A request has been sent to the Russian Ministry of Justice to conduct a "legal review" of Alla Pugacheva's interview for signs of extremism and violations of the law on foreign agents. A copy of the request from State Duma deputy Biysultan Khamzaev from Dagestan was published by the RTVI television channel.
Khamzaev focused on an excerpt from the interview in which the distinguished artist describes the first president of Ichkeria, Dzhokhar Dudayev, as a "decent, respectable, and intelligent" person. The deputy believes that such a "positive characterization of a person recognized as a terrorist may contain elements of justification for terrorist and extremist activity."
In Russia, the former president of Ichkeria is labeled a terrorist, despite the fact that he is not officially listed on either Russian or international terrorist registries. In his address, Khamzaev noted that Dudayev was the founder of the terrorist organization "Ichkeria," banned in Russia. However, no organization by that name is listed in the registries—only similar associations.
Furthermore, the deputy believes that the Ministry of Justice should pay attention to the singer's possible violation of the law on foreign agents, as her interviewee, journalist Katerina Gordeeva, holds the relevant status.
Last week, the publication "Arguments and Facts" quoted lawyer Dmitry Agranovsky, who previously defended the murderers of lawyer Stanislav Markelov and journalist Anastasia Baburova. He expressed the opinion that law enforcement agencies could conduct an investigation and even open a criminal case based on the singer's statements.
As a reminder, Alla Pugacheva recently gave her first detailed interview since the start of the "SVO" in Ukraine and her departure from Russia. Specifically, the singer touched on the topic of the first Russian-Chechen war. In an interview with the channel "Say Gordeeva," she spoke about her acquaintance with Dzhokhar Dudayev, describing him positively and expressing regret for not being able to help him and his wife, Alla Fedorovna Dudayeva, during the war.
Chechnya's leader, Ramzan Kadyrov, harshly criticized Pugacheva's statement, calling her an "enemy of the people," despite having previously stated repeatedly that "President Dudayev was a real man" and "a truly great person."
