Law enforcers explain detention of Muslims in Astrakhan by search for criminals

Law enforcers have let the Muslims detained near the Red Mosque go home. The police have stated that these were actions aimed at searching for people hiding from investigators and the court. Muslims were offended that such checks are carried out in mosques during the Friday prayer (namaz).

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on November 27, in Astrakhan, after checking documents, law enforcers put several dozen Muslims, leaving the Red Mosque after namaz, into buses and took them to police stations, refusing to explain the reasons for the raid.

The "Caucasian Knot" correspondent visited one of the stations, where part of the parishioners of the Red Mosque had been delivered. After 4:15 p.m., the detainees began to be released from the station one by one.

The released parishioners told the "Caucasian Knot" that about 40 people had been brought to this police station.

The believers were outraged that such actions were conducted in mosques during the Friday namaz.

"They [law enforcers] say, 'It's done like this everywhere.' Where 'everywhere'? I come to the shopping centre – they don't take me; I come to polyclinic – they don't take me; why they do it in the mosque?" Yusuf wonders.

The Department for the Astrakhan Region of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) has explained the raid at the Red Mosque by operative and prophylactic actions.

"In the Kirov District of Astrakhan, we conducted prophylactic actions aimed to establish the whereabouts of persons hiding from the bodies of inquiry, investigation and court, and evading the execution of punishment," the press service of the Department told the "Caucasian Knot".

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on November 28, 2020 at 04:53 am MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.