It was heart-pounding days for the members of the rock band Bi-2, one of the most popular music groups in the Russian Federation. two dozen music awards and hot rivals The war in Ukraine and its policies Vladimir Putin. Last weekend, after their concert in the Thai coastal town of Phuket, a favorite of Russian tourists where travel to Europe is almost completely restricted, the band members were detained by local immigration officials on charges of organizing an operation. business activity It is only available with a tourist visa. They spent almost a week in immigration detention centers before being deported to Israel this Wednesday. At the same time, other Russian art figures such as the comedian Maxim Galkin or rapper Alisher Morguenshtern, We also opposed the invasion of Ukraine. They have seen how their presence in Indonesia and the United Arab Emirates, respectively, has been vetoed by local authorities, in some cases already openly pressured by Moscow.
Dmitri Gudkov, Russian lawyer, former member of the State Duma and leading member of the Prensa Ibérica group, told EL PERIÓDICO: “The Russian embassy demanded the extradition and deportation of all musicians to Russia; the Russians are very influential there.” The opposition leader appointed in Germany has made numerous attempts in recent days to prevent Bi-2 musicians from being sent back to Moscow from Europe. “The Thai Government did not know what to do,” he continued, also noting the existence of an international list of “undesirable artists” drawn up by the Russian Government. For his part, he admitted: “We are facing unprecedented pressures.” VPI ActivityThe organizing company of the event.
The group consists of: seven musiciansFour of them hold Russian passports as well as Israeli or Australian citizenship. For the first part of their captivity, they were locked in an open-air immigration detention center in Phuket in 40-degree heat. They were later transferred to Bangkok, where they shared a cell. with about 80 prisoners in very difficult conditions. “They had to take turns sleeping,” Gudkov explained. In the prison, Russian-speaking “translators” periodically approached them and threatened them. serious consequences and they demanded bribeAccording to journalist Mikhail Kozirev. As confirmed in an email sent to EL PERIÓDICO, Israeli diplomats were in contact with their citizens and “assisted” them in order to prevent their transfer to Russia, while they categorically refused to meet with the Russian consul in Bangkok. Alex GandlerDeputy Spokesperson of the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Desire to neutralize the group
And in today’s Moscow, everything indicates that there is a desire and more to neutralize members of the famous gang founded in Minsk in 1985. Aleksandr Uman And Yegor Bortnik, then the author of hit songs such as “The Colonel Has No One to Write to Him”, taken from the soundtrack of the movie “Hermano-2”, about two young people and gangsters who achieved great success in Russia in 2000. . Their popularity in their home country is equivalent to that enjoyed by alternative rock bands in Spain. Radio of the Future anyone Heroes of Silenceand therefore characters like Maria ZakharovaSpokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or Andrey LugovóHeyThe ultranationalist parliamentarian, who co-authored the poisoning of Aleksándr Litvinenko in 2006, recently used harsh words when demanding the musicians be transferred to Moscow. Lugovói had sarcastically warned, “We will welcome them here properly… soon they will be singing with metal spoons and plates and tap dancing in front of other prisoners.”
Comedian Galkin, who is married to Soviet and Russian pop music legend Ala Pugachova, is on the list of foreign agents prepared by the Russian Government. Bi-2 He experienced a scene similar to his arrival in heaven a few days ago due to his opposition to the Kremlin. Bali IslandIt is also a very frequented place. Russian tourists. even though he took two days ago Despite having a work visa, immigration officials prevented him from entering the country, and he claimed that during his meetings with them he was shown “a letter from the Russian embassy” requesting that he not be allowed to enter Bali. Rapper Morguenshtern, on the other hand, was banned from staying in the United Arab Emirates after an interview in which he announced his intention to establish a base of operations in Dubai. “I bought a flat in Dubai and started a business,” the singer said, before sending a bitter message to Emirati authorities: “I started to consider Dubai as my home… I have never violated Dubai laws United Arab Emirates“.