Russian Officials Increasingly Fining Muslims for Praying in Public, ‘Kavkaz-Realii’ Journalist Says

Paul Goble

            Staunton, Aug. 3 – Even though Russian officials continue to refuse to build more mosques – the city of Moscow has only four for its more than two million Muslims – these officials are increasingly fining believers for praying in public, an action the authorities now describe as unauthorized missionary activity, Ekaterina Bezmenova says.

            The Kavkaz-Realii journalist says that without mosques to go to Muslims have little choice but either pray at home or in public places and notes that these actions are leading to the radicalization of Muslims who initially simply want to follow the requirements of their faith (svoboda.org/a/shtraf-za-namaz-kak-v-rossii-nakazyvayut-musuljman-za-ispolnenie-obryadov/33817398.html).

            Having surveyed the arrest and conviction of Russian Muslims for praying in public, frequently on the basis of denunciations, Bezmenova presents the results of her interviews with experts on Islam in Russia who are unanimous in suggesting that with such a policy the Kremlin is alienating Russia’s Muslims, including the man who only want to be able to pray in peace.