Russian comedian accused of telling offensive joke about Ukraine war veteran sentenced to almost six years in prison

Russian comedian Artemy Ostanin reacts behind a glass wall during a court hearing following his arrest in March 2025 REUTERS/Anastasia Barashkova A Russian comedian was convicted of inciting hatred and sentenced to prison for almost six years on Wednesday (4) over a joke he made about a legless war veteran, which sparked outrage among nationalists and military bloggers. A Reuters reporter present in court said the comedian, Artemy Ostanin, received a sentence of five years and nine months and a fine of 300,000 rubles (about R$20,600). READ MORE: Russia launches attack with more than 500 drones and missiles against Ukraine amid extreme cold Russia says it sees no news in India’s plan to diversify oil supplies This was the most recent in a series of court decisions that severely punished people judged by authorities for having spoken in a way considered rude or false about the Russian Army. Ostanin was also condemned for offending the feelings of Christians with another joke he made about Jesus in bad taste, which angered orthodox nationalists. See the videos that are trending on g1 Ostanin, who apologized to all those whose feelings he had hurt, denied any wrongdoing and said that the joke he made about the war veteran made no mention of the conflict in Ukraine. His arrest and the treatment he received were punishment enough for any offense he had caused, Ostanin said during his trial. Russia passed sweeping censorship laws in 2022, shortly after going to war in Ukraine. Since then, pro-Kremlin figures and organizations have publicly denounced people they believe have violated these laws.

Source link