News

The list, including personal data of 26 residents of Chechnya, subjected to repression, including on the basis of suspicion of homosexual orientation, has been sent to the Investigating Committee of the Russian Federation (ICRF), the newspaper "Novaya Gazeta" reports today.

Court judgement to ban Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia; sending the second battalion of military police from Chechnya to Syria; ongoing truckers’ protests in Southern Russia, – see the review of these and other events in the Caucasus during the week of April 17-23, 2017, prepared by the "Caucasian Knot".

During the week of April 17-23, 2017, two persons were killed in the armed conflict in Northern Caucasus. No wounded were reported. These are the results of the calculations run by the "Caucasian Knot" based on its own materials and information from other open sources.

More than 20,000 people took part in a torchlight procession held in the capital of Armenia and dedicated to the memory of the victims of Armenian Genocide in the Ottoman Turkey. This was reported by organizers of the memorial action.

In Russia, the right of Jehovah's Witnesses to freedom of conscience will be regularly and massively violated after the liquidation of their local religious organizations. This opinion was voiced by lawyers and human rights defenders questioned by the "Caucasian Knot".

Ramazan Izudinov detained in Khasavyurt is being kept at SIZO (pre-trial prison). His relatives saw signs on his body, suggesting the use of torture. This was reported by the Ramazan Izudinov's wife.

The Tbilisi court has upheld the decision pronounced by the Georgian Ministry for Refugees and Resettlement to refuse the status of a political refugee for Tumsu Abdurakhmanov, a native of Grozny, put in Russia on the federal wanted list.

Ramzan Kadyrov, the leader of the Chechen Republic has stated that the journalists of the newspaper "Novaya Gazeta", who reported about violations of the rights of homosexuals in the republic and the existence of secret prisons, should apologize to residents of Chechnya. This was reported by the "RBC".

The defence of Abdusalam Ramazanov, a native of the Tsuntin District of Dagestan, sentences to six years in prison for an attempt to join militants in Syria, has challenged the verdict of the North-Caucasian District Military Court, said the advocate Elena Denisenko.

Mekhman Guseinov, an Azerbaijani journalist and blogger, was transferred from SIZO (pre-trial prison) to colony – he was sent to the colony far from his home with the harshest custody conditions in Baku, rights defenders have stated, treating it as an execution for his journalistic activities.

The suspect of killing a Russian serviceman in Armenia has mental disorders and was demobilized in March, said the Investigating Committee of Armenia.

Members of the Spiritual Administration of Muslims (SAM) of the Karachay-Cherkessian Republic (KChR) travel around the regions of the republic and demand from Imams to execute a fatwa prohibiting people to take part in rituals, involving distribution of commemorative bags with food.

Older men, expelled from the Chechen village of Achkhoi-Martan for family ties with suspected militants, have returned to the village. However, they are afraid to leave their houses. This was reported by local residents.

Militants who swore allegiance to the terrorist organization "Islamic State" (IS) banned in Russia were killed in the Kochubei District of the Stavropol Territory.

On April 21, the number of drivers of heavy vehicles on protest against the "Platon" system in the vicinity of the Ingush town of Karabulak reached 50. This was reported by a participant of the protest action.

The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) has completed communication on the complaint filed by Azerbaijani journalist Rauf Mirkadyrov against his arrest, which preceded the sentencing. The journalist also intends to appeal against the actions of the government of Turkey, which deported him to Azerbaijan, despite the threat of his arrest.

All three political forces taking part in the elections to the Council of Elders of Yerevan will receive mandates after the voting to be held on May 14. Taron Margaryan will be again appointed the City Mayor. This forecast was voiced by political analysts questioned by the "Caucasian Knot".

In Northern Caucasus, already 75 members of the LGBT community appealed for help to the "Russian LGBT Network". The assistance was provided to 35 of them, so far only to those people who lived in Chechnya. This was reported to the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent by the "Russian LGBT Network".

On April 20, Anatoly Barsagov, an ex-deputy head of the criminal police, was elected the chairman of the Public Oversight Commission (POC) of Kabardino-Balkarian Republic (KBR). Rights defenders believe that the former policeman is unlikely to stand up for the defence of prisoners' rights.

Andrei Bocharov, the Governor of the Volgograd Region, should react to the situation with transport services in the region and convey the demand of local truckers to abolish the “Platon” system to the federal centre, the protesters said.