Islamologists call pig's head at mosque in Adygea aggression against Muslims

A pig's head is an unequivocally offensive symbol for Muslims, and whoever threw it near the mosque intended to humiliate and intimidate the Islamic community. There have never been such provocations in Kozet, where the mosque has been operating for about 30 years, a local activist said.

As "Kavkazsky Uzel" wrote, on September 14, the Muslim Administration of Adygea and Krasnodar Krai reported that a pig's head had been thrown near the mosque in the village of Kozet in the Takhtamukaysky District of Adygea . Telegram users called for the author of the provocation to be found and punished. On the afternoon of September 15, the Investigative Committee reported that a 43-year-old resident of Anapa has been detained; the case is being investigated under the article on public insult to religious feelings.

From the point of view of Muslims, a pig's head is an extremely offensive symbol, says Leonid Syukiyainen, a professor at the National Research University Higher School of Economics and a specialist in comparative law and Islamic law.

"A pig is considered an unclean animal in Islam. The Koran strictly prohibits pork consumption, and contact with it requires ritual purification. For a Muslim believer, a pig's head is not just an unpleasant object, but a violation of religious purity. So it is an insult and a provocation," he told the "Caucasian Knot."

According to him, the pig's head has become a universal marker of anti-Muslim aggression. "It is used (by many), from the far right in Europe to extremists in other regions. This is a deliberate provocation aimed at humiliation and intimidation. In Muslim regions, the appearance of a pig's head should be considered a deliberate religious insult and provocation. This is not an accident, but a deliberate choice of a symbol with maximum offensive potential," he emphasized.

The choice of an object for this action indicates a desire to insult Muslims, confirmed a Russian Caucasus expert, who wished to remain anonymous. "A pig's head is, of course, an insult, because pork is forbidden in Islam, it is haram. Throwing a pig's head, especially near a mosque, is a direct and obvious insult. This is an act directed against Muslims, with the aim of insulting them," he told the "Caucasian Knot."

He found it difficult to guess what ideas the attacker was guided by, but he drew attention to the sign of a planned provocation in his actions. "The muftiate knows better, they should have more information, but I am personally alarmed by the fact that the man who threw the pig's head recorded it with his phone. Perhaps he wanted to send it to someone. If he sends it to the customer, then yes, it is a provocation. According to my observations, people who do this, so to speak, for themselves, for their own reasons, do not record it on their phones,” he said.

The mosque in the village of Kozet was built on the site of a small mosque that was demolished by the Soviet government, a local activist told the “Caucasian Knot.” “The mosque was built over several years by local residents. It was opened, I think, in 1996. Active and practicing Muslims live in the Takhtamukaysky District of Adygea. The local Muslim clergy actively supports traditions, teaching Islam and the Arabic language,” the activist said.

According to him, such incidents have never happened before. “This is the first time something like this has happened. There have never been any incidents here before,” he noted.

The article on public insult to the feelings of believers (part 2 of article 148 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation) provides for up to three years of imprisonment or forced labor. The man who threw a pig's head to a mosque in Adygea may face a more severe punishment, since his actions can be qualified under another article, noted lawyer Timur Filippov.

“For example, article 282 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, “incitement of hatred or enmity,” - if they prove the motive, humiliation of the dignity of a group of people on the basis of their attitude to religion. It provides for up to 6 years of imprisonment,” the lawyer told the “Caucasian Knot”.

At the same time, Filippov believes that the intent to commit a criminal offense is not always easy to prove. "To initiate a criminal case under Article 148 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, it is necessary to prove that the person deliberately wanted to insult religious feelings. If he says that it was a stupid prank, a drinking bout, an argument with friends, then in the absence of other evidence, his actions will not constitute a criminal offense. And the scale of the incident does not require harsh punishment: yes, it is unpleasant, but this is not a rally, not a mass action, not vandalism inside a temple. The head is near the fence, and not in the mosque building itself, and the court may decide that the public danger is minimal. But in the end, everything will depend on his own testimony, the established circumstances and the characteristics of his personality,” he noted.

* the activities of the Meta company (which owns Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp) are prohibited in Russia.