A Belgorod city official has asked local clubs to ban live performances by heavy metal bands, citing the regional governor's instructions to combat "Satanist activities."
Vladimir Shatilo, head of the city's consumer market department, sent a letter to local clubs, cafes and restaurants seeking a ban on "hard rock music with a heavy metal style," Kommersant reported Thursday, citing several Belgorod clubs.
He wrote that his request was part of Governor Yevgeny Savchenko's 2010 program to "secure the spiritual safety" of the population.
Shatilo told Kommersant that he knew nothing about heavy metal and was only "fulfilling orders."
One regional official said the “spiritual safety” program proposed no ban on heavy metal gigs, only a recommendation to monitor them, the report said.
Another regional official spoke in favor of the ban, citing a study by the Serbsky Psychiatric Institute that found that "heavy metal has an ideologically destructive effect on people." But the official did not say whether the study and the ban were linked.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.