Beness Aijo

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Beness Aijo
Benes Hristoforovich Ayo
Born (1979-06-08) 8 June 1979 (age 42)
Rēzekne, Latvian SSR
NationalityLatvia
EducationMaster of Biology, Master of Medical Microbiology
Alma materUniversity of Latvia
Birkbeck, University of London
OccupationActivist, journalist, biologist
Known forFar-left political activism
Revolutionary militance
Political partyNational Bolshevik Party[1]
Communist Party of Great Britain (Marxist–Leninist)
The Other Russia
MovementMovement in solidarity with Palestine
2014 pro-Russian conflict in Ukraine

Beness Aijo (Russian: Бенес Христофорович Айо, Benes Hristoforovich Ayo, born 8 June 1979 in Rēzekne, Latvian SSR), sometimes nicknamed the Black Lenin[2] (Russian: Чёрный Ленин), is a Latvian communist and National Bolshevik of Russian/Ugandan origin.

He has been active in the National Bolshevik Party since 1998.[3] Aijo is also a member of the Communist Party of Great Britain (Marxist–Leninist). He has participated in many actions in solidarity with Palestine. Aijo was active in the 2014 Annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation and the pro-Russian unrest in Ukraine and is currently active in the War in Donbass, aligned with The Other Russia's paramilitary group, (the) Interbrigades. He has been repeatedly arrested in different countries and tried for his political activities.

Biography[]

Beness Aijo was born in Rēzekne, Latvian SSR. His father is Ugandan and his mother is Russian. He studied biology at the University of Latvia.[4]

On 7 May 2005 Aijo was arrested for setting off smoke bombs during the visit of George W. Bush in Latvia.[5] Later that year Aijo was arrested and sentenced to 9 months in prison for calling to overthrow the political system[6] and subsequently went on hunger strike in prison[7] that lasted for 27 days until his health deteriorated enough to require hospitalisation.[8] After spending five and a half months in jail his security measure was changed from imprisonment to police surveillance at Aijo's request, where he cited his diabetes.[9][10]

Thereafter, Aijo left Latvia and moved to London, United Kingdom. He studied Medical Microbiology at the University of London, Birkbeck.[5] Later Aijo worked as a construction worker at the Heathrow Terminal 2.[11] He played an active role in political rallies in the UK, where he was involved with the Communist Party of Great Britain (Marxist–Leninist) and attended pro-Palestinian marches.[citation needed]

From May–June 2013 he was in Palestine, where he took part in actions against the Israeli government. While in Palestine Aijo received medical training in the field.[12]

On 14 September 2013 in Moscow Aijo participated in the congress of the political party The Other Russia.[13] On 19 November 2013 Aijo participated in London in a direct action in memory of Aleksandr Dolmatov.[14][15] On 29 November 2013 he organized in The Hague further direct action in memory of Dolmatov. Beness was arrested[16][17][18] and spent six weeks in Dutch prison.[19]

Involvement in the pro-Russian unrest in Ukraine (2014–present)[]

In 2014 Aijo departed for the self-declared Republic of Crimea.[citation needed] He was arrested in Donetsk on 1 April 2014 for "preparation of an armed coup to overthrow the government and to undermine the territorial integrity of Ukraine"[20][21] and deported to the United Kingdom, where Aijo took part of demonstrations for a couple of weeks.[22]

In May 2014, despite the ban from entering the country for three years, Aijo attempted to cross into Ukraine together with two more activists. He was detained by the Ukrainian Border Guard, and deported to Latvia, where he was detained by the Security Police and the State Police at Riga Airport.[23] Aijo made claims he had been tortured and beaten by the Ukrainian National Guard.[22]

On 16 May the Riga Central District Court ordered Aijo taken into custody and the Security Police commenced criminal prosecution for incitement to violently overthrow the government of Latvia, to change the political system, and to liquidate Latvian national independence.[23] Aijo called the charges "fabricated" and a "political repression" and expressed a desire to obtain an acquittal, as well as a compensation for the moral damages and imprisonment.[citation needed] On the night to 30 May petards and smoke grenades were thrown at the Latvian general consulate in St. Petersburg by members of the far-left The Other Russia party, who set up a USSR flag on the façade of the building, distributed pamphlets and demanded release of Aijo.[24][25]

Aijo has participated in several demonstrations in Riga since, including the 15 August demonstration against Latvia's foreign policy towards Russia and to call for the dismissal of Minister of Foreign Affairs Edgars Rinkēvičs.[26][27]

In early 2015, with an ongoing criminal case and while being under police surveillance Aijo fled Latvia by hitch-hiking to Tallinn, where he took a ferry to Finland and then traveled to Russia by bus, eventually arriving in Eastern Ukraine. There he joined the armed forces of the self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic[28] in what he described as "military-political work", i.e., writing articles for a local newspaper,[29] but he also expressed a desire to undergo training and sign up for active service.[30] Riga Central District Court subsequently launched a manhunt for Aijo.[31][32]

Aijo later reported taking part in the Pro-Russian rebel military operations in Debaltseve and near Stanytsia Luhanska among other places and being promoted to Sergeant, going from a gunner on an artillery howitzer to a member of a motorized infantry brigade.[33] In the middle of April 2019, Aijo was declared a suspect by the Latvia's State Security Service in a case regarding illegal participation in the pro-Russian unrest in Ukraine.[34]

In early 2020 he was detained in Yarensk, Arkhangelsk Oblast, Russia, where Aijo was planning to take part in a protest against the construction of a garbage landfill.[35] Latvian Prosecutor General's Office requested his extradition to Latvia,[36][37] while Aijo asked Vladimir Putin for a political asylum in Russia.[38] Aijo was released from prison in February 2020.[39]

References[]

  1. ^ Айо Бенес — магистр биологии и профессор НБП
  2. ^ Matveeva, Anna (2017). Through Times of Trouble: Conflict in Southeastern Ukraine Explained from Within. Lexington Books. p. 231. ISBN 978-1498-5432-3-1. Black Lenin (Aijo Beness), a Latvian citizen, a son of a Russian mother and a Ugandan father, and a member of Leftist Drugaya Rossia party in Russia and of the Communist Party of Great Britain (Marxist–Leninist)...
  3. ^ Геополитика с Айо Бенесом. Часть 1
  4. ^ Айо Бенес — магистр биологии и профессор НБП Archived 5 April 2014 at the Wayback Machine. D-pils.lv (23 March 2005). Retrieved on 1 May 2014.
  5. ^ Jump up to: a b Collier, Mike (28 August 2014). "Latvia: Neo-Bolshevik Vexes Government". Eurasianet. Retrieved 28 August 2014.
  6. ^ Noraida Benesa Aijo lietā iesniegto kasāciju. Delfi.lv (5 December 2005). Retrieved on 1 May 2014.
  7. ^ "Beness Aijo goes on a hunger strike" (in Latvian). Delfi. 5 December 2005. Retrieved 1 May 2014.
  8. ^ "Beness Aijo has ended the hunger strike" (in Latvian). Delfi. 5 January 2006. Retrieved 1 May 2014.
  9. ^ "Beness Aijo released from imprisonment" (in Latvian). Delfi. 20 July 2006. Retrieved 1 May 2014.
  10. ^ "Benes Ayo: After my weight went down to 45 kg, they had to let me out" (in Russian). . 21 July 2006. Retrieved 1 May 2014.
  11. ^ Wright, Simon; Cortbus, Colin; Drake, Matthew (19 July 2014). "Malaysia Airlines Crash: 'Dangerous' British student with Putin links is leading Russian rebel in Ukraine". Mirror. Retrieved 3 August 2014.
  12. ^ An interview with Aijo Beness
  13. ^ Айо Бенес стал делегатом съезда партии Лимонова от Латвии, Британии и Палестины. Rus.delfi.lv (18 September 2013). Retrieved on 1 May 2014.
  14. ^ Активисты «Другой России» забросали дымовыми шашками посольство Голландии в Лондоне. Nvdaily.ru (20 November 2013). Retrieved on 1 May 2014.
  15. ^ Посольство Нидерландов в Лондоне закидали файерами. Lenta.ru. 20 November 2013.
  16. ^ Айо Бенес или о том как "летучего голландца" судили в Гааге. Echo.msk.ru (17 October 2011). Retrieved on 1 May 2014.
  17. ^ Требовавший расследовать смерть Александра Долматова нацбол Бенес Айо арестован в Нидерландах Archived 2 May 2014 at the Wayback Machine. Hroniki.info. 1 December 2013.
  18. ^ Голландия передумала судить другоросса Бенеса Айо за терроризм. Newsland.com (27 April 2014). Retrieved on 1 May 2014.
  19. ^ Бенес Айо освободился из голландской тюрьмы Archived 2 May 2014 at the Wayback Machine. Drugoros.ru. 10 January 2014.
  20. ^ In Donetsk arrested Ayo Benes Archived 8 June 2014 at the Wayback Machine. News2Night. Retrieved on 1 May 2014.
  21. ^ Extremists from the Crimea get over to Donetsk: on meeting for Yanukovych Aksenov's black "fighter". News.pn (22 March 2014). Retrieved on 1 May 2014.
  22. ^ Jump up to: a b Collier, Mike (31 July 2014). "An Unlikely Revolutionary: Beness Aijo". Public Broadcasting of Latvia. Retrieved 3 August 2014.
  23. ^ Jump up to: a b "Bolshevik Aijo ordered locked up". The Baltic Times. 19 May 2014. Retrieved 1 May 2014.
  24. ^ "'Other Russia' movement hooligans attack Latvian consulate". The Baltic Times. 30 May 2014. Retrieved 2 June 2014.
  25. ^ "National Bolshevik Aijo Beness' supporters attack Latvian general consulate in Russia". Baltic News Network. 30 May 2014. Retrieved 2 June 2014.
  26. ^ "Around 50 demonstrators outside Foreign Ministry in Riga demand Rinkevics' resignation". The Baltic Course. 15 August 2014. Retrieved 15 August 2014.
  27. ^ "Radical Russians rally against foreign policy". Public Broadcasting of Latvia. 15 August 2014. Retrieved 15 August 2014.
  28. ^ "Bolshevik renegade runs to Lugansk, defies arrest". Public Broadcasting of Latvia. 12 January 2015. Retrieved 5 February 2015.
  29. ^ "Beness Aijo flees Latvia by means of hitch-hiking". Baltic News Network. LETA. 12 January 2015. Retrieved 5 February 2015.
  30. ^ "Beness Aijo boasts his promotion in the ranks of separatists in Donbass". Baltic News Network. 5 June 2015. Retrieved 11 June 2015.
  31. ^ "Latvian authorities launch manhunt for National Bolshevik Beness Aijo". Baltic News Network. 4 February 2015. Retrieved 5 February 2015.
  32. ^ "Aijo on the lam for anti-Latvia activism". Public Broadcasting of Latvia. 4 February 2016. Retrieved 5 February 2015.
  33. ^ "Beness Aijo 'on the front line' in Ukraine". Public Broadcasting of Latvia. 2 March 2015. Retrieved 3 September 2015.
  34. ^ "National Bolshevik Beness Aijo accused of taking part in armed conflict in Ukraine". Baltic News Network. 8 May 2019. Retrieved 22 August 2019.
  35. ^ Kyt, Andry (11 February 2020). "Black Lenin from DNI detained in Russia". Hand of Moscow. Retrieved 12 February 2020.
  36. ^ "Latvia to request Russia to hand over detained National-Bolshevik Beness Aijo". Baltic News Network. 12 February 2020. Retrieved 21 February 2020.
  37. ^ "Latvia to seek extradition of oddball radical Beness Aijo". Public Broadcasting of Latvia. 14 February 2020. Retrieved 21 February 2020.
  38. ^ "National Bolshevik Beness Aijo asks Putin to grant him political asylum". Public Broadcasting of Latvia. 14 February 2020. Retrieved 21 February 2020.
  39. ^ "Russian police free 'Black Lenin' – media". Ukrainian Independent Information Agency. 13 February 2020. Retrieved 27 September 2020.

External links[]

Retrieved from ""