The Federal Culture and Cinematography Agency denied "banning" the movie, claiming instead it made a mere "recommendation" not to distribute it. But in today's Russia where political loyalty is imperative, a recommendation from "above" means an order. If nothing else, it's for businesses to be sure they're "staying on the safe side."

Less than two decades ago the Soviet Communist rulers ran all artistic productions through state censors. They decided what books the people of the USSR were allowed to read, what movies they could watch and what music they could listen to. In fact, what was not made officially available became automatically illegal. As the Soviet system began to melt away, censorship was formally outlawed. This "negative recommendation" against distributing "Borat" is the first time the post-Communist Russian authorities have banned a piece of creative expression in years. Russian liberals cringe at another alarming signal that the practices of the Soviet police state are making a creepy comeback.

On the other hand, there is no question that "Borat" insults the Kazakhs. To say that the movie is politically incorrect is an understatement: The film, made by the British comedian Sacha Baron Cohen, tells the story of a fictitious journalist from Kazakhstan traveling around the USA to learn lessons to bring home. Cohen portrays the Kazakhs as a nation of savages, ignorant of the basic standards of Western civilization.

Those in favor of the ban point out that ethnic tensions in Russia are already a major problem. The country has a serious problem of ethnic intolerance. The rate of ethnic and racial violence is dangerously high. And so the government's argues that "Borat" may incite xenophobic sentiments.But this is sheer hypocrisy.

In recent weeks the Russian government, from the president down, has issued populist calls playing specifically to xenophobic sentiments. Officials commonly demanded the protection of "the indigenous population of Russia" from "non-locals". There is little doubt that this language ostensibly endorses hostility toward people with darker skin and non-Slavic features, regardless of whether they are Russian nationals from the Caucasus or migrant workers from the former Soviet republics of Central Asia, China, Afghanistan, or elsewhere. The head of the Russian Migration Service said point blank that "settlements such as China towns" are "unacceptable" in Russia. Such language encourages precisely those ugly, xenophobic sentiments that the ban of "Borat" is intended to contain.

Borat

Regardless, the government ban will surely work against itself, raising citizens' interest in the movie. And the ban, or "negative recommendation," by the state distribution agency won't be an obstacle to those seeking to watch the infamous film. Piracy is thriving in Russia, and illegally manufactured copies of any movie, "Borat" included, are easily available despite the censors.

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