Chechen Muftiate and police join campaign against Yangulbaev family

Today, the police and the Spiritual Administration of Muslims (SAM) of Chechnya have issued a sharp condemnation of members of the Yangulbaev family, and top-ranking Chechen officials have addressed curses and insults to the family, threatening retribution. The indignation was provoked by the statements about Kunta-Khadji Kishiev.

The “Caucasian Knot” has reported that on January 28, Chechen law enforcers presented to lawyers a letter signed by Zarema Musaeva in which she refused the services of an advocate. Human rights defenders and Abubakar Yangulbaev, a son of Zarema Musaeva, said she was subjected to pressure. The human rights defenders appealed to the court with a request to release Zarema Musaeva from arrest because of her poor health state. On January 31, Zarema Musaeva’s son Ibragim Yangulbaev was arrested in absentia by a court in Grozny in a case on justification of terrorism, and a criminal case was instituted against Zarema Musaeva on the use of violence against a public officer.

Today, the “Grozny” state-run TV Channel has reported on its Instagram page that social media have disseminated an audio record, an author of which “insults and defames the honour” of religious figures in the Caucasus, including Kunta-Khadji Kishiev.

The “Grozny” TV Channel claimed that the author of the audio record was Ibragim Yangulbaev. “Using obscene language, Ibragim Yangulbaev is trying to distort history and once again denigrate the honour of the Chechen people,” the “Grozny” TV Channel states in its post on Instagram.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) of Chechnya posted on its Instagram page a photo collage with portraits of the three Yangulbaev brothers and accused the entire Yangulbaev family of encroaching on “great religious figures” and “vile statements against religion.”

The Muftiate of Chechnya posted the same photo collage on its Instagram page and accompanied the post with a crossed-out portrait of Ibragim Yangulbaev.

Magomed Daudov, the speaker of the Chechen parliament, also posted on his Instagram page the portraits of Saidi Yangulbaev and his sons. “Members of the Yangulbaev family are enemies of the Chechen people and religion,” Magomed Daudov declared.

Umar Daudov, an adviser to the leader of Chechnya, also used his Instagram page to address insults and curses to the members of the Yangulbaev family. “You signed your own sentence!” Umar Daudov added, without specifying whom of the Yangulbaev family members he was addressing.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on February 1, 2022 at 05:41 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.