Authorities in the Russian Republic of Chechnya have announced a ban on music deemed too fast or too slow. This was reported yesterday by several media outlets such as CNN, citing the Russian state news agency TASS. Accordingly, Chechen Culture Minister Musa Dadayev announced the decision that musical, vocal and choreographic compositions should have a tempo between 80 and 116 beats per minute (BPM).
According to instructions from ruler Ramzan Kadyrov, Chechnya’s authorities should now ensure that Chechen music and dance creations are in harmony with the “Chechen mentality and musical rhythm”. The goal is to “bring people closer to the cultural heritage of the Chechen people,” said Dadayev.
APA/AFP Ramsan Kadyrov
The ban probably now means that many songs in musical styles such as pop and techno are no longer allowed to be played in state institutions and radios.
Kadyrov leads the Russian republic with a hard hand and is considered a close ally of Kremlin boss Vladimir Putin. Kadyrov is personally accused of murders and other serious crimes against humanity. In Chechnya, opposition members and minorities are being persecuted. The EU and USA have imposed entry bans on Kadyrov and his family and blocked possible assets on their territory.