Community organization seeks official inquiry into Manizha’s Eurovision entry

The Russian Investigative Committee has received an appeal from a community organization seeking an inquiry into the song “Russian Woman” by singer-songwriter Manizha, who will be representing Russia at the 2021 Eurovision Song Contest in Rotterdam in May.

On Thursday March 18, Investigative Committee spokeswoman Svetlana Petrenko told RIA Novosti  that an unnamed community organization had asked investigators to check the lyrics of Manizha’s Eurovision entry for “possible illegal statements.” According to Petrenko, the appeal will be considered “in the manner prescribed by law.”

Earlier, the Investigative Committee received a complaint about the song “Russian Woman” from the editorial office of Veteranskiye Vesti. In an appeal to Investigative Committee Chief Alexander Bastrykin published on its website, the veterans’ outlet claimed that Manizha’s stage performance for Eurovision “is aimed at grossly insulting and violating the human dignity of Russian women based on their attitude to nationality.”

Veteranskiye Vesti asked Bastrykin to “suppress the continuing crime under Russian Criminal Code article 282” (incitement of hatred or enmity, or affronts to human dignity), open a criminal case, and “immediately” stop the distribution of Manizha’s recordings.