Russian Dissident Sentenced to High-Security Prison for Sharing 'Pornographic' Music Video

Russian Dissident Sentenced to High-Security Prison for Sharing 'Pornographic' Music Video

MOSCOW — A Russian dissident was sentenced yesterday to two-and-a-half years in a high-security penal colony for “distributing pornography” after a co-worker denounced him last September for uploading to a social media platform six years ago a sexually explicit video by German industrial metal band Rammstein.

As XBIZ reported yesterday, the sentence comes only months after President Vladimir Putin signed a series of sweeping anti-porn laws giving the Russian State discretionary power to regulate sexual material on the internet.

According to Russian government-controlled news site RT (formerly Russia Today), Andrey Borovikov, the former coordinator for jailed dissident Alexey Navalny’s Arkhangelsk headquarters, was found guilty “to have distributed pornographic materials on the internet.”

“There are strong laws against illegal production and sharing of pornography in Russia,” the Russian state news site proclaimed, “and those who fall foul of the law can face up to six years in prison, unless it is deemed that it has ‘cultural value.’”

According to RT, “State experts decided that this designation doesn’t apply to the Rammstein clip.”

Russian censorship laws regarding sexual material are similar to the proposals demanded by anti-porn groups and their political and journalist allies in the United States. Free speech and sex worker activists have warned about a similarly arbitrary use of "anti-porn" laws and absurdist government evaluations of sexual content if the legislation proposed by War on Porn crusaders were to be enacted.

Main Image: The Kremlin and a still from the Rammstein video for "Pussy" (Source: Shutterstock/Rammstein)

Copyright © 2025 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More News

Age Verification Watch: Patching the Holes

This roundup provides an update on the latest news and developments on the age verification front as it impacts the adult industry.

Pineapple Support to Host Autism Spectrum Support Group

Pineapple Support is hosting a free online support group for performers and creators who are, or suspect they may be, on the autism spectrum.

ImLive Launches Revamped Member Loyalty Program

Cam platform ImLive has revamped its member loyalty program.

GoFundMe Set Up for Danny Ferretti's Medical Expenses

A GoFundMe campaign has been set up for Fangear founder Danny Ferretti, who requires extensive lung surgery.

Byborg Acquires Cuties AI

Byborg Enterprises has acquired adult artificial intelligence startup Cuties AI.

Irish Government Releases Report on Sex Work Decriminalization Legislation

The Irish government has released a report reviewing a 2017 law that decriminalized sex work across the country.

Texas Bill Would Require Age Verification for Online Sex Toy Sales

A new bill in the Texas state legislature would require online retailers to implement age verification of purchasers before selling “obscene devices” to anyone in that state.

New York Assemblyman Proposes Banning the Term 'Sex Work'

Republican New York Assembly Member Brian Maher has introduced a bill to prohibit the use of the term "sex work" in government documents.

Age Verification Watch: Michigan Joins the AV Club, Some Laws Just Make No Sense

This roundup provides an update on the latest news and developments on the age verification front as it impacts the adult industry.

Free Speech Groups Back SCOTUS Appeal of Georgia Strip Club Tax

Two civil liberties organizations filed an amicus brief Tuesday supporting a petition asking the U.S. Supreme Court to hear an appeal in a case involving whether a tax specifically aimed at adult entertainment establishments violates the First Amendment.

Show More