News

The Institute for Reporters' Freedom and Safety (IRFS) has condemned the decisions in the cases against Aziz Orudjev, the executive director of the "Kanal-13" TV Channel, and blogger Mekhman Guseinov. The IRFS has come to the conclusion that overall pressure against the independent media of Azerbaijan is accompanied by tightening of the authorities' control over the Internet.

In Yerevan, participants of a motor rally have demanded to withdraw the bill to ban import of right-hand-drive cars to Armenia.

The Sovietsky District Court of Makhachkala has returned the case of journalist Idris Yusupov, who was detained on charges of disobedience to law enforcers, back to the police to correct the deficiencies.

A criminal case has been opened on the fact of an armed attack on Vyacheslav Prudnikov, a "Caucasian Knot" journalist, under Article 115 "Deliberate infliction of slight health damage" of the Russian Criminal Code. All night long a policeman was on duty in Prudnikov's hospital ward.

On December 19, the Moscow International University of International Relations (known as MGIMO) hosted a scientific and practical seminar on the topic "Nikolai Fyodorovich Dubrovin – a Classic of Russian Caucasus Studies" dedicated to the historian's jubilee. December 8 is the 180th anniversary of his birth.

Today, Idris Yusupov, a correspondent of the Dagestani newspaper "Novoe Delo", has been brought to the ROVD (District Interior Division) after he recorded on video raids by law enforcers near a Salafi mosque. He was accused of disobeying the demands of policemen, the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) explained.

Today, after a meeting with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov, British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson has drawn attention to the problem of persecution of LGBT community members in Chechnya.

On December 21, at the checkpoint "Verkhny Lars" in North Ossetia, border guards detained a foreigner suspected of involvement in terrorist activities.

The eviction of Isa Yamadaev's family members was accompanied by beatings, a source from the "Rosbalt" reports.

The inclusion of the Chechen leader in the Magnitsky List will not inflict any damage if Ramzan Kadyrov is not going to visit the United States. Meanwhile, Russian politicians use their inclusion in the sanctions list as an indicator of their loyalty to the Kremlin. This opinion was voiced by the experts questioned by the "Caucasian Knot".

In Sochi, courts pronounced decisions to deport from the country 14 people, citizens of Uzbekistan and Ukraine. However, instead of sending them to a special detention centre, the migrants were left in the unsuitable premises of the court marshal service, with no shower and no toilet. The detainees also do not get food, the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent reports.

On December 21, the Kabardino-Balkarian State University (KBSU) hosted a scientific and practical seminar of teachers of the Kabardian language and literature. The event was attended by specialists, philologists, teachers, students of the KBSU's Philological Department, and NGO activists. This was reported by the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent who attended the event.

The Russian Academy of National Economy and Public Service has expelled five students, who forced another student to apologize for his words about Caucasian girls, a university source has stated.

Participants in the rally in Gori have marked the 138th birthday of Joseph Stalin by the opening of his plaster bust in the central square of the city.

Today, in the city of Gudermes, policemen were searching for persons from the wanted list, the spokesman of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) of Chechnya has stated.

Vyacheslav Prudnikov, a journalist of the "Caucasian Knot", received gunshot wounds at an armed attack in the Rostov Region. He was operated on, and associates the attack with his professional work for the "Caucasian Knot".

400 fighters of a unit controlled by Ramzan Kadyrov assault the Yamadaev family's house in Gudermes, the "Rosbalt" reports.

The Baku railway station, closed today for verification after a report on a bomb, has resumed its usual work.

Junior Lieutenant Khas-Magomed Kadyrov, appointed in November the chief of the Grozny Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA), "put an end to the drug business in Chechnya" when he headed the Drugs Control Department. This has been stated today by Zhambulat Umarov, Chechen Minister for National Policy.

Today, delegates of the Legislative Assembly for the Krasnodar Territory have unanimously voted to ban journalists of US editions recognized as foreign agents from attending sessions of the Krasnodar Legislative Assembly.