The organizer of the “Hostel. Cult of the Devil” quest and an actor have been acquitted by the Leninsky District Court of St. Petersburg, after being accused of providing unsafe services and intentionally inflicting moderate bodily harm. The case was initiated following a complaint from a parent who alleged that participants were subjected to violence during the quest.

The prosecution argued that the quest, held in a rented room on Tsiolkovsky Street, involved a “maniac” character who used violence against participants with a stun gun, handcuffs, a burning candle, and a belt. The actor played the role of the maniac.

The prosecution also claimed that the organizer operated without proper registration and that the premises did not meet fire safety standards. It was alleged that the actor used these objects against six minors, ignoring their requests to stop, resulting in them being handcuffed, punched, shocked with a stun gun, and pulled by the hair.

However, the court determined that there was no evidence of actual harm to the participants’ health, and the alleged threat to their life and health was not proven. Furthermore, the moderate harm claimed by one victim was found to have occurred prior to the quest.

The defense argued that the victims completed the quest and were satisfied, and that the case was initiated by a parent seeking financial compensation. The defense also stated that a stun gun-flashlight, commonly found in joke shops, was used during the quest.

Ultimately, the court acquitted both the organizer and the actor due to the absence of a crime, granting them the right to rehabilitation.