Sasha Skochilenko is an artist and musician from St. Petersburg. In 2014, Sasha published an educational comic book which later became A Book about Depression. Sasha was one of the first Russians to openly talk about her experience of life and struggle with this disease. Later, she created comic books about the symptoms of bipolar affective disorder, living with anxiety and other mental conditions. Sasha’s illustrations on mental health can be found in the book Bipolar Disorder by Masha Pushkina, as well as on social media of nonprofit organizations such as Partnership of the Equals and Bipolar Explorers Association. Sasha’s own account where she publishes her art has over 3,000 followers.

The “special military operation”, which the Russian government started in Ukraine, affected Sasha deeply. Since the very first days of the war, the artist wrote pacifistic posts, drew postcards calling for peace. During one of her peaceful protest actions, Sasha replaced price tags in a supermarket for stickers with information on the actions of the Russian military in Mariupol, Ukraine. This is what her criminal case is based on.

The court chose detention until May 31st, 2022 as a pre-trial measure, even though the defense filed a motion for a less severe pre-trial measure. The defense provided personal guarantees as well as legal documents for the apartment where Sasha could stay under house arrest. But the court believed that since Sasha has relatives and friends abroad, she could escape the investigation.

Sasha suffers from celiac disease—a genetic intolerance to gluten. It is practically impossible to maintain a strict diet that is required, while in detention, and malnutrition may cause complications that can be as grave as cancer. It was only on May 7 when Sasha could confirm that she was receiving hot food—for almost a month, she had to wholly rely on limited parcels.

In this month, Sasha has faced the horrifying conditions of the detention center. She was bullied by her cellmates who insulted her, did not let her eat, and made her wash all of her clothes every day. At the detention center, Sasha underwent a surgery where her wisdom tooth was removed; however, the incision wasn’t closed, and Sasha’s lymph node was inflamed as a result. She was not provided with painkillers in due quantities and was not allowed to receive them in a parcel.

Sasha has also been diagnosed with cyclothymic disorder (DSM-5 301.13 (F34.0)). This subtype of bipolar disorder sees the person suffer significant mood swings and severe depressive symptoms. The stress Sasha experiences at the detention center may cause an aggravation of the state of her mental health.

Psychiatrists, psychotherapists, and other mental health experts have spoken out in support of Alexandra. The petition for her pre-trial measure to be changed has gathered over 140,000 signatures.

Per the last court decision, Sasha will remain in custody till July 10, 2023.