In Barnaul, a city in Russia’s Altai region, reports indicate that a Russian Community Organization moved to cancel a performance by Rapçi Pasha, known publicly as Pavel Ivlev. The cancellation was scheduled for April 5 and touched off a conversation about artistic expression, public order, and how communities respond to controversial performers in smaller cities.
According to Roman Vasiliev, the coordinator for the Altai region, the decision to halt the event stemmed from concerns about lyrics described as destructive and from worries about the influence of technology in public spaces where audiences gathered.
In November 2024, the Frunze Regional Court in Vladimir region found the defendant guilty of propaganda of narcotic drugs. The ruling reflected the court’s view of how the matter fit within current legal provisions surrounding narcotics content and public communication.
The court noted that the recordings and texts were freely accessible on the network to an unlimited audience, meaning that listeners, including students, could listen and form interpretations about the described facts that could be read as endorsing drug use.
The court also emphasized that musicians bear responsibility for materials published on platforms, in line with the terms of service of Yandex Music, underscoring accountability for what is uploaded and shared online.
The court imposed a fine of 20,000 rubles as part of the proceedings, reflecting the seriousness with which the judiciary treats content linked to narcotics and its dissemination.
It was noted that the defendant had previously undergone rehabilitation after completing a drug addiction treatment program, a detail mentioned in the course of the case to provide context for the defendant’s history.