No Laughing Matter: A Full Timeline of Pressure and Persecution Against Comedians in Russia
According to our data, law enforcement first targeted comedians in early 2018, when stand-up performer Danila Poperechny was placed on a wanted list. This followed accusations of «insulting believers' feelings» (Article 148 of the Russian Criminal Code) over his satirical music video «Pop Culture», which mocked the corrupt Orthodox priesthood. The crackdown was likely tied less to Danila Poperechny’s comedy work than to his prominence as a blogger.