Russia: singer Sharlot arrested in St. Petersburg
The Russian police detained a 25-year-old singer at Pulkovo Airport in St. Petersburg. It can be said that he was taken off the plane. He arrived in St. Petersburg from Yerevan. Soon, Sharlot (passport name Eduard Sharlot) became a figure in three criminal cases:
- two of them were initiated on charges of "rehabilitation of Nazism";
- another on charges of "insulting the feelings of believers".
The public on social media is strongly impressed. The general sentiment is approximately: "The unknown singer Sharlot, missing the native Gulag, returned to the territory of hell. Of course, he was arrested and will be interrogated in the beloved Gulag. But that's not surprising. What is surprising is something else: you have to completely lose your mind to voluntarily return there."
Or, quoting journalist Yegor Alexeev: "They burn their passport in front of witnesses, and then they fly to Pulkovo into the hands of Prosecutor Vyshinsky. What are they thinking? What goes on in people's heads? There is no hope for release, Sharlot is not a maniac, not a satanist, not even a serial killer."
And in servile media, there is joy: "Another traitor detained upon returning to Russia."
Who is Sharlot?
Not everyone really knows who Sharlotis.
Nevertheless, he has quite a few admirers, both young and not so young. He is a singer with a unique texture and voice, marked by special tenderness and sincerity. And with that gender ambiguity that is like a red rag to a bull in today's Russia. Sharlot plays the guitar and piano, and writes his own music. In general, a fragile creature.
Sharlot was first noticed about five years ago. He participated in the show "Songs" (unsuccessfully), recorded covers of popular artists, signed a contract with the major label Sony, gained fame with the hit "Cheek to Cheek," took part in the advertising campaign for MegaFon, and collaborated with Morgenshtern. The 2019 album "Forever Young" was also successful.
Journalist and TV host Anna Mongait wrote on Facebook a couple of years ago:
"Sharlot is so cool! Today I listened to his entire repertoire again, searched for his biography - Edward, he has a twin brother, and his father raised children. All this is unnecessary knowledge. Just an excellent Sharlot."
In early 2023, he announced his death as part of an online performance preceding his "creative rebirth" and the release of a new album.
On the album cover, Sharlot stands in a stairwell with a noose around his neck, and behind him on the wall is written "Shaman – faggot." (This refers to the icon of Russian ultra-patriotic chanson, Shaman, Yaroslav Dronov.)
Soon after, he released the album "Mythtazia" and left Russia for Armenia... A friend commented, "He's a talented singer and composer, but he has the mind of a child (we know each other). You can't put him in jail for that.
What did he do to incur the wrath of his harsh homeland?
Here's what. From Yerevan, Sharlot published a video on Instagram in June, in which he demonstratively burned his Russian passport, stating that he no longer considers himself a citizen of Russia. He appealed to the authorities of Ukraine, declaring that he opposes the war and wants to go to Kyiv to "support the people with performances."
A month later, as reported by the media, Sharlot nailed a photo of Patriarch Kirill of the Russian Orthodox Church to a crucifix along with his military ID.
Pranksters, pretending to be Ukrainian President Zelensky, spoke with Sharlot over the phone. They claim that in the guise of Zelensky, they had the musician take an oath. The singer sang the Ukrainian anthem and chanted slogans against "Moskals."
It seems that at the end of September (before the escalation in Israel), Sharlot made headlines in a topic that soon became heated. Previously, he claimed to be "half Jewish," but then he made a video: he cut off his sidelocks and expressed support for Palestine.
Recently, he announced his return to Russia. "The purpose of my visit: fighting for the Russian-speaking culture, defending the great status of 'Creator,' and releasing a new album called 'Reincarnation.'"
He also challenged Shaman (Yaroslav Dronov) to a musical duel. In an interview, Sharlot said, "I know Yaroslav from 'The Voice'; he was my favorite guy there. But when I saw Shaman, it was cheap"... That's the dossier. Blogger Ilya Vaytsman is not surprised:
"Of course, they received him at Pulkovo [airport], handcuffed him, and made him deliver a speech on camera in the style of "The demon led me astray, forgive me graciously!"
Mizulina sounds the alarm
Presumably, when he took off, he believed that this was the worst that awaited him. In fact, this might have been what lured him in.
The singer's father took care of the hassle. Perhaps, he played his part in this dramatic plot. Valery Sharlot amusingly explained himself to journalists. The singer burned his passport due to the influence of the "scene," but he was brought up in an intelligent family where there were never any "dissident sentiments." Quote:
"I did not expect such an act, such behavior from him. He grew up in a decent, intelligent family; we never had any dissident or opposition sentiments. Perhaps, he is just very young, inexperienced. Maybe, he fell under someone's influence, their intellectual circle is not distinguished."
Of course, dissenting sentiments cannot exist in an intelligent family! In a Russian intelligentsia family, they can only be patriotic. Sharlot faces a preventive conversation and possibly an administrative protocol for intentionally damaging his passport, according to the St. Petersburg publication "Fontanka."
Inquisitor Ekaterina Mizulina, who has taken on the title of the head of the Safe Internet League, immediately published a video with Sharlot's apologies.
Mizulina does not hesitate to write reports and publicly announce it. In sync with Sharlot's announcement on November 13 that he intends to return to Russia, create a new Russian-language album on his phone, and now plans to record and release it in Russia, Mizulina reported to the Investigative Committee and the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs. She requested a legal assessment of the singer's actions, claiming that he "publicly discredited the Russian army, offended the feelings of believers, and intentionally burned the passport of a Russian citizen." Most likely, Sharlot was identified at her instigation.
Development of events. From Shaman to Adam.
"A glitch in understanding what's happening... I burned the passport of the Russian Federation. Because I was mistakenly influenced by false information," confesses Sharlot. "I won't do it anymore."
Repentance on camera didn't help. Three criminal cases at once.
"Everything is going according to plan." First, the Leninsky (of course, still Leninsky, not yet Stalinist) district court in St. Petersburg arrested Sharlot for 13 days under an administrative article on "petty hooliganism." Supposedly, Sharlot at 2:20 am was using vulgar language in a public place, waving his hands, bothering citizens, shouting, not responding to repeated remarks, thus demonstratively violating public order and the peace of citizens" in the police building or nearby, on the embankment of the Obvodny Canal, house 205.
Google it. Finding citizens resting in this deserted place at two in the morning is hardly realistic. Unless specially mobilized in advance.
Sharlot admitted his guilt.
He still jokes. He demanded a trial by combat in court. As an opponent, the artist chose the younger son of the head of Chechnya, Adam Kadyrov. "I saw in a historical series that it's possible. Whether I'm guilty or not, let the duel decide. I challenge Adam Kadyrov, right here in the detention center. It won't be unusual for him." Sharlot reminded of how Adam beat a young prisoner on camera, a recent resonant story.
Police is preparing accusatory materials.
"In relation to the blogger-russophobe, LGBT propagandist Sharlot, the Investigative Committee of the Samara Region has initiated three criminal cases," Mizulina is pleased in her Telegram channel.
Samara is the singer's hometown. But Russia is a big country, and the necessary investigative committee can always be found.
Forecast: to prison
All three criminal cases against Sharlot relate to his videos on social media. Because of the video where the blogger tears and tramples the St. George ribbon and, in his underwear, sings a song about the fall of the ruble exchange rate to the tune of the "Victory Day" song, cases have been initiated under the article justifying Nazism. The video where Sharlot insults Patriarch Kirill, nails his photo to a tree along with the crucifix and his military ID, was the reason for the persecution of the singer under the article on insulting the feelings of believers. Charges have not been brought against the singer yet, as he is serving his 13 days in St. Petersburg.
After that, Sharlot is being transferred to Samara. He may face up to five years in prison for burning his Russian passport and expressing himself on social media. If he is not charged with "state treason," "for solidity" – then life imprisonment may be enough.
Alexey Tarasov from Tbilisi shares reasonable considerations: "Burning a passport is an administrative offense (a fine). And just a year ago, there were only fines for specific similar cases (surprisingly). But now, they may have tightened it, and they may also attach discrediting and extremism with any term.
But even without burning the passport, he has every chance of going to jail amid a new wave of the struggle against gays in a homophobic country. He can become a new showcase victim.
Now, propagandists are sure to seize on this case: saying, "today they wear pink, and tomorrow they insult a sacred document – throw them all into the furnace." It is even deadly dangerous for him to perform as an artist and just walk the streets in this state. He needs to obtain refugee status, not show off on comedy [Comedy Club – a Russian humor TV show]. And make a career as an artist in a free and tolerant world. In which, however, he will not attract such heightened attention.
"Considering that he cannot, under any circumstances, end up in prison. It is frightening to imagine what awaits him there."
Conclusions
Blogger Kir Vasilev:
"Guys! Remember how not to do it! Sharlot... returned to St. Petersburg and was detained. One wants to ask - why!? Why? Existential crisis? Madness? A bad drug dealer? I don't know... Maybe all together."
Parallel with Chukovsky
In social networks, many things were remembered. Including the story about the artist Ilya Repin.
After 1917, Repin lived in Finland and did not want to go to the USSR. Envoys were sent to him. One of them, the well-known writer Korney Chukovsky, upon returning from Finland, reported where necessary that, despite all his persuasion and promises, Repin refused to come. A detailed report on the meeting.
And Repin recorded briefly in his notes: "Chukovsky came, I tried to persuade not to return."
