Police in Moscow have detained a prankster over a video showing imitated coronavirus seizures on a crowded metro car, authorities told Interfax on Monday.
A video attributed to blogger “Kara.prank” depicted a passenger in a face mask collapsing and convulsing as fellow passengers scrambled out of the wagon at the next stop. The video disappeared from the user’s social media accounts by Monday.
Police spokeswoman Irina Volk told Interfax that the prank was filmed on Feb. 2.
“One of the suspected hooligans was detained. We’re searching for accomplices,” she was quoted as saying.
The suspect, who was not identified by name, faces up to five years in prison on criminal charges of hooliganism. Media reports identified him as blogger Karomat Dzhaborov.
On Sunday, the Instagram user “Kara.prank” said he was being held inside a metro police station and called on his followers for support.
“They want to jail me,” he wrote Sunday.
On Friday, the Moscow metro said it asked authorities to find other pranksters after media reports said two people wearing yellow hazmat suits had paraded coughing Asian passengers through a train carriage.
While the coronavirus outbreak has infected tens of thousands and killed more than 900 worldwide, only two infections have been confirmed within Russia.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
