Residents of Chechnya report policemen engaged in "spiritual certification"

In the Grozny District, the "spiritual and moral certification" of the population is carried out by district policemen. Policemen are visiting houses and demand from young people to fill in appropriate questionnaires, local residents report.

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. Ramzan Kadyrov himself denied the information and called it a fiction.

Nevertheless, according to residents of the republic, the Chechen authorities have not abandoned the idea of "spiritual and moral certification" of young people, and because of the public resonance, they are implementing it under the guise of questioning.

"District policeman came to us and said that we have to fill in the so-called spiritual and moral questionnaire; and it is compulsory for all males aged from 14 to 35 years," Rizvan, a resident of the village of Pobedinsky, Grozny District, told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent on March 15.

Residents of the republic also note that the need to undergo the "spiritual and moral certification" of the youth, organized by the Chechen authorities, was declared at mosques.

"Before the Friday prayer, the Imam said that young people should take part in the ongoing spiritual and moral certification; and that it will protect our guys from the influence of Wahhabis and extremists, and the like," said a resident of the republic named Rasul.

The "Caucasian Knot" was told by a district policeman that they and Imams of local mosques were obliged to conduct a certification of young people. The collected questionnaires should be then handed over to municipal administrations.

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