Comedian Jailed Over War Joke

Comedian Jailed Over War Joke

By 𝔸bdulrazak Tomiwa

A Russian court has sentenced comedian, Artemy Ostanin, 29, to over five years in a penal colony for a joke about a disabled war veteran. 

Convicted of inciting hatred in a Moscow court on Wednesday, Ostanin’s case highlights the intensifying crackdown on free speech and dissent in Russia following the invasion of Ukraine.

The sentence followed a 2025 comedy routine where Ostanin joked about a veteran who lost his legs and used a skateboard, calling him a “legless skater.”

After video of the performance went viral, Russian nationalists condemned the remarks as a direct insult to the military and those serving on the front lines.

Ostanin was also convicted of offending religious believers due to a separate joke regarding Jesus that angered Orthodox nationalist groups. The court combined these charges in its final ruling, signaling a strict judicial stance against humor that targets state-sanctioned heroes or religious institutions.

During the trial, Ostanin denied intending to target active soldiers and maintained his innocence. He was arrested last March while attempting to flee to Belarus, which prosecutors viewed as an attempt to evade justice.

Ultimately, the judge rejected his arguments regarding the creative context of the routine.

Judge Olesya Mendeleyeva delivered the final verdict, which was reported by the state news agency RIA Novosti. The judge announced: “The final sentence for Ostanin is imprisonment for five years and nine months in a general regime penal colony.”

In his final address, Ostanin condemned the trial as a sham and a violation of his rights. He told the court, “I hope no one ever finds themselves in the same situation of brutal legal abuse that I have faced.” Human rights advocates view his imprisonment as further evidence of the Kremlin silencing speech that deviates from the state narrative.