A court in Akhtubinsk (Astrakhan region) arrested local resident Beknur Kamalov for 10 days under the article on demonstrating extremist symbols (Part 1 of Article 20.3 of the Administrative Code). He posted on Vkontakte the song “Jerusalem” by the Chechen bard Timur Mutsuraev.
In February 2024, Kamalov was already tried for “discrediting the army” (Article 20.3.3 of the Administrative Code) due to a broadcast in which he swore at Putin against the backdrop of his New Year’s address.
“Jerusalem” is one of the most famous songs of the Chechen poet-bard Mutsuraev. In 2010, Russian authorities added it to the list of extremist materials.
Timur Mutsuraev has become popular since the first Russian-Chechen war. Initially, he sang songs in Russian about war, brotherhood, duty and fallen comrades. Later, texts of a religious nature were added to the theme. About 30 of the bard’s more than 100 compositions appear on the list of “extremist” songs. Court decisions indicate that these songs are allegedly aimed at inciting ethnic hatred and promoting separatism and terrorism.
