Russian blogger found guilty of inciting religious hatred for playing Pokemon Go in Orthodox church
'Who could get offended if you're just walking around with your smartphone in a church?'
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.A Russian blogger has been found guilty of inciting religious hatred and insulting believers for playing Pokémon Go in church.
Ruslan Sokolovsky was given a three-and-a-half year suspended sentence after he posted a video of him playing the game in an Orthodox church supposedly built on the spot where the last Russian tsar Nicholas II and his family were killed.
It is the same offence that sent two women from the Pussy Riot punk collective to prison for two years in 2012.
The video, taken in August 2016, received more than 1.9 million views.
Before going into the church, Sokolovsky said the risk of being arrested for playing games in church "is complete nonsense".
He asked: "Who could get offended if you're just walking around with your smartphone in a church?"
Sokolovsky, who has been in detention since October, pleaded not guilty.
Judge Yekaterina Shoponyak said earlier Sokolovsky's behaviour and his anti-religious videos manifested his "disrespect for society" and he "intended to offend religious sentiments".
He was also found guilty of "illegal trafficking of special technical equipment" after a pen with a built-in video camera was discovered during a search of his home.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments