In May, reports emerged from multiple regions of Russia about the detention and arrest of muftis and other Muslim religious and civic figures. Some of them face terrorism charges — specifically, alleged cooperation with the Muslim Brotherhood. Political scientists specializing in Islam, independent journalists, and pro-Kremlin bloggers have described the wave of persecution as the security services’ campaign against the Spiritual Administration of Muslims (DUM) of Russia and its leader, Mufti Ravil Gainutdin, personally. Here’s what we know.
There’s been a wave of arrests and detentions of prominent muftis and Muslim religious figures in Russia
Reports of detentions and arrests of muftis and Muslim religious and civic figures across various regions of Russia began surfacing in mid-May. The wave includes three distinct cases that seem at first glance to be unrelated:
- In Saransk, the Mufti of Mordovia, Rail Asainov, was detained on suspicion of bribery — security officials alleged he tried to bribe a program director at Mordovia State University to let students pass their exams. Asainov was released shortly afterward. Five other active members of the Muslim community in Mordovia were reportedly detained alongside him; nothing is known about their current situation.
- In Moscow, the imam of a mosque in Yuzhnoye Butovo and former Mufti of Karelia, Wisam Ali Bardwil, was arrested for 15 days on charges of disobeying police at Sheremetyevo Airport.
- According to reporting by the Russian business daily Kommersant, as early as “around May 10,” the former head of the “Muslim Community of the Northwest,” Muhammad Henni, was arrested on charges of participating in the activities of the terrorist organization Muslim Brotherhood. Also arrested were his relative Regina Henni, the deputy mufti of the Saratov region Nidal al-Hikh, Ingush theologian Akhmed Tangiev, and four others. According to unconfirmed reports, those named in the case were detained in St. Petersburg, Saratov, and North Ossetia.
Those detained and arrested are popular figures in Russia’s Muslim community, political scientist and Islamic scholar Rinat Mukhametov told iStories. Moscow Imam Ali Bardwil, for example, is regarded as a prominent preacher among young people for making his sermons accessible to “secular audiences.” Theologian Ahmed Tangiev is considered a respected imam in his native Ingushetia and participated in counterterrorism outreach events. Mukhametov described Muhammad Henni as “a preacher with a civic bent.”
The muftis’ case is seen as political, with the Spiritual Administration of Muslims identified as the main target
Experts, independent journalists, and even pro-Kremlin Telegram channels have noted the connection between those detained and arrested and the Spiritual Administration of Muslims (DUM) of Russia and its leader, Mufti Ravil Gainutdin. Political scientist and Islamic studies scholar Ruslan Aysin, who spoke with RFE/RL’s Russian service, and Rinat Mukhametov are both convinced the cases represent political persecution amounting to a systematic attack on Gainutdin’s structures. Experts hold security officials, including the FSB, responsible for the campaign.
Despite demonstrating loyalty to Russian authorities, political scientists say the DUM and Gainutdin’s other structures had until recently maintained a degree of autonomy from Kremlin policy. Mukhametov said Gainutdin’s structures successfully embedded themselves in Russia’s state system, allowing the authorities to project a “showcase Islam” and strengthen ties with Turkey and Arab countries. At the same time, Gainutdin had for years spoken out in support of migrant workers coming to Russia and criticized the actions of law enforcement.
On one hand, the DUM’s leader mentioned Vladimir Putin in prayers, supported mobilization, and signed agreements on assistance and rehabilitation for participants in the war in Ukraine. On the other hand, he criticized the Kremlin for obstructing the unification of Russia’s muftiates, spoke out against the demolition of mosques, and proposed using mosques to integrate foreigners into Russian society. Gainutdin also continued to speak out in defense of foreigners after the attack at the Crocus City Hall concert venue and amid intensifying pressure on them from Russian security officials. He also recently appealed to Putin, asking the president not to sign a bill that would ban Muslims from performing religious rituals outside of mosques.
Experts are skeptical of the security services’ claim that those arrested have ties to the Muslim Brotherhood. “You’d have to be completely reckless to attend meetings of an organization that has been banned in Russia for many years. Most of those named in the case are Palestinians — it’s easier to pin this on them. Second, the security services are trying to draw a connection from the conflict in the Middle East: Hamas is an offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood, so they can use that to hook them,” said Ruslan Aysin. Mukhametov believes the ties to the banned organization are an attempt to cut the imams — including those of Arab origin — off from international support.
The DUM itself, the Council of Muftis of Russia [also headed by Gainutdin] and regional spiritual administrations have made no public comment on the large-scale persecution of their colleagues and supporters.
Experts say the effects of these arrests are likely to spread throughout Russia’s Volga region. Regional Muslim councils, they say, will almost certainly feel pressure to demonstrate their loyalty to the Kremlin more openly than before. According to iStories and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, the organizations best positioned to benefit are those competing with the Muslim Spiritual Directorate for institutional standing, including the Central Spiritual Administration of Muslims, led by Talgat Tadzhuddin.
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