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Spread of the coronavirus infection in the Caucasus; celebration of Eid al-Fitr amid the pandemic; unofficial information about the Ramzan Kadyrov's illness, – see the review of these and other events in the Caucasus during the week of May 18-24, 2020, prepared by the "Caucasian Knot".

The clemency of the oppositional leaders, Irakli Okruashvili and Giorgi Ugulava, which was agreed with the leadership of the ruling party, will be followed by the release of the oppositionist Giorgi Rurua, the political analysts interviewed by the "Caucasian Knot" have suggested.

During the week of May 18-24, 2020, in the armed conflict in Northern Caucasus, seven people suffered: six were killed and one was wounded. These are the results of the calculations run by the "Caucasian Knot" based on its own materials and information from other open sources.

The restrictions imposed in connection with coronavirus made changes in the celebration of Eid al-Fitr in the republics of Northern Caucasus. Local residents have welcomed the holiday in their families; they almost did not visit cemeteries, and congratulated each other over the phone.

The law enforcers, who used force against three women advocates in the police station of the city of Nartkala, should be severely punished; and this fact should have a wide public outcry in the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic (KBR), social network users assert.

Festive namazes (prayers) and sermons on the occasion of Eid al-Fitr were held on May 24 in the mosques of Tbilisi and Batumi. Mosque workers made sure that believers observe the social distance.

In his congratulation on Eid al-Fitr, Ramzan Kadyrov did not appear in the video clip, but recorded only his voice, residents of Chechnya have noted. It is possible that he is really sick, they have suggested.

After the premiere in the USA of the documentary "Welcome to Chechnya", telling about persecutions for sexual orientation, it will be screened in Russia, says Askold Kurov, a cameraman.

The alleged militants killed in Dagestan had recently returned to their native village from Moscow, where they left for earnings, a source of the "Kommersant" newspaper asserts. Law enforcers should provide proofs of their links with militants, commentators to the posts about the counterterrorist operation (CTO) insist, recalling the murder of the Gasanguseinov shepherds.

Djalil Zabidov, a school teacher from the village of Dyallyaklyar of the Yardimli District, a member of the D18 movement, has been sentenced to five months in prison on charges of hooliganism. Activists believe that he is being persecuted for his protests against falsifications at parliamentary elections in Azerbaijan.

Ramzan Kadyrov is healthy, Magomed Daudov, the Speaker of the Chechen Parliament, said after reports of hospitalization of the head of the region with suspicion of COVID-19. However, Adam Delimkhanov, an advisor to the head of Chechnya, said that he was praying for Kadyrov's recovery.

Five of the six alleged militants killed in Dagestan have been identified. The wounded participant in the counterterrorist operation (CTO) is in grave condition, the TASS has informed.

Azerbaijan has suffered losses in a shootout while attempting a diversionary invasion, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR) has reported.

Fuad Ismailov, an activist, has been arrested for 60 days in Azerbaijan. He is charged with drug use. This is his second arrest within the last three months on the same charge. NGOs believe that he is being persecuted for political reasons.

Residents of Grozny can get permits for shopping and moving around the city only for pre-determined hours; and every day they can go out for only two hours. Some Grozny residents have such permitted hours not coinciding with the working hours of trading enterprises; and on the eve of the Eid al-Fitr, there are long lines in stores, and people fail to buy groceries within the prescribed hours.

The banquet participants on the occasion of the inauguration of President of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR) have violated the self-isolation regime and should be fined, the "Union of Informed Citizens" has stated.

The count of coronavirus infection cases in Southern Caucasus, including the unrecognized republics, reached 10,598. The number of COVID-19 deaths in the region has increased to 133 due to recent four deaths in Armenia and two in Azerbaijan.

The authorities have acted inconsistently by reducing the permissible number of meeting participants amid the weakening of quarantine, the Yerevan Press Club and the Helsinki Assembly of Armenia have noted. The authorities have no reason to fear large-scale protests, political analysts believe.

Six militants were killed in a special operation in the Khasavyurt District, when they rendered resistance while law enforcers tried to detain them, the National Antiterrorist Committee (NAC) reported.

A special counterterrorist operation (CTO), during which four suspected militants were cordoned off in a private house in the Khasavyurt District, was preceded by a shootout in the Tabasaran District on April 16.