News|Freedom of the PressRussia jails stand-up comic Artemy Ostani over war jokeArtemy Ostanin sentenced to more than five years in a penal colony after joking about a ‘legless’ war veteran.
A Russian comedian, Artemy Ostanin, has been sentenced to five years and nine months in a penal colony following a conviction for inciting hatred. The sentence was delivered by a Moscow court on Wed, Feb 3, 2026.
A Russian comedian, Artemy Ostanin, has been sentenced to five years and nine months in a penal colony following a conviction for inciting hatred. The sentence was delivered by a Moscow court on Wed, Feb 3, 2026.
Ostanin's case is based on a 2025 comedy performance where he made a joke about a war veteran who lost his legs in a wartime explosion, referring to him as a "legless skater." The performance gained widespread attention and drew criticism from Russian nationalists for disrespecting soldiers.
In addition, Ostanin was found guilty of offending religious sentiments with a separate joke about Jesus, which angered Orthodox nationalists. He denied that his jokes targeted Russian combatants in Ukraine.
A Russian comedian, Artemy Ostanin, has been sentenced to five years and nine months in a penal colony following a conviction for inciting hatred.
Judge Olesya Mendeleyeva announced the sentence, along with a fine of 300,000 rubles ($3,900). Ostanin has also been placed on a government list of designated "terrorists and extremists."
The prosecution of Ostanin has been criticized by Russian rights group Memorial, which argues that extremism and blasphemy laws are being used to suppress speech and intimidate artists. This development is part of a broader campaign against critics following Russia's military actions in Ukraine since February 2022.
Based on reporting by Al Jazeera.