Transgender blogger gets imprisoned over pornography
Date
12/28/2023 3:04:59 AM
(MENAFN) In a controversial legal development, 29-year-old Russian transgender blogger Hilmi Forks has been sentenced to three years in prison for allegedly engaging in the illegal production and distribution of pornography on the internet. Forks, who boasts over 400,000 Instagram subscribers, faced legal consequences after a criminal case was initiated against him for a post on a Telegram channel in 2022, where he purportedly shared sexually explicit videos.
The arrest occurred in July, and the investigation was publicly announced by Ekaterina Mizulina, the head of Russia's Safe Internet League. During the investigation, Forks was placed under house arrest. The charges carried a potential maximum sentence of six years behind bars.
The Simonovsky District Court of Moscow, on Wednesday, ruled that Forks would serve three years in prison in a general regime correctional colony. Following the court's decision, Forks was taken into custody in the courtroom.
Hilmi Forks' lawyer, Konstantin Erokhin, disclosed in late November that his client had admitted guilt for spreading pornographic material on the internet and had cooperated with the investigation in the hope of receiving the "most lenient punishment" given the circumstances.
Erokhin emphasized that Forks had been involved in transferring funds to charitable organizations addressing moral issues. Notably, by the time the investigation was initiated, the Telegram channel where the alleged distribution occurred had already been deleted.
The case raises questions about freedom of expression, individual rights, and the legal implications for individuals in the public eye. As debates surrounding censorship, privacy, and the prosecution of internet content creators continue, Forks' case adds another layer to the complex intersection of online expression and legal consequences. The sentencing also sparks conversations about the treatment of transgender individuals within the legal system and the broader implications for the LGBTQ+ community in Russia.
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