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Moscow court orders revered contemporary theatre and film director to be kept under house arrest

Russian theatre and film director Kirill Serebrennikov waits for hearings in a court in Moscow yesterday PICTURE: Pavel Golovkin/AP
Russian theatre and film director Kirill Serebrennikov waits for hearings in a court in Moscow yesterday PICTURE: Pavel Golovkin/AP Russian theatre and film director Kirill Serebrennikov waits for hearings in a court in Moscow yesterday PICTURE: Pavel Golovkin/AP

A Moscow court has ruled to keep under house arrest Kirill Serebrennikov, arguably Russia's most revered contemporary theatre and film director.

Serebrennikov was detained and put under house arrest last week amid allegations he had planned to embezzle about 68 million roubles (£900,000) in government funds allocated for one of his productions and the projects he championed between 2011 and 2014.

Serebrennikov dismissed the accusations as "absurd and impossible".

The Moscow City Court on Monday turned down his appeal against a ruling last week to put him under house arrest, but agreed to allow him a two-hour walk outside the house each day.

The arrest of Russia's top director sent shockwaves through the arts community, raising fears of a Soviet era-like crackdown on culture.