MOSCOW, September 24. /TASS/. Russian Children’s Rights Commissioner Anna Kuznetsova held talks with prosecutors requesting them to launch inquiries into the Without Embarrassment photo exhibition staged in Moscow, the commissioner’s press service told TASS on Saturday.
"It is creepy that the photo exhibition organized by the author whose works are defined by Roskomnadzor (Russia’s federal media and internet watchdog) as ‘child pornography’ may take place in the ‘cultural life’ of our capital city," the press service quotes Kuznetsova as saying. "By now the talks with prosecutors have noted the need to launch prosecution inquiries into the ‘Jock Sturges. Without Embarrassment’ exhibition at the Lumiere Brothers Photography Center. Now we are expecting particular steps."
The exhibition was unveiled on September 8, featuring nude adolescent girls. Its press release says that Sturges has maintained friendly relations with the families of his models and has taken photos of little and teenage girls from nudist communities in the environment "quite harmonic for them." He said that the people are naked as they are nudists and spend the warm time of year in resort places, being free from embarrassment.
The children’s right commissioner said that Article 28.4 of the Administrative Offenses Code envisages a five-million-ruble fine ($78,030) or the suspension of activities up to 90 days with confiscation of the material for presentation of pornography.
"Meanwhile, I feel pity for the girls whose photos are presented at this ill-fated exhibition," Kuznetsova said. "By the way, discounts for WWII veterans look at least as a jibe and underscore the cynicism of the event. I am sure competent bodies will give an appropriate response.".