A Moscow court on August 12 sentenced Usman Baratov, a leader of the Uzbek diaspora in Russia, to four years in prison on a charge of inciting hatred online, RFE/RL’s North.Realities reported.
Baratov pleaded not guilty to the charge, which stemmed from a post on social media in December related to an abrupt increase of the price of eggs in Russia. Baratov’s post contained a photo of an unattractive hen with a caption saying, “No bloody eggs for you! Bring back the roosters from the front line!” Baratov was arrested amid an outcry by pro-Kremlin bloggers who said the post humiliated the wives of Russian men mobilized to fight in Ukraine.
