Residents of Chechnya subject their compatriot's family members to public condemnation for arsoning ziyart

Said-Emin Gazaliev, a resident of the Shali District of Chechnya, has confessed to arsoning the ziyart (mausoleum) of Durdi-Sheikh. After his confession, he together with his relatives was subjected to public condemnation by local residents. The relevant story was shown by the Chechen TV Channel.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that at night of October 10, 2015, at the cemetery in Shali, unidentified persons set on fire the ziyart (mausoleum) of Durdi-Sheikh, one of the followers of Kunta-Khadji Kishiev, the founder of Sufism in Chechnya.

On January 15, residents of Shali came to the central square for a gathering to express the public condemnation of the young man, accused by the law enforcement bodies of arson. This was reported by a staff member of the local ROVD (District Interior Division). After Friday prayer, the young man was also subjected to condemnation near the mosque. According to an official of the local administration, Said-Emin Gazaliev stood in front of the local residents together with his father and other close relatives.

Said-Emin Gazaliev himself has said that he fell under the influence of a preacher from Syria, whom he contacted in the Internet. The preacher has told the young man that "at ziyart, people address their prayers for the dead man, not Allah."

According to a leader of a local NGO, Said-Emin Gazaliev was returned to Chechnya after his family members came under pressure.

Ali, an imam of a mosque in Grozny, has noted that for Muslims, arsoning of a ziyart is a sacrilege. He treats the actions held in Shali as fair.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.