Imam-Chaplains in The Penitentiary System of Ukraine

Abstract

Active changes in the world, the migration crisis, the development of transnational networks of radical ideology like the "Islamic state" gradually lead to an understanding of the role of imam-chaplains in the system of state institutions, primarily in the army and the penitentiary system. After all, it is to them that the main attention of recruiters of various radical movements is addressed. In the post-Soviet space, especially in Russia, today the so-called "prison jamaats", which appeared for the first time after the first Chechen war (1994-1996), are actively developing. The Russian Federal Penitentiary Service claims that among the prisoners there is a growing number of "radical Muslims" who are constantly attracting new members to their ranks and establishing their own orders in the colonies, conflicting with the administrations of correctional facilities and with criminals. A similar situation, although with its own peculiarities, is emerging in Ukraine, which in recent years has become a transit corridor for representatives of radical Islamism on their way to Europe. In particular, there are channels of illegal migration, controlled by supporters of the so-called "Islamic state", which is periodically disclosed by the Security Service of Ukraine. In addition, Ukraine remains attractive to representatives of the political movement Hizb at-Tahrir, who also actively propagate their ideology in places of detention, where there are many Muslim migrants illegally arriving in Ukraine. Thus, the imam-chaplains of Ukraine are forced to first of all counteract the distortions of Islamic dogma among the most vulnerable groups of Muslims – those who are serving their sentence. The system of prison chaplains in Ukraine began to be created not so long ago, and now the main structure responsible for prison chaplainship is the Pastoral Council for Religious Care in the Penitentiary System. The Council coordinate the pastoral care of the convicted and detained persons who stay in the facilities, penal institutions and investigative departments of the State Penitentiary Service of Ukraine and the personnel of these facilities and institutions. The council includes representatives of all the major faiths of Ukraine, including representatives of the Religious Administration of Muslims of Ukraine (DUMU) – the largest association of Sunni Muslims in Ukraine. Within the framework of cooperation with the Penitentiary Service of Ukraine, imams of DUMU visit Muslims serving sentences in various regions of Ukraine, meeting their spiritual needs. In addition, representatives of the DUMU conduct training courses for the staff of the penitentiary system of Ukraine, which reveal the religious needs of Muslim prisoners, such as the need for a daily five times prayer, Friday collective prayer, halal food and others. It can be said that currently there is an active formation of the prison chaplaincy system, in which the Muslims of Ukraine take an active position.