An Islamic school in Chechnya was shut down after footage emerged showing a teacher hitting at least four of his students.
Footage from the An-Nur school in Gudermes shows the teacher using a stick to strike the students on their legs and other parts of their bodies. One boy falls to the floor after being hit. The teacher then continues to beat another pupil and two others. At the end of the video, all four children are made to perform physical exercises. Other pupils are seen nearby throughout the video.
After the incident, the mother of one of the boys posted photos showing multiple bruises on her son’s body.
Following the video’s circulation, Chechnya’s Mufti Salah Mezhiev issued an official statement condemning the teacher, describing his actions as incompatible with Islamic principles and Chechen traditions of upbringing. He stated that such methods are not permissible in Islamic educational institutions.
‘This is outrageous behaviour that does not correspond to the traditions of our people, the norms of Islam, or the regulations we have established. The madrasah where the incident occurred violated the approved guidelines. We have decided to shut it down’, Mezhiev said.
The mufti expressed regret that the incident could be used by critics to discredit Islamic educational institutions and assured that similar cases would not be allowed to happen again.
The individual seen in the video was later identified as 17-year-old Shamil Minkailov, who, according to the mufti, had no accreditation from the Spiritual Administration of Muslims and no formal teaching qualifications.
‘All necessary measures regarding this incident have been taken, and those responsible have been held accountable’, Mezhiev said, according to Grozny-Inform. However, the report did not specify what measures were taken.
After the video began circulating online, the Investigative Committee of Russia’s Chechen branch launched an investigation into the incident as an act of torture. If found guilty, Minkailov could face up to seven years in prison.
The day prior, Telegram channel ChP/CHECHNYA_95 published a statement by the Chechen Children’s Rights Commissioner, Khamzat Kharekhtov. He said that ‘the situation is under control and appropriate measures have already been taken’, and noted that the incident had occurred two months earlier.
As of the time of writing, the administration of the school has not issued any public comments.
The mufti added that there are over 400 madrasahs in Chechnya, with more than 43,000 children enrolled.
In August 2024, over 130 private madrasahs and Islamic education centres in Chechnya were shut down by order of the authorities. During a meeting between the muftiate and educators that month, school administrators were informed that they were no longer allowed to charge money for tuition.
Elizaveta Chukharova
