Chechen theologian publicly scolds detainees for witchcraft

Adam Elzhurkaev, the head of the Centre for Islamic Medicine, has scolded two women and a man who were repeatedly detained by law enforcers for providing occult services, the "Grozny" TV Channel has reported. Social network users have agreed with the reporters that the persecution of sorcerers in Chechnya yields no results.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that in the summer of 2019, Chechen authorities intensified persecuting those who provided occult services. Thus, this April, law enforcers detained a 65-year-old woman from Urus-Martan, and after a conversation with Elzhurkaev, she partially pleaded guilty to the provision of occult services.

In the Instagram of the "Grozny" TV Channel, it is reported that the detainees – Roza Ismailova, Yesimat Uspakhadjieva and Adam Aftaev – "have already come into the police's field of view" and were released after repentance.

"However, despite their promises, the love of money turned out to be stronger ... Despite the numerous detentions of charlatans and their public apologies, the interest in the occultism in the republic fails to fade away," the report says.

Esimat Uspakhadjieva "deceived people by pretending to predict the future with the help of stones." The woman treated as a "witch with 37 years of experience," declared her complete remorse and urged her clients not to come to her again.

The third detainee, Adam Aftaev, a resident of Urus-Martan, was engaged in ablution of the dead and sold the gloves with which he carried out the ablution.