Activists in Uzbekistan urged authorities to cancel a planned performance by Russian singer Grigory Leps in Tashkent, a development reported by Press.kz. The event, set for October 23, has drawn substantial dissent from segments of the public who accuse Leps of endorsing positions tied to the Russian military operation in Ukraine. The campaign against the concert began to gain momentum through social channels, including a prominent Uzbek blogger who launched a hashtag aimed at mobilizing public opinion. This online movement calls on citizens to oppose the show and to press for its removal from the schedule. (Source: Press.kz)
Among the organizers and influencers is Mirzo Zominiy, a blogger who has used Telegram to promote the hashtag #LepsKerakmas (Leps Ne Nuzhen) and to encourage widespread distribution of the message. Zominiy frames the protest around Leps’ stated stance on the Ukraine conflict and the implications it has for audiences in Uzbekistan. In one message publicly shared on his channel, he urged fellow Uzbeks to stay vigilant and to avoid expressions that could be seen as supporting violence. (Source: Press.kz)
This controversy echoes a prior episode in Kazakhstan, where a concert venue reportedly severed ties with Leps and canceled a performance in Konaevo on July 8. Local media in Kazakhstan cite activists who object to Leps’ pledge to honor prizes for destroyed tanks associated with Ukrainian forces, arguing that such gestures align with aggressive warfare. Leps’ management communicated through social media that the singer remained untroubled by the press coverage and would continue to back the broader aims of the Russian army, yet he did not plan to tour Kazakhstan at that time. (Source: Press.kz)