In Buinaksk, Dagestan, Salafites failed with their Friday namaz

The residents of the city of Buinaksk in Dagestan who profess Salafism (orthodox Islam trend) report that today they were not allowed to hold their Friday collective namaz. According to their story, the mosque where they planned to do it was closed, and the territory was cordoned by local militiamen.

Magomed Magomedov, journalist of the Dagestan edition "Chernovik", told details to the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent: "People who were not admitted today to the mosque addressed our editorial office and explained the situation: they are Salafites and don't acknowledge the rules of the central mosque. Earlier, they rallied in the mosque of Buglen village, but then it was forbidden."

According to Mr Magomedov, local residents say that their relatives are now all the time summoned by employees of the so-called "Department Six" (the name used so in Dagestan for UBOP and UBE&UT - Departments to fight organized crime, extremism and criminal terrorism). "Then, these believers were ousted out of Buglen. Then, they went to Buinaksk and wanted to pray in one of local mosques, but they were not allowed. Militiamen cordoned the mosque, and the Moslems call us and ask what to do," said the journalist.

He added that some media published information that Sakhavat Sakhavatov, militia boss in Buinaksk, said that he would allow Salafites to pray only if they pray this Friday in the same mosque with traditional Islamists. Only after that, he will discuss, together with one representative of traditional Islam and one from Salafites, what to do in the future.

The journalist has also noted that Sakhavatov explained that the mosque was cordoned to avoid possible clashes with militia and traditional Islamists. According to his version, today Salafites plan to meet Sakhavat Sakhavatov.

At the GOVD (City Militia) of Buinaksk, the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent was informed about the situation by Abdullah Berkikhanov, head of criminal militia. According to him, there was no problem, and the mosque where Salafites wanted to pray today could be closed because of the illness or absence of the imam. "They went to the central mosque and prayed there, and that's all. The militia didn't interfere at all," he said.

The "Caucasian Knot" correspondent managed to reach Sakhavat Sakhavatov by phone; however, no comments on the incident were given. Mr Sakhavatov greeted the interlocutor, presented himself, listened to the question, then the connection was lost, and any later attempts to contact him were fruitless.

Let us note here that in Dagestan just those young men who profess the fundamental Islam are most frequent objects of illegal detentions with the aim to obtain information about armed underground and criminal case fabrication. The Human Rights Centre (HRC) "Memorial" has repeatedly reported about it.