News

Evgeny Vitishko, a convicted ecologist from Krasnodar, has no claims to top managers of the colony-settlement, where he serves his term, said Dmitry Gutov and Elena Shmakova, members of the "Ecological Watch for Northern Caucasus" (EcoWatch), who have visited the ecologist.

The allegations of involvement of the Islamist grouping of JAMWA (Jaish al-Muhajireen wal-Ansar) in the explosion in Grozny on October 5 cause doubts, because of the source of the information. This opinion was expressed by Akhmet Yarlykapov, researcher from the Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology, and Alexei Malashenko from the Moscow Carnegie Centre.

Today, the Supreme Court of Dagestan has dismissed the prosecutors' request to take into custody Islamic preacher Nadir Abu Khalid, suspected of illegal possession of weapons. Thus, the court has upheld the decision of the Kirov District Court of Makhachkala on the detainee's home arrest.

In Dagestan, family members of Elshan Salikhov, one of the men killed on October 16 during a special operation in Derbent, report that he was detained by the law enforcers prior to the special operation. According to the source, it is still not clear whether the wife of the killed man intends to file a complaint to the police about the incident.

On October 16, the capital of the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic (KBR) opened an international conference dedicated to the 150th anniversary of the end of the Caucasian War. More than 40 scientists from Northern Caucasus and Moscow take part in the conference. The special feature of the conference is a focus on specific problems related to the study of the history of the Caucasian War.

In Greece, the court has pronounced the decision to refuse extradition to Georgia of Data Akhalaya, the former Chief of the Department of Constitutional Security of the Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA). This was reported on October 16 by advocate Irakli Zakareishvili.

On October 16, in Yerevan, former residents of the central streets, namely: Yekmalyan, Byuzand, and Anrapetutyan Streets, blocked a street in the centre of the Armenian capital and demanded a meeting with Armenian Prime Minister Ovik Abramyan. According to the protesters, the government is to provide them with housing facilities.

Ramis Mirzakhanov, a Deputy of the Tabasaran District Assembly of Dagestan, was killed during a special operation. According to investigators, he attacked a law enforcer with a knife. However, his brothers have reported today that OMON (riot police) agents opened fire at Mirzakhanov without a warning.

The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) in Strasbourg has ruled today on the case "Kosumova vs. Russia" and concluded that the Russian authorities had failed to conduct a proper investigation into the death of Raisa Kosumova, a resident of Chechnya, in 2003. The court awarded the family of the deceased woman with 20,000 euros as compensation of moral harm.

A new NGO named "Monitoring Centre of Political Prisoners" (MCPP) has been established in Azerbaijan. Its founders are going to focus on protecting the rights of political prisoners and reporting about facts of harassment.

Today, a five-storey dwelling block in Sovietskaya Street of Derbent was blocked, since, according to power agents, two members of the "Yuzhdag" grouping of militants were hiding in a flat there. They refused to surrender and were killed. Another suspected militant was killed in another house, said a law enforcement source. According to the NAC, the killed militants were planning to commit a terror act and then to leave to fight in Syria.

Family members of Eradil Asanov have sent appeals to the Russian President, the Dagestani leader, and the Russian General Prosecutor asking to take under personal control the case on the death of Eradil Asanov. Besides, the family members of the deceased young man have sent a letter to the Chief of the Investigating Committee of the Russian Federation.

In Chechnya, local law enforcement bodies are actively searching for a 33-year-old native of Grozny, who, according to law enforcers, plans to use a shahid belt to commit a suicide bombing. In Grozny, power agents have disseminated leaflets with a photo of the wanted man. Local residents feel nervous about the new information about a possible terror act.

Kheda Saratova, a member of the Expert Council of the Ombudsman's Office under the Russian President, is suspected of holding an unsanctioned rally in front of the Predgorny District Court of the Stavropol Territory. The materials on her administrative offense are already at the court.

The Soviet District Court of Makhachkala has dismissed Kurban Kurbanov, the head of the Derbent District of Dagestan, who is accused of abuse of power, from office. This was stated by the spokesperson of the Investigating Department (ID) for Dagestan of the Investigating Committee of the Russian Federation (ICRF).

In the city of Zverevo, Rostov Region, local and regional officials pay no attention to the hunger strike and complaints of local protesters, said Valery Dyakonov, a City Duma Deputy. According to the protesters, the law enforcement bodies put pressure on them.

The Adler District Court has refused to consider the complaint lodged by the advocate of Mardiros Demerchyan against the refusal to initiate criminal proceedings against the policemen, who, according to the builder, exposed him to torture.

According to the father of Djabrail Nabiev kidnapped in Khasavyurt, no criminal case has been initiated on kidnapping despite the fact that the incident took place more than 10 days ago.

According to locals, today, some 5-6 fires occurred in the blocked settlement of Vremenny. A local woman, named Khadizhat, told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that the fires could be seen from the neighbouring village of Gimry.

n the capital of Georgia, activists of the movement "Free Generation" have held a rally at the central office of the "United National Movement" (UNM) with a demand to ban this oppositional party.