Russian Who Played Pokémon Go in Church Is Convicted of Inciting Hatred
Mr. Sokolovsky’s behavior and his anti-religious videos manifested a "disrespect for society," Judge Shoponyak said in televised remarks, and he "intended to offend religious sentiments." Judge Shoponyak noted
that the defendant was on trial not only for playing the game in the church but also for posting several videos that had offended people.
The blogger, Ruslan Sokolovsky, 22, filmed himself in August as he played the smartphone game — an augmented reality environment in which users try
to capture pocket monsters — in a Yekaterinburg church built on the spot where the last Russian czar and his family were said to have been killed.
Judge Yekaterina Shoponyak convicted Mr. Sokolovsky, who had been in detention since October, of inciting religious
hatred, the same offense for which two women from the protest band Pussy Riot were sent to prison in 2012.
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESSMAY 11, 2017
MOSCOW — A Russian blogger was convicted on Thursday of inciting religious hatred by playing Pokémon Go in a church and posting a video of it online.
She said the video was a "mockery of the Immaculate Conception," included "denial of the existence of Jesus
and the Prophet Muhammad" and gave "an offensive description of Patriarch Kirill" of the Russian Orthodox Church.
Speaking after the verdict, Mr. Sokolovsky thanked reporters for having covered the trial and for drawing attention to his case, saying
that without it, "I would probably have been sent to prison." Please verify you’re not a robot by clicking the box.
