Crimean Muslims embark on hunger strike against demolition of the mosque
Construction company Akura, which is engaged in the construction of the residential estate “Crimean Rose” in the Simferopol district of Striletsk city, is going to preserve "the building said to be a mosque” until the decision is adopted “by the authorities.”
A representative of the company was reported as saying this in the interview with the government-favored media Kryminform, according to Krym.Realia.
“We have decided not to take any action regarding the building that people believe to be the mosque, although no one has granted it this status officially. Obviously, the building is built without compliance with building codes, and hence without a design, and it is impossible to put it into operation. In our opinion, the decision should be taken by the authorities of the republic with the involvement of the RAMC (Religious Administration of Muslims of the Crimea), in order to avoid possible conflict situations,” the company representative is quoted as saying.
At the same time, the contractor said that a new mosque and a church will be erected on the territory of the “Crimean Rose” estate.
The activist of the “protest lawn” Striletska" Fasil Ibraimov says that he mistrusts the statements of the developer of the residential estate “Crimean Rose”.
“At the same time, he (developer) notes that they have agreed with the RAMC they will move the mosque to the place which is convenient for them. They say they will move the mosque and build a new one ... I reiterate, we have built a mosque where it is convenient for us, and we do not intend to concede this land to anyone, we have peacefully deserved this land, we were demanding the land under Ukraine as well as under Russia,” says the activist.
On February 4, in the “protest lawn” in Simferopol, the activists held a rally calling on Russian President Vladimir Putin to “protect from breaking the house and mosque” and announced a hunger strike.
In August 2017, the Russian authorities held public hearings on the Crimean Rose estate. Then Fasil Ibraimov could not take a floor - he was sent out of the hall. When the comrades stood up for him, a fight broke out. Fasil Ibraimov was arrested for five days “for disobedience to the legitimate requirements of the police,” and the hearings were considered to have taken place.
At the place of the “lawn of protest” Stiletska" a new district for 9 thousand people called "Crimean Rose" is going to be built. In addition to residential buildings, it is planned to build schools, kindergartens, sports complexes, and shops. Now mostly repatriates live there.
