Grave of Muslim Holy Man desecrated in the Crimea

On 22 May the gravestone at the grave of the Muslim Holy Man Eskender (Kyarly Aziz) near the village of Novoulyanovsk in the Bakhchysari district was destroyed, probably with a sledge hammer.

According to the Deputy Mufti of the Crimea, Aider Ismailov, the Spirtiual Directorate of the Muslims of the Crimea have reported this to the police and demanded that a criminal investigation be initiated.  There has not yet been any response from the police.

The Deputy Mufti pointed to a strange pattern. Last year the grave was vandalized after a large-scale event held there by the Spiritual Directorate. The latter had repaired the damage to the grave and this year announced that the event would be held on 27 May.  The grave was thus vandalized days before this event was to take place.

The grave of the Holy Man Eskender (Kyarly Aziz) is one of a number of Crimean Aziz – burial places of widely revered people possessing healing powers. There are over 100 Aziz, with the Holy Man Eskender’s being one of the most well-known.