Bulgaria: Hackers use gay pop singer’s video to attack Russian court’s website
Unidentified hackers attacked the website of the Moscow-based court who sentenced Pussy Riot last week by posting on it a video by Azis, a gay Bulgarian Romani pop singer.
Along with anti-government slogans, the hackers posted a provocative video clip for the song “Мrazish” by Azis on the website of Moscow’s Khamovnichesky District Court, as reported by Russian news agency Interfax.
The platinum-haired Azis, who is of Roma origin, is widely known in his country as the openly gay king of Bulgaria’s popfolk, a genre which has generated much controversy and combines Bulgarian sounds and culture with oriental motifs.
The themes around the genre are generally sex, money and luxury, similar to contemporary mainstream American hip-hop. The video depicts him sprawled on a bed with men in various states of undress.
It’s by no means clear why the hackers chose the video, as Azis has no direct connection to Pussy Riot, nor is his music punk rock. However, his tendency toward provocative behavior in a conservative society bears some relation to Pussy Riot’s plight.
The original text on the homepage of Moscow’s Khamovnichesky District Court was replaced with slogans calling for freedom for the Pussy Riot women. The titles of the website’s sections were changed to sneering remarks about Russia’s justice system.
In addition, a Pussy Riot song called Putin is Lighting the Fires of the Revolution was uploaded along with a slogan reading “No Logic – Just Hardcore” placed near the Russian coat of arms in the upper right-hand corner of the webpage.
Experts believe the hack was most probably staged by the Anonymous hacktivist group.
