Dagestan: Leninkent residents complain to prosecutors about policemen's behaviour

Gadjigishi Bambatov, the chairman of the territorial-neighbourly community of the Kumyk people of Dagestan named "Atlyboyunskaya", has filed a complaint with the Prosecutor's Office against the actions of the policemen, who stopped local believers from entering the mosque, located in the township of Leninkent of the city of Makhachkala, for their routine prayer. Besides, two residents of Leninkent have complained to the Prosecutor's Office and the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) that they had been beaten by policemen.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on October 11 the mosque in Leninkent was blocked by policemen, local youth activists and officials from the Spiritual Administration of Muslims (SAM). According to the MIA, locals did not want Salafi Muslims to come to the mosque for the Friday prayer, while policemen appeared there to prevent a possible conflict.

On October 18, residents of Leninkent reported detention of at least six parishioners of the so-called Salafi mosque. The MIA said that they had been taken to the police for identification; they were released on the same day.

According to Gadjigishi Bambatov, policemen "are inciting an ethnic and religious conflict." He argues that policemen had applied force to the above two locals and threatened them in violation of the right to the freedom of religion.

Ekaterina Sokiryanskaya, an expert of the International Crisis Group, has associated the tightening of the situation in Dagestan with the preparation for the Olympics in Sochi. According to her version, such a policy towards Salafis will lead to a new round of escalation, most likely already after the Games.