21 August 2013, 14:24
Pyatigorsk Mayoralty refuses Muslims to hold collective prayer in square
The administration of the city of Pyatigorsk has refused to uphold the application filed by the Spiritual Administration of Muslims (SAM) of the Stavropol Territory to hold namaz (prayer) in the central square of the city. This was reported by Viktor Fisenko, the deputy head of the administration of Pyatigorsk.
On August 2, Mukhammad Rakhimov, Mufti of the Stavropol Territory, called on Muslims to hold collective prayer on September 20. The prayer was to be held in protest against the decision of the Stavropol Regional Court on demolition of two mosques of Kislovodsk located in the townships of Belorechensky and Industriya on the places for the construction of residential buildings.
The Mayoralty of Pyatigorsk has actually received the application for holding a prayer in the centre of the city; however, the city administration has refused to sanction it. This was reported today by the RIA "Novosti" with reference to Viktor Fisenko, the deputy head of the administration of Pyatigorsk.
The refusal has been reasoned by the fact that, under the law on religious organizations, the square does not belong to the category of places where holding of religious rites are allowed.
