Artemy Ostanin

Extra Bio Info:

Artemy Ostanin is imprisoned for his religious expression. 

In March 2025, Russian authorities arrested Ostanin, a stand-up comedian, after he made a joke that was perceived to be mocking Russian war veterans who had lost limbs during the conflict in Ukraine. Ostanin fled to Belarus amidst controversy regarding his joke, but was captured, beaten, shaven, and refouled by Belarussian authorities. Russian authorities charged him with “inciting hatred” and designated him a terrorist. In January 2026, two weeks before his trial, prosecutors added a charge of "insulting religious feelings" for a joke he had previously made about Jesus to an audience of "no fewer than five people." 

In February 2026, the Meshchansky District Court in Moscow sentenced Ostanin to 5 years, 9 months' imprisonment in a penal colony for inciting hatred (Art. 282 RCC) and insulting the feelings of believers (Art. 148 RCC) and fined him 300,000 roubles.