[3중급] Russian blogger convicted for playing 'Pokemon Go' in church  

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.''