Russia fines prisoner who called Ukraine invasion 'haram'

A Russian prison inmate has been fined after telling military recruiters that fighting in Ukraine is "haram", or forbidden under Islamic law.

Alibek Suyunchev was ordered to pay 30,000 roubles ($390) by the Chegem District Court in the southern republic of Kabarda-Balkaria.

The court found him guilty of "discrediting" the country's armed forces.

The incident occurred during a meeting inside the prison where officials from the Russian defence ministry were campaigning for inmates to sign military contracts and enlist in the war.

According to the independent regional news outlet Caucasian Knot, which reported the ruling on Sunday, Mr Suyunchev was given the minimum possible fine under the administrative law.

There is no single, universally recognised Islamic position on Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and different Muslim organisations have taken sharply contrasting approaches.

While Mr Suyunchev argued that participating in the war violates Islamic principles, state-approved bodies have actively backed the campaign.

The Spiritual Administration of Muslims of the Russian Federation (DUM RF) has repeatedly voiced public support for Russian troops, organising humanitarian initiatives and assistance programmes for soldiers and their families.

Russia introduced the administrative offence of "discrediting" the armed forces in March 2022, shortly after launching its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Under the legislation, individuals face fines of between 30,000 and 100,000 roubles ($390 to $1,300). A repeat offence within a single year can lead to criminal prosecution and a prison sentence.

A number of residents in Kabarda-Balkaria, a predominantly Muslim republic in the North Caucasus, have faced prosecution under the law.

In recent years, local courts have penalised residents for various forms of dissent.

These have included a taxi driver accused of criticising the authorities to his passengers, a man who vandalised shop posters featuring killed Russian soldiers, and another resident fined for social media posts criticizing the government.

In June, another local man, Islam Abazov, was convicted after recording a video containing statements deemed by a court to have discredited the military.