Residents of Derbent report on detention of Imam of Salafi mosque

In Derbent, Imam of a Salafi mosque was detained by law enforcers in the territory of the "Airport" residential district. Local residents are gathering in front of the police station and demanding to release the Imam.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that in June 2015, an appeal was disseminated with a call to the authorities to close the Salafi mosque in Derbent. The authors of the appeal introduced themselves as women whose children had gone to war in Syria. They stated that the mosque recruited people for militants. In response, mosque Imam Gadjirasul has said that the mosque is already under constant surveillance by law enforcers and that the mosque is not involved in any kinds of recruitment.

Today, mosque Imam Gadjirasul has been detained, local residents report. OMON (riot police) fighters are accumulated near the place of the protest action.

Let us remind you that in late January, Dagestan faced escalation of the situation with Salafi mosques: on January 29, a Salafi mosque was closed in the Makhachkala village of Shamkhal, and on January 31, "Severnaya" (Northern) mosque was closed in Khasavyurt. The latter was reopened on the other day after residents of Khasavyurt organized a mass march and had talks with the city administration. On February 2, a new Imam was appointed to "Severnaya" mosque.

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