In Chechnya, the practice of detaining young men wearing beards has become systematic, local residents say.
Raids on bearded men in the country began after an incident in the home village of the head of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov, Tsentaroy (Khosi-Yurt), where the wall of a building was painted with the logo of "Islamic State", after which three young men were arrested in the village.
On January 10, 2014 the head of the Republic demanded that the security forces strengthen the fight against the representatives of radical movements and their followers. In December 2014 in Chechnya at least two cases of detention of young people with beards and shaved moustaches (which is considered the main sign that a person is a Wahhabist) took place.
In January 2014 Ramzan Kadyrov stated that "We do not forbid Muslims from wearing beards, as it is prescribed in the Sunnah. This is a personal choice. We are against those who grow beards trying to imitate the Wahhabists."
