On August 17, the Crimea Info news agency reported: “Five residents of Crimea and Sevastopol were detained on suspicion of participation in the terrorist organization Hizb ut-Tahrir, banned in Russia. This was reported by Interfax with reference to its own source.

“The searches were carried out, they were detained on suspicion of participation in the activities of a terrorist organization,” the agency’s interlocutor said.

According to Kryminform, three citizens were detained on the territory of Sevastopol, two more – in the Simferopol and Bakhchisarai regions. According to preliminary information, their actions fall under Article 205.5 of the Criminal Code of Russia – organizing the activities of a terrorist organization and participation in the activities of such an organization.“

Comment:
In the past few years, both the arrests of the Shabab and the prison sentences imposed by the courts have increased. The day before, on August 16, the Southern District Military Court sentenced four Shabab. Eldar Kantimirov was sentenced to 12 years in a strict regime colony with serving two years in prison. Ruslan Nagayev, was sentenced to 13 years of strict regime with serving two years in prison. Ruslan Mesutov and Lenur Khalilov – to 18 years in a maximum security penal colony, serving two years in prison. The Shabab were charged in criminal cases initiated under Articles 205.5 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (organization and participation in the activities of a terrorist organization) and 278 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (an attempt to overthrow the state construction in the Russian Federation).

For 20 years now, the Kremlin has been fighting against the Hizb’s Shabab for life and death. Realizing their weakness against the ideas of Hizb, the authorities are trying to denigrate Hizb in the eyes of society, accusing Hizb of terrorism and extremism, an attempt to seize power, etc. At the same time, the government issues harsh laws and long terms of punishment against the dawah carrier in order to intimidate their people, no matter what anyone thought to follow the Hizb.

This position of the dawah carrier in Russia reminds the position of the first Muslims in Mecca. Then the Quraysh persecuted the Prophet (saw) and the first Muslims. Those in power in Mecca accused our beloved Prophet (saw) of being a sorcerer, and all his words are witchcraft, through which he separates father from son, brother from brother, wife from husband and relative from relative. So the Quraysh tried to turn the people away from the Prophet (saw) so that they would not listen to him. Muslims were chained, tortured and killed, with only one purpose to force them to renounce their faith.

But, despite all the cruel persecution of the Quraysh and their desire to stop the call of the Prophet (saw), the Muslims tolerated and relied on the promise of Allah, and Allah gave victory to the Muslims, and soon the Muslims took Mecca without a fight. Today, dawah carriers in Russia, like the first Muslims in Mecca, pass the test with dignity and rely on the promise of Allah. And with the will of Allah in the near future, Allah will grant us victory, and then the believers will rejoice!

Allah Almighty said in His Noble Book:

[وَعَدَ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مِنكُمْ وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ لَيَسْتَخْلِفَنَّهُم فِي الْأَرْضِ كَمَا اسْتَخْلَفَ الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ وَلَيُمَكِّنَنَّ لَهُمْ دِينَهُمُ الَّذِي ارْتَضَى لَهُمْ وَلَيُبَدِّلَنَّهُم مِّن بَعْدِ خَوْفِهِمْ أَمْنًا يَعْبُدُونَنِي لَا يُشْرِكُونَ بِي شَيْئًا وَمَن كَفَرَ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ فَأُوْلَئِكَ هُمُ الْفَاسِقُونَ]

“Allah has promised those who have believed among you and done righteous deeds that He will surely grant them succession [to authority] upon the earth just as He granted it to those before them and that He will surely establish for them [therein] their religion which He has preferred for them and that He will surely substitute for them, after their fear, security, [for] they worship Me, not associating anything with Me. But whoever disbelieves after that – then those are the defiantly disobedient!” [TMQ 24:55]

Eldar Khamzin
Member of the Central Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir