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Prosecution of Russian Theater Director Resumes

Jamie Dettmer

   MOSCOW - A controversial fraud case against Russia's leading theater
   and movie director, Kirill Serebrennikov, was relaunched Friday by
   prosecutors in Moscow after a string of small legal wins this year
   upset their case.

   The 50-year-old Serebrennikov and three co-defendants are accused of
   embezzling up to $2 million in public money from a theater project, an
   accusation they deny and describe as absurd.

   The director, who last month received a major arts award from the
   French government, has been involved in anti-government protests, has
   warned about the growing influence of the Orthodox Church on Russian
   society and politics, and he protested arts censorship in Russia.

   He denies any wrongdoing, and his supporters, including actors Cate
   Blanchett and Nina Hoss, say the charges are politically motivated and
   fit a pattern of authorities retaliating against dissenting artists.

   The relaunch of the prosecution came as another Moscow court Friday
   approved the Justice Ministry's branding of opposition politician
   Alexei Navalny's Anti-Corruption Foundation as "a foreign agent."
   Observers see this as a prelude to a possible closing of Navalny's
   foundation, which has embarrassed Kremlin figures with investigative
   reports highlighting their extraordinary wealth and extensive property
   ownership.

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