News

The Azerbaijani oppositional newspaper "Azadlyg" has been decorated with the "Freedom of Expression-2014" Award in the category of "Journalism" by the British human rights organization "Index on Censorship".

The ruling of the Nalchik City Court (NCC) to deport a student named Otkhman Ayal from Russia will be appealed against, said the advocate Mukharbiy Kardanov. The court's ruling is a political one, said Valery Khatazhukov, the Chairman of the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic's Human Rights Centre.

During this month, activists of the Youth Network against Racism and Intolerance found in Sochi over 50 drawings and inscriptions with nationalist and racist content – these are the results of the monitoring, dated to the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.

The Armenian Government has decided to stop the construction of the hydraulic power plant (HPP) in the Aragatsotn Region on the main water line Aparan-Yerevan, the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent was informed at the PR Division of the Ministry of Territorial Management.

In the period from 2010 to the beginning of 2014, the number of victims of the armed conflict in North Caucasus has decreased from 1705 persons in 2010 down to 986 in 2013, which is clearly shown in the infographics prepared by the "Caucasian Knot" based on its own data and information from other open sources.

After a search, law enforcers detained Egish Dadyan, a 26-year-old member of the Muslim community of Pyatigorsk. His relatives assert that they have no information about him for a week. The Stavropol Muftiat is concerned about the fact.

At the demand of the Prosecutor's Office of Chechnya, investigating authorities have resumed the criminal case on the fact of HIV infecting children in a Grozny city hospital in 2010.

In 2013, about 40,000 Russians applied for asylum in industrialized countries. This numbers is 76% more than last year. This was reported by the department of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

Russian political analysts believe that joining of Abkhazia and South Ossetia to Russia by "Crimean scenario" is hardly possible. Although citizens of South Ossetia would be glad to join Russia, such a move is not beneficial for Russia at the moment. This was stated by Konstantin Zatulin, President of the Institute of CIS countries.

Move of the leaders of the "Imarat Kavkaz" to Dagestan and appointment of Aliaskhab Kebekov a successor of Doku Umarov proves the deepening split in the ranks of militants. This was stated by Musa Muradov, a correspondent of the publishing house "Kommersant".

According to participants of the City Council meeting, to solve ecological problems, Sochi needs to commission treatment plants, take appropriate measures to clean coastal waters, attract professionals, and conduct explanatory work among the population, the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent reports.

On March 20, the court held a hearing in the case against Zarema Bagavutdinova, a member of the Dagestani Regional Public Organization (DRPO) "Pravozaschita", who was accused of promoting terrorist activities. The court questioned Aisha Selimkhanova, a defence witness, a colleague of the defendant.

Bagauddin Evloev, a resident of the Ingush village of Sagopshi, whose uninhabited house was blown up by militaries on March 15, said that he had no claims to law enforcers, since he was sure that the explosive device found in the house could not be taken away.

The Olympic Park in Sochi needs some upgrade to become completely barrier-free, Sochi guests comment, but most of the people with disabilities appreciate the changes watched in the Olympic capital.

The conviction of Ilgar Mamedov and Tofig Yagublu on charges of rioting in the Azerbaijani city of Ismailly, is politically motivated, says the statement of Catherine Ashton and Štefan Füle, officials of the European Union.

Policemen and attached servicemen are conducting checks of every Khasavyurt house, local residents report, while a source from the GOVD (City Interior Division) asserts that the visits have to do with the passport regime.

Armenian experts disagree on the possible analogy of the situation in the Crimea with Nagorno-Karabakh. Sergey Minasyan, Deputy Director of the Institute of the Caucasus, said that the Crimean factor cannot affect the Karabakh issue, but geopolitical changes in the former Soviet space are inevitable.

Residents of the Russian Federation and Ukraine supplied smuggled weapons from the European Union (EU) to Northern Caucasus. Several persons have been detained. This was reported today by the Russian FSB.

On March 18, in Simferopol, two persons were killed as a result of shooting in front of Ukrainian military unit. One of the victims was a resident of the Volgograd Region, who went to Crimea as a member of a Cossack volunteer squad. According to journalists, deceased Ruslan Kazakov took part in the military campaigns in Chechnya.

On March 19, in Nalchik, twelve persons came to the building of the Investigating Committee to support the Lamina Gulieva's claim to give out her husband's body. After a four-hour wait, they went away with nothing. No official from the Investigating Committee came out to the protesters.