Chechen state-run TV channel reports public apology of woman accused of practicing witchcraft

Zara Yakhyaeva, a resident of the Kurchaloi District, her son, and several women who addressed her for help were taken to a police department. A state-run TV channel journalist called on residents of Chechnya to report to the police about persons who provide occult services.

In early June, Adam Elzhurkaev, the head of the Centre for Islamic Medicine, reprimanded a 70-year-old resident of Chechnya for practicing witchcraft, despite the woman’s son claimed that she suffered from mental illness. Candles, bottles of alcohol, pieces of soap and the fact that the woman failed to pronounce correctly a surah from the Koran were presented as evidence proving her practicing witchcraft.

As part of the evening news broadcast released on June 16, the “Grozny” ChGTRK (State-run TV and Radio Broadcasting Company) reported a story in which Zara Yakhyaeva was called a witch who “used her ‘magic’ services to deceive citizens.” Zara Yakhyaeva and her son Magomed were detained and taken to the Kurchaloi police department. The TV report also showed four women, called the clients of Zara Yakhyaeva and her son Magomed, “who came to them for love spells, lucky charms, removal of energy barriers and breaking up marriages.” One of the clients asked Zara Yakhyaeva to marry her three sons, and another asked her to find out whether a wife of her son would return or not.

Adam Elzhurkaev, the head of the Centre for Islamic Medicine, who spoke with Zara Yakhyaeva and her clients in the Chechen language, received significant airtime. Adam Elzhurkaev has emphasized that “such people have no faith, conscience, or common sense, and the only thing they know how to do is deceive other people,” the “Chechnya Segodnya (Chechnya Today) news agency reports.

The head of the Centre for Islamic Medicine made Zara Yakhyaeva promise that she would not engage in such activities in the future. Magomed Yakhyaev also promised that his mother would not accept anyone to provide occult services for them.

Radjab Yasadov, an author of the story reported by the “Grozny” ChGTRK, has noted that Zara Yakhyaeva “admitted her guilt and repented of her misdeeds, asking for forgiveness from everyone who had ever been associated with her services.” In addition, the state-run TV channel journalist has reported that the police are being engaged in conducting raids on the alleged addresses of magicians and false healers” in the Kurchaloi District. “Everyone knows what is happening on their street, and it is better to help people before it is too late,” the state-run TV channel employee concluded the TV report.

This was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on June 17, 2025 at 03:28 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.