A fire in premise of the Moslem community of Battal Çelebi located in Simferopol was happened on April 27.
Mr. Temur Çelebi, head of the Moslem community, member of the Elders of the Crimean Tatar people ‘Namus’, said in interview with QHA: “Our state does not pay attention to such acts because you know just this omission causes their reiteration. Law enforcers do not still find people who committed the act of vandalism in January this year and already new events are occured that should be investigated”.
According to him, he left Battal Çelebi’s building at 5.30 p.m. and already at 6.40 p.m. the fire brigade was called to a fire in its premise.
“When I came a fire was already extinguished. Firemen gave thier version that somebody throwed cigarette butt to a hatch. But I fully disagree with this version” – stated T. Çelebi.
He added: “It is impossible to throw a sigarette butt to closed hatch that, moreover, does not have any holes”.
The community’s head expressed his opinion this incident is an arson and some combustible was deliberately poured out to a hatch. “The act was drawn up, however, we want to make a complaint to militia station and the autonomy’s Public Prosecutor” - T. Çelebi stressed.
According to him, omission and connivance of the authorities caused such results. And such incidents are usually become more frequent on the threshold of May 18 (Commemoration Day on victims of 1944 deportation of the Crimean Tatar people – Ed.) not only here but across Crimea”.
“Perhaps, someone wanted to demonstate his negative attitude to Namus activities. Recently, hearings on bill of restoration of formerly deported persons with my participation was conducted. Maybe, somebody disliked by that. I cannot affirm specifically at the present”- told the Moslem community’s head.
A class of Battal Çelebi madrasah smouldered during the day.
İt should be noted that on January 22 unknown vandals drew the Nazi swastika by spray can on the plate with name of ‘Battal Çelebi’ mosque. On February 8 the Central district militia station send its disposition of denial to bring an action in connection with an incident.
However, the district public prosecutor disaffirmed this militia disposition and he returned the materials to appendant examination.
Moreover, on February 2 the Organization of the Islamic Conference states its own position on alarming religious situation in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, in Ukraine. In particular, a spokesman of the OIC Observatory on Islamophobia expressed “concerns about the rising of vandalism targeting holy places and shrines of Moslems in Crimea which includes desecrating Mosques and destroying and defacing the monuments of famous figures of the Crimean Tatar people erected in Crimean towns as well as gravestones in cemeteries by extremists”.
On the materials of QHA
Related Links:
OIC Appeared for Defense of Islamic Holy Places on the Crimean Peninsula
