Chechen theologian publicly scolds detainees for witchcraft

Adam Elzhurkaev, the head of the Centre for Islamic Medicine, has talked to the persons detained for the provision of occult services, the "Grozny" TV Channel reports. One detained woman has pled guilty and asked to pardon her only after the theologian asked her to do it "for the TV report."

According to the above TV report posted on the Instagram, the sorcerer Ayat Aliev "advised his clients to use mice's and cats' ears to inflict damage to their enemies." According to the man, he used his skills for good purposes – to return a person to the righteous path, or to stop family quarrels.

Another "witch" resorted to occult rituals for her personal purposes. At night, she scattered salt at a neighbour's house, claiming that she did it for a good purpose.

The woman has explained that in this way she was getting rid of personal grief.

Some Instagram commentators have noted that witchcraft is flourishing in Chechnya, because it is not punished, and suggested using tougher measures.

In Russia, the persecution of psychics and magicians is practiced on charges of fraud, but it is difficult to prove fraudulent intent in such cases; therefore law enforcement bodies "do not really like" to deal with such cases, said Abusupyan Gaitaev, an advocate.