Mikhail Iosilevich, the Russian head of the fake religion whose followers call themselves “Pastafarians”, is accused of links to a banned Russian opposition organisation.

Prosecutors allege that Mr Iosilevich allowed the church’s premises to be used for meetings of Open Russia, a proscribed movement funded by an exiled ex-oligarch.

Mr Iosilevich, who denies this and insists that the meetings were organised by a legal election watchdog called Golos, has been released on bail, Kommersant reports.