News

Gadjimagomed Guseinov, the Director of the Department of Budget Policy in Economy Sectors of the Russian Ministry of Finance, has been appointed to the post of the acting Deputy Chairman of the Government of Dagestan (acting Vice Prime Minister).

Yuri Khachaturov, the Secretary General of the CSTO (Collective Security Treaty Organization, also known as the ODKB), who was accused within the case of dispersal of protest actions in Yerevan on March 1-2, 2008, was arrested until depositing a bail of over 10,000 US dollars.

In Chechen mosques, thousands of believers made their collective namazes (prayers) in connection with a complete lunar eclipse. Muslims were called to repeatedly remember the Almighty and pray for pardon, the Chechen Spiritual Administration of Muslims (SAM) has stated.

Ibragim Yangulbaev, a resident of Chechnya, arrested on charges of extremism, complained about a non-rendered medical help to him after a complex surgery. According to his defence, Yangulbaev is in grave condition, the "Novaya Gazeta" newspaper reports.

Zafar Akhmedov, an activist of the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (PFPA), has been arrested for 30 days on charges of disobeying the police. His arrest has to do with his struggle for the release of political prisoners, including his son Fuad Akhmedli, the PFPA has stated.

The information about the fabrication of the criminal case against the Chechen rights defender Oyub Titiev, persecutions of gays, "honour killings" and extrajudicial executions in Chechnya has not been confirmed, members of the Russian delegation told the UN Committee against Torture (CaT).

A Yerevan court has arrested Robert Kocharyan, the second president of Armenia, charged with dispersing demonstrators in 2008, for two months. His defence intends to appeal against the arrest.

Law enforcement sources have reported that on July 26 a search was conducted in a high-rise apartment house in the city of Derbent, which the locals took for a counterterrorist operation (CTO), intended to block militants.

Six employees of the Ingush Centre for Combating Extremism (CCE or "E" Centre) have been sentenced to imprisonment from three to 10 years; the seventh one received a conditional punishment.

Guests of Dagestan should be informed about the customs in the republic, believe some users of social networks who read a check list prepared by the "Rosseti" for its employees. Other Internet users criticized the idea of the company.

Law enforcers found one of the hideouts with weapons and ammunition in the vicinity of the Gubden village, while another was discovered near a car market in the suburbs of Makhachkala.

Investigators demanded to arrest Yuri Khachaturov, the Secretary General of the CSTO (Collective Security Treaty Organization, also known as the ODKB), accused of overthrowing the constitutional order of Armenia in connection with the dispersal of protests in Yerevan on March 1-2, 2008. This was reported by the Special Investigating Service (SIS) of Armenia.

The State Duma has adopted the law providing for voluntary study of native languages without taking into account the opinion of representatives of national republics, stated activists of the North-Caucasian NGOs. They have promised to seek the repeal of the law.

On July 26, members of the Grozny City Duma approved to the post of City Mayor Ibragim Zakriev, a nephew of Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov.

Law enforcers have explained the protraction in the investigation of the kidnapping of the Azerbaijani journalist Afghan Mukhtarly in Tbilisi by the absence of his testimony. Now, they have all the data for an objective and timely completion of the investigation, the defence has stated.

In Georgia, the fight against illegal felling led to clashes of residents of two villages with law enforcers. Locals treat felling as their only source of livelihood.

Russian State Duma MPs adopted the law on the native (national) languages on July 25. The new order of studying them will encourage some of the parents to refuse from their children's studying the mother tongue in favour of the Russian language; while Russian authorities will continue pursuing their policy of assimilating minor nations, residents of Dagestan have stated.

Investigators have requested the arrest of the second Armenian President, Robert Kocharyan, accused of overthrowing the constitutional order in connection with the dispersal of protests in Yerevan on March 1-2, 2008.

The Supreme Court (SC) of Chechnya has denied the defence's request to transfer Oyub Titiev, the head of the Grozny office of the Human Rights Centre (HRC) "Memorial", under house arrest and left him in custody until December 22.

In an apartment of the residential building cordoned off in Derbent, there are two alleged militants, a law enforcement source has reported.