The lawyer for arrested Russian rapper Navai (real name Ren Kerimov) said the defense will seek a fine instead of imprisonment for him. This was reported by infohub.kz.
"We will fight for this to be a fine. This is his first time, he has no prior convictions, he has good character references, he is a well-known person. Why should he immediately be given imprisonment?" the lawyer was quoted as saying.
The defense lawyer also said she intends to file an appeal against Navai's arrest on Sunday evening, as she needs to prepare documents. According to the lawyer's forecast, the court will consider the appeal next week. She said the case involves one episode, so she expects a short trial.
Kerimova noted that Navai's release on bail is not guaranteed because he is a foreign citizen. The lawyer did not disclose the possible bail amount, calling it confidential.
The defense lawyer also said that Navai is being held in the pretrial detention center in Taraz and does not complain about the conditions. "He is not complaining about anything. He is treated very well, everything is fine. People bring him packages. There were people with him, they are at liberty. They are taking care of his daily needs," Kerimova said.
Recall that on October 14, organizers announced the cancellation of a concert that was to take place that evening. The police department of Zhambyl Region soon reported that Navai was detained on suspicion of drug smuggling — a criminal case was opened. He was placed in a temporary detention facility.
Meanwhile, the rapper's director, Rauf Gusanov, declined to comment on the artist's detention, while his mother called the situation a "setup" and expressed confidence that he would be released soon.
In Kyrgyzstan, an investigation was launched amid the situation. The border service is looking into how the musician could have crossed the border with drugs; those responsible may be punished.
On October 15, media reported that rapper Navai had been arrested for two months by court order. This was confirmed by the police department of Zhambyl Region.
Subsequently, the Russian Consulate General sent a note to the representative office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan. The Kazakh Foreign Ministry said this is standard practice in consular work.