In Crimea, an imam was fined under the article on missionary work for preaching and namaz

In Simferopol, Imam Rasim Dervishev was fined five thousand rubles under the administrative article on missionary activity (Article 5.26 of the Administrative Code). This was reported by Krym.Realii with reference to the imam’s lawyer Aider Azamatov.

The magistrate found that Dervishev’s actions during the Friday sermon and prayer showed signs of missionary activity.

Two religious scholars involved in the case “could not determine” whether there were such signs in the actions of the imam, the lawyer reported. The court questioned Islamic scholar Aider Bulatov, representative of the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Crimea Emir-Asan Umerov, and head of the department of religious studies at the Vernadsky Crimean Federal University Olga Griva.

Griva looked at fragments of photos and videos from prayers in the mosque and found signs of missionary activity.