Attack on Nalchik was provoked by repressions against Muslims, rights defenders assert

The Kabardino-Balkar Human Rights Centre has published an appeal in relation to the five-year anniversary of the attack on Nalchik on October 13, 2005, stating that not only those who preached armed jihad are to be blamed for the incident, but also the power structures, the then political leadership of the republic, and in general the society of Kabardino-Balkaria.

"Some 12 or 18 months before the events, the religious forces, which adhered to the idea of armed jihad, were small groups and had not enjoyed any serious influence on the Muslims. But illegal and unjustified reprisals against Muslims, physical persecutions of them, torture, unlawful detentions, searches, closures of mosques - all that contributed to their rapid radicalization and strengthening of the position of the forces, which preached armed jihad," runs the statement.

The authors of the document regret that after the events of 2005 autumn neither the leaders of Kabardino-Balkaria nor the society as a whole made an objective analysis of the reasons of the conflict. According to the authors, this could have "excluded the appearance of extremist forces in the future."

At the same time, the appeal notes, "after October 13, 2005, the authorities of Kabardino-Balkaria have taken certain steps to stabilize the situation in the Muslim community." In particular, until recently, human rights activists "did not fix any mass violations of Muslims' rights," while the latter now have an opportunity to defend their rights, including at court.

It is also noted that recently the situation in the country has sharply aggravated. On the one hand, the armed underground has intensified, but, on the other hand, power agents are increasingly often violating the rights of Muslims, who are still illegally detained, tortured and executed without trial.