News

When pronouncing the sentence to Ali Taziev, also known as Magas, the North-Caucasian District Military Court left without consideration the civil claims filed by the victims to collect compensation from the convict.

David Sanasaryan, one of Yerevan protesters, has stopped his hunger strike, saying that a lot of people asked him to do it.

The murder of Akhmednabi Akhmednabiev, a correspondent of the "Caucasian Knot" in Dagestan, which was committed two years ago, should not go unpunished, rights defenders and editors-in-chief of Dagestani editions have stated. Colleagues and readers pay credit to Akhmednabiev as a talented and principled journalist.

Anna Gritsevich, a "Caucasian Knot" correspondent, has left the detention facility in Adler, where she served her three-day administrative arrest, and stated that she had no complaints as to the custody conditions, but intends to appeal against the court judgement about her punishment.

The Sochi administration has extended the duration of the state of emergency, introduced because of the flooding that occurred in June. For the elimination of the damage caused by the disaster, the city will need over 1 billion roubles, said the press service of the administration.

Today, the North-Caucasian District Military has convicted Ali Taziev, also known as "Magas", who is already serving his life imprisonment for a number of high-profile crimes, to the second life term.

Sixteen US senators have appealed to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliev and called on him to release journalists and activists from prisons and to ensure respect for human rights in the country.

Today marks two years since the murder in Dagestan of Akhmednabi Akhmednabiyev, a "Caucasian Knot" correspondent. In Dagestan, the investigation into the murder is not successful, and the criminal case has a chance for the qualified investigation only if it is transferred to the federal level. This opinion has been expressed by advocate Abdurashid Sheikhov. The request for the federal investigation into the murder of the journalist is also supported by members of the civil society, since the case does not cease to be of public interest.

Militants of Northern Caucasus fighting in Syria and led by Salakhuddin Shishani have sworn allegiance to Mukhammad Suleimanov (Abu Usman of Gimry), the new leader of the "Imarat Kavkaz" recognized in Russia and the US as a terrorist organization.

In Freedom Square in Yerevan, three of six activists on hunger strike to appeal to the citizens of Armenia to unite in the fight against the increase in the electricity tariff have stopped participating in the protest action.

Recent appointments made by Ramzan Kadyrov indicate his desire to strengthen the position of his family members and to demonstrate to the federal centre the solidarity of his team. This opinion has been expressed by experts interviewed by the "Caucasian Knot".

Now, after two years of fruitless investigation, the murder case of Akhmednabi Akhmednabiyev, a "Caucasian Knot" correspondent, should be transferred to the federal level, human rights organizations insist. The demand was signed by 28 organizations, including the "Article 19", Human Rights House Foundation, Index on Censorship, PEN International and Reporters without Borders.

Today in the afternoon, a strong explosion occurred in Astan Kesaev Street in Vladikavkaz. The casualty has not been identified yet.

Today, advocate Selim Magomedov has complained that Makhachkala policemen have exceeded their powers, when he tried to meet his client.

Ownerless pits full of petroleum products in the Astrakhan Region poison the ground water; they run into the Volga River and one of its largest tributaries – the Kizan River, and from there – into the Caspian Sea. Scientists, state officials and local residents have been aware of the problem of the Sokolov oil pits since early 1990s, but so far – there is no solution.

Dagestani policemen have identified the man, who was shot dead in a shootout with power agents in the Babayurt District. According to the police, he was a helper of members of an illegal armed formation (IAF).

In Dagestan, investigators try to identify the man who tried, on July 7, to place a bomb under the door of the shop in the village of Babayurt and then, at an attempt to detain him, opened fire at law enforcers, but was killed by return fire, said the spokesman of the republic's MIA.

The movement against the increase of electricity tariff in Armenia is political, the coordinators of the action believe. However, some of the protesters treat their action as social and unite into groups to protect demonstrators from the influence of political ideologies.

Pavel Okruzhko, a native of Kislovodsk, Stavropol Territory, who is living in Turkey, is accused by Russian law enforcers of taking part in an illegal armed formation (IAF) in the territory of Syria. Okruzhko himself stated that his case was fabricated and his rights were violated in the context of the blocking of his bank accounts.

In Yerevan, in Freedom Square, four more activists have joined the hunger strike with a call to Armenian citizens to unite in the fight against the increase of electricity tariff. Thus, the total number of hunger-strikers has reached six.