Two Russian curators who staged an exhibition that angered the powerful Russian Orthodox Church have been convicted of inciting religious hatred, but let go free after being ordered to pay fines.
The case has been closely watched by human rights activists, who claim it shows the danger of Soviet—style art censorship returning to Russia.
The curators, Yuri Samodurov and Andrei Yerofeyev, were convicted on Monday by a Moscow court for their 2007 exhibit entitled “Forbidden Art,” which featured images including Jesus Christ with the head of Mickey Mouse.
The two could have been sentenced to up to three years in prison, but were ordered only to pay fines of up to 200,000 rubles ($6,500).
