The Russian republic of Chechnya has reportedly imposed a ban on all music outside the range of 80-116 beats per minute (BPM), effectively prohibiting genres such as Western techno, rave, pop, samba, and waltz in the conservative, Muslim-majority region.
A statement from Chechnya’s Culture Ministry, obtained by CNN, reads: “From now on all musical, vocal, and choreographic works should correspond to a tempo of 80 to 116 beats per minute.”
This tempo restriction, which is slower than most Western pop music and nearly all electronic dance music (house, techno, and dubstep typically exceed 120 BPM), was announced following a meeting between Chechen Culture Minister Musa Dadayev and local musicians, according to the Moscow Times.
The directive, issued by Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, aims to make the republic’s music “conform to the Chechen mentality and musical rhythm,” the statement says.
Dadayev explained that the ban is intended to preserve “the cultural heritage of the Chechen people” for future generations, according to CNN. He emphasized that “borrowing musical culture from other peoples is inadmissible,” as reported by the Moscow Times.
Chechen artists have been given until June 1 to “rewrite” any music that does not comply with the new tempo requirement, or else it will not be permitted for public performance, the Culture Ministry warned.
Ramzan Kadyrov, who has led Chechnya since 2007, has been known for his efforts to suppress a long-standing Chechen separatist movement and for perpetrating institutionalized violence against LGBTQ+ individuals. He has also been a strong supporter of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, according to Sky News.
In 2017 and 2019, Kadyrov’s security forces carried out “anti-gay purges,” resulting in the deaths of at least two people and the torture of over 100 others based on their perceived sexual orientation, as reported by Human Rights Watch and United Nations experts.
In 2020, the U.S. State Department sanctioned Kadyrov for his “involvement in gross violations of human rights,” citing “extensive credible information” of numerous human rights abuses over more than a decade, including torture and extrajudicial killings, according to CNN.
