Moscow debates the possible ban on the use of the Niqab proposed by deputies and opinion makers who insist on the need to curb extremist tendencies, recalling how in several Central Asian countries this measure has existed for a long time. The muftis are divided among themselves, while some members of United Russia are also against it, fearing repercussions on relations with the Islamic world.
Moscow () – For weeks there has been debate in Russia about the possible ban on the use of the Niqab, the Islamic veil that covers the entire face, leaving only a slit for the eyes, often associated with the fundamentalist current of Wahhabism. It was the president of the Human Rights Council, Valerij Fadeev, who once again proposed the ban, supported by several deputies and opinion leaders who insist on the need to curb extremist tendencies among Muslims throughout the country, although the Ministry of Interior has not provided any statistics to support these fears.
On the other hand, the Niqab issue also divides the Muslim community in Russia, as religious leaders rule out restrictions on the Hijab, the open-face veil. The Kprf communists have announced that the draft law on the ban, which provides for at least a fine of 15,000 rubles (150 euros) for any form of face covering, has already been sent to the government for official consideration. Fadeev was “annoyed by the fact that the Niqab has not been banned in Russia so far”, while in several Central Asian countries this restriction has been in force for a long time. Politicians intend to discuss the issue directly with leaders of traditional Islam and regional authorities.
The Grand Mufti of Moscow, Ildar Aljautdinov, warns that a ban that is too direct could cause tensions in society: “These attempts may appear to be a violation of the secular norms of Law and the Constitution, which guarantee all citizens of Russia freedom to profess their religion and observe its canons”. United Russia deputy in the Moscow Duma Ildar Gilmutdinov, head of the Federal National and Cultural Autonomy of the Tatars, spoke out in favor of the niqab, warning in turn that a ban could hinder Russia’s relations with the entire Islamic world. .
A member of the Human Rights Council, Kirill Kabanov, who has always been in favor of the strict line on immigration issues, reacted to these statements by stating that “for traditional Russian Islam this type of dress is not at all natural”, and that his recent spread is nothing more than “a provocation by radicals, who have a hostile attitude towards us and our country, and are alien to our traditions and our world.” He also recalled that in Central Asia the Niqab and even the Paranja, the veil that completely covers the woman’s body, are not allowed, and KPRF deputy Mikhail Matveev believes that “first of all we need an official statement from religious leaders on what clothing is appropriate for Muslims in Russia.”
Some recalled a speech by President Vladimir Putin in 2012, in which he argued that “the Hijab is not part of our culture, that of our traditional Islam, why do we have to take on traditions that are foreign to us?” Aljautdinov responded that “if the ban decision really helps to protect the lives of our citizens, curbing the growth of Islamic extremism, then we will all support it, but this argument must be supported by real data.” It was Deputy Interior Minister Andrej Khrapov who responded to these calls by pointing out that “there are no clear signs of a radicalizing trend of Islam in Russia.”
Other religious leaders, such as Kamil Samigullin of the Islamic administration of Tatarstan, also claim that “the ban is an attack on Muslims”, while the mufti of Volgograd, Kifakh Mokhamad, supports the proposal, recalling the recent attack on Krokus City Hall, noting that “the Niqab is not a religious attribute, but only a habit of some Muslim societies, which has no reference to sharia.” Some propose leaving the decision “in the hands of the governors, based on regional traditions”, and from many quarters it is reiterated that the key issue is not the (unproven) danger of radicalism, but rather “preventing the growth of Islamophobia.” in Russia, which often becomes a form of repression of immigrants.
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