A Russian woman burst into tears after learning that she would be jailed for turning religious baked goods into hookahs.
Ksenia Belousova, 27, filmed herself turning Easter cakes into cakes smoking vessel before posting it online, in a stunt that “insulted the feelings of believers” during the Orthodox Easter season.
When she was working at a hookah lounge in central Moscow, the former bar employee packed shisha tobacco into traditional Easter kulich cakes.
Kulich is one of the “most recognizable symbols” Holidays, Medusa Informed.
He then uploaded the footage to social media with the caption: “Even Jesus Christ got up from that.”
The video was later removed after facing criticism from pro-government channels, including z-blogger Vladislav Poznyakov.
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The online prank sparked a criminal case under the country’s controversial law protecting religious believers from “crime”.
Last month, police arrested Belousova even after she posted a public apology online.
And he was forced to apologize again on camera.
Investigators said she “wanted to draw public attention to her professionalism as a hookah master.”
In a municipal court in Moscow’s Lefortovo district, he pleaded guilty and in an emotional appeal begged the court not to send him to jail.
Through tears, she said: “I truly admit my guilt, I am remorseful, and I consider my actions unacceptable.”
“I myself am a believer and so is my family,” he said.
“I go to church regularly and value and respect everything related to the church.”
He also said that both his parents and brother were active participants in the Russian military.
But her desperate plea went in vain and she was sentenced to spend three years behind bars under Russian dictator Vladimir Putin’s repressive laws.
After hearing her sentence, Belousova began to cry as court officials led her away.
She would spend three years and 25 days in the penal colony.
Initially, Belousova was sentenced to 200 hours of community service, but the judge combined the sentence with the three-year probation sentence she received in August for drug possession to mandate actual jail time.
Local critics condemned the sentence as excessively excessive.
Russian TV presenter Ksenia Sobchak said the 27-year-old could have “lived a normal life” instead of being locked up because of “stupidity”.
Exile news outlet Mediazona reported that Belousova’s father is a distinguished police officer.
Her brother is also a decorated soldier who is currently fighting in the war against Ukraine.
Belousova said in court that she “occasionally donates to charity,” including organizations supporting Russia’s war efforts in Ukraine.
According to Mediazona, he is currently employed at T-Bank.
