UPDATE
Behemoth have been finedroughly $58 USD each for touring in Russia without the proper visas and ordered to return home. They appeared before a judge this morning with frontman/guitarist Nergal saying:
“It seemed like we actually got a really nice judge. And wise, because this was a humane decision … it felt like she sympathized with us. We actually received the minimal fine with a recommendation for how to leave Russia as quickly as possible. Now we want to get some rest after a sleepless night and return home as quickly as possible.”
Behemoth have been detained by Russian Immigration authorities after it is believed the band had the wrong visas. Band vocalist Nergal has mentioned the following:
“We’ve been stopped by the immigration services for ‘wrong visas.’ When I said that we will not move an inch from the club without someone from the Polish embassy, they threatened to force us out. They took us in a bus, accompanied by 10 officers, to the building of Federal Migration Service. We tried to reach polish embassy in Jekaterinburg but no one is answering the phone.
If possible — please copy this message and pass it everywhere you can. We may expect a multi-hour hearing.
The concert is off for sure. The only thing we want is to get back to the hotel safely and then — to Poland. No matter how hard we try — we cannot pass it all.”
An update has since been issued:
“Looks like it’s going to be a normal arrest. They’ll take our phones soon. At 9am we’ll have a court case, then a judgment and maybe a deportation.”
