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Agence France-Presse

A Siberian shaman whose group slaughtered and burned five camels in a ceremony he said would “strengthen Russia” spoke out Thursday in a defence of a ritual that horrified many.
The group, based in the eastern Siberian city of Angarsk, this month posted an online video showing the burning of chopped-up Bactrian camels on an open-air pyre.

The video, which was widely shared on social media but has now been removed from YouTube, prompted accusations of animal cruelty and sparked a rift in the shaman community.
Prosecutors have called for the shaman group, named Eternally Blue Sky, to face trial for animal cruelty, which carries a maximum five-year prison sentence in Russia.
It’s time to outlaw animal cruelty in China
The leader of Eternally Blue Sky, Artur Tsybikov said the ritual sacrifice on February 1 was part of traditional beliefs and is only held once every 300 years.
“We must not disobey the gods,” he said.
He insisted “the animals were killed humanely” since shamans view camels as sacred.


Shamans are believed in some cultures to be able to communicate with spirits and heal people while in a state of trance or through rituals.
In Russia, shamanism is practised among indigenous peoples in parts of Siberia and the Far East.
Police investigate after dead cat found outside school with burns on body
Double-humped Bactrian camels have long been bred in Siberia due to their hardy nature and ability to carry loads over long distances, as well as for their meat and wool.
“It’s our tradition, I don’t see anything wrong. We slaughtered them, cut them up and cooked them,” Tsybikov said.

Shamans held the ceremony to strengthen Russia as it endures political and social turmoil, he said.
“We have pension reforms and people are unhappy, we have (Western) sanctions – a lot of things are happening,” said Tsybikov, who lives in Angarsk, an industrial city more than 4,000km (2,600 miles) east of Moscow.
Chinese merry-go-round with live ponies sparks claims of cruelty
Prosecutors in Angarsk on Wednesday said they had sent their findings on the ritual to police, requesting them to open a criminal case, TASS news agency reported.

The leader of Russia’s shamans distanced himself from the ritual, issuing a statement in which he called for Tsybikov to lose his status as his regional deputy.
Chinese tourists throw rocks at monster croc in latest cruelty outrage
Shaman leader Dopchun-ool Kara-ool Tyulyushevich, who is based in eastern Siberia’s Tuva region, said the ritual was not true shamanism.
“They killed five camels. That’s sadism. A shaman should love people, nature, animals and birds. But they don’t love anyone,” he said.


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Russia

Camel-burning ritual condemned as ‘sadism’, but Siberian shaman says animal sacrifices will ‘strengthen Russia’

Drums are played as part of a camel-burning shaman ritual in  in the eastern Siberian city of Angarsk. Photo: YouTube / Eternally Blue Sky

A pile of camel parts is set on fire as part of a shaman ritual in  in the eastern Siberian city of Angarsk. Photo: YouTube / Eternally Blue Sky

A camel is led away to be slaughtered, dismembered, and set on fire as part of a shaman ritual in the eastern Siberian city of Angarsk. Photo: YouTube / Eternally Blue Sky

It’s time to outlaw animal cruelty in China

Pet groomers take part in a qualification test in Changsha, Hunan. China is materially and philosophically ready to legislate for animal protection. Photo: Reuters

This video frame grab received from China's state broadcaster CCTV on July 25, 2016 shows a tiger (far R) attacking a passenger after she stepped out a car at Beijing Badaling Wildlife World on July 23, 2016. Tigers at a wildlife park in Beijing killed one woman and injured another after the pair left their vehicle following an argument, Chinese media reported on July 24. / AFP PHOTO / CCTV / CCTV / - China OUT / -----EDITORS NOTE --- RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO / CCTV" - NO MARKETING - NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS - NO ARCHIVES

A man delivers lotus flowers with his dog for company on the streets of Beijing, China, Friday, July 15, 2016. China's economic growth held steady in the most recent quarter, according to official data released Friday, indicating policies meant to counter the slowdown in the world's second biggest economy are paying off for the moment.(AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

=== NO ARCHIVE IMAGE === ATN. DOG02. SCMP Pictures (UNDATED HANDOUT)

Dead cat with burns on body found outside Hong Kong secondary school, prompting animal cruelty investigation

The cat was found at Siu Hong Road in Tuen Mun. Photo: Handout

Chinese merry-go-round with live ponies sparks online accusations of cruelty

A merry-go-round using live ponies has been suspended at a shopping centre in China’s southwestern Sichuan province following an online uproar over animal cruelty. Source: Thepaper.cn

A shopping mall in Chengdu, Sichuan province decided to use real horses for their merry-go-round. They had to suspend the project after internet users criticised of animal cruelty. 20NOV18. Source: QQ.com

Chinese tourists throw rocks at monster croc in latest zoo cruelty outrage

Asia’s largest crocodile in captivity has been injured by a group of Chinese tourists who threw a large rock at it, drawing criticism on social media for animal cruelty. Photo: Weibo

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Russia & Central Asia

Five double-humped Bactrian camels were slaughtered, chopped up and burned in the ritual in the eastern Siberian city of Angarsk
The shaman group Eternally Blue Sky defended the sacrifices, saying they were only conducted once every 300 years


Five double-humped Bactrian camels were slaughtered, chopped up and burned in the ritual in the eastern Siberian city of Angarsk. The shaman group Eternally Blue Sky defended the sacrifices, saying they were only conducted once every 300 years.
