Another religious work has been recognized as extremist in the Astrakhan region

On April 2, 2013, it became known that the Krasnoyarsk District Court of the Astrakhan Region recognized the book of Muhammad Suleiman Ashkar “How to Convert to Islam” as extremist material.

The book was seized in May 2011 during a search conducted at a resident of the Krasnoyarsk district of the Astrakhan region, Magomed Magomedov, as part of a criminal investigation under Part 1 of Art. 282.2. Criminal Code (organization of the activities of a religious association recognized by the court as extremist), initiated against supporters of Tablighi Jamaat, brothers Yuri and Alexander Avdonin.

The court agreed with the conclusions of the linguistic examination that the text of the book “ contains calls to incite hatred and enmity, as well as to humiliate the dignity of a person or group of persons based on their attitude to religion .”

Let us recall that earlier two religious books seized from Alexander Avdonin were recognized as extremist, and then three more Islamic works seized from Magomedov, Astrakhan resident Sorge Elderkhanov and a 14-year-old teenager also involved in the case.

We were able to familiarize ourselves with the text of this essay. Its ban as extremist seems to us illegitimate. This brief educational brochure, aimed at new Muslim converts, does not contain any inflammatory messages. As for asserting the truth of Islam, it does not fall under the concept of inciting hatred. Let us recall, according to the explanation of the Supreme Court, “criticism of political organizations, ideological and religious associations, political, ideological or religious beliefs, national or religious customs in itself should not be considered as an action aimed at inciting hatred or enmity.”

Sources

• At the initiative of the prosecutor's office of the Astrakhan region, the book of the publishing house "BADR" and the author Muhammad Suleiman Ashkar "How to Convert to Islam" was recognized as extremist material // Website of the prosecutor's office of the Astrakhan region. 2013. April 2.