Russia sets trial date for German artist over satirical Putin floats

A Russian court has scheduled the first public hearing in a criminal case against German sculptor Jacques Tilly, accused of discrediting the Russian military through his satirical Carnival floats depicting President Vladimir Putin.

The Moscow court said the trial will begin on December 30. Proceedings will be held in absentia, as Tilly is not in Russia.

According to the court, Tilly faces charges of discrediting Russia’s armed forces, an offence that under Russian law carries a possible fine or a prison sentence of up to 10 years.

The case was formally filed on December 15, the court said. A preliminary closed-door hearing was held on Wednesday morning, though a court spokeswoman declined to provide further details.

Tilly is best known for his sharply satirical floats in Dusseldorf’s Shrove Monday parade, one of the highlights of Germany's Carnival season. His works, often employing dark humour and provocative imagery, regularly appear on the front pages of German and international media in the days following the parade.

Mocking political figures has long been a tradition of the event. In 2022, Tilly created a caricature showing Putin attempting to swallow Ukraine, accompanied by the words "Choke on it!" Other floats have depicted the Russian president covered in blood.

Russia has used similar charges to convict numerous critics of the war ordered by Putin against Ukraine. Such rulings have been widely criticized internationally as politically motivated and emblematic of Russia's weaponized justice system.

According to Russian news outlet Ostorozhno Novosti, prosecutors accuse Tilly of spreading "fake information" about the Russian army, arguing that his works insulted Putin in his role as commander-in-chief of the invasion of Ukraine. Investigators allege the acts were committed out of self-interest and political hatred.

Tilly dismissed the case as absurd, telling dpa on Wednesday that he was used to being threatened over his floats.

"The fact that a totalitarian state like Russia is now targeting me is, of course, a new development," he said, but added he wasn't afraid.

While he acknowledged that he could no longer to travel to countries that may have extradition agreements with Russia, Tilly said this was a small price to pay compared to what imprisoned Russian dissidents have to endure.