Two Russian Orthodox priests and a poet have protested in St. Petersburg against a provision in the country's Criminal Code outlawing the "insulting of religious feelings."
Priests Grigory Mikhnov-Vaitenko and Father Aleksandr, along with poet Andrei Chernov, on November 18 staged so-called single protests, in which they stood several meters apart and held signs criticizing the regulation.
"God cannot be mocked," read one of the protester's signs
"It is impossible to insult believer's feelings," said another sign.
"Believers' feelings are protected by the Lord, not the Criminal Code," read another.
Police arrived at the site and took down the protesters' personal data.
In 2013, Russia introduced a punishment of up to three years in jail for those convicted of public actions committed with the goal of insulting the religious sensitivities of religious believers
The law also makes it a crime to interfere with the activities of religious organizations.
Rights activists have criticized the law, saying it can be used against dissent.
