27 November 2018, 08:27
Disruption of anime festival in Makhachkala provokes a discussion on human rights
Supporters and opponents of the anime festival, disrupted in Makhachkala under the pretext of "opposing debauchery," reproached each other with indifference to massive violations of human rights, law enforcers' abuses, and kidnappings in Dagestan.
The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that Saida Tuchalova, an organizer of the event, had been kept at a police station for more than three hours. According to journalist Svetlana Anokhina, the organizers were bombarded with threats.
Activist Marat Ismailov wrote on Facebook that at least one festival participant was beaten by opponents of the festival.
Svetlana Anokhina has called on the Prosecutor's Office of Dagestan to check the actions of Dagestani showman Eldar Iraziev, who called on people through Instagram to prevent the festival. The journalist indicated that the showman was involved in dubious projects and performed in women's clothing.
"Cancellation of Timati's and Creed's concerts, closing of night clubs, and harassment of innocent anime festival participants. What then? Introduction of Sharia? Is there no longer any problems in Dagestan other than nightlife?" wrote Kinosarg Sinopsky.
For several years, the authorities of Dagestan connived at actions of a group of religious activists who sought to cancel cultural events with posting threats on the Internet under the pretext of the struggle for morality. A dispute between Dagestani fighter Khabib Nurmagomedov and Ramzan Kadyrov's friend Timati because of Yegor Creed's concert for the first time made the authorities respond to those actions, the newspaper "Novaya Gazeta" noted.
This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on November 26, 2018 at 11:59 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.
