The head of the Muslim community of Sergiev Posad was beaten

On the evening of October 14, a Muslim prayer house was attacked in Sergiev Posad, and the chairman of the local Islamic community, Arsan Sadriev, was beaten. Interfax quotes a press release from the Council of Muftis of Russia: "Encroaching on the safety of Muslim believers, a group of skinheads burst into the prayer house, armed with fittings, shovels and shouting "Russia for Russians!" and "There is no place for Muslims in Russia!" attacked the parishioners prayer house".

The RMC "expresses its strong protest against the events that took place in the city of Sergiev Posad and believes that such hooligan actions cause serious damage to civil peace and harmony in multinational and multi-confessional Russia."

According to the SMR, a criminal case has already been initiated, and suspects were even detained, who, however, were released after a while. Meanwhile, the Main Department of Internal Affairs of the Moscow Region stated that there had been no attack on the prayer house, and the beating of A. Sadriyev was a common hooligan trick. According to a representative of the GUVD, the head of the community "was beaten up by two unknown young people who were in a state of strong alcohol intoxication" and "this has nothing to do with extremism and skinheads." The police said that the issue of initiating a criminal case is still being considered.

On October 17, the FEOR commented on the incident: “The attack on Muslims in Sergiev Posad is an insult to millions of believers throughout the country. This entails the collapse of the country, concern for the welfare of which is always covered by Nazis of all stripes. The same goals are pursued by terrorists waging an open war with Russia ".

Also on October 17, the prosecutor's office of the Moscow region issued a statement saying that the identity of the attackers had been established - we are talking about "27-year-old Denis Tverdov and 24-year-old Pavel Naliukhin, previously convicted twice for hooliganism." The first of them was detained and charged under Part 2 of Art. 213 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (hooliganism committed by a group of persons by prior agreement). In addition, the prosecutor's office said in a statement, "Measures are being taken to search for Naliukhin. The investigation does not currently have information that Tverdov and Naliukhin are members of any extremist groups (including skinheads)."

The said document also states that the attack on A. Sadriev took place when he was on his site, next to an unfinished building, which is used by Muslims as a prayer house. On October 14 at about 4 pm, the prosecutor's office said, "a group of local residents came to the household and, in the presence of other people who were on the site, used a shovel handle as a weapon, beat A. Sadriev, while openly expressed hostility towards Muslims."

On the same day, October 17, a press conference was held in Moscow, at which A. Sadriev said: “This is certainly not hooliganism. According to him, this is a "direct threat to Muslims who would like to pray as they are guaranteed by the Constitution."

According to A. Sadriev, he was attacked by 8 or 10 people. "These were people aged 20 to 30 years old. In a drunken state, they burst into our prayer house and shouting "We will kill all of you, Muslims!", "We will not allow prayer on our land!" They started beating everyone, who was there."

Meanwhile, Sergei Bulchuk, a spokesman for the administration of the Sergiev Posad district, told Portal-Credo.ru that the incident with the beating of A. Sadriev was just a "drunken fight."

Sources

• Head of local Muslim community beaten in Sergiyev Posad // Interfax. 2005. October 15.
• The incident with the head of the Islamic community of Sergiev Posad is a crime against faith - Federation of Jewish Communities of Russia // There. 17 October.
• The Moscow Region Prosecutor's Office announces the identity of the participants in the attack on the head of the Islamic community of Sergiev Posad // There.
• Imam from Sergiev Posad considers attack on him a threat to Muslims // There.
• The administration of the Sergiev Posad district considers the attack on a Muslim a "drunken fight" // Portal-Credo.ru. 2005. October 17.
• The head of the Muslim community of the city of Sergiev Posad claims that the thugs beat him with complete confidence in their own impunity // There.