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The Russian vaccine contains no animal components; its use has already been approved in a number of Muslim countries, the developers of the "Sputnik V" vaccine have stated. However, believers have reasonable doubts about the safety of the vaccine; and some Muslims have come under the influence of conspiracy theories, clergymen and Islamic scholars have stated.

The National Security Service (NSS) of Armenia has banned journalists from working in the border villages of the Syunik Region without special permits. This ban is contrary to the Armenian Constitution and points to possible new territorial concessions from Yerevan, journalists have stated.

Two advocates of the Telegram chat moderators, who had been taken from Nizhny Novgorod to Chechnya, have left the republic without having achieved a meeting with their clients, but appealed in court their the non-admission to the brothers, the "Russian LGBT Network" has informed.

In the place of the explosion in a supermarket in Vladikavkaz, no traces of explosives were found; the version of a terror act is out of question, the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) has stated. No casualties were found under the rubble, the North-Ossetian authorities have reported.

At a picket in Makhachkala, female relatives of Islam Barzukaev and Gasan Kurbanov, residents of Derbent, claimed that an investigator ordered to remove the advocate of the defendants and thus deprived them of their right to defence. A mother of Mirzaali Mirzaliev, the third defendant in the case on terrorism, complains that investigators are forcing him to incriminate Islam Barzukaev and Gasan Kurbanov.

The reconstruction of the Tskhinvali water intake, as well as the construction of a school and eight more facilities will be stopped if MPs do not approve the budget of South Ossetia in the next month, the Minister of Construction announces. The opposition disrupted one more session of the parliament, because the agenda did not include the issue of the General Prosecutor's resignation, MP David Sanakoev explains.

The Investigating Committee of the Russian Federation (ICRF) brought charges against three more Ingush natives in absentia in a case on an attack on Ibragim Eldjarkiev, the chief of the Ingush Centre for Combating Extremism (CCE, also known as Centre "E"), and put them on the wanted list, a source reported. One of the new suspects was arrested in absentia.

The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) approved a proposal of the Azerbaijan's authorities to pay 4000 euros to each of seven believers who complained about violation of their rights. Officials are trying to settle the claims lodged to the ECtHR before its verdict, since the European Court proactively awards higher compensations, lawyer Khalid Agaliev explains.

After their meeting with the MP, who invited them to discuss their demands with the mining company, workers of a Tkibuli mine agreed to suspend their protest strike. No official agreements have been reached yet; and if their demands are not met, the strike will be resumed, miners have stated.

An action in Tbilisi against the curfew introduced due to coronavirus has ended in a clash with law enforcers; two activists were arrested for disobeying the police.

Relatives of missing servicemen blocked traffic in the street near the building of the Armenian Government for an hour. They demanded from authorities to urgently approve the list of those who are still in Azerbaijani captivity.

Mekhti Ibragimov, a son of Mamed Ibragim, a member of the Presidium of the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (PFPA), convicted to conditional imprisonment for coronavirus spread, is being persecuted because of his father's political activities, human rights defenders assert, noting that the practice, when relatives suffer because of activists' viewpoints, is widespread in Azerbaijan.

The verdict to Said-Mukhammad Djumaev, a native of Chechnya, who was arrested after a fight with law enforcers at a rally in Moscow, depends on political circumstances, but now he should not expect any leniency, Timofei Shirokov, a lawyer, believes. Close attention to Djumaev's case can bring both pros and cons in sentencing, said Svetlana Gannushkina, the chair of the "Civil Assistance" Committee.

Amid some decrease of coronavirus cases, it is reasonable to cancel the mask mode regime only after a gradual lifting of all other restrictions, Andrei Makashov, a virologist believes. It is difficult to say unequivocally what the reason for the drop of the incidence is; therefore, it is worth observing the sanitary measures as long as possible, Alyona Vilina, a doctor, has noted.

In Azerbaijan, a secretary of court hearings of the Barda District Court is accused of fraud. The Azerbaijan's judicial system needs radical reforms, and some isolated manifestations of the fight against corruption will not solve the problems, analysts say.

By taking part in a protest action in support of Alexei Navalny in Moscow, Said-Mukhammad Djumaev showed the Russian authorities that the Ramzan Kadyrov's ability to control natives of Chechnya was exaggerated, says human rights defender Ruslan Kutaev. An investigation into the Said-Mukhammad Djumaev's case will not be long, and the verdict is unlikely to be mild, lawyers predict.

Nalchik residents Alexander Knyazev and Valery Levdik left a police station with clear signs of beating on their bodies, parents of the victims claim in court. Both young men told their relatives that they had to incriminate themselves by signing a confession to theft.

Having been ahead of other governors with the lifting of the mask regime, Ramzan Kadyrov tries to demonstrate the Russian authorities that Chechnya defeated the coronavirus epidemic earlier than other regions, Caucasus expert Mikhail Roschin and human rights defender Svetlana Gannushkina note.

Law enforcers have detained Zarema Makhmudova, a resident of the Gudermes District, and the theologian, Adam Elzhurkaev, has reprimanded her for providing occult services. The two women who had turned to Makhmudova for help were also publicly scolded.

A landslide has destroyed a road and houses in the village of Bedia du, Tkuarchal District, but the people who have lost their homes receive no help from the authorities, local residents have complained. Authorities have reported the situation to the government of Abkhazia and are waiting for its reaction, the head of the village has explained.