News

This year, the days of March 20-26 were declared to be official holidays on the occasion of celebrating Novruz Bayram, the holiday symbolizing the coming of spring. However, the festivities have been already started on March 19.

In Chechnya, relatives of Magomed Tokaev cannot locate him since January 22, claiming his kidnapping by law enforcers. The Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) of Chechnya does not confirm the information about Magomed Tokaev's detention.

The appointment of the new leader of "Imarat Kavkaz" – Aliaskhab Kebekov (Ali Abu-Mukhammad) was expected, said Mairbek Agaev, deputy editor-in-chief of the Dagestani weekly "Chernovik".

In Azerbaijan, local experts are unanimous in their negative assessment of the Crimea's incorporation into Russia. According to Vafa Guluzade, a former state adviser on foreign policy of Azerbaijan, "in fact, Russia annexed the Crimea by flagrantly violating the international law."

Twelve persons have gathered in Nalchik in front of the Investigating Committee (IC) to support the demand of Lamina Gulieva to receive the body of her husband Tengiz Guketlov, killed during a special operation on March 14, for burial.

On March 19, hundreds of people in Armenia again blocked the highway Ashtarak-Aparan demanding to remove machinery from the territory of the planned construction of a new hydropower plant (HPP) on the water supply line "Aparan-Yerevan".

The public civil movement "Law and Order" has appealed to the Adler District Court of Sochi to initiate a lawsuit against the six public institutions. The plaintiff demands to oblige the public institutions to take out the construction wastes from the Akhshtyr Quarry and to stop any works there.

One of the men killed during the special operation conducted in the Gumbet District of Dagestan was on the federal wanted list and was a member of the "Gimry" militant grouping. Law enforcers found a hideout at the place where shootout occurred.

The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) should speak publicly about the shortcomings of the Paralympic Games in Sochi and the problem of creating a barrier-free environment in the city, taking into account the situation as seen by independent observers. This was reported by the international human rights organization "Human Rights Watch" (HRW).

Members of Azerbaijani and international human rights organizations have criticized the decision of the court to sentence to long terms of imprisonment Ilgar Mamedov, the leader of the civil movement "Republican Alternative" (ReAl), and Tofig Yagublu, Deputy Chairman of the "Musavat" Party, a columnist of the newspaper "Yeni Musavat".

Evgeny Vitishko, an activist of the "Ecological Watch for Northern Caucasus", has sent to the Russian Ombudsman a complaint about the fact that his rights were violated while he was convoyed to the settlement-colony.

Maxim Chervonya Ogly, one of the key witnesses in the case of journalist Anna Politkovskaya's murder, who retracted his testimony on Tuesday, claimed that he had given them under threats coming from law enforcers.

In Buynaksk, at the trial of the case of Zarema Bagavutdinova, an activist of the Dagestani Regional Public Organization "Pravozaschita" (Advocacy), accused of promoting terrorist activities, four witnesses have testified in favour of the human rights activist, said Ziyavutdin Uvaisov, Zarema's advocate.

As stated by Rinat Barakov, the spokesman of the Department of the "Rospotrebnadzor", the inquiry into the incident of poisoning of pupils in the village of Nizhni Cherek was over: a concentration of formaldehyde exceeding the exposure limit by 4.5 times was detected in school premises.

Doku (Dokku) Umarov is dead, and Ali Abu-Mukhammad is a new leader of the "Imarat Kavkaz", says a statement released today by one of the websites that supports the North-Caucasian militants.

Today, at a session of the Moscow City Court (MCC), where the case of the murder of Anna Politkovskaya, an observer of the "Novaya Gazeta", is considered, a defence witness Maxim Chervonya Ogly has renounced his evidence given at the preliminary investigation.

Five residents of Chechnya are to appear before the court on charges of killing in 2012 four staff member of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) for Bashkortostan, who were on an official trip. This was reported by the Prosecutor's Office of Chechnya. Officials indicate that all of the defendants plead guilty.

When considering the issue who might order to assassinate Saigidpasha Umakhanov, Mayor of the Dagestani city of Khasavyurt, experts identify several versions, including those related to inter-clan fighting in Dagestan, militants' revenge and struggle for power in the city, where a large number of Chechens live.

Alexander Totoonov, a member of the Russian Federation Council from North Ossetia was put on the list of persons, against whom the European Union (EU) imposed sanctions because of the situation around Crimea. Alexander Totoonov has said the sanctions will not change his position.

Valery Badmaev, an editor-in-chief of the newspaper "Modern Kalmykia", who was on March 14 detained in Elista on charges of disorderly conduct, intends to appeal to court against the actions of policemen and charges against him.