Detained Ingush imam accused of supporting terrorism publicly declares innocence

Muhammad Tamaskhanov, an imam from Nazran, who was previously detained on suspicion of concealing information about a member of an armed group, publicly rejected the charges brought against him, claiming he had become a target due to his religious activities, including mosque construction and public support for an anti-drug movement.

On 10 April, two imams were detained in Ingushetia — Muhammad Tamaskhanov and Magomed Sultygov. Investigative authorities accused them of failing to inform law enforcement that Khazir Ganiev, an alleged member of Amirkhan Gurazhev’s group which had attacked traffic police checkpoints, had attempted to contact them. The imams were later released on the condition that they not leave the area.

Tamaskhanov declared his innocence during a sermon posted on his YouTube channel on 18 April.

‘Before Allah, I declare — I am clean. I am not guilty of anything. Everything they accuse us of is a lie. Whatever happens to me — I say this openly’, he said in the Ingush language. A translation of the sermon was published by the independent Russian media outlet Caucasian Knot.

The video shows a large number of worshipers attending the sermon to show their support.

The imam stated that security service representatives had told him the real reasons for his persecution: opening a new mosque in Nazran, holding a religious debate with theologian Akraman Bekov, and supporting  an anti-drug civil movement.

According to Tamaskhanov, after the debate with Bekov, which took place in November 2024, his mosque gained popularity, while ‘other mosques — we won’t point fingers — began to empty’. He believes this provoked dissatisfaction among parts of the religious establishment.

He also mentioned difficulties encountered during the attempted construction of a mosque in the Tsentr-Kamaz neighbourhood, which was halted after a series of complaints.

‘We started building it, but some people began filing complaints, and the construction was stopped,’ said Tamaskhanov.

The anti-drug movement that Tamaskhanov is publicly associated with is engaged in combating drug distribution in Ingushetia. Despite criticism of the activists’ methods, including cases of vigilante justice, the movement enjoys support among some of the population. The Head of Ingushetia’s Ministry for National Policy acknowledged the importance of their work, noting that drug addiction is one of the region’s most destructive social problems.

Earlier, an open letter was published on the Telegram channel Serdalo_Ingushetii on behalf of religious and public figures from the region, which expressed outrage at the actions of security forces who allegedly used violence during Tamaskhanov’s arrest.

‘They broke into his home, threw him to the floor, handcuffed him, and took him to a security centre in the city of Magas. Using illegal interrogation methods, they demanded he confess’, the statement read.

There has been no public statement in support of Sultygov, nor has he made any public comments.

According to the investigation, in August 2023, Khazir Ganiev, allegedly a member of an international terrorist organisation banned in Russia, approached the imams requesting assistance. The Investigative Committee claims that the suspects, aware of his criminal activity, failed to report it to the authorities.

Khazir Ganiev was killed in a shootout with security forces in November 2023. Law enforcement claimed he was an accomplice of Amirkhan Gurazhev, one of the leaders of the Islamic State. In March 2024, Gurazhev and five of his associates were killed during a special operation in Karabulak.

Religious leaders in Ingushetia accuse security forces of torturing detained imam

The Muslim community in Ingushetia has issued an open appeal to the authorities to respond to the claims of torture.

OC MediaElizaveta Chukharova