Moscow prosecutors sought to bring Lumen frontman Rustem Bulatov to administrative responsibility over the lyrics of the song “State.” According to Msk1, citing court documents, the text was deemed to contain “incitement of hatred toward a social group using the internet.”
The Cheremushki district prosecutor’s office objected to the song lyrics being posted on Genius.com. A deputy prosecutor insisted that the musician be charged under Article 20.3.1 of the Administrative Code, which carries a fine of 10,000 to 20,000 rubles or up to 15 days of arrest.
According to the case file on the Moscow courts website, the matter was considered on May 14. The court ultimately returned the protocol to prosecutors because Bulatov had not been properly notified of its filing. The musician nevertheless appeared at the hearing and did not admit guilt.
“There was no problem. The claims were not against me, but against the Genius website where the text had been posted,” Bulatov told Msk1.
Bulatov said he does not know whether prosecutors will try again to bring him to administrative responsibility. He added that questions about why the lyrics drew scrutiny should be directed to the prosecutor’s office itself. Msk1 notes that the lyrics have now been removed from Genius.
Asked whether there had been any ban on performing the song, Bulatov declined to answer, saying he does not comment on that topic. “State,” by the Ufa-based band Lumen, was released on the album “Freedom” in 2005 and is known for the refrain, “I love my country so much, but I hate the state.”
After the war began in 2022, the band remained in Russia. Lumen’s leader had previously said the group had its “own, third point of view” and argued that what was happening in Ukraine had begun not on February 24, but in 2014.