Exiled Russian Rapper Ivan Alexeyev Faces Charges for Allegedly Justifying Terrorism

Moscow prosecutors have filed a case against Ivan Alexeyev, the exiled rapper known as Noize MC, accusing him of publicly justifying terrorism. The indictment stems from remarks made at a 2024 concert in Spain, where he reportedly wore a T-shirt displaying the logo of Ukraine’s Azov regiment, an organization Russia classifies as terrorist. The alleged offense is punishable by a maximum of seven years’ imprisonment.

Alexeyev fled Russia following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and now resides in Vilnius, Lithuania, where he frequently stages charity performances for Ukraine alongside other displaced Russian musicians. He was designated a foreign agent by Russia’s Justice Ministry in November 2022 and has since faced fines for foreign-agent breaches and for “discrediting” the Russian military. This legal action follows a prior court ruling that banned one of his songs as extremist propaganda calling for the overthrow of the Russian government.