News

Alexei Erkhov, the Russian Ambassador, has distorted history and insulted the Circassian nation, the Federation of Caucasian Associations of Turkey (Kafkas Dernekleri Federasyonu – KAFFED) and the Federation of Circassian Associations have stated in response to Ambassador's words about Circassians' criminal way of life and their peaceful resettlement from Northern Caucasus to Turkey as a result of the Caucasian War.

The Human Rights House Foundation (HRHF) has demanded from Azerbaijani authorities to allow peaceful meetings in central Baku, and to impartially investigate the excessive use of force by policemen during dispersal of the February 11 action.

In 2019, the average salary increased by 6% and reached 27,600 roubles, the "Chechenstat" has claimed. Most of employers offer much less salaries; and there were no bonuses or surpluses during the year, residents of the republic have stated.

The author of a letter to the editorial board of the "Novaya Gazeta" has threatened the journalist, Elena Milashina, with a "death sentence" for her publications about Chechnya and Ramzan Kadyrov. In another threat posted in social networks, the recent attack on Milashina in Grozny is called a warning to the Human Rights Centre (HRC) "Memorial".

Ruslan Turaev, a resident of Grozny, disappeared on February 9, and, as his relatives report, law enforcers refused to confirm his detention. They said that without the proper medications, Turaev could fall into coma. The Assembly of Caucasian Nations has urged the head of the Chechen Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) to help to set Turaev free.

The Azerbaijani Prosecutor's Office (PO) has issued a warning of non-compliance with the professional ethics to four journalists because of their participation in the action on February 11. In protest, journalists have torn the PO's notifications into pieces and demanded to investigate the actions of the policemen who interfered with their work.

Most of Kadyrov's relatives hold rank-and-file positions in law enforcement structures, the head of Chechnya himself has stated in response to criticism of his cadre decisions. At the same time, he admitted that the kinship with Akhmat-haji Kadyrov (Ramzan's father) promotes a career in Chechnya.

Law enforcers have associated the searches of the partners of the "Legal Initiative" conducted in Dagestan on February 13 with some operative-search activities, but failed to present specific grounds for such actions, Ksenia Babich, the press secretary of the "Legal Initiative", has informed.

Ayk Asryan, a contract soldier, has died from a gunshot wound, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR) has informed.

Public repentances widespread in Chechnya cannot be legal proof of a person's guilt, lawyers assert. The aim of forcing people to apologize is to intimidate them with a threat of humiliation, Lev Levinson, a human rights defender, believes.

Today, in Makhachkala, in the vicinity of the "Tangim" Mosque, law enforcers were asking people to produce their IDs. The law enforcers' attention was focused on men wearing beards, believers reported. The Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) called the raid an ordinary security event.

A resident of Ingushetia shelled law enforcers from a pistol while they were searching his house, sources reported. According to them, the attacker was Yunus Vidzizhev, a participant of March protests.

Today, volunteers of the "Neotlozhka" (Emergency Care) group will submit the last transfer to the arrested Ingush activists, and after that the project will be stopped, reports group leader Boris Kodzoev. The news aroused regret among relatives of the imprisoned activists.

The international organization "Reporters Without Borders" (RWB) engaged in protection of journalists condemned pressure on media correspondents in Azerbaijan during the parliamentary elections held on February 9 and called on the authorities to investigate all cases of attacks on journalists.

The traditional action in Stepanakert on the 32nd anniversary of the Karabakh liberation movement brought together about 40 veterans. The election campaign creates tensions and distracts local residents from republic's major problems, the veterans have stated.

Court marshals have reported about more than 100,000 cars in Chechnya, the registration of which was banned because of unpaid debts of owners thereof. The ban bring sufferings not only to debtors, but also the drivers, who have bought such cars not knowing about the debts, local residents have pointed out.

On February 13, Syrian MPs adopted a resolution recognizing and condemning the Armenian Genocide in the Ottoman Turkey. The Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) responded with words of gratitude.

In 2019, only six families took part in the state programme for the resettlement of Circassian compatriots to their homeland, said Asker Shkhalakhov, the head of the Adygean Committee on Nationalities.

The checkpoint staff is detaining heavy trucks with goods on the Russian-South-Ossetian border, demanding to fill in a detailed electronic declaration; and meanwhile foodstuffs get spoiled, entrepreneurs have complained. Under a threat of stop shipments, they demand to solve the problem.

The appointment of Ramzan Kadyrov's nephew as the head of his administration will increase the political status of Ibragim Zakriev in connection with his closeness to the head of Chechnya, Ruslan Kutaev, an Orientalist, has stated. The degree of influence of Chechen officials is defined by their personal relations with Kadyrov, Rinat Mukhametov, a political analyst, and Alexei Malashenko, an expert, have noted.