Fight with magicians gives rise to criticism of Chechen authorities

The anti-magic campaign in Chechnya continued with the public repentance of a woman detained for witchcraft.

In July, two women-residents of Gudermes were detained for practicing magic and healing. Local residents have recalled that in 2013, against the background of the fight against magicians declared by the head of Chechnya, dozens of people were detained, some of them went missing.

Chechen law enforcers have detained a local woman accused of charlatanry and practicing witchcraft. The report says that she brought people's photographs and various papers with incomprehensible inscriptions to the cemetery, and was engaged in witchcraft.

"They drive people crazy, separate wives from husbands," said Adam Elzhurkaev, the clergy's spokesman.

The video says that in Islam witchcraft is an awful sin; and those who turn to witches are not considered Muslims.

Local residents have told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that the detentions of people on charges of practicing magic indicate the start of a new campaign.

"On the one hand, our authorities are fighting against healers, but on the other hand, they are doing the same thing: at the Islamic Alternative Medicine Centre, operating in Grozny, they are driving out ghosts and doing bloodletting," said Sakhib, a Grozny resident.

Practicing magic is not a reason for detaining people in a secular state, if the legislation is not violated, Evgeny Chernousov, a lawyer, believes.