13:37, 15 September 2003

Pious Moslems of Kabardino-Balkaria are indignant at closure of republican mosques

The head of the Moslems of Kabardino-Balkaria Anas Pshikhachyov told it in an interview on Friday.

According to the words of Anas Pshikhachyov, the Moslems of the republic can perform only Friday prayers in mosques today.

He noted that such actions from the direction of republican authorities violate rights of the pious Moslems of Kabardino-Balkaria. "The Moslems of the republic are Sunnits. So, according to the Islamic canons, they must answer prayers daily five times a day, and it is preferable to answer prayers in a mosque."

According to Pshikhachyov, about 30 believers a day make complaints to the Spiritual Administration of Moslems asking to take measures.

Anas Pshikhachyov informed he had made an oral request to the Prosecutor of the republic to consider this question and take appropriate measures.

The mosques of Kabardino-Balkaria were closed after an armed conflict of Kabardino-Balkaria's law-enforcement agencies with the persons that were connected, according to the version of law-enforcement agencies, with terrorist acts in Moscow and Mozdok.

Source: Caucasus Times Website