Russian Art Museum Curators On Trial For Inciting Religious Hatred

In Russia, the trial of two curators of the Sakharov Museum is coming to an end, and defendants are facing a sentence of up to three years in prison on charges of inciting religious hatred. AP yesterday reported that the charges stem from a 2007 "Forbidden Art" exhibit designed to display works of art that had been banned from major museums in 2006. Among the works of art were several paintings of Jesus. In one, Jesus' disciples were depicted as Mickey Mouse; in another, the crucified Jesus' head was replaced by the Order of Lenin medal. The exhibit closed a few days after it opened when a group of altar boys defaced a number of paintings. The Russian Orthodox Church and religious ultra-nationalist groups pressed prosecutors to file charges against the curators.