The Armenian branch of the Sputnik network of websites, which is part of the state-owned news agency «Russia Today» and whose editor-in-chief is Margarita Simonyan, published an openly Islamophobic satirical article with the self-explanatory title «Voluntary Apostasy or the Dangers of Armenians Converting to Islam» (https://ru.armeniasputnik.am/columnists/20210704/28171302/Dobrovolnoe-otstupnichestvo-ili-Chem-opasno-obraschenie-armyan-v-islam—.html). The content of the article is clear from its title. And considering that it was published on the website of a Russian state media, where Muslims are the second largest religious group and whose leadership regularly talks about their love for Islam both in the country and worldwide, one wonders how it is possible for a Russian state media to openly state that the conversion of Armenians to Islam poses a danger.
But this question is only rhetorical. Because we know very well how the Russian government really views Islam. And even more, we know very well how it treats those representatives of ethnicities who convert to Islam, which is considered «non-traditional». At least that is how its enemies want to portray it, because in fact, in many cases throughout history, many of these people have embraced Islam. Including, by the way, the Armenians mentioned here.
Besides, Simonyan and her gang of parasites who live off Russian taxpayers, including Muslims, have publicly expressed their true attitude toward Islam on several occasions (https://golosislama.com/news.php?id=39715).
But in this case something else is interesting — the reason for writing this Islamophobic satire was the visits of Armenians to the Chechen Republic of Russia for the purpose of conversion to Islam in the presence of representatives of its official Muslim spiritual leadership.
After listing several such facts, the journalist from the Simonyan clique writes: «Reports of indirect encouragement of ‘Armenian apostates’ by the spiritual leaders of Chechnya cannot be ignored. This can hardly be called a friendly gesture. It is even more surprising that these facts are made public and spread». And then he writes that «by encouraging Armenians to apostasy, the imams are helping to turn them into tools of influence for foreign intelligence services».
So what does this mean? Either the Chechen authorities are accused of simultaneously helping Armenians to convert to Islam and recruiting them as agents for the Russian intelligence services, but then it means that the Armenian branch of the Russian agency «Sputnik» considers the Russian intelligence services hostile to Armenia, which is an obvious absurdity. Or they accuse the Chechen authorities of facilitating the recruitment of people to convert to Islam with their support by foreign intelligence services hostile to both Armenia and Russia. This, in turn, suggests that the Chechen authorities are not serving Russian interests, but are working for foreign intelligence agencies.
This is much more likely, considering the regular attacks on Kadyrov by the Simonyan clique, accusing him of being a hidden separatist, Islamist, etc. And in this case, the reason for such an attack was the encroachment of the pro-Russian Chechen authorities on the «sacred» — the flock of the Armenian Apostolic Church (AAC), whose agents have long been entrenched in the corridors of the Russian media and authorities.
However, our concern is not so much the relationship between Kremlin propagandists and Ramzan Kadyrov. What concerns us is the attitude of Kremlin propaganda and Islamophobic lobbies in Russian politics and media towards the millions of Muslims in Russia, whose religion they see as a threat.
In this case it is exactly that, because the acceptance of Islam by Armenians is seen as a threat not somewhere in Syria or in the mountains of Chechnya, but in their official mosques. Or perhaps, so that Armenians don’t have to travel so far to convert to Islam, they should consider building a mosque in Yerevan under the supervision of one of Russia’s official Muslim spiritual authorities? After all, if Islam is a fully recognized religion in Russia, as its authorities claim, and Armenia is an ally of Russia, according to its authorities and the presence of a Russian military base there, then what problems could there be with Armenians embracing a friendly religion of a friendly country under the auspices of its official clergy?