Chechen ‘witch’ apologises live on air of Chechen TV channel

The Grozny State Television and Radio Broadcasting Company Grozny TV published a 20-minute video on Thursday entitled ‘Special Report on Exposing Sorcerers’, accusing local resident Larisa Zakrailova of ‘witchcraft’. As the authors of the report emphasised, Zakrailov had been ‘recently detained by law enforcement officers’.

The head of Grozny’s Centre of Islamic Medicine, Adam Eldzhurkaev, publicly reprimanded Zakrailova live on air, after which she expressed remorse.

According to information presented in Grozny TV’s special report, 56-year-old Zakrailova has been engaged in occult activities for more than a decade, offering services in reversing curses and their effects, casting spells, and making good luck amulets. The report alleged that she had an extensive client base and that her activities generated significant income.

During a search of Zakrailova’s home, various occult items used in her practice were allegedly found, including church candles, aluminium utensils, and many photographs of clients. These materials were shown in the report, with the faces of some clients hidden.

During the conversation, Eldzhurkaev and his assistants listened to recordings of Zakrailova’s conversations with clients, and looked at contacts in her phone as well as her private correspondence. Zakrailova’s brother and youngest son were also present, with the author of the report declaring that they also ‘bear responsibility for this act’, without specifying what exactly their responsibility was.

During the conversation with Elzhurkayev, Zakrailova admitted her activities and publicly repented, promising to stop her occult practices. However, the presenter of the report stressed that her words ‘have no credibility’, leading her sons to sign documents taking responsibility for their mother’s further behaviour.

At the end of the report, the presenter reminded viewers that ‘raids are being conducted in Chechnya at the alleged addresses of magicians and witch doctors’.

Judging by Grozny TV’s Telegram channel, there have not been any exposés of ‘sorcerers’ on air for over two years prior to the report on Zakrailova — a previous story on this topic was published in 2022.

The campaign against occult practices in Chechnya began in 2013 on the initiative of Chechen Head Ramzan Kadyrov. Dozens of people were detained at the time, some of whom went missing.

In 2019, the persecution resumed with renewed vigour. State media regularly published stories in which the detainees publicly repented of practising witchcraft. Eldzhurkayev played a key role in these events, holding detainees to public accountability.

In 2021, the US Commission on International Religious Freedom drew attention to the practice of public apologies in Chechnya, recommending sanctions against the republic’s Minister of Press and Information, Akhmed Dudaev, who previously headed the Grozny State Television and Radio Broadcasting Company.

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OC MediaElizaveta Chukharova