The artist Julija Tsvetkova has made herself known for feminist activism in her hometown in the Russian Far East. It irritated those in power so that they tried for a long time to find something to put her there for, she says.

They found this: Drawings of naked women with hairy legs, and also muscles. But worst of all: gay couples who have children. Pornography and propaganda for homosexuality, the prosecutor said.

- We show that bodies are different and that they are beautiful no matter what they look like, it is as far from pornography as you can get, says Julija Tsvetkova to SVT.

Risking imprisonment

But bounce has a price. Julija Tsvetkova has been sentenced to two hefty fines and is now - for the same drawings - also threatened with at least two years in prison. In Russia, jokes are not fun.

In Moscow, Bashir Dochov staged a large portrait of President Putin in an elevator, and a camera to film the reaction of the people. The result was published on the internet.

The camera in the elevator captured people's reactions to the Putin portrait Photo: Anton Koposov, SVT

Perhaps the most popular Russian cartoonist is Sergei Jolkin. He now lives in Bulgaria, from where he does his best to ridicule President Putin.

Sergei Jolkin's cartoons are intended to ridicule President Putin. Photo: Anton Koposov, SVT

Watch an interview with the satirists in the clip.