Employees and believers of Shamkhal mosque associate persecutions with new police bosses

After the change of leadership of the local police department, first a police on duty post was set up near the Salafi mosque, located in the Shamkhal neighbourhood of the Kirov District of Makhachkala; and then it was completely closed without clear grounds, said the employees and parishioners of the mosque, interviewed by the "Caucasian Knot".

On May 18, the Human Rights Centre (HRC) "Memorial" reported that on May 16 the above mosque in Shamkhal was closed at the demand of law enforcement officials.

"At the moment, we don't understand what kind of claims law enforcers may have against us," Shamsudin Magomedov, a mosque representative told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent on May 22.

The leadership of the local police department was replaced about two weeks ago, the website of the HRC "Memorial" clarified on May 18.

With the advent of new local police bosses, every Friday policemen were on duty near the mosque at the traditional namaz (prayer), Ramil, a mosque parishioner, told the "Caucasian Knot".

"Nobody was taken away or hindered, but every Friday they came and stood next to the mosque," he said.

According to his story, at present, most parishioners of the closed mosque in Shamkhal are praying at home.

A source from the mosque has added that so far the parishioners have refused from collective prayers.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.