Benes Ayo | |
|---|---|
Бенес Айо | |
 Ayo in 2020 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1979-06-08)8 June 1979 (age 45) Rēzekne,Latvian SSR,Soviet Union |
| Citizenship | |
| Political party | The Other Russia of E. V. Limonov |
| Other political affiliations | |
| Alma mater |
|
| Occupation | Political activist |
| Known for | National Bolshevik activism |
| Nickname | Black Lenin |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  Russia |
| Branch/service | Interbrigades |
| Years of service | 2014 2015–present |
| Battles/wars | |
Benes Khristoferovich Ayo (Russian:Бенес Христоферович Айо,Latvian:Beness Aijo; born 8 June 1979), also known by his nickname "Black Lenin"[1] (Russian:Чёрный Ленин), is aLatvian-bornRussian political activist and soldier. He has been active in theNational Bolshevik movement since 1998 and has been repeatedly arrested and imprisoned for his political activities in various countries.[2][3]
Born in the city ofRēzekne to a Russian mother and aUgandan father, Ayo spent most of his early life in Latvia before moving to theUnited Kingdom to pursue hismaster's degree atBirkbeck College, University of London. He joined theCommunist Party of Great Britain (Marxist–Leninist) during his time inLondon and participated in many of the party's demonstrations.
In 2014, Ayo travelled to Crimea to support theRussian annexation of the peninsula. He later participated inpro-Russian demonstrations in theDonbas before being arrested by Ukrainian authorities and deported to Latvia. Ayo fled Latvia in 2015 despite being under criminal investigation and police surveillance. He eventually made his way to theLuhansk People's Republic, where he joinedThe Other Russia's paramilitary group, theInterbrigades. He later received a passport from theDonetsk People's Republic, which he used to enter Russia in early 2020. The Russian government granted Ayopolitical asylum in October 2020 and Russian citizenship in December 2022. The Latvian government revoked Ayo's Latvian citizenship in response to the latter.
Beness Khristoferovich Ayo was born inRēzekne on 8 June 1979 to aUgandan father and aRussian mother. He studied biology at theUniversity of Latvia.[4] He is anOrthodoxOld Believer.[5]
On 7 May 2005, Ayo was arrested for setting offsmoke bombs during the visit ofGeorge W. Bush toLatvia.[6] Later that year, Ayo was arrested and sentenced to 9 months in prison for calling for the overthrow of Latvia's political system.[7] In prison, Ayo subsequently went on ahunger strike that lasted for 27 days until his health deteriorated enough to require hospitalisation.[8][9] After spending five and a half months in jail, his security measure was changed from imprisonment to police surveillance at Ayo's request, when he cited hisdiabetes.[10][11]
Thereafter, Ayo left Latvia and moved toLondon in theUnited Kingdom. He studiedMedical Microbiology at theUniversity of London, Birkbeck.[6] Later in London, Ayo worked as a construction worker at theHeathrow Terminal 2.[12] He played an active role in political rallies in the UK, where he was a member of theCommunist Party of Great Britain (Marxist–Leninist).[13]
From May–June 2013 he was in Palestine, where he took part in actions against the Israeli government. While in Palestine Ayo received medical training in the field.[14]
On 14 September 2013, inMoscow, Ayo participated in the congress of the political partyThe Other Russia.[15] On 19 November 2013, Ayo participated in London in adirect action in memory ofAleksandr Dolmatov.[16] On 29 November 2013, he organized inThe Hague further direct action in memory of Dolmatov. Beness was arrested[17][18][19] and spent six weeks in a Dutch prison.[20]
Ayo departed for Crimea in 2014. He was arrested inDonetsk on 1 April 2014 for "preparation of an armed coup to overthrow the government and to undermine the territorial integrity of Ukraine"[21][22] and deported to theUnited Kingdom, where Ayo took part of demonstrations for a couple of weeks.[23]
In May 2014, despite the ban from entering the country for three years, Ayo attempted to cross into Ukraine together with two more activists. He was detained by theUkrainian Border Guard, and deported to Latvia, where he was detained by theSecurity Police and theState Police atRiga Airport.[24] Ayo made claims he had been tortured and beaten by theUkrainian National Guard.[23]
On 16 May 2014, the Riga Central District Court ordered Ayo taken into custody and the Security Police commenced criminal prosecution for incitement to violently overthrow thegovernment of Latvia, to change the political system, and to liquidate Latvian national independence.[24] On the night to 30 Maypetards andsmoke grenades were thrown at the Latvian general consulate in St. Petersburg by members ofThe Other Russia party, who set up aSoviet flag on thefaçade of the building, distributedpamphlets and demanded release of Ayo.[25][26]
Ayo 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 ofMinister of Foreign AffairsEdgars Rinkēvičs.[27][28]
In early 2015, with an ongoing criminal case and while being under police surveillance Ayo fled Latvia byhitch-hiking toTallinn, where he took a ferry toFinland and then traveled to Russia by bus, eventually arriving inEastern Ukraine. There he joined the armed forces of the self-proclaimedLuhansk People's Republic[29] in what he described as "military-political work", i.e., writing articles for a local newspaper,[30] but he also expressed a desire to undergo training and sign up foractive service.[31] Riga Central District Court subsequently launched amanhunt for Ayo.[32][33]
Ayo later reported taking part in pro-Russian operations inDebaltseve and nearStanytsia Luhanska among other places and being promoted tosergeant, going from a gunner on an artilleryhowitzer to a member of amotorized infantry brigade.[34] In the middle of April 2019, Ayo was declared a suspect by the Latvia's State Security Service in a case regarding illegal participation in thepro-Russian unrest in Ukraine.[35]
In early 2020, Ayo entered Russia using a passport from the unrecognisedDonetsk People's Republic. He was later detained inYarensk,Arkhangelsk Oblast, where Ayo was planning to take part in a protest against the construction of a garbage landfill.[36] The Latvian Prosecutor General's Office requested his extradition to Latvia,[37][38] while Ayo askedVladimir Putin forpolitical asylum in Russia.[39] Ayo was released from prison in February 2020[40] and granted political asylum in Russia in October.[41]
Ayo joined theCommunist Party of the Russian Federation some time after 2020, according to the party's website.[42]
On 17 May 2021, a Latvian court in Riga found Ayo guilty of "calling for the violent overthrow of the government, the liquidation of Latvian independence, and the undermining of the territorial integrity of Latvia". He was sentencedin absentia to two years and six months in prison, as well as one year of probation.[41]
In December 2022, Ayo was granted Russian citizenship.[43] On 6 February 2023, the Latvian Citizenship and Migration Affairs Office revoked Aijo's Latvian citizenship.[44][45]
Black Lenin (Aijo Beness), a Latvian citizen, a son of a Russian mother and a Ugandan father, and a member of LeftistDrugaya Rossia party in Russia and the Communist Party of Great Britain (Marxist–Leninist) ...
I pray. I go to church, maybe not as often as I should but I am a Christian, an Orthodox Old Believer.
I am a member of the Marxist Leninist Communist party of Great Britain and our aim is socialism in Britain and elsewhere.
