Residents of Chechnya report on "spiritual certification" in schools and universities

In Chechnya, schools and secondary and higher educational institutions have started "spiritual and moral certification" of young people in the age from 14 to 35 years old. This was reported by local residents. According to teachers, no one refused to fill in a questionnaire. However, according to a member of a local NGO, such questioning contradicts the Russian Constitution.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on February 18, the website of the Chechen Parliament reported that by the decision of the leader of Chechnya, in the republic, every person in the age from 14 to 35 years old should pass "spiritual and moral certification" and report about personal religious views and tribal affiliation. Copies of the questionnaire were posted on the Internet.

Starting from the past week, schools, vocational schools, technical colleges and higher educational institutions of the republic are engaged in active work on completing "spiritual and moral questionnaires."

According to a teacher of one of the Grozny technical colleges, a questionnaire filled in by a young man, should also be signed by a senior from his family, a district police inspector and a mosque's imam.

A leader of one of the Chechen NGOs states that the "spiritual and moral questionnaire" was proposed by one of the local theologians earlier close to Ramzan Kadyrov and then removed from office and from the environment of the Chechen leader.

According to the public activist, the "spiritual and moral questioning" contradicts Parts 26 and 28 of the Russian Constitution and the Federal Law on the protection of personal data.

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