News

Starting from June 2, the residents of the city of Zverevo in the Rostov Region, who take part in a protest march, have covered about 65 kilometres. Today, they organized a series of pickets en route, said Valery Dyakonov, a City Duma Deputy and one of the initiators of the action.

Today, an attempt to hijack an aircraft performing the Kutaisi-Minsk flight has been prevented, said the State Security Committee of Belarus (known as KGB).

Today, in Rostov-on-Don, at the trial of Said Amirov, the temporarily dismissed Mayor of Makhachkala, accused of preparing a terror act, the court has re-interrogated Murad Aliev as a witness. He rejected the assumption of the defence that he had been tortured at the SIZO (pre-trial prison), the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent reports from the courtroom.

The Regional Public Human Rights Organization "Union of Don Women", which is working in the Rostov Region, has been registered as a non-governmental organization (NGO), acting as a foreign agent, the Russia's Ministry of Justice has reported. The "Union of Don Women" has declared that it will struggle for exclusion from the above register.

The advocate of one of the convicts in the murder case of journalist Anna Politkovskaya has already appealed against his client's verdict at the Russia's Supreme Court (SC). "As far as I know, my colleagues are also waiting for the text of the judgment in order to file their complaints," the advocate is quoted by the ITAR-TASS as saying.

At night on June 10, in the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic (KBR), four members of illegal armed formations (IAFs) were killed near the city of Baksan. This was reported by an official from the law enforcement agencies of the KBR.

The children of Anna Politkovskaya, an observer of the newspaper "Novaya Gazeta", who figured at the trial dealing with their mother's murder as the suffered party, state that they agree with the verdict. However, they hope that the customers of the crime will also be found and sentenced.

In Armenia, employees of public institutions have to agree with the new funded pension system, because of the risk to lose their jobs for opposing the reform. This has been reported by members of the DEM.AM initiative, who are fighting against the new system.

The Sochi City Council has decided to allocate money for the construction of a water pipeline in the village of Akhshtyr. However, the text of the City Council's resolution fails to mention the target for money allocation. This has been reported by activists and residents of the village, who are deprived of water for more than a month.

On June 9, the Nasimi District Court of Baku dismissed the complaint filed by Azerbaijani journalist Rauf Mirkadirov against the non-admission of a notary to him. "Unfortunately, the court has failed to take into account the arguments presented by the defence and to ensure the restoration of the Rauf Mirkadirov's rights provided by the Constitution," advocate Elmar Suleimanov said.

Zarema Ashurbekova, a resident of Makhachkala, reports on the disappearance of her husband Khanmirza Ashurbekov. The woman fears that he might have been kidnapped. She has appealed for help to the Dagestani Regional Public Organization (DRPO) "Pravozaschita" (Advocacy).

The outcome of the three-day anti-terrorist operation conducted in the Kizlyar District of Dagestan was the killing of two suspected members of illegal armed formations (IAFs). They were identified as Ramazan Magomedov and Magomednabi Bagaev. Both are natives of the village of Vitsyatli, Tsuntin District of Dagestan; and they lived in the Kizlyar District, a Dagestani investigator told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

Today, the mission of international observers composed of members of Russian and foreign NGOs gave a press conference on their monitoring results of the parliamentary elections in South Ossetia, the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent reports. The observers have assessed the elections positively.

Today, in Rostov-on-Don, at the trial of Said Amirov, the temporarily dismissed Mayor of Makhachkala, accused of preparing a terror act, Fanid Alibaev and Gennady Grishin were questioned. They acted as witnesses at the confiscation of the man-portable air defence system (MANPADS). Vladimir Postanyuk, one of Amirov's advocates, told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that there were discrepancies in their testimonies.

Today, Leyla Yunus, Director of the Institute for Peace and Democracy (IPD), has announced the creation of the Centre for Resisting Repressions under her Institute. The Azerbaijani human rights movement needs new strategy and tactics in fighting for liberation of political prisoners, Leyla Yunus said at a press conference in Baku.

Today, two persons were killed in a car bombing in the Gunib District of Dagestan. This was reported by an official of the Dagestani Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA). The incident has occurred at about 3:00 a.m. on the road Kupa-Gunib. A Lada-2112 car was exploded.

Today, Tbilisi hosted an action in support of a group of life-long prisoners who went on hunger strike demanding to reconsider their cases and spread the amnesty law adopted by the Georgian Parliament on December 21, 2012, on them.

Today, the Moscow City Court has found four natives of Chechnya - three Makhmudov brothers, entrepreneur Lom-Ali Gaitukaev, and ex-militiaman Sergey Khadjikurbanov, guilty in the murder of Anna Politkovskaya. The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that the Court's decision was based on the appropriate verdict of the jury.

Following the results of the voting, the "United Ossetia" Party has won the elections to the Parliament of South Ossetia. This was reported by an official of the Central Election Commission (CEC) of South Ossetia. According to the CEC, the "Unity of the People", the "People's" Party, and the "Nykhas" Party also got seats at the Parliament.

Election of MPs in South Ossetia; continuation of Amirov's trial in Rostov-on-Don; explosions and shelling in Ingushetia injuring 12 power agents, – see the review of these and other events in the Caucasus during the week of June 2-8, 2014, prepared by the "Caucasian Knot".