Moscow court outlaws showing of anti-Islam film that has sparked riots in some Muslim nations

MOSCOW – A court in Moscow has outlawed the showing of an anti-Islam film that has sparked violent demonstrations around the world.

Tverskoi court’s ruling Monday follows a similar decision taken last week by a court in Grozny, the provincial capital of Russia’s Muslim-dominated province of Chechnya.

Russia’s communications minister had warned that authorities would bar access to YouTube if its owner, Google Inc., failed to abide by a court order to block access to the U.S.-produced film, which mocks Muslims and the Prophet Muhammad.

Google’s spokeswoman in Russia, Inessa Roman-Pogorzhelskaya, said last week that the company could restrict access to the video if it received a court order outlawing it.