Moscow court fines deputy chief of Russian Muslim Clergy Board 150,000 rubles for religious offense

Moscow District Court ordered the deputy chairman of the Russian Muslim Clergy Board (MVA), Damir Mukhetdinov, to pay a fine of 150,000 rubles. The charge involves desecration of religious objects in connection with a painting depicting the Battle of Kalka. The judgment was issued under the administrative offenses code.

A Moscow district judge issued a fine of 150,000 rubles against Damir Mukhetdinov, deputy chairman of the Russian Muslim Clergy Board (MVA). The court decision was based on Article 5.26 (Part 2) of the administrative offenses code, which addresses desecration of religious objects or symbols.

According to the Moscow courts' press service, the fine was imposed in connection with a painting depicting the Battle of Kalka, which took place in 1223. The court's press statement did not provide specific details regarding exactly how the painting violated religious sanctity in this context.

Damir Mukhetdinov is one of Russia's most influential Islamic clerics, and his responsibilities encompass a broad range of matters related to Muslim communities. The Muslim Clergy Board is Russia's largest Islamic organization, representing millions of believers across the country.

The case raises questions about the boundaries of religious freedom and artistic expression in Russia, where laws protecting religious feelings have been applied with increasingly broad interpretation in recent years.