Global Times - 07.08.2019

Wednesday August 7, 2019 19

LIFE

Four actors taking part in a satirical
play about two gay police officers were
freed Monday night, nearly 24 hours
after they were arrested and accused of
ridiculing and usurping the functions
of Venezuela’s authorities.
Actors Pedro Wise and Isaias Ovalle
had been arrested on Sunday following
a performance of Two Cops in Trouble,
which has been running at a Caracas
theater since July 19.
Director Leonam Torres and pro-
ducer Johana Villafranca were also
arrested, and all four were accused of
“the crime of usurping public function
when pretending to present a theatri-
cal piece while wearing the regulatory
uniform” of police, according to an
official dispatch leaked to Venezuelan
media outlets.
The report said the actors had tried
to “ridicule and distort the true func-
tions of police,” and that their outfits
were confiscated as evidence.
A photograph of the detainees along-

side their wives, together with police

in camouflage uniforms was shared by

online media.

A lawyer representing the detainees

said performances of the play would re-

sume on Tuesday, but the actors would

use “facsimiles of uniforms” and not

the original costumes.

Ovalle had predicted his arrest in

an Instagram story he published on

Sunday.

“If I wake up chopped up, incinerat-

ed, kidnapped or dead, you’ll know why.

It’s not a game, it’s serious, so come

and see the show before it gets closed

down,” Ovalle wrote.

Carlos Correa, director of the Espacio

Publico (Public Space) NGO, described

the arrests as a “barbarity.”

“It’s an open violation of the human

right of freedom of expression. The

theater is a place for criticism,” he told

AFP.

AFP

Venezuelan actors arrested over gay cops satirical play set free

The Heaven & Earth joint solo exhibi-

tion was held at the AI Gallery in New

Zealand’s Auckland on Sunday.

The event also functioned as the

opening ceremony for the Special Ex-

hibition of New Zealand Contemporary

Art for the 8th Beijing International

Art Biennale Exhibition.

The joint solo exhibition featured

approximately 50 unique Chinese

artworks, including 30 paintings

inspired by the scenic views of New

Zealand.

The exhibition organizer, AI Gal-

lery CEO Zong Yuan, said, “This year

is the China-New Zealand Year of

Tourism. We are proud to promote

cultural exchanges between China

and New Zealand.”

“We will bring New Zealand

artists and artworks to China for

later events, which are scheduled to

open in Beijing next month,” Zong

explained.

Chinese artist Xie Yi said, “Our

paintings maintain connections to

China’s deep cultural roots and inspi-

ration from New Zealand.”

Around 70 visitors attended the

exhibition, including James Jimmy

Kouratoras and Evan George Wood-

ruffe.

Kouratoras, Woodruffe and 20

other artists will represent New Zea-

land artists to attend the 2019 Beijing

International Art Biennale Exhibition

next month.

The exhibition was co-organized

by the AI Gallery, China Cultural

Centre Wellington and New Zealand

China Investment and Trade Associa-

tion Incorporated.

Xinhua

Chinese artists showcase artworks in New Zealand

R. Kelly faces new sex abuse charges

T

he sprawling sex abuse

scandal involving

R&B singer R. Kelly

expanded on Monday to the

state of Minnesota, where

charges against him include

engaging in prostitution with

a minor.

The new charges come

days after the disgraced su-

perstar pleaded not guilty in

New York to federal charges

including racketeering,

which allege he systemati-

cally recruited girls for sex

while touring.

He also faces separate

federal charges linked to

child pornography in his

hometown Chicago.

Along with the felony

count of prostitution with a

minor, Kelly also faces one

count of soliciting

a minor for sexual

purposes, the at-

torney’s office for

Hennepin county,

which includes the

state’s most populous

city of Minneapolis,

announced.

County attorney

Mike Freeman told

journalists the charg-

es are related to an

incident dating to

July 11, 2001, when

a victim under 18

years old was at-

tempting to obtain

an autograph from

Kelly, known for

hits such as “I Be-

lieve I Can Fly.”

The 52-year-old

artist gave her the

autograph along

with a phone

number, and after

she called, she

was invited to his

hotel, Freeman

said.

When the girl

arrived, “she was

offered $

to take off her

clothes and

dance for him,”

he said. “After

accepting the

$200, she got

naked and

they proceeded

to dance.”

Freeman, who dubbed

the incident “simply not ac-

ceptable,” said sexual contact

occurred but not intercourse.

She was then granted VIP

access to one of his concerts,

which was meant to be for

adults 18 and over.

It is unclear when or

whether the musician,

whose given name is Robert

Sylvester Kelly, will appear

in Minnesota to face the new

charges.

Following his recent

arraignment in New York,

it was expected Kelly would

return to Chicago, where he

must attend a status hearing

on September 4 in a case

involving child pornography.

He was denied bond in

both Chicago and New York.

Prior to his arrest in July

over the federal indictments,

Kelly had been out on bond

in connection with state

felony charges of aggravated

sexual assault in Chicago’s

Cook county criminal court.

Kelly has a decades-long

history of abuse allegations,

especially of underage girls,

but for years maintained a

solid fan base, performed

and won awards.

He began facing renewed

scrutiny earlier this year

upon the release of the

docu-series Surviving R. Kelly,

which nabbed an Emmy

nomination for outstand-

ing informational series or

special.

AFP

R. Kelly Photo: IC

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