News

It is unlikely that political forces in Armenia will organize protests against the outcomes of parliamentary elections, as they will not be able to ensure the mass character thereof; and it will quickly bring the protest movement to nothing, local political analysts believe.

More than 20 people from Chechnya have appealed for help in connection with persecutions for their non-traditional sexual orientation; five of them have already left the republic, the "Russian LGBT-network" has reported.

Today, over 200 passenger cars took part in the motor rally in support of the truckers, who are on a strike against the "Platon" system, held near the village of Manas. The participants of the motor rally and truckers complained about provocations and pressure of power agents.

Today, law enforcers of Rostov-on-Don have made at least five visits in response to reports about suspicion objects. No explosive devices were found, said the Investigating Committee of the Russian Federation (ICRF).

Today, the strike of truckers of the Volgograd Region, who take part in the All-Russian action against the "Platon" system, was visited by Andrei Bazhutin, the leader of the Association of Russian Carriers (ARC). According to Mr Bazhutin and truckers, the authorities of the region are trying to establish a dialogue with them; while the protesters hope to convey their position to the Russian State Duma.

The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has no information about the offences committed under the influence of the literature of Jehovah's Witnesses, the spokesperson of the MoJ told the court. According to his story, the claimants also have no data about the number of religious associations of Jehovah's Witnesses.

Three Astrakhan fighters of the Russian “Natsgvardia” (National Guard of Russia), wounded in a shootout in Astrakhan, undergo preparations to be sent to a hospital in Moscow. Two of them stay at a resuscitation ward in a grave condition. This was reported by an official of the Department of the National Guard in the Astrakhan Region.

Five truck drivers were released from a police station after the protest action held in the vicinity of the Dagestani village of Tukhchar. Six other protestors are still being kept at the police station. This was reported by a father of one of the detainees.

In 2016, Northern Caucasus faced the noticeable intensification of armed clashes, and effectiveness of militant activities a number of losses of law enforcers in per every killed militant increased more than two times in comparison with 2015. The above trend persisted in early 2017, primarily because of the recent aggravation of the situation in Chechnya.

Today, in Russia, cinemas have shown the American film "Aftermath" based on the story of Vitaly Kaloev, a native of North Ossetia, who in 2002 lost his wife and children in a plane crash over Lake Constance. Vitaly Kaloev was sentenced for killing an air traffic controller whom he treated as a person guilty of the tragedy.

Candidates nominated by the Kabardino-Balkarian Human Rights Centre (HRC) did not join the new composition of the Public Oversight Commission (POC). Meanwhile, the Commission includes former policemen and staff members of the Department of federal Penitentiary Service (known as FSIN). This was reported by members of the human rights centre.

Investigators believe that the attackers on power agents were also involved in shelling policemen on April 4.

In the case of Mardiros Demerchyan, who complained about torture at a police station, a protocol on administrative violation drawn up on June 12, 2013 disappeared. The court refused the defence's proposal to examine the photocopies of the protocol.

At the request of the Ministry of Justice (MoJ), the courts' decisions to recognize the literature of Jehovah's Witnesses as extremist were attached to the materials of the case against the Administrative Centre of the Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia. According to an advocate, almost all 17 motions filed by the defence were dismissed by the court.

At the trial on plotting of a terror act in Rostov-on-Don, defendant Arthur Panov has claimed that he was poisoned after his arrest. The defendant has requested the court to appoint a forensic medical examination of his health state. The court granted the motion.

After in the vicinity of the village of Tukhchar, truck drivers on protest against the "Platon" system have refused to leave the place of the protest, the police used force against them. About ten people were detained, report the truck drivers who took part in the rally.

Today, in Karachay-Cherkessia, drivers of heavy trucks have sent an appeal to the regional branch of the "Edinaya Rossiya"(United Russia) Party with the demand to cancel the "Platon" system. They have also applied to the State TV and Radio Company (STRC) "Karachay-Cherkessia" with a request to highlight the protest action.

In the Prokhladnensky District, the police put pressure on truck drivers on strike. Policemen stop the truck drivers who want to join the protest. This was reported by protesters. The police state that they do not create obstacles for the protest.

Seven months after the verdict pronounced by the Shali District Court against Zhaladi Geriev, the Presidium of the Supreme Court (SC) of Chechnya has agreed with the defence's arguments that Zhaladi Geriev, a "Caucasian Knot" correspondent, did not acquire drugs. In fact, the Chechen SC has recognized Zhaladi Geriev as innocent, but still made the ridiculous decision to uphold the verdict of guilty. This was reported by advocate Alaudi Musaev.

At today’s court session, Shagid Gubashev, a defendant in the Boris Nemtsov's murder case, has agreed to answer only the questions of the defence and the jury, explaining that he had learned about the murder of Nemtsov from TV news and paid no attention to it.