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Because of his performance at the “Young Comedians Show,” the Pervomaisky District Court in Krasnodar sentenced Alexey Kiselev to one year and two months of community service, reports “Kavkaz.Realii.”

Before the court’s decision, the comedian was under house arrest. On 17 June, he was found guilty under the article on hooliganism motivated by religious hatred (clause “b,” part 1, article 213 of the Criminal Code). Ten percent of the convicted person’s earnings will be withheld for the state.

According to security officers, in December 2023, during a performance at a stand-up bar, Kiselev “showed clear disrespect for Orthodox and Catholic places of worship and religious rites.” Two people are listed as victims in the case, but their identities have not been disclosed.

The first details of the case were published by Kub Mash, noting that Kiselev “has spent the last two years hanging out in Moscow, sometimes poking fun at security forces on social media,” and also sharing a video where he smokes and says: “That feeling when the FSB is looking for you. This, by the way, is Lubyanka.” It’s unclear when the video was recorded.

The publication “Bloknot Krasnodar,” without giving further details, reported that the comedian “mocked” FSB officers. Kiselev’s social media accounts are currently inaccessible.

We have covered the pressure on comedians in Russia in more detail in our study: