News

In Georgia, the LGBT community is becoming more active, but at the same time, the aggression against it is also growing. This opinion was voiced by political analysts interviewed by the "Caucasian Knot".

Ekaterina Beseliya, a member of the Georgian parliament, requested the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) and the General Prosecutor's Office to release "the final information" concerning the case on dissemination of the video with her intimate life.

Activists who oppose gay parades began to create a legion to counteract the LGBT Week expected on June 18-23, reported businessman Levan Vasadze, one of the initiators of the legion's creation.

The visit of Chechen law enforcers to Kizlyar and Kadyrov's promise to "break fingers" to commentators are a threat to public safety in Dagestan; the federal authorities should interfere and ensure a competent investigation of the incident, Magomedrasul Guseinov, an activist, said in his appeal to President Putin and heads of law enforcement agencies.

On June 15, relatives of Islam Barzukaev, Mirazali Mirzaliev and Gasan Kurbanov, residents of Derbent, turned to the police to report their kidnapping. On June 16, it became known that all the three were detained for weapon possession, relatives reported.

Kemal Tambiev, a resident of Dagestan, suspected, along with journalist Gadjiev of financing terrorism, was taken to the court with traces of physical violence and told at the session that he had been beaten up.

In their statement posted in social networks, members of the NGO "Khabze" have expressed their outrage at the charges brought against their leader, Martin Kochesoko, and demanded his release.

A large-scale action against LGBT people will be held next week in Georgia, Levan Vasadze, a businessman, has announced, noting that protesters are ready to confront policemen. In his turn, Giorgi Burdjanadze, Deputy Ombudsperson, has called on opponents to the gay parade not to abuse the freedom of self-expression.

The "Grozny" ChGTRK (Chechen State TV and Radio Company) has screened a story about three residents of the republic, who apologized for buying alcohol during the Muslim holiday. Social network users argued about whether a policeman could reprimand them for violating religious norms. Because of the actual "dry law" in force in Chechnya, young people had to go to Dagestan, but, nevertheless, could not escape public condemnation, local residents report.

The harsh reaction of Chechen authorities to the demolition of road signs on the Chechen-Dagestani border is adequate to the situation, the Chechens-Akkins living in Dagestan believe. The intervention of Chechen authorities has prevented a more serious conflict, residents of the Shelkovskoy District of the Chechen Republic consider.

Colleagues and relatives of Abdulmumin Gadjiev, a reporter of the Dagestani weekly "Chernovik", have created a committee in his support and intend to seek to remove suspicions of financing terrorism from the journalist.

In his video appeal, a resident of Dagestan has criticized Ramzan Kadyrov for the arrival of Magomed Daudov, Speaker of the Chechen Parliament, to the Kizlyar District.

During the week of June 9-15, Azerbaijani soldiers shelled the positions of the Defence Army of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR) from small arms and grenade launchers, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) of the NKR has informed.

Seven persons, who tried to prevent the LGBT action in front of the Georgian government building, were arrested; 21 more detainees were released under the recognizance not to leave the place.

After detention of Martin Kochesoko, the head of the Circassian NGO named "Khabze", his hands were sprinkled with marijuana; he was threatened with murder; therefore, the activist was forced to confess to drug possession, a source has stated.

In Northern Caucasus, there was no tradition to perpetuate rulers in names; therefore, the "Akhmatization" of Chechnya is akin to the cults of Lenin and Stalin, Orientalists have commented on the renaming of the Chechen cycling club "Gorets" (Highlander) into "Akhmat".

In France, courts have cancelled four friendship declarations signed by French and Karabakh cities. The Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR) has welcomed the statements of the Mayors of the French cities of Valence, Bourg-les-Valence, Bourg-de-Péage and Arnaville about the intention to maintain friendly relations with their twin cities.

On June 14, a Baku court ruled to place journalist, Polad Aslanov, accused of high treason, in custody.

LGBT activists have gathered outside the government building in Tbilisi, protesting against the statement of the Patriarchate about the unacceptability of the gay parade. Eight of the participants in the counteraction were detained for disobeying the police.

One of the supporters and one of the opponents of the second Armenian President Robert Kocharyan, who gathered outside the courthouse in Yerevan, were detained for violating the order. The judge, who is considering Kocharyan's case, refused to self-disqualify.