Calls for, and practical attempts of introduction of the sharia laws are the core issue of the contemporary process of Islamic resurgence in the North Caucasus. In 1997 the Chechen Republic... Show moreCalls for, and practical attempts of introduction of the sharia laws are the core issue of the contemporary process of Islamic resurgence in the North Caucasus. In 1997 the Chechen Republic officially proclaimed itself an Islamic State living by the s h a r i a. Despite some shortcomings of the Chechen experience in this respect, the idea of the s h a r i a's enactment is nevertheless getting more public attention and proponents in other north-Caucasian republics, Dagestan in particular. Show less