Appearance of graffiti with IS symbols in Chechnya is a sign of protest moods, experts say

The appearance of jihadist symbols in Chechnya is a form of protest, said the experts questioned by the "Caucasian Knot", who believe that local youth was involved in drawing the graffiti.

Earlier, it was reported about detention of young people in Tsentoroy, the ancestral village of the head of Chechnya Ramzan Kadyrov, where on February 9 an image of the flag and an inscription in support of the "Islamic State" (IS), which is recognized a terrorist organization in Russia, appeared on the wall of one of the buildings. At least one case of similar graffiti was recorded by the "Caucasian Knot" in Grozny.

Orhan Cemal, a correspondent of the Forbs magazine, believes that the appearance of IS' symbols in Chechnya is a continuation of the trend, now observed in Northern Caucasus.

"The applied violence provokes protests among the youth. Graffiti is always – as well as in the Chechen case – is intended to tease the authorities," said the journalist.

The protest moods in Chechnya are caused by the authorities' increasing pressure on the society, Svetlana Gannushkina, the head of the Committee "Civil Assistance", believes.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.