Russian blogger under house arrest for playing Pokémon Go in church

Ruslan Sokolovsky was arrested after filming himself playing Pokémon Go in church. Credit: Amnesty International/ Ruslan Sokolovsky

A Russian blogger who filmed himself playing Pokémon Go in a church in Yekaterinburg is under house arrest, and could face up to five years in prison, according to human rights group Amnesty International.

Ruslan Sokolovsky was arrested after posting a video of himself playing the game on YouTube.

Sokolovsky was reportedly arrested on September 2nd, a few weeks after he posted the video.

Amnesty said his recording equipment was confiscated and he was kept in police custody until September 8th when he was released under strict conditions.

Sokolovsky faces two charges:

  • Inciting hatred or enmity and insulting human dignity’ (Article 282 of the Russian Criminal Code)

  • Public actions expressing clear disrespect to society with the aim to insult religious feelings of believers committed in places for religious worship' (Article 148.2).

Amnesty said he is now under house arrest and is not allowed to use the phone or the Internet and has been banned from communicating with anyone except his lawyer.

The group is calling for his release and want the charges against him to be dropped immediately.