Last year, in protest to Russia's anti-blasphemy law that criminalized playing Pokémon GO in church, vlogger Ruslan Sokolovsky filmed himself catching Pokémons in Yekaterinburg’s Church of All Saints, the site where the last Emperor of Russia Nicholas II and his family were murdered in 1918, and shared the footage on his YouTube channel:

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The 22-year old was then detained for two months for “inciting hatred” and “insulting religious feelings” after posting the video, and later taken to a pre-trial detention center for breaching the terms of his house arrest after the young man had posted a video on the Internet though he had been banned from using the web and mobile communications. Judgement was passed this Thursday and Sokolovsky was found guilty of all charges.

"In accordance with the expert evaluation, the court found blogger Sokolovsky guilty of inciting hatred, violating religious feelings and illegal possession of special technical means - a pen with a video camera," said judge Yekaterina Shoponyak who granted the prosecutors' wish and gave the vlogger a 3.5-year suspended sentence.

Judge 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.

During the court hearings, Sokolovsky did not deny that he had been the author of these videos but concerning the pen with a camera, he reportedly said that not only was the pen not his, but that it wasn’t a camera at all, but instead just a light bulb.

During the interrogation of eyewitnesses, the blogger apologized to all worshippers who had complained about being offended.

What do you think of this case? Was the verdict fair in finding Sokolovsky guilty who on top of violating the country's anti-blasphemy law, additionally breached the terms of his house arrest? Or is suppressing one's freedom of expression a more serious offense?

SOURCE 1, SOURCE 2

 

[x65943]

It's a Christian church in Russia. What kind of history do you think you would find? As an European, I laugh at that. Being born in a country with double the percentage of Christians as Russia, I laugh even harder.

If you really are a conservator, you should know better that the only thing that should be punishable by law is vandalism. That's the only way you are truly damaging the historical sites, not by playing a game in a church. We heavily criticize Muslims for wanting to impose their ways on people and then we allow such retarded laws to take place. This is not right.

The history he is referencing is that the church was built over the site where the last Tsar was murdered with his family.

 

[SnakeOil992]

Because its comparable lmao. Think before you speak please. They both were being oppressed by unfair governments and decided to speak out by doing what their government told them they arent allowed to. They both were arrested for doing this. MLK faced more violence for sure but that doesnt mean this guy is a pussy. Please just stop trying to insult a guy for speaking out against oppressive leaders.

Problem is, anyone can support a just cause. What matters is HOW you show your support for that exact cause. That guy didn't prove anything. Putin didn't move an inch by what he did. Anyone can be a pseudo rebel. He does not deserve praise.

 

[bi388]

Problem is, anyone can support a just cause. What matters is HOW you show your support for that exact cause. That guy didn't prove anything. Putin didn't move an inch by what he did. Anyone can be a pseudo rebel. He does not deserve praise.

Someone has to do something first. Maybe people will follow in his footsteps and it will start a change. Maybe it wont. But hes trying which is more than you or I are doing.

 

[samcambolt270]

Are they actually trying to make russia sound worse than people already think it is?

 

[SnakeOil992]

Someone has to do something first. Maybe people will follow in his footsteps and it will start a change. Maybe it wont. But hes trying which is more than you or I are doing.

"Trying" could mean "wanting to gather tons of views", but to be completely honest, I can't prove that.

 

[Hayleia]

There were plenty of people who didn't believe they were wrong throughout history and they ended up on the wrong side of history because people spoke up. Nothing will change if no one protests. MLK spoke up to people who believed he was wrong and he got jailed for it. This guy is doing the same thing: fighting for a minority being discriminated against. Its like the Master in fallout. He was set in the belief he was right until he was shown why his deep set beliefs were hsrmful.

But did they really believe MLK was wrong? Maybe they knew he was right but didn't want to acknowledge it. So yeah, people had to speak up and get jailed for telling the truth until everyone realizes that yeah, that's actually the truth.
That guy here on the other hand fought against people who really believe he was wrong, and got problems for not agreeing with their truth. And you can't change their truth, you're going to do it with your arguments? They have their """arguments""".

Now yeah, I don't disagree with you on the fact that I'm not against people speaking up if it works. I just don't think it does in that particular case.

 

[x65943]

But did they really believe MLK was wrong? Maybe they knew he was right but didn't want to acknowledge it. So yeah, people had to speak up and get jailed for telling the truth until everyone realizes that yeah, that's actually the truth.
That guy here on the other hand fought against people who really believe he was wrong, and got problems for not agreeing with their truth. And you can't change their truth, you're going to do it with your arguments? They have their """arguments""".

Now yeah, I don't disagree with you on the fact that I'm not against people speaking up if it works. I just don't think it does in that particular case.

Many people in the US still think that MLK was wrong. Rampant racism is widespread here.

MLK was fighting against racist people at a time when black americans were still being lynched for looking at a white girl wrong.

 

[ned]

That's what you get for not playing Tetris.

 

[Benuno]

If not mentioned before: I don't think this is some kind of anti-freedom thing. I mean there are f.e. landlords who do not allow you to bring pets into their apartment. If you don't agree with that you just go to an other place. How I see it Russia just shows some respect to religious people by this penalty (although it's too excessive IMO).

 

[Bladexdsl]

jeez they don't fuck around in russia!

 

[sarkwalvein]

Would you go to a church that allowed someone to break the law in it?

I wouldn't go to a church without a reason actually.
Well, if I went to a church it would be with some certain purpose and being respectful.
And to be completely honest, my judgement of the given church would depend on what law was being broken, but most probably I wouldn't like the idea.

That allowed a guy to be disrespectful to his own country?

I couldn't care less about this. I don't like this whole idea of nationalism TBH, and I expect to receive backlash but who cares.

how about this if he didn't like his country that much he should have done the smart thing wait out his sentence and then left. AGIAN I don't see anywhere in this "this is my legal fight I think this law is wrong help me fight it.". I see a guy playing a game in church when he had better options than that. sure he is playing a game... sure I would politely ask the guy to stop playing and or leave, I would even offer to take him somewhere else that that activity would be more acceptable but aiding him breaking a law? NO.

Asking him to leave is the most appropriate thing IMHO.
The guy seems like a dumb overgrown rebellious teenager in my eyes.

You see the law as ridiculous. I see this as way more than that.
As a conservator (museum conservator) that church is not just a religious site its historical one as well. he is not just being disrespectful to that religion he is being disrespectful to the history that happened in that church. He went out of his way to do this when that same effort could have been better spent on better approaches. Is he putting any effort now into fighting that law? put the link up if he is! is there a petition? is there a protest? is there any activity designed to raise money to fight the law? is there a lawyer or lawyers helping him fight the law? Or is this just some guy getting attention and continuing to be disrespectful to the people he just apologized to by letting that/those video(s) stay up?
his point was made "as part of my apology I am taking the video down. " has that happened?

Its just him playing a video game doesn't cover this. If you think I sound furious its because I am.
I will fully support a thread started to help fight x law in x country but a thread that openly disrespects religion or people no... that should be enough said

I don't see that much reason to be furious.
The guy is a disrespectful jerk, true.
Take him out, don't let him enter again.
Actually, I really don't think being furious would be a logical reaction.
Feeling pity, seeing this person is dumb as fuck and thinks he is not, I understand.
Feeling impotence, as you can't make him reason and turn into a better person, I understand.
But fury? It is not like he was breaking property, he was just being a disrespectful asshole that could be put outside.

 

[borka]

Well, as it is seen from the inside. After the collapse of the Communism/Marxism religion there was a so-called ideological "vacuum" - everybody believed in what he liked. It was terrible since it could lead to the freedom of speech, to the strong thinking citizens and even to the democracy (but it doesn't exist - it is another topic though).

And now the government tries hard to find a state ideology. And it turns back to the pre-communist history, to the Russian Orthodox Church always being a second (if not first) state power. Russian Church always supported any regime, any government, communist or Tatar-and-Mongol, and doing now this actively.

2016-2018 year. My sub-district. 10 schools are planned to be build from the state budget and (hold on) 26 churches.

So, this case and previous - with some girl band playing in the church. It is a clear and precise message to the plebs that the Church is Government and should be treated as such. With all respect and fear. And if you want to be a "patriot" and "good citizen" you should go to the Church (for your mind to be conditioned).

 

[DarkGabbz]

 

[Hells Malice]

As stupid as Russia's laws are, he's the fucking idiot for KNOWING them and yet still VIOLATING them.
What a moron.

 

[Yil]

Yes.

Not to harp on MLK but I guess hes pathetic too because he protested rather than fighting people lol.

Mind giving an example? No fiction. Also not one of those 'fuck order' kind of guy.

 

[RustInPeace]

Denny don't plan too much, it may not come out right...

 

[Joe88]

 

[bi388]

Mind giving an example? No fiction. Also not one of those 'fuck order' kind of guy.

I dont remember women taking over after protesting for rights, or black people, or many other groups throughout history. I dont say why atheists in Russia would be any different.

 

[EmanueleBGN]

Correct! A Church is not a park, it's not a too hard law, it's common sense

 

[osaka35]

If you want to know why most countries like their very rigid "Separation of church and state", this is why.

When a law that boils down to "this offends me" is the sole reason someone gets jail time, then something is really borked with your laws.