The key facts
- On November 8, Navai performed at Moscow's VK Stadium club and refused to discuss his detention in Kazakhstan
- The criminal drug smuggling case was terminated on non-rehabilitating grounds taking into account active repentance
- Reports said he was expelled from Kazakhstan and given a five-year entry ban
Refusal to comment after returning to the stage
Rapper Navai (Navai Bakirov) performed at Moscow's VK Stadium club on November 8 and, after the concert, refused to discuss with journalists the story of his detention in Kazakhstan. When asked by a correspondent, he replied: This is reported by SHOT, and the material is republished by Life.ru.
What happened at the venue
Fans waited for the musician at the VIP entrance until about one in the morning. Navai managed to take photos with several female fans but avoided speaking to the press. According to Life.ru, this was his first performance in Moscow since the detention: on stage, the artist joked about his absence, saying that he had “been sitting somewhere here and there”, and the audience warmly welcomed his return. The outlet also noted that after the scandal, the rapper raised his performance fees.
Outcome of the case in Kazakhstan
In October, Navai was detained at the Kordai border checkpoint while entering Kazakhstan from Kyrgyzstan: during a vehicle search, law enforcement officers found a prohibited substance, after which a criminal case was opened against him on suspicion of drug smuggling. Later, the case was terminated on non-rehabilitating grounds taking into account active repentance, the artist was released from custody and expelled from Kazakhstan; a five-year entry ban was also reported. The musician himself does not publicly comment on the outcome of the case, so the details of the case termination procedure and the status of the entry ban remain known only from media reports.
