Singers Vakharagov brothers were detained for non-compliance with the Chechen mentality

The Chechen security forces detained the singers Ayub and Askhab Vakharagovs for an "educational conversation" and have been holding them for two weeks now. This is reported by the publication "Caucasian Knot".

The Vakharagov brothers are free performers, but in Chechnya, on behalf of the head of the republic, Ramzan Kadyrov, a special commission also checks amateur art for compliance with the local mentality. On July 15, the Minister of Culture of Chechnya stated on the air of the ChGTRK Grozny TV channel that the songs of the Vakharagovs violate the norms of Chechen culture.

On September 8, Kheda Saratova, a member of the Human Rights Council under the head of Chechnya, said that the brothers were detained for an "educational conversation" because they did not stop performing the banned repertoire. However, a source in the Gudermes region told the publication that the security forces had detained the Vakharagovs in the village of Oiskhara and had been holding them for two weeks without charge. The Ministry of Internal Affairs for Chechnya does not confirm this information.

Ayub and Askhab Vakharagov posted clips and audio recordings of their songs in the VKontakte group and on the YouTube channel . The latest publications were made in February 2019.

On September 10, Ayub Vakharagov denied the information about the detention, reports the "Caucasian Knot" . Member of the Council of the Human Rights Center "Memorial" Oleg Orlov suggested that Vakharagov could have made such a statement, fearing the worsening of the situation.