Call of Chechen Mufti not to ban mothers from visiting their children causes scepticism in social media

Relatives should not forbid children to see their mother after their parents’ divorce, Chechen Mufti Salakh Mezhiev stated. Some Instagram* users support the Chechen Mufti, while their opponents point out that religious figures have no real influence in such situations.

The “Caucasian Knot” has reported that in Northern Caucasus, it is difficult for a divorced woman to obtain custody of her children if her former husband or his relatives want to keep the children. In July 2019, human rights defenders said that relatives can prevent mothers from communicating with their children and put pressure on the children themselves.

Mufti of Chechnya Salakh Mezhiev have called on not to forbid children to communicate with their mothers when their parents are divorced. The mother is of great importance for the child, the Mufti of Chechnya has emphasized. “Our religion obliges Muslims not to prevent children from seeing their mother,” Salakh Mezhiev said. The Mufti of Chechnya also called on relatives of spouses to try to reconcile the parties, the “Grozny-Inform” reports.

Let us remind you that in May 2020, the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) obliged the authorities of Russia to pay 12,500 euros to Asya Gubasheva, a resident of Chechnya, whose husband did not return her daughter to her after a divorce. Asya Gubasheva gave birth to the daughter in 2012, two years before the divorce from her husband, and the child stayed with his father, who forbade his former wife to communicate with the daughter.

In April 2018, the ECtHR recognized a violation of the rights of Elita Magomadova, a resident of Moscow, whose former husband took their son to Grozny in 2013 and did not let her see the boy.

*On March 21, 2022, the Tverskoi Court of Moscow banned the activities in Russia of the Meta Company, owning Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, in connection with extremist activities.