Thousands of Chechens Protest Quran Burning Incident
Thousands of people in Russia’s majority-Muslim republic of Chechnya took to the streets of the regional capital on Tuesday to rally against a recent burning of the Quran.
Police in the southwestern Russian city of Volgograd detained Nikita Zhuravel, 19, after he allegedly set fire to a copy of the Quran in front of the city’s mosque at the weekend.
A criminal case against Zhuravel on charges of insulting the feelings of religious believers has since been handed over to Chechen investigators.
Lawyers and activists have warned that the decision to transfer Zhuravel's case to Chechen investigators puts him at risk of torture or even death. There is a long history of human rights abuses in Chechnya, which is ruled by strongman Ramzan Kadyrov.
According to Russia’s Investigative Committee, Zhuravel confessed to having acted in exchange for a 10,000-ruble ($125) payment from Ukraine’s security agencies.
His confession could not be verified.
Some 10,000 believers reportedly took part in Tuesday’s protest at the Heart of Chechnya mosque in central Grozny.
Speaking at the rally, the region’s chief mufti Salah Mezhiev called the Quran burning “a crime against Islam, against humanity, tolerance, an action that goes beyond all moral and ethical limits.”
Here is a closer look at the protest:
Police in the southwestern Russian city of Volgograd detained Nikita Zhuravel, 19, after he allegedly set fire to a copy of the Quran in front of the city’s mosque at the weekend.
A criminal case against Zhuravel on charges of insulting the feelings of religious believers has since been handed over to Chechen investigators.
Lawyers and activists have warned that the decision to transfer Zhuravel's case to Chechen investigators puts him at risk of torture or even death. There is a long history of human rights abuses in Chechnya, which is ruled by strongman Ramzan Kadyrov.
According to Russia’s Investigative Committee, Zhuravel confessed to having acted in exchange for a 10,000-ruble ($125) payment from Ukraine’s security agencies.
His confession could not be verified.
Some 10,000 believers reportedly took part in Tuesday’s protest at the Heart of Chechnya mosque in central Grozny.
Speaking at the rally, the region’s chief mufti Salah Mezhiev called the Quran burning “a crime against Islam, against humanity, tolerance, an action that goes beyond all moral and ethical limits.”
Here is a closer look at the protest:
Children take part in the rally staged in Grozny.
Yelena Afonina / TASS
Russia signed a law criminalizing acts that "insult believers' religious feelings" in 2013.
Violations of the law are punishable by up to three years in prison.
Violations of the law are punishable by up to three years in prison.
Yelena Afonina / TASS
Addressing protesters, Chechen Parliament Speaker Magomed Daudov claimed without evidence that actions in Russia that "insult religious believers' feelings" are financed by Ukrainian and Western intelligence services.
Yelena Afonina / TASS
A man holds a poster reading "The Quran is my life!"
Yelena Afonina / TASS
A man holds a poster reading "I love the Quran!"
Yelena Afonina / TASS
People hold a banner reading "Do not touch the holy scripture!"
Yelena Afonina / TASS
Children take part in the rally.
Yelena Afonina / TASS
A woman holds a portrait of Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov.
Kadyrov, a vocal supporter of the invasion of Ukraine who has ruled Chechnya with an iron fist, said Wednesday that "The Chechens and the entire Muslim world will not silently endure the crimes against Islam, which are organized by henchmen of the satanic West and Europe."
Kadyrov, a vocal supporter of the invasion of Ukraine who has ruled Chechnya with an iron fist, said Wednesday that "The Chechens and the entire Muslim world will not silently endure the crimes against Islam, which are organized by henchmen of the satanic West and Europe."
Yelena Afonina / TASS
People hold copies of the Quran during the rally.
Yelena Afonina / TASS
People take part in the rally.
Yelena Afonina / TASS
