DERBENT, June 28. /TASS/. Russia has profound respect for Quran and religious feelings of Muslims, and disrespect for the holy book is a crime in Russia, Russian President Vladimir Putin said.

"It is a holy thing for Muslims and it’s holy for everyone else. We know that they do differently in other countries: They don’t respect people’s religious feelings and on top of that they say it’s not a crime," he said when visiting Dzhuma Mosque in the Dagestani town of Derbent.

"In our country it’s a crime - both under the Constitution and Article 282 of the Russian Federation’s Criminal Code. It is a crime to have no respect and stoke inter-faith discord," Putin said. "We will always abide by these legislative rules."