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A man in Russia has reportedly been jailed for 15 days for spitting on President Vladimir Putin's portrait. A court in the central Russian city of Cheboksary found Dmitry Karuyev, 20, guilty of minor hooliganism, after he 'deliberately spat at a portrait of Vladimir Putin,' according to local advocacy group Shield and Sword. The court condemned Karuyev for 'breaching public order, expressing clear disrespect for society,' while taking part in a protest on the eve of Putin's inauguration on 7 May, News 24 reports. Karuyev pleaded not guilty, telling police he had in fact sneezed, a news agency report said. According to the report, his lawyer argued his behaviour was 'of an unintentional and natural character.' Meanwhile, the incident has become one of the most popular Twitter trends in Russia with a joke about 'giving a sneeze about Putin.'

Russian jailed for spitting on Putin portrait