“He beat and did the right thing” - Kadyrov posted a video of his son beating someone arrested in connection with the burning of the Koran

The head of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov, confirmed that his son Adam beat Nikita Zhuravel, a person involved in the case of burning the Koran, who is in a pre-trial detention center in Grozny. Kadyrov Sr. published a video of the beating on his Telegram channel.

“I don’t like understatement. It is always better to put the final point - truthful and honest. The Internet is still arguing about the fact that Adam Kadyrov beat the Holy Quran burner Nikita Zhuravel, an accomplice of the Ukrainian special services. Was it or wasn't it? He beat and did the right thing. Moreover, I believe that anyone who encroaches on any Holy Scripture, including demonstratively burning it, thereby offending tens of millions of citizens of our large country, must suffer severe punishment,” the head of Chechnya wrote.

He added that he was proud of his son’s action: “I’m proud of Adam’s action. He was always distinguished by the desire to grow not among his peers, but among older ones, thanks to which he formed adult ideals of honor, dignity and defense of his religion. I respect his choice."

The fact that Adam Kadyrov beat Nikita Zhuravel in a pre-trial detention center became known in mid-August, when the victim filed a complaint with the Commissioner for Human Rights, Tatyana Moskalkova. The official sent this complaint to the Chechen Ombudsman Mansur Soltaev with a request to conduct an investigation.

Later, Ramzan Kadyrov’s associates Magomed Daudov and Adam Delimkhanov spoke out in support of Adam Kadyrov. Thus, Daudov said that, in his opinion, the son of the head of Chechnya “acted like a true Muslim, a patriot of his country and a true Chechen.” Delimkhanov said that Kadyrov Jr. “provided an example of patriotism and desire to protect religion and our shrines.”

Shortly after this, member of the Human Rights Council Eva Merkacheva asked the director of the FSIN, Arkady Gostev, “for security reasons,” to transfer Zhuravel from Chechnya to a FSIN institution in another region.

A case of insulting the feelings of believers (Part 2 of Article 148 of the Criminal Code) was opened against Zhuravel because of a video showing the pages of the Koran burning against the backdrop of a mosque in Volgograd. In May, the young man was detained , after which the security forces published a video in which he talks about the details of the case. In particular, Zhuravel mentioned that earlier “people from Ukraine” wrote to him and asked him to film the burning of the Koran, promising 10 thousand rubles for this.

On May 21, the Investigative Committee announced that the investigation of the case would be transferred from the department's headquarters in Volgograd to Chechnya. The next day, the court placed Zhuravel in a pre-trial detention center. Later he was transferred to a detention center in Grozny.