Russian Court Sentences German Sculptor to 8.5 Years Over Carnival Float

A Russian court sentenced German sculptor Jacques Tilly to eight and a half years in prison in absentia for alleged insults to believers and the military over a controversial carnival float. The trial proceeded without Tilly's presence, as the artist remained in Germany during the proceedings. The allegorical carnival float, created by Tilly, was deemed offensive by Russian authorities who accused him of insulting religious believers and the country's armed forces. The sentence could have implications beyond Russia's borders, potentially affecting the artist's ability to travel internationally or conduct business in countries with extradition agreements with Russia.