The Kirov District Court in Crimea has fined the independent Muslim community “Eski Qırım” 400,000 roubles (approx. US$4,400) under the article on spreading “extremist” materials (Article 20.29 of the Administrative Code). This was reported by Crimean Solidarity, citing lawyer Nazim Sheikhmambetov, who represented the community in court.
The reason for the fine was the discovery of books in the “Zubeyr-Jami” mosque in Stary Krym, a town in Crimea, which are classified as “banned” in Russia. It is in this mosque that members of the “Eski Qırım” community and other worshippers gather.
According to Sheikhmambetov, there were breaches in the case by law enforcement officers, who carried out operational-search activities (ORM) in the mosque. In particular, the lawyer claims that police officers entered the building 10 minutes before the rest of the ORM participants.
“The [CCTV] footage shows those who entered turning off the electricity switch, cutting power to the mosque. One of them went into the hall, and then they both gestured towards something. There could be many assumptions about what exactly the officers did there. Only after this did the officers leave the mosque, invite in the ORM participants, public representatives and the [mosque] owner, and then ‘discover’ the [banned] books. This is a gross violation of ORM procedure. This protocol cannot be considered valid,” the defence lawyer stated.
He also pointed out that the “Eski Qırım” community does not own the “Zubeyr-Jami” mosque and therefore cannot be held responsible for everything that happens inside it.
In February 2024, law enforcement raided the homes of the “Eski Qırım” community imam Izet Saifullin, chair Idris Yurdumov, and two activists—Lenur Yakubov and Shevket Kiyamov.
Yurdumov was released with a protocol for possessing “banned” literature (Article 20.29 of the Administrative Code). Later, under this protocol, the community was fined 100,000 roubles (approx. US$1,100). Saifullin received a protocol for violating rules on missionary activity (Part 4, Article 5.26 of the Administrative Code), and Yakubov received a protocol for displaying extremist symbols (Part 1, Article 20.3 of the Administrative Code).
Illustration: OVD-Info
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