News

On Thursday, in Moscow, an official from the Armenian Embassy in Russia received an award of the Russian version of the magazine "National Geographic Traveler". Armenia has won the contest of the best travel destinations organized by the magazine in the category "Discovery of the Year", the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent reports.

Inmates of prisoners of Northern Caucasus claim being abused by law enforcers. This was reported by the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (ECPT), which members visited several prisons in Chechnya, Dagestan and North Ossetia in spring of 2011.

The criminal proceedings against Shamil Isaev, the deputy of the People's Assembly of Dagestan, for non-fulfilment of the court decision in the case concerning the lawsuit against Ali Kamalov were stopped.

The video record with the message of Dokku Umarov, the leader of the banned organization "Imarat Kavkaz" has been declared extremist. On Thursday, the appropriate decision was pronounced by the Lenin District Court of Krasnodar. This was reported by the Regional Prosecutor's Office. The prosecutors did not specify what kind of the video record was mentioned.

Said Amirov, Mayor of Makhachkala, who was dismissed from his position, was brought to a Moscow hospital for a medical examination. This was told to the "Caucasian Knot" by a source close to Said Amirov.

At the today's court session of the Krasnodar Regional Court, in their final speeches, figurants of the "Tsapok's case", accused of the massacre in the Cossack village of Kuschevskaya, have pleaded not guilty for all charges. At the next court session, held on November 7, the jury are to leave for the jury room to find a verdict.

Dmitry Kozak, Deputy Prime Minister, has issued the order to agree on a plan to reduce the period for commissioning of several Olympic facilities at once the alternate road of Kurortny Avenue and the Olympic Village, which are being developed by the companies of the "Basic Element".

A team of specialists in the field of plastic surgery of the organization "Operation Smile" have completed their work in Chechnya. Within a week, surgeons conducted 64 surgeries for children suffering from congenital maxillofacial abnormalities and burn injuries.

The investigation against seven young activists of the movement "Nida" (Shout) and Ilkin Rustamzade, a member of the movement "Free Youth", was conducted with violations of the rules of proceedings, and the prosecution is based on the testimonies gathered unlawfully and on falsifications.

On Thursday evening, in Yerevan, the protest action "Million Mask March" was held. Participants were throwing smoke bombs and "Molotov cocktails". During the riots in the centre of Yerevan, eight policemen and a teenager were injured.

In Sukhumi, the trial in the case of a series of assassination attempts against Abkhazian President Alexander Ankvab has been started. At the first court session, the court has dismissed the defence's motion to challenge panel of judges and granted the motion to exclude some materials from the case, the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent reports.

Today, in Cherkessk, relatives and friends of Nauruz Cherkasov, a kidnapped businessman, held a 12-hour picket, demanding to inform them about the progress of the investigation into the case.

The consideration of the case of riots in the Azerbaijani city of Ismailly on merits is scheduled for November 18. Today, the court has concluded the preparatory court session.

Today, in Baku, during a preliminary court session in the case against seven activists of the movement "Nida" and Ilkin Rustamzade, a member of the movement "Free Youth", accused of organizing mass riots, the defence has filed a motion to stop the criminal proceedings against the defendants.

The Russian authorities should immediately stop pressure on journalists and ensure freedom of speech on the eve of the Winter Olympics in Sochi. This was stated by Jane Buchanan, Project Director of the international human rights organization Human Rights Watch (HRW).

Evgeny Makarov, the former head of the interregional distribution grid company (IDGC) of Russia's Centre and Northern Caucasus, is suspected of abuse of power with the damage amounting to more than 880 million roubles. This was reported by the Investigating Committee of the Russian Federation (ICRF). According to the FSB, he is abroad and is not going to come back.

Starting since November 4, the whereabouts of Samurkhan Magomedov, a resident of Makhachkala, is unknown. This was reported by his wife Bagakhanum Khiirova. Till present, the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) of Dagestan does not have any information about the disappearance of Samurkhan Magomedov, a source from the MIA reports.

Mikhail Savva, Professor from the Kuban State University, the director of the grant programmes of the Southern Regional Resource Centre, accused of embezzlement of budget funds, has refused to plead guilty at the court session in Krasnodar. Today, at the trial in the case against Mikhail Savva, the court has pronounced the indictment.

In Volgograd, 77 persons were detained after the "Russian March", and of them, 34 were brought to administrative responsibility. This was reported by officials from the Chief Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) of the Russian Federation for the Volgograd District.

Russian historians have completed the work on the concept of a new training and methodical complex on the country's history. One of the most challenging scenes in it is associated with modern Russia, with the Chechen problem and with terrorism in Northern Caucasus.