A Russian Islamic imam demanded the boycott of Elton John's Moscow and Kazan concerts in December, calling the openly gay singer "the devil's work in the shape of a pederast."
The imam, Seidzhagfar Lutfullin, hails from Russia's Muslim Tartarstan area. According to his statements made public on Thursday (in a local newspaper, posted on his mosque's website and from a speech), “Sodomy ... is what the world famous homosexual Elton John, who recently wed a man in public, is promoting.”
The legendary star's fans were warned to avoid his Dec. 8 show in Kazan. "Divine retribution for taking part in a hotbed of sodomy will fall both on those who attend the concert and those who perform there," said Lutfullin.
This isn't the first group to advocate a ban of the 66-year-old's performances.
Last week, the Union of Orthodox Brotherhoods' leader Yuri Ageshchev spoke out against John's Moscow show. "The statement by this gay guy -- Elton John -- about his support for gays and other perverts during the upcoming concert in Moscow is an insult to all Russian citizens," he said.
In addition, an open letter from the Ural Parents Committee asked Russian President Vladimir Putin to ban the British singer's upcoming concerts.
John addressed the situation in The Guardian last month, stating the shows will go on despite Russia's current anti-gay legislature.
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