Russian authorities accused of being ‘too zealous’ in their desire to punish Qur’an burner

It’s easy to tell the intentions of Russian authorities toward Zhuravel from the fact that his Qur’an-burning case was moved from Volgograd to Chechnya. They want him dead, to serve as an example to others. But eventually Russian authorities will discover to their dismay that Muslim leaders will not find it necessary to reciprocate their solicitude.

“Case of Zhuravel, who burned down Koran, evidences voluntary law interpreting,” Caucasian Knot, November 15, 2024 (thanks to The Religion of Peace):

The treason case of Nikita Zhuravel is being considered at the place where the alleged crime was committed, although the case of burning the Koran was transferred from Volgograd to Chechnya. The voluntary nature of Zhuravel’s testimonies on treason remains in question, but the closed nature of the trial does not allow his statements to be heard.

The “Caucasian Knot” has reported that on February 27, 2024, a court in Grozny sentenced Zhuravel to 3.5 years in colony, finding him guilty of violating the right to religion and of hooliganism. On October 3, the Russian General Prosecutor’s Office (GPO) announced the initiation of a new treason case. According to investigators, Zhuravel offered cooperation to an agent of the Ukrainian security service and sent him a video showing the military equipment of the Russian Armed Forces….

The treason charges were a matter of time after Zhuravel’s confession about his ties with Ukrainian special services, says Svetlana Gannushkina*, the head of the “Civic Assistance” Committee*….

According to Ms Gannushkina*, authorities are too zealous in its desire to punish Zhuravel. “It is, of course, bad to burn the Koran down, but everything that has happened to Zhuravel since then is even worse; not only for him, but also for interrelations of Muslims with non-Muslims. Any faith needs no protection of this kind,” she has concluded.