Forcibly Tattooing a Crying 1-Year-Old Baby... 'Shock and Outrage'

Tattooed Baby to Join Influencer's Contest
"Clear Case of Child Abuse Regardless of Tattoo's Authenticity"

In Russia, a shocking incident has occurred in which parents forcibly tattooed their 1-year-old baby.

Parents who forcibly tattooed the phrase 'Mellstroy.Game' on the arm of their 1-year-old baby to participate in a promotional event hosted by Belarusian internet broadcaster Mellstroy (center) have shared the video, causing shock. Screenshot from The Sun website

The Sun, a British media outlet, reported on October 23 (local time) that a couple in Russia released a video showing them tattooing the arm of their 1-year-old baby. In the video, the baby cries out in pain while being tattooed, but the father holds the child down by force. The tattoo artist inscribed the phrase 'Mellstroy.Game' on the baby's tiny arm.

The reason behind the couple's decision to tattoo their baby has caused even greater shock. The couple forcibly tattooed their child in order to participate in an online contest held by a famous streamer. The word 'Mellstroy' tattooed on the baby's arm is the name of a 26-year-old Belarusian internet broadcaster with 7.6 million followers. He is an influencer known for the genre of 'trash-streaming,' which involves provocative performances, controversial actions, and extravagant donations.

Recently, Mellstroy announced that he would give away apartments worth 45,500 pounds (approximately 87 million won) each to at least 30 people who promote his casino-related project in the most bizarre way. The baby's mother stated, "We decided to tattoo our child as a way to surprise Mellstroy," adding, "We are buried in debt and cannot afford an apartment. We really want to win this contest."

The video quickly spread and sparked outrage among internet users worldwide. Yekaterina Mizulina, head of Russia's online censorship agency 'Safe Internet League,' urged an urgent investigation, stating, "The video clearly shows the baby crying." She strongly criticized the incident, saying, "Regardless of whether the tattoo is real, the very fact that such a video was made constitutes child abuse," and "This demonstrates the harm of online culture that drives desperate people to extremes."