News

The Chechen TV Channel showed a story about distributing grocery sets and sacrificial sheep to the poor on behalf of the Ramzan Kadyrov's family. Islam does not welcome any PR steps using charity, notes Akhmet Yarlykapov, a researcher engaged in oriental studies.

On August 12, Kibar Khalvashi announced his intention to sell the "Rustavi-2" TV Company, explaining his decision by the company's debts in the amount of 70 million laris (almost USD 24 million) and the absence of his financial ability to maintain it. Mr Khalvashi intends to hold an auction and sell the TV company to the one who offers the highest price.

Animals and birds in Sochi are poisoned, which endangers people too, local residents assert.

On August 12, residents of Azerbaijan began celebrating Kurban Bayram (Eid al-Adha). Overall, 19 fairs have been organized in Baku for selling sacrificial animals. However, prices for sacrificial sheep are higher than recommended, buyers have complained.

Ramzan Kadyrov is able to realize his threats against commentators and bloggers; and after his statements some journalists will resort to self-censorship, Milrad Fatullaev editor-in-chief of the "Derbent" News Agency, and Rasul Asad, a blogger, believe.

Araik Gazaryan, a military serviceman of the Defence Army of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR), has defected to the enemy's side, the press service of the NKR's Ministry of Defence (MoD) has informed. The deserting soldier said that he had fled because of the lawlessness in his military unit, the Azerbaijani MoD has announced.

Journalist Maxim Shevchenko apologized with restrain for saying that Ramzan Kadyrov had "given back" in the discussion about Imam Shamil. The journalist had to "take back" his judgment after a call of Magomed Daudov.

In July, the Georgia's tourism businesses lost up to 60 million US dollars because of the ban on direct flights to Russia, reported Georgian Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze.

In Grozny, leaders of public sector enterprises ordered their subordinates to attend a football match between the "Akhmat" and "Spartak" FCs on the first day of Eid al-Adha, public sector employees complained. The practice to oblige people to attend sports events is usual for Chechnya only, note sports journalists interviewed by the "Caucasian Knot".

In Volgograd, seven LGBT activists were brought to police stations after they came to the square where an action sanctioned by the authorities was taking place, activist Vladislav Pogorelov reported.

In Chechnya, the first day of the Eid al-Adha holiday was held amid the growth of prices for sacrificial animals.

Celebration of Kurban Bayram (Eid al-Adha) in Southern Russia; CTO in Ingushetia; 20 years after militants' invasion into Dagestan and Ramzan Kadyrov's resonant statements on this occasion, – read about these and other events that happened in the Caucasus during the week of August 5-11, 2019, in the review prepared by the "Caucasian Knot".

During the week of August 5-11, 2019, at least one person was killed in the armed conflict in Northern Caucasus. No wounded were reported. These are the results of the calculations run by the "Caucasian Knot" based on its own materials and information from other open sources.

The defence will appeal against the decision of the Tbilisi City Court, which pronounced a pre-trial restriction measure in the form of more than 13,000 US dollars of bail against Nika Gvaramiya, the former general director of the "Rustavi-2" TV Channel, his advocate reported.

The Binagadi District Court of Baku has refused to satisfy the motion of the investigative journalist, Khadija Ismayilova, to terminate her probationary period of criminal punishment and to remove the conviction. She treats the court judgement as politically motivated and intends to appeal against it.

The Muftiate of Dagestan has scheduled the celebration of Kurban Bayram (Eid al-Adha) on August 12, while in other regions it is celebrated on August 11, residents of Dagestan have complained. Their opponents have urged to trust local theologians.

The exhibition "No to Occupation!" that opened in Tbilisi at the "Puenteseko" Club is timed to the 11th anniversary of the August 2008 war. Experts spoke at the exhibition about the consequences of the war on the villagers who found themselves in close proximity to the demarcation line.

Two years have passed since the disappearance in Grozny of the 25-year-old singer Zelimkhan Bakaev. Investigators have no data about the fate of the missing singer; while residents of Chechnya are sure that Bakaev has long been dead.

Ikram Ragimov has announced a hunger strike, demanding an objective consideration of his complaint in court. Despite the deteriorating state of health, he was placed into the dungeon (punishment cell), his relatives have informed.

On August 4-10, Azerbaijani soldiers fired about 600 rounds at the positions of the Defence Army, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR) has informed.