Russia Slaps Kazakh Comedian Nurlan Saburov With 50-Year Entry Ban
Popular Kazakh comedian Nurlan Saburov has been banned from entering Russia for 50 years after law enforcement authorities accused him of violating migration and tax rules, as well as of criticizing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, state media reported Friday.
It was not immediately clear what specific violations Saburov was alleged to have committed. A source cited by the state news agency RIA Novosti said the decision to ban him from Russia had been made “in the interest of national security” and for the “protection of traditional values.”
Saburov, known for his widely watched YouTube show “What Came Next?”, was detained and informed of the 50-year entry ban at Moscow’s Vnukovo Airport after arriving from Dubai on Thursday night, according to media reports. He had lived in Russia since 2014.
The exiled news outlet IStories reported, citing an anonymous acquaintance of Saburov, that the real reason for the entry ban was his alleged refusal to work with Russia’s FSB security service. The comedian has not commented on that report.
Earlier, several of Saburov’s stand-up comedy shows in Russia were canceled, with organizers citing “unforeseen circumstances.”
The cancellations began in December following public backlash over a joke Saburov made in 2022 about Russians fleeing military mobilization by crossing into Kazakhstan, the business newspaper Kommersant reported.
Saburov was detained in May 2025 at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport and fined 5,000 rubles ($65) for minor migration violations.
