Mobilization of protest in Dagestan

During 2013, the law enforcement bodies of Dagestan took a number of repressive actions, which heightened the tensions and increased the level of discontent from the part of strictly practicing Muslims. These actions included mass detentions of Muslims for document check, taking their DNA assays, check and closing Muslim cafes, kindergartens, schools, and restricting access to mosques. The "Caucasian Knot" acquaints its readers with the chronicle of events.

Checks of Islamic cafes

In October 2013, power agents conducted raids to check Islamic cafes in Makhachkala. During the inspections, the staff and visitors of the cafes were detained and taken to police stations. There, the detainees were identified, photographed, fingerprinted and then released.

On October 12-13, Makhachkala saw mass detentions of the workers of the network of Islamic cafes "Azbar" and the Islamic restaurant "Rum-Centre". In total, they detained about 40 people; and a case on hooliganism was opened against two of them.

On October 14, in Makhachkala, policemen checked the Islamic cafes "Khalif", "Andalal", "Savab" and "Al-Maida", which claim that all their meat dishes meet the halal requirements; and eating such meat does not violate the Islamic dietary restrictions. In total, they detained at least 50 people.

Prosecutor's Office demands to close two kindergartens

The focus of law enforcement bodies fell on two kindergartens, one of which belongs to the Salafi community, and in the other classes in the English and Arabic languages were conducted. Applications were sent by prosecutors to the courts demanding to stop their activities.

On October 12, it became known that the Prosecutor's Office of the Sovietskiy District of Makhachkala closed the kindergarten "Fatimka", saying that it had no license and positive sanitary and epidemiological conclusions.

On December 10, it became known that the Prosecutor's Office sent its claim to the court asking to stop in Makhachkala the children's club "Amanat", stating that they had revealed numerous violations in the facility. The press service of the Ministry Internal Affairs (MIA) of Dagestan said that the club belongs to the Salafi community and is engaged in educational activities, for which it has no right.

Detentions and checks of mosque-goes

In autumn 2013, members of the Salafi community of Dagestan experienced problems with visiting mosques in various regions of the republic. The obstacles to visit mosques were created by both power agents and by the Muslims practicing the traditional Islam.

On October 11, the Leninkent mosque was blocked by policemen, members of the local youth and the Spiritual Administration of Muslims (SAM). According to the MIA, the locals did not want Salafis to come to the village for the Friday prayer, while the police arrived at the scene to prevent a potential conflict. On October 18, at least six parishioners of the mosque were detained.

On November 15, a conflict occurred of the adherents of the so-called traditional Islam with the Salafis, who were not allowed into the mosque in Leninkent. According to the press service of the Dagestani MIA, after the incident, six people with stab wounds were brought to Makhachkala hospitals.

Closure of religious schools

Throughout 2013, power agents repeatedly conducted inspections of schools and madrassas in Dagestan and Stavropol territory, where girls-natives of Dagestan were trained. In two cases, power agents demanded to close educational institutions.

On January 29, the Muslim secondary school "New Generation", located in Makhachkala, was visited by employees of the Centre for Combating Extremism (CCE) of the Dagestani MIA. In February, a court ordered the close the facility, while the Dagestani MIA said that they suspected the leadership of the Muslim school of illegal entrepreneurship.

On October 10, in the Khasavyurt District of Dagestan, the police closed a female madrassa, explaining it by the lack of a license for educational activity.

On November 1, the Stavropol Territorial Department of the FSB released a statement that they revealed a secret female madrassa, the organizers of which promoted extremism to their pupils. The Spiritual Administration of Muslims (SAM) of Dagestan finds the information about any extremist activities in the women's madrassa to be wrong. According to madrassa pupils, power agents apologized to them after a search.

Forced taking DNA assays

Over 2013, repeated complaints arrived from residents of Dagestan and activists of human rights organizations that policemen forced Salafi Muslims to give DNA assays.

Mass detentions for document check

In Dagestan, power agents are regularly conducting document checks, for which purpose residents of the region are delivered to police stations. Besides, they introduced a compulsory passport checks at the bus station of Makhachkala.