Russia - Muslims raided, more Jehovah's Witness literature banned

International: January 28, 2010, (PCTV Newsdesk)

Following an 11 December raid on a Makhachkala flat by "a whole busload" ofarmed and masked rapid reaction police led by a Dagestani FSB securityservice investigator, some 30 readers of the works of the late TurkishIslamic theologian Said Nursi were taken for questioning. Six homes ofother Nursi readers in Dagestan were raided. Ziyautdin Dapayev, one of twoof those held who could face criminal charges of participating in a bannedreligious extremist organisation, lamented to Forum 18 News Service thatNursi readers are becoming "victims to the incompetence of some employeesof the law enforcement agencies". Dagestan FSB told Forum 18 no one couldanswer questions about the investigation. Nursi's works have been banned inRussia, despite a 2007 Turkish government statement that they "contain nostatements whatsoever aimed at inciting religious hatred". Moscow PublicProsecutor's Office confirmed to Forum 18 that it had issued an extremismwarning to Ravil Gainutdin, chair of the Russia-wide Council of Muftis, forinviting a Turkish Nursi follower to a Moscow conference. Meanwhile,Jehovah's Witnesses have lost their latest appeal against an extremism banon more of their publications.

More detail www.forum18.org