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Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia
Russia Introduces Jail Terms for 'Religious Offenders'
2013-06-12
[An Nahar] Russia on Tuesday passed a bill imposing jail terms of up to three years on those who offend religious believers after an anti-Vladimir Putin
...Second and fourth President of the Russian Federation and the first to remain sober. Putin is credited with bringing political stability and re-establishing something like the rule of law, which occasionally results in somebody dropping dead from polonium poisoning. Under Putin, a new group of business magnates controlling significant swathes of Russia's economy has emerged, all of whom have close personal ties to Putin. The old bunch, without close personal ties to Putin, are in jail or in exile or dead...
stunt by punk band Pussy Riot in a church polarized the predominantly Orthodox country last year.

According to the bill passed in a 308-to-2 final vote, "public actions expressing clear disrespect for society and committed with the goal of offending religious feelings of the faithful" would be punishable with jail terms of up to one year in prison and fines of up to 300,000 rubles ($9,200).

The same actions committed in churches and other places of worship would be punishable by up to three years in prison and a fine of up to 500,000 rubles.

Among other forms of punishment to be meted out for the transgressions are compulsory community service and forced labor.

The controversial bill was proposed after several members of rock band Pussy Riot belted out a "punk prayer" against strongman Putin in a landmark Orthodox cathedral last year.

Two Pussy Riot members, Nadezhda Tolokonnikova and Maria Alyokhina, are serving two years in prison after being convicted last August on charges of hooliganism motivated by religious hatred.
Posted by:Fred

#4  As I understand it from the Russian point of view, the P R girls got in trouble, not for calling Putin mean names, but for holding their protests in an Orthodox church and disrupting services.
Posted by: SteveS   2013-06-12 20:49  

#3  So they have introduced blasphemy laws because said laws have worked so well elsewhere?

Welcome to Russiastan.
Posted by: Dopey Sinatra9196   2013-06-12 16:46  

#2  Soon coming to a theater near you.
Posted by: JohnQC   2013-06-12 11:04  

#1  Well so far, we've limited our actions to refusal for non-profit status and multiple IRS audit. However, the Fed AG in Tennessee seems to be working towards this angle as well.
Posted by: Procopius2k   2013-06-12 09:14  

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