Has the new “democratic” Russia decided to have an official state religion?


Same old, same old.

A museum director who helped organize an exhibition of censored Soviet and post-Soviet art to protest alleged infringement of artistic freedoms under Russia’s current leadership now faces censorship himself.

Prosecutors have summoned Yuri Samodurov, director of the Sakharov Museum in Moscow, to a hearing, where he will be charged for his role in organizing the March 2007 exhibition, “Forbidden Art - 2006,” according to a subpoena delivered to Samodurov last week and then faxed to The New York Times.

The charges stem from an investigation that was opened shortly after the exhibition debuted into whether Samodurov had incited religious hatred by displaying pornography-infused art works, some mocking the Russian Orthodox Church.

The Orthodox Church and nonconformist artists suffered similar oppression under the Soviet government. In recent years, however, the church, which has attained an exalted position vis-à-vis the Kremlin, has often sought to punish what it sees as criticism of Orthodox Christianity, now considered by many to be Russia’s de facto state religion…

Samodurov has previously been convicted of inciting religious hatred for an exhibition the court declared blasphemous.

Posted: Sat - May 17, 2008 at 01:22 PM          

©