Russian director put under house arrest

MOSCOW: A Russian court on Wednesday ruled that director Kirill Serebrennikov should be placed under house arrest until he goes on trial for embezzlement in a high profile case that his supporters say amounts to a government crackdown on the arts.

Serebrennikov, an award-winning film and theatre director who was detained by investigators on Tuesday, has used his work to poke fun at the authorities, lashing out at what he sees as the pernicious role of the church and state in Russian society. Russia’s Investigative Committee said on Tuesday it suspected him of embezzling at least $1.15 million in state funds earmarked for an art project.