Rapper Navai (real name Navai Bakirov) will be unable to visit Kazakhstan for five years after being expelled from the country, and according to his defense, he is unlikely to face criminal prosecution in Russia. Lawyer Sergey Zorin said this in an interview with Super, commenting on the termination of the criminal case in Kazakhstan, infohub.kz reports.
It became known today that the case against Navai was terminated on non-rehabilitative grounds, and the musician himself was expelled from Kazakhstan. According to Zorin, the artist now faces no punishment in Kazakhstan.
"As for possible prosecution in Russia, I see no grounds to believe that Bakirov will necessarily face anything here. The termination of a criminal case in Kazakhstan does not in itself lead to a new case being opened in Russia," the lawyer noted.
He explained that under Article 12 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, a Russian citizen can be prosecuted for a crime committed abroad only if a foreign court has not yet issued a ruling in that case. At the same time, the mere fact that a case was terminated in another country is not enough: opening a case in Russia requires separate grounds and evidence.
"In my view, under the known circumstances, the likelihood of such a development is low," the lawyer stressed.
Sergey Zorin also described the restrictions the rapper may face if he wants to return to Kazakhstan. Under Article 48 of the Republic of Kazakhstan law "On Migration of the Population," if a court has ordered a foreigner expelled from the country, they are banned from entering for five years — a period counted from the day the expulsion order was carried out.
"Therefore, if a court decision on expulsion was indeed issued against Bakirov, he will not be able to visit Kazakhstan for the next five years, including to hold concerts," Zorin explained.
Recall that on October 14 it became known that Navai's fans would not be able to attend his scheduled performance in Astana. The organizers announced the cancellation of the concert.
That same day, the Police Department of Zhambyl Region reported that Navai had been detained on suspicion of drug smuggling — a criminal case was opened. He was placed in a temporary detention facility.
The rapper's director, Rauf Gusanov, declined to comment on the artist's detention, while his mother called the situation a "set-up" and expressed confidence that he would soon be released.
Against this backdrop, Kyrgyzstan launched an investigation. The Border Service is looking into how the musician was able to cross the border with drugs; those responsible may be punished.
On October 15, the artist was placed under arrest. His lawyer Rena Kerimova said the defense would try to secure a fine for him.