News

In Azerbaijan, civil society activists and experts are disappointed by the presidential decree of pardon, which does not affect the political prisoners. The activists believe that this fact can result in a deterioration of relations between Azerbaijan and the Western countries.

In Ingushetia, NGOs have appealed to Yunus-Bek Evkurov with a request to ensure the right of Magomed Mutsolgov to implementation of human rights activities. Besides, the Ingush NGOs have also called on the Ingush leader to condemn the campaign on defamation of Ingush public institutions.

Investigating authorities have suspected a 27-year-old resident of Ingushetia of taking part in the warfare in Syria for the "Islamic State" (IS), recognized as a terrorist organization. He has been put on the federal wanted list.

A field commander of the "Islamic State" (IS) (the IS has been recognized as a terrorist organization in Russia and some countries of the world, – note of the "Caucasian Knot"), a native of Georgia Tarkhan Batirashvili, also known as Abu Omar al-Shishani, has authority among the militants from the Caucasus, but he is not a key figure for the IS, believe the experts interviewed by the "Caucasian Knot".

In the Gunib District of Dagestan, where a special operation is underway, a man, who opened fire on power agents, was shot dead. He was pre-identified as Shamil Nurmagomedov, the leader of the "Sogratl" militant grouping, said the Russian National Antiterrorist Committee (NAC).

The Mufti of Ingushetia Isa-Hadji Khamkhoev called the reason of his disagreement with the head of the republic Yunus-Bek Evkurov in the latter's support of the mosques that separated from rural communities. According to Khamkhoev, the position of the authorities could lead to new conflicts.

Resignation of Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili; release of Krasnodar ecologist Evgeny Vitishko from colony; election of new City Manager of Vladikavkaz; removal of debris after apartment block explosion in Volgograd; special operations in three republics of Northern Caucasus; update of list of political prisoners in Azerbaijan, – see the review of these and other events in the Caucasus during the week of December 21-27, 2015, prepared by the "Caucasian Knot".

Colonies and SIZOs (pre-trial prisons) see cases of physical violence against political prisoners and those who try to tell the media about what is happening – these are the conclusions of the report on the situation in prisons, prepared by rights defenders and former prisoners.

The investigation into the death of Timur Kuashev, a journalist from the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic (KBR), is being conducted formally, said Magomed Mutsolgov, the leader of the organization named "Mashr". The version of his death from coronary heart disease is inconclusive, said Valery Khatazhukov, the chairman of the KBR's Human Rights Centre.

Before the appearance of the message about the capture of one of the leaders of the "Islamic State" (IS), a native of Georgia Abu Omar al-Shishani (Tarkhan Batirashvili), mass media had at least seven times reported about his death. The same was done by the head of Chechnya Ramzan Kadyrov.

During the week from December 21 to December 27, 2015, the armed conflict in Northern Caucasus claimed nine human lives. These are the results of calculations run by the "Caucasian Knot" based on its own materials and information from other open sources.

A video has appeared in social networks, in which masked gunmen are addressing their threats to Khamzat Chumakov, Imam of the Nasyr-Kort mosque, for his anti-IS propaganda. However, Internet users doubt that the authors of the video belong to the militants of the "Islamic State" (IS), a terrorist organization banned in Russia.

The head of Ingushetia Yunus-Bek Evkurov has criticized the republic's Spiritual Centre of Muslims (SCM) and offered the Muftiyat to accept resignation of the Mufti Isa Khamkhoev. However, the SCM has objected to the offer.

In the period from December 20 to December 26, the Azerbaijani Armed Forces kept violating the ceasefire by shelling Karabakh's positions from various-calibre small firearms, said the Ministry of Defence (MoD) of Nagorno-Karabakh, adding that the "Defence Army of Nagorno-Karabakh continues monitoring the contact line."

Tenants of the multi-storey residential building destroyed by the explosion began receiving payments for priority needs in the amount of 20,000 roubles per family.

Inmates of the Chelyabinsk penal colony went on a hunger strike after Sultan Israilov, a native of Chechnya, had died there. The colony personnel assert that he committed suicide, but rights defenders assert that he was killed.

Adam Bogus, Chairman of the "Adyge Khase", has resigned today. Ramazan Tlemeshok has been appointed as the new head of the branch of the organization in Adygea.

Goga Kvaratskheliya has died today at a hospital in Tbilisi after he was shelled from a submachine gun in the eyes of witnesses.

Until December 28, a group of expert will hold a detailed examination of the block of flats in Kosmonavtov Street in Volgograd, where the explosion occurred, after which a search for the fifth casualty will continue under the rubble, said Andrei Bocharov, Governor of the Volgograd Region.

In Karachay-Cherkessia, the first concert hall, adapted for people with disabilities, has been opened after capital repairs carried out for the first time during the past 37 years.