Islamic Authority in North Caucasus petitions for prohibition of an Islamic encyclopedia
In a controversial ruling, the Moscow City Court has declared the encyclopedic dictionary "Islam in the North Caucasus" as extremist material. The publishers, Medina, have since filed an appeal against the decision.
The decision was based on the expertise of Roman Silantyev, head of the Laboratory of Destructology at Moscow State Linguistic University. Silantyev, who has been involved in several high-profile cases, including the recognition of the 'International Satanism Movement' as extremist and banned, prepared the expert assessments in the case.
The encyclopedia, which was presented in Moscow in 2023 after more than ten years of preparation, aims to provide the most objective reference material possible, balancing different points of view and reflecting the development of Islam in the republics of the North Caucasus with their linguistic and cultural diversity.
Two articles in the encyclopedia - Wahhabis of the North Caucasus and History of Islam in Chechnya - were found to contain references to 'persons and organisations involved in terrorist activity'. The prosecution qualified this as dissemination of information about organisations whose activities are prohibited by court decision.
Lawyers representing the publisher stated that the Moscow City Court decision had already come into effect and was subject to immediate execution, with the encyclopedia being included in the federal list of extremist materials and its distribution being banned. However, the authors and publishers still have the right to appeal the decision in courts.
Damir Mukhametov, the deputy head of the spiritual administration, also confirmed their intention to appeal the decision. Ildar Nurimanov, the director of publishing house Medina, believes that the accusations against the encyclopedic dictionary were initiated by Roman Silantyev as a personal act of revenge.
The decision to remove Silantyev from his post as secretary of the Interreligious Council of Russia was made after a request from the Spiritual Directorate of Muslims. Silantyev's removal was followed by statements suggesting the imminent abolition of the organisation from members like Aleksandr Kabanov, a member of the Presidential Human Rights Council, and Rinat Mukhametov, a religious scholar.
Islamologists link the court decision to pressure on the directorate. The court rejected the arguments that the book is a scientific publication and does not fall under the article, also referencing the absence of an offence and the expiry of the statute of limitations. The court ruling states that liability arises from the continued mention of information in the book, whether through print or in media, and that statute of limitation is calculated from the moment the violation is identified.
As a result, Mukhetdinov was fined ₽5,000 ($60) and the Spiritual Directorate of Muslims was fined ₽50,000 ($600). No confiscation of the publication was ordered. The appeal process is ongoing, and the future of the encyclopedia remains uncertain.
