Russian blogger convicted for playing 'Pokemon Go' in church
Published : 2017-05-11 19:55
Updated : 2017-05-11 19:55
MOSCOW (AP) - A Russian blogger was convicted
on Thursday of inciting religious hatred
for playing “Pokemon Go''
in a church,
and given a suspended sentence.
Ruslan Sokolovsky posted
a video
on his blog
last year
showing him playing the smartphone game
in a church
built on the supposed spot
where the last Russian tsar
and his family were killed.
He has been
in detention
since October.
Judge Yekaterina Shoponyak
on Thursday
found
Sokolovsky guilty
of inciting religious hatred
and gave him
a 3 {-year suspended sentence.
It is the same offense
that sent two women
from the Pussy Riot punk collective
to prison
for two years
in 2012.
Sokolovsky's behavior and his anti-religious videos
manifested
his “disrespect for society,''
Judge Yekaterina Shoponyak said
in televised remarks,
adding that Sokolovsky “intended
to offend religious sentiments.''
Shoponyak pointed out
that the 22-year old video blogger was
on trial
not only for playing the game
in the church
but also for posting several videos
that offended believers.
She listed
“mockery of the immaculate conception,''
”denial of the existence of Jesus
and Prophet Muhammad''
and “giving
an offensive description of Patriarch Kirill,''
the head of the Russian Orthodox Church.
Speaking to reporters
after the verdict
Sokolovsky thanked
the media
for raising the alarm
about the trial,
which has been widely described
as a witch hunt:
“I would probably have been sent
to prison
if it wasn't
for the journalists' support.''
Once an officially atheist state,
Russia has made
a stunning turnaround
since the fall of the Soviet Union
with the majority of Russians now
identifying themselves
as Orthodox Christians.
Although most Russians are not observant,
the Kremlin has been eager
to harness faith
to promote its own agenda.
The guilty verdict
for the Pussy Riot members
emboldened
radical religious activists
who have been successful
in their public campaigns
to get theater performances banned
and exhibitions closed.
Last year, activists launched
a drive
to collect signatures
to end state funding
for abortion.
Sokolovsky's conviction caused
outrage
in Russia
with many prominent figures
describing it as a condemnation of atheism.
“I was born
and grew up
in the Soviet Union
where 98 percent of citizens were atheists,''
opposition leader Alexei Navalny said
on Twitter on Thursday
while the hearing was being webcast.
“And now I'm listening
to a verdict
where a man has been convicted for atheism.''
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