TODAY: Russia ends ‘Forbidden Art’ trial with conviction and fine for curators; Voina protest at trial with insect infestation; challenge for extreme orthodox T-shirts; Russia failing Council of Europe on corruption; Nemtsov loses Luzhkov case. Further analysis of motives in speedy spy swap; a triumph for bilateral relations or a cover up? 12th spy suspect held in US; alleged Black Widow terrorist cell broken up

Yury Samodurov, former curator of the Sakharov Museum, and Andrei Yerofeyev, former head of the contemporary art department at the Tretyakov Gallery, have been convicted of inciting religious hatred for their 2007 ‘Forbidden Art’ exhibition and fined $6500 and $4900 respectively.  Mr. Samodurov has appealed to the European Court of Human Rights.  ‘Perhaps the Church (and the state) has realised that the fallout from jailing Mr Samodurov and Mr Yerofeev would be more damaging than the exhibition itself.  But the verdict brings a sense of relief, rather than satisfaction‘, argues the Economist.   ‘Notably, of the 134 witnesses for the prosecution, only three had actually visited the exhibit’, says the Other Russia of the curators’ virulently orthodox opponents. The guilty verdict has been reviled by artists, historians and supporters of freedom of expression says the Telegraph.  Reuters has Human Rights Watch’s reaction: ‘The case against Samodurov and Erofeev highlights once again how precarious freedom of expression is in Russia’.  At the trial radical art group Voina released thousands of cockroaches in protest against the proceedings; two members of the collective were detained.  Meanwhile Moscow prosecutors have asked a court to ban the black T-shirts beloved of orthodox nationalists, and sported at the art trial, which read ‘Orthodox Christianity or Death!’