Religious leaders in Ingushetia accuse security forces of torturing detained imam

Religious and community leaders in Ingushetia have called on the regional authorities to urgently respond to the actions of security forces who, according to them, used violence against Imam Magomed Tamaskhanov while detaining him.

Tamaskhanov, originally from Nazran, was apprehended on 10 April alongside another imam, Magomed Sultygov, originally from Karabulak; both were later released under a travel restriction order.

They were reportedly detained for failing to report an attempted contact by a member of a banned terrorist organisation. That individual, Amirhan Gurazhev, was among six people killed during a counter-terrorism operation in Karabulak on 3 March. Authorities claimed all six were members of the so-called Islamic State — a group outlawed in Russia.

Human rights defenders and representatives of the religious community believe that Tamaskhanov’s detention was driven by his civic and religious activism rather than any genuine suspicion of ties to extremism.

In response to his detention, an open appeal was published on Wednesday on the Telegram channel serdalo_ingushetii on behalf of Ingushetia’s Muslim population. The statement denounced what it described as Tamaskhanov’s ‘brutal and degrading detention’.

‘They broke into his home, forced him to the ground, restrained him, and took him to the security forces’ centre in Magas. Using unlawful interrogation methods, they demanded he confess to having contact with an extremist whom Magomed had never met and had no connection with,’ the appeal read.

The authors of the statement claim that Tamaskhanov swore to his fellow imams that he had no such ties, and that they saw no reason to doubt his honesty.

‘If Imam Magomed Tamaskhanov had truly been involved in any unlawful activity, we would not be defending him,’ the text emphasised.

According to the appeal, the real reason for Tamaskhanov’s detention lies in his active civic stance and his efforts to defend the rights of citizens within the framework of Russian law.

‘He has never shown any inclination towards extremism. On the contrary, through his educational work, thousands of young people in the republic have learned about the dangers of radical ideologies,’ the statement noted.

The appeal also addressed a video circulated on social media allegedly linking Tamaskhanov to extremists, calling it a ‘smear campaign’ intended to discredit a ‘respected spiritual leader’. According to the appeal’s authors, the actions of the security forces only serve to deepen public mistrust towards state institutions and risk fuelling ethnic and religious tensions.

In the video accompanying the appeal, posted online, hundreds of people can be seen gathered around the speakers.

Journalist Isabella Evloeva also questioned the official narrative in comments to Caucasian Knot. She noted that even if someone from Gurazhev’s group had previously attended the mosques where tTamaskhanov and Sultygov served, that alone should not justify their persecution.

‘Unfortunately, in our region, even such indirect associations are often enough for the security forces,’ she said.

The Ingush authorities have not yet issued any public comment on the detention of Tamaskhanov and Sultygov. Meanwhile, representatives of the Muslim community have vowed to seek a fair investigation and the full restoration of the clerics’ reputations.

Two imams detained in Ingushetia over alleged links to attacks on security forces

The imams have since been released, although criminal cases have reportedly been opened against them.

OC MediaElizaveta Chukharova