Russian Lawmakers Want to Ban Artists Who Support Ukraine

By The Moscow Times

Aug. 21, 2014

Russian lawmakers from the Communist Party have started a petition to ban performances by artists who support the new government of Ukraine.

Visitors to the party's website are invited to sign the initiative, which currently has 742 of the required 20,000 signatures.

A statement on the website explains the move as a way to force artists to "feel the lack of support for their position in Russian society."

"A fall in profits may force them to think about why 'non-democratic' Russians are against the killing of compatriots among citizens of Ukraine, in the Donetsk People's Republic, the Luhansk People's Republic and Novorossia," the statement said, referring to separatist strongholds in the country's east.

The statement singled out rock star Andrei Makarevich, who recently found himself in hot water for criticizing Russia's actions in Ukraine, as did Ukrainian singer Ruslana and Russian singer and actor Noize-MC.

"Are they doing this for their own ideological reasons or for money? Either way it's criminal in relation to Russian civilization and the Russian people," the statement said.

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