Standup comic Anton Stenyuk during his solo concert ‘joked’ about Muslims in the context of the Russian-Ukrainian war.
‘This war is just nonsense. I don’t know how it happened that some Orthodox Christians are killing other Orthodox Christians when there are still so many Muslims in the world. I’m not saying we should kill Muslims, I’m an adequate person, I realize that it’s not the time for that. And, and moreover, the Jews are already doing it,’ – he said.
In turn, the publication ‘Crimean News’ filed a journalistic appeal to the National Police about the violation of equality on religious grounds in the speech of Anton Stenyuk. The Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights, Dmytro Lubinets, also asked the National Police to check the joke of the Ukrainian comedian.
In addition, the Chairman of Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people Refat Chubarov criticized Stenyuk’s performance, calling the comedian’s words ‘an open attack against people on religious grounds’.
Subsequently, comedian Anton Stenyuk apologized for his ‘joke’. The corresponding video message he published on his instagram page.
‘I sincerely apologize to anyone who may have been offended by my words during my recital, which was published on YouTube. One of my jokes was inappropriate and unacceptable and I deeply regret that I may have offended many people, including members of the Muslim community. I did not intend to humiliate anyone or strike someone on religious grounds,’- said Anton Stenyuk.
The Crimean Tatar Resource Center considers such statements about Muslims ‘inadmissible’ and contrary to the principles of equality and respect for religious communities. It is important to note that such statements undermine social harmony and can provoke inter-religious hostility.