The detention of religious figures Yusuf Ashyrov, Vilen Useinov and Zinur Appazov is associated with the desire of Russian security forces to transfer the mosque in Alushta under the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Crimea. Human rights activist Lutfiie Zudiieva reported this to Public Crimea.
“It is obvious that not only the Crimean police or the E center are behind this entire planned arrest action. For many years, the community has been experiencing systematic attacks aimed at ensuring that the Yukary Dzhami mosque came under the full control of the SAMK and the special services – contrary to the wishes of the mosque’s parishioners. A religious monopoly on the peninsula is established through such arrests and pressure, but this can hardly be called winning hearts”,- said human rights activist Lutfiye Zudiieva.
According to her, Ashyrov has been conducting religious ceremonies in Alushta for many years. Therefore, his formal removal from the post of imam through joint contractual schemes with the special services will not change people’s trust in him and after that they will not respect the new protege.
“In general, it is very strange to see security forces acting as a regulator within one Muslim community”,- Zudiieva added.
In addition, it is known that Imam Yusuf Ashyrov is now in a special detention center in Akmescit (Simferopol) in the building of the police department 1 Zaliznodorizhnyy. Two more people arrested on November 23 were taken to a temporary detention center in Alushta, said lawyer Rustem Kiamilev.
On November 23, 2023, Imam Yusuf Ashyrov, Vilen Useinov and Zinur Appazov were detained after searches in the village of Shuma (Verkhnia Kutuzivka). The next day, the Court in the occupied Crimea appointed administrative arrests to the detained Crimean Tatars: Zinur Appazov – 5 days of administrative arrest, Vilen Useinov – 10 days of administrative arrest, Yusuf Ashyrov – 2 days of administrative arrest.
Vilen Useinov was arrested because of a 2013 VKontakte post with a photograph of a white flag depicting the Islamic creed in Arabic, La Illaha Illallah Muhammad-ur-Rasulullah. Employees of the Center for Combating Extremism in Crimea recognized this as a demonstration of the symbols of a banned organization. Zinur Appazov was also placed under arrest because of a publication on VKontakte. He allegedly added to his videos a video with a man in front of a flag, which allegedly is the symbols and attributes of the Congress of the Peoples of Ichkeria and Dagestan.
Imam Yusuf Ashyrov was sentenced to two days of arrest. He will serve a sentence for petty hooliganism (Article 20.1 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation). The man allegedly used obscene language.