News

In the case on a photo of the monument "Motherland Calls!" poured with green paint, investigators have changed the status of Alexei Volkov, the coordinator of the opposition leader Alexei Navalny's office in Volgograd, from a witness to a suspect. Alexei Volkov is suspected of rehabilitating Nazism, and he had to sign recognizance not to leave the city.

On July 20, the Yerevan authorities almost completely dismantled one of the old clothing markets located in Firdusi Street in the centre of Yerevan. This time, sellers did not resist officials of the Mayor's Office, the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent reports.

The compensations totalling more than 51,000 euros have been awarded to five applicants from Azerbaijan, who challenged the lawfulness of their detentions and administrative arrests for participation in peaceful protests.

Ten sculptors from Poland, Serbia, Egypt, India, Armenia, and Nagorno-Karabakh have granted to the city of Shushi their sculptures created within the fifth international symposium named after Akop Gyurdjyan in Nagorno-Karabakh, the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent reports.

Maryam Kachmazova, a 49-year-old native of North Ossetia, who was deported from Italy, has stated that the charges of terrorism put forward against her and her husband, the 38-year-old Ali Bambataliev, had been fabricated.

Samurzakan (Murzakan) Abkhazians should get the right to change their surnames from Georgian to Abkhaz ones – this is the appeal addressed by the delegates of the Congress of Samurzakan Abkhazians to the republic's authorities.

Investigators have questioned two Chechen residents, who, according to the "Novaya Gazeta", were persecuted as members of the LGBT community; both deny that they are gays, said Tatiana Moskalkova, Russian Ombudsperson.

US journalist David Scott, an author of a release of the "Real Sports" show on the HBO TV Channel, dedicated to the development of martial arts in Chechnya, described his meeting with Ramzan Kadyrov in June 2017.

The decision to appeal against the verdict handed down in Baku to blogger Alexander Lapshin will depend on his personal will, said Eduard Chernin, his advocate. In his opinion, an appeal should be submitted for Lapshin's complete acquittal, and in case it is rejected, one may expect his extradition to Russia or Ukraine.

The Commission of the Council of Judges for the Krasnodar Territory, engaged in the audit provoked by reports on expenses for a wedding party for a daughter of Judge Elena Khakhaleva, has got "almost all" documents from the organizers of the holiday.

The Baku Court has found blogger Alexander Lapshin guilty of illegally crossing the Azerbaijani border and sentenced him to three years of imprisonment in a common-security penal colony.

Dmitry Medvedev, the chair of the Russian government, has signed a resolution to allocate money to North Ossetia for completion of the housing arrangement for the victims of the Beslan terror act.

Family members of Sharip Zaipullaev, a resident of the Vladimir Region, who was kidnapped and then found dead in a blown-up car, were invited to re-take DNA sample tests. The body has not yet been given out for burial, the man's relatives reported.

On July 19, Sochi opened the 13th "Crescendo" International Music Festival organized by Denis Matsuev, People's Artist of Russia and UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador.

On July 19, the court hearing on the first case against the "Sasna Tsrer" (Daredevils of Sassoun) began with a delay. Court officials did not allow advocates Musheg Shushanyan and Araik Papikyan to enter the court building, since they refused to provide their briefcases for inspection, the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent reports.

On July 19, the Yerevan Mayor's Office started dismantling a clothing market along Firdusi Street in the centre of the Armenian capital.

Hundreds of people took part in the march for women's rights, organized in central Tbilisi in response to the "Georgians' March".

During his visit to the villages located at the border with South Ossetia, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has announced the support of the Georgia's territorial integrity.

Today, the Baku Court for Grave Crimes has held the final hearing in the case against blogger Alexander Lapshin. In his final speech, Alexander Lapshin has reminded the court that he did not agree with the charges, but expressed his remorse for his trips to Nagorno-Karabakh.

Advocates of the sentenced men have appealed to the Supreme Court (SC) of Russia with a request to revoke the verdict and send the case for a new trial.