A court in Far East Russia has acquitted feminist and LGBT activist Yulia Tsvetkova of “pornography” charges for what supporters call body-positive images posted on social media, her mother said Friday.
Tsvetkova, 29, spent several months under house arrest after authorities in the remote city of Komsomolsk-on-Amur launched a criminal case into the "spread of pornographic material" against her in 2019.
The artist faced up to six years in prison for featuring abstract illustrations of female sexual organs of varying shapes and sizes on her “Vagina Monologues” social media page.
Tsvetkova’s case has prompted nationwide pickets and online flashmobs in her support.
The Central Court in Komsomolsk-on-Amur ruled to clear Tsvetkova of the charges, her mother Anna Khodyreva wrote on Facebook.
“We rejoice, but only for now,” said the “We Are Julia” Telegram channel, which shares updates on Tsvetkova’s case, noting that prosecutors can appeal the verdict within 10 days.
Prosecutors had last month asked the court to sentence Tsvetkova to three years and two months in prison on charges of spreading “pornographic images.”
The trial was held behind closed doors due to what officials called the display of pornographic images in the hearings.
Tsvetkova was charged with four counts of “LGBT propaganda among minors” and fined 100,000 rubles ($1,700) on two of them in 2019 and 2020.
Russia labeled Tsvetkova a “foreign agent” in June.
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