News

Election of Nikol Pashinyan as the Prime Minister of Armenia; bombing of the tomb of Sheikh of Chirkei in Dagestan, – see the review of these and other events in the Caucasus during the week of May 7-13, 2018, prepared by the "Caucasian Knot".

During the week of May 7-14, 2018, there were no victims to the armed conflict in Northern Caucasus. These are the results of the calculations run by the "Caucasian Knot" based on its own materials and information from other open sources.

After negotiations with protesters, Giorgi Gakhariya, Georgian Minister of Internal Affairs, came out to participants of the action "For Our Freedom" and apologized for a special operation in nightclubs.

Ramzan Kadyrov, the leader of Chechnya, has confirmed the Chechen origin of an attacker on passers-by in Paris. Meanwhile, he has said that Khamzat Azimov had long been living in France and the French authorities were responsible for his deed.

A man who killed one and wounded four other passers-by in Paris on May 12 turned out to be a native of Chechnya, a source from the French judicial authorities report. Responsibility for the terror act was claimed by the "Islamic State" (IS) banned in Russia.

Madina Naloeva, a resident of Kabardino-Balkaria, has reported that a wife of her son and two of her grandchildren are awaiting a trial at an Iraqi prison in awful conditions. Appeals to the authorities with a request to return the children home remained unanswered, the woman notes.

The Armenian President has approved the candidatures of 13 ministers and one vice-prime minister, proposed by the Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. Formation of a new Cabinet of Ministers (Government) is over.

Tbilisi protesters have asked to withdraw special fighters from the territory of the protest action, stating that it is a peaceful demonstration. At the request of the protesters, the police blocked one roadway lane, so that they could occupy it.

The protest action "For our freedom" is being held in Tbilisi. Its participants demanded to dismiss Giorgi Gakhariya, the head of the Georgian Minister of Internal Affairs (NIA), from the post and punish those who used force at dispersing the rally against police raids over nightclubs.

The Trans-Anatolian gas pipeline, through which gas from Azerbaijan will be delivered to Turkey and further to Europe, will start working on June 12, the Turkish Energy Minister has announced.

The Azerbaijani Ministry of Defence (MoD) has reported that within the last 24 hours Armenian militaries violated the ceasefire in the Karabakh conflict zone for 95 times.

Several hundred people gathered for a spontaneous rally in central Tbilisi to protest against drug policemen's raiding over nightclubs. During the rally, Zurab Djaparidze, the head of the "Girchi" Party, and Beka Tsikarishvili, the leader of the White Noise Movement, were detained.

The blocking of Arshakunyats Avenue in Yerevan was a warning to the new Armenian authorities on the readiness of "Sasna Tsrer" supporters to seek the release of all political prisoners in the country. This was stated by activists.

For the courage demonstrated in defending human rights, Oyub Titiev, the head of the Grozny branch of the Human Rights Centre (HRC) "Memorial", has been awarded by the Moscow Helsinki Group (MHG).

Chechen authorities present the distribution of food parcels from behalf of the Akhmat Kadyrov Foundation as a large-scale event, although it has not become a significant support for needy families.

Unan Pogosyan, Deputy Chief of the Armenian Police, has stated his resignation today without specifying the reasons.

Nikol Pashinyan, the Prime Minister of Armenia, has announced the appointment of David Tonoyan, the former head of the Ministry for Emergencies (MfE), to the post of the Defence Minister. Political analysts believe that other civil society figures and some former officials may join the new government.

Two policemen have wounded each other during a quarrel; one of them was hospitalized. Also, a witness of the incident has suffered.

On May 10, activists of the movement "Force in Unity" patrolled several villages near the border of Georgia and South Ossetia, which was closed on holidays of May 7-10.

An explosion at the tomb of Sheikh Said-Afandi of Chirkei is a sign of the agony of the Dagestani armed underground, which could be caused by the desire of militants to report to their patrons and prove there was an active combat unit in the republic. This opinion was voiced by analysts interviewed by the "Caucasian Knot".