Russian Orthodox Church to Seek Leniency for Woman Jailed Over Easter Cake Hookah

June 18, 2026 Ksenia Belousova in court. @moscowcourts / Telegram The Russian Orthodox Church plans to petition a Moscow appeals court for a lighter sentence for a woman recently imprisoned after making a hookah out of a traditional Orthodox Easter cake. A judge sentenced Ksenia Belousova to three years and 25 days in prison last month after finding her guilty of offending the feelings of religious believers. The charges stemmed from a video she posted on Instagram showing a hookah with a bowl shaped like a kulich, a traditional Russian Easter pastry. She was initially sentenced to 200 hours of community service, but the judge combined the conviction with a three-year probation sentence that Belousova received in August for drug possession to mandate real prison time. Vakhtang Kipshidze, a representative for the Russian Orthodox Church, said church officials were initially “surprised” by the length of the prison term. “But it was actually pretty simple to find out that it was a legal issue… because she committed a repeat offense,” Kipshidze told the broadcaster RTVI. Nonetheless, Kipshidze said the Russian Orthodox Church will ask an appellate court for leniency since Belousova sent a letter expressing remorse. “On our end, we intend to petition the appellate court to reduce her sentence. That’s standard practice in our church,” he said. Kipshidze went on to defend Russian laws for criminalizing offending the feelings of religious believers as “perfectly reasonable” and “justified,” adding that the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has historically protected religious sentiments in its rulings. Russia exited the ECHR and stopped honoring its decisions after being expelled from the Council of Europe following its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Read more about: Orthodox church Sign up for our free weekly newsletter Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy We sent a confirmation to your email. Please confirm your subscription. 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. Once Monthly Annual Continue Not ready to support today? Remind me later. × Remind me next month Remind me Thank you! Your reminder is set. We will send you one reminder email a month from now. For details on the personal data we collect and how it is used, please see our Privacy Policy. Read more Russian Orthodox Priest Claims Migrants Are Coming to ‘Replace’ Locals Father Yevgeny, head of the Yekaterinburg diocese, claimed migrants “pose no less a danger to peaceful traditional Russian Islam than they do to Christianity... 1 Min read Feature How the War in Ukraine Split the Orthodox Church Many churches across Ukraine have turned their back on the Moscow Patriarchate and joined a rival group, turning away from the “Russky Mir." 8 Min read Russian Priests Bless Bryansk Region Against Ukrainian Attack The local diocese claimed that a “miracle-working” icon helped residents of Bryansk ward off Napoleon's troops in 1812. 1 Min read Moscow Patriarchate Condemns Move to Ban Ukrainian Orthodox Church A spokesman for the Russian Orthodox Church called it a “gross violation of the basic concepts of freedom of conscience and human rights.” 2 Min read