Yuri Samodurov, shown in 2004 at a human rights protest, was convicted of inciting religious hatred for the Forbidden Art exhibit. (Ivan Sekretarev/Associated Press)

A Russian judge levied a fine on two curators of a 2007 exhibit of provocative art after finding them guilty of inciting hatred.

Yuri Samodurov and Andrei Yerofeyev escaped the jail term recommended by prosecutors and religious hard-liners.

The case had been heavily criticized by artists and intellectuals, who fear a return to Soviet-style censorship.

They were convicted over a 2007 exhibit at a Moscow museum titled Forbidden Art and featuring works that had been controversial elsewhere.

The court case centred on the few works that had religious themes, including a print of Jesus with the head of Mickey Mouse and a mock ad for Coca-Cola with the slogan "This is My Blood."

The judge said the exhibition insulted the feelings of religious believers and the two men had "committed actions aimed at inciting hatred."

She fined Yerofeyev 200,000 rubles ($6,690 Cdn) and Samodurov 150,000 rubles ($5,017 Cdn) on Friday and released them from custody.

The case was launched after the ultra-nationalist Orthodox group, Council of the People, filed a complaint with prosecutors.

On Friday, Oleg Kassin, a representative of the Council of the People, defended the verdict, saying the exhibition included "anti-Christian" images.

Men didn't 'cross the red line of the law'

Yerofeyev, who headed the contemporary art department at the Tretyakov Gallery, organized the exhibition at Andrei Sakharov Museum, where Samodurov was director. Both men have since been dismissed from their posts.

They had support in fighting charges from some expected quarters, including Russian Culture Minister Alexander Avdeyev, who said the two men did not "cross the red line of the law."

Last week, a group of Russian artists sent a letter to Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, saying "a guilty verdict ... would be a sentence for the whole of Russian contemporary art."

On Friday, contemporary artist German Vinogradov told Agence France-Presse that the verdict appeared to violate the Russian constitution.

"The decision was not unexpected. It's clear that it's a trend. It's clear that many people are against this art, but we have a constitution... We need to respect the constitution."

With files from The Associated Press