MOSCOW -- A Moscow court has sentenced a blogger and his girlfriend to 10 months in prison each over a photo imitating oral sex in front of the St. Basil’s Cathedral on Red Square.
The court on October 29 found Tajik citizen Ruslan Bobiev, also known as Ruslani Talabjon, and model Anastasia Chistova guilty of insulting believers' feelings and sentenced them the same day.
In late September, Bobiev placed a photo on Instagram of Chistova on her knees in front him, imitating oral sex with the cathedral in the background. Chistova was wearing a jacket that had "police" imprinted on the back.
Initially, the two were sentenced to 10 days in jail each on charges of disobeying police.
The court also ordered Bobiev to be deported to his native Tajikistan.
Later, the two were charged with insulting believers' feelings.
On September 30, the Interior Ministry issued a video in which Bobiev offers apologies for the photo and promises not to do anything like that in future.
Russia Jails Blogger, Model For Imitating Oral Sex Near Church
Blogger Ruslan Bobiev (aka Ruslani Talabjon) and his girlfriend, Anastasia Chistova, at Moscow's Tverskoy District Court.