Düsseldorf carnival float
Appeal trial against satirist Tilly begins in Moscow
Updated June 9, 2026 – 4:30 amReading time: 3 minutes
The carnival floats of the Düsseldorf satirist Jacques Tilly are once again a concern for the Russian justice system. An appeal process in his criminal case is now beginning. What does he say to that?
In April, the Düsseldorf carnival float builder Jacques Tilly was sentenced in absentia in Moscow to eight and a half years in prison – the appeal process is scheduled to begin this Tuesday. The hearing is scheduled for tomorrow at the Moscow City Court Appeals Court. However, it is unclear what exactly the subject of the process is.
Tilly told the German Press Agency in advance that he did not know whether the public prosecutor’s office or the defense had applied for the appeal. The public defender had requested an acquittal due to a lack of evidence, while the public prosecutor’s office largely got through with its criminal complaint and had demanded nine years in a prison camp.
The defense tried to contact the defendant, but failed – the embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Moscow was unable to arrange contact, explained the public defender. “Because of this, it was not possible to assess the goals and motives.” The process is being observed by employees of the German Embassy in Moscow.
Putin denounced in satire and mocked patriarchs
A court in Moscow ruled in April that Tilly was guilty of hurting religious feelings and spreading false news about the Russian armed forces with his representations in the Düsseldorf Rose Monday procession. Tilly had repeatedly satirically denounced Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin and the war he ordered in Ukraine. The Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill was also mocked.
Tilly said he had actually assumed that the verdict had settled the matter. Now he lets himself be surprised by what will happen. To date he has not been informed by the Moscow court and has no contact with the defense.
Tilly: “I’m taking it easy”
He has to live with the conviction, and he does it quite well. “I’m not particularly interested in what I don’t have control over,” said Tilly. “I have no option for action.” It’s part of the satirist’s business that you get very harsh reactions from time to time. “That’s priced in. I take it rather calmly – how else am I supposed to take it?”
In addition, there was repeated talk during the trial of insulting Russian President Putin. This accusation was no longer specifically made on the day of the verdict. The offense under which Tilly was convicted prohibits denigration of the Russian state organs, including the armed forces and Kremlin leader Putin.
The Moscow trial was particularly concerned with one of Tilly’s works. His carnival float from 2024 with figures of Putin in uniform and Patriarch Kirill having homosexual oral sex was described in great detail several times during the trial.
