After a week of speculation, German doctors have confirmed that Pussy Riot’s Peter Verzilov has been poisoned.
Just a matter of days ago, Russian collective Pussy Riot announced that Veronika Nikulshina and a friend had been arrested while driving in Moscow. While no reason was initially given for their arrest, the group noted that the Russian government still held a grudge in regards to their controversial World Cup protest back in July.
Pitchfork later confirmed that Russian-Canadian activist Peter Verzilov (husband of Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, and a participant in the World Cup protest) was also arrested while leaving his home.
Following this incident, fears were raised that Verzilov may have been poisoned after he began to inexplicably lose his sight, speech, and mobility following a court hearing for Veronika Nikulshina.
“[He] became worse in geometric progression,” Nikulshina explained. “First sight, then the ability to talk, then the ability to walk right.”
Over the weekend, Peter Verzilov was flown over to Germany for further treatment, with wife Nadezhda Tolokonnikova telling reporters she assumes he was “deliberately poisoned and that it was either about intimidation or even an assassination attempt.”
Now, Pussy Riot have released a statement revealing that doctors from the Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin hospital held a press conference to share their opinion that Verilov had been poisoned.
“He’s dizzy and confused, he cannot remember where he is right now,” they explained. “He remembers his friends and relatives, but he does not understand that he’s in Germany, that he’s in a hospital and there are doctors around him, not prison wardens. ‘Are you the director of the prison?’, – Peter asked yesterday to the head of the hospital.”
“If you ask Peter why do you think you were poisoned, he most likely will tell you about the recent arrest of Igor Sechin, whether there is mobile connection in Arctic or not, about Marina Abramović and Ulay’s performances and his postmodernist phantasies,” they continued. “It may be scary, but most of the time Peter still has his unique sense of humor. When he saw me and Nika Nikulshina yesterday, he said ‘So good to see you without handcuffs’.”
Doctors confirmed that the effects of this poisoning are reversible, though they’re still unable to confirm how, why, or what specific poison was used to incapacitate Peter Verzilov.
“One possible poison from anticholinergic group is scopolamine, which is also known as ‘Devil’s breath’,” the explained. “It’s known among criminals, those who want to poison, rob, or rape someone. It’s also known as a “date-rape drug”. It has no taste or smell, you can add it to the food or drink. And it causes amnesia, it means that you can do whatever you want with someone and they will not remember who you are.”
“It’s important to realize that Peter’s life was in danger. He might be dead now if Nika Nikulshina was not around to help him. In large doses anticholinergic drugs can cause respiratory failure and death.”
While doctors are trying to work out what was used to poison Verzilov, Pussy Riot are of the belief that he was poisoned by the Russian government.
While it’s not confirmed that the two incidents are related, this poisoning occurred just weeks after the Russian government was ordered to compensate Pussy Riot over their 2012 arrest which made global headlines.
Footage of the group’s arrest in Russia’s Christ the Saviour Cathedral went viral, and the members were initially sentenced to two years in jail after being accused of “hooliganism motivated by religious hatred”.
However, the European Court of Human Rights has condemned Russia’s actions, noting that their response to the group’s protest was “exceptionally severe”, and ordered them to pay €48,760 (AUD$76,581) in damages and judicial expenses.
Check out Pussy Riot’s ‘Police State’:
