The Kremlin has said Russia’s Culture Ministry did not exercise censorship when it revoked the screening license of a satire on the death of Soviet dictator Josef Stalin.
The ministry revoked the distribution license for “The Death of Stalin” over “ideological animosity,” two days ahead of its nationwide release this week, sparking a public outcry.
“We disagree that this was a manifestation of censorship,” the state-run TASS news agency cited Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov as saying Thursday.
On Wednesday, Peskov defended the ministry’s decision, which was made after Russian cultural figures expressed disapproval of the picture at a public screening.
Stalin’s great-grandson Yakov Dzhugashvili said he had not watched “The Death of Stalin” but nevertheless supported the Russian ministry’s move to withdraw its distribution license.
“How can a person be considered a human if death is a reason for them to laugh? That is subhuman,” he told the Govorit Moskva radio station Wednesday.
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.
![paiment methods](https://static.themoscowtimes.com/img/contribute/payment_icons.png)
Remind me later.