in Bucha and Irpin, Bohdan was shaken to his core. That is probably why he felt the need to bring his protest out into the open. At the time, he was very disheartened, but he would hardly ever talk about it. Once, he casually mentioned wanting to leave Crimea as soon as possible. But waiting for the passport would have taken too long. All this weighed heavily on him. One day, he just disappeared. Unfortunately, he never told me about his plans – I probably would have tried to stop him. As I said, I do not believe that he considered his actions activism. He later wrote in a letter to me: “I acted in accordance with my conscience and honour.”

I am sure that remaining idle was simply not an option for him. It is hard to hold on when deadly missiles are flying over your home and the sea you grew up with, at least if you’re a normal human being able to distinguish between good and evil. He did not want to be on the side of evil. That has never been his way.

K: Are you in contact with him today?

S: Ever since he was incarcerated, we have only ever been in contact through letters. It’s not your ordinary conversation but rather careful monologues in two or three-week intervals. However, this is deliberate: Russian authorities will cut and censor contact purposefully to make prisoners feel lonely and isolated. We never spoke on the phone. I can’t even write letters directly from Ukraine, I have to send them via third countries. This is really hard for me. But you will always find a way to make it work for someone you love. Nonetheless, I live in this constant fear that contact may suddenly cease one day.

K: Does he receive letters from other people? What do they mean to him?

S: The letters do arrive, however, not all of them make it through the prison’s censorship. That is why we read them carefully and only dispatch those that stand a chance of actually reaching him.

For political prisoners, even letters from strangers are very important. They prove: You haven’t been forgotten. We’re waiting for you. Russian prison guards will always try to convince prisoners that nobody cares about them anymore. The letters, however, prove the opposite. Bohdan reads everything that reaches him and keeps it all. He is very grateful, though he can’t possibly reply to every single letter. These letters are a bridge connecting him to the normal world. When almost everything is gone – sometimes even hope – these letters keep you going.

K: How important is international attention?

S: International attention is of the utmost importance when it comes to guaranteeing a minimum of safety and to keeping the exchange alive. When Bohdan suddenly disappeared in May 2022, we had no further information on him. He wasn’t registered in any Russian prison. They were quite probably planning on making him disappear. It was only through public pressure and international solidarity that we were able to find him. It’s riskier for Russia to torture or kill political prisoners whom the public knows about. Publicity is leverage. I experienced that myself when I was trying to draw international attention to Bohdan’s story.

K: What do you want to tell people who support Bohdan?

S: I want them to know that what they are doing is incredibly meaningful. A single letter may seem small and insignificant – but for a political prisoner it’s a huge relieve.

I am especially moved by people who, despite never having experienced war themselves, are still able to show compassion and act. Writing a letter is to act. And we all know: Even the smallest of gestures is better than doing nothing at all.

These people have decided to stand on the side of good. For Ukraine. And we can feel their support.