News

In Ingushetia, Zurab Albogachiev, a resident of the village of Gamurzievo, who had been firstly kidnapped and then released by the unidentified persons, gave testimony to testified investigator Evloev from the Investigatory Committee, who leads the criminal case of kidnapping. According to the human rights activists, the unidentified persons tortured Albogachiev to confess his involvement in the armed underground.

Today, a protest action "I am also a refugee" was held in front of the residence of the Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili in Tbilisi. The protesters demanded to fulfil a pre-election campaign promise of the President that all internally displaced persons (IDPs) living in the Georgian capital, would become residents of Tbilisi.

The number of the frescoes painted by Minas Avetisyan (Minas), the great Armenian painter, will remain in the second largest city of Armenia – Gyumri. In accordance with the decision of the Armenian government, the restoration of two artist's frescoes will begin in the nearest future, stated Tigran Sarkisyan, Prime Minister of Armenia.

A group of former members of the Supreme Soviet of Azerbaijan held a press conference in the Baku Media Centre and demanded the release from custody of Arif Gadjily, their former colleague, the current head of the central office of the "Musavat" Party, whose case was sent to the court today.

On July 27 Armenia gave a warm welcome to its men national chess team, which with not a single defeat became the world chess champion at the 8th World Team Championship held on July 15-26 in the Chinese city of Ningbo.

For more than 24 hours already more than 300 people continue to block the highway in the Akhty District of Dagestan. The protesters demand to detain the local, who killed one and gave wounds to five persons in a mass brawl.

On July 28 the Nasimi District Court of Baku, chaired by Judge Shakhin Abdullaev, started the court hearings on the lawsuit against four activists who had been arrested in connection with a rally held on April 2 at the centre of the Azerbaijani capital. The court hearings on the merits are appointed for August 9.

On July 27 a woman-resident of Azerbaijan was severely wounded on the state border with Armenia. Azerbaijani party blamed the Armenian opponents of the incident. The Armenian Ministry of Defence (MoD) has categorically denied these allegations.

As stated on July 28 by the Investigatory Department of the Investigatory Committee of the Russian Federation (ICRF) for the Vologda Region, a criminal case on the fact of posting a video showing a murder of a Caucasian on the Internet is under investigation.

On July, 28, the First International Symposium of Sculptors finished its work in the town of Shushi, Nagorno-Karabakh. According to sculptor from Italy Vigen Avetis, author of the project and organizer of the symposium, it has been successful and he is pleased that his idea to undertake this action came true.

During preliminary investigation measures of physical pressure were used against the defendants on the case of “Urvan jama'at” which they are going to declare in court, attorney of one of the defendants Tatiana Psomiadi told the “Caucasian Knot” correspondent.

A trial on the case of Badri Bitsadze, ex- Speaker of the Georgian Parliament, ex-Head of frontier police, Nino Burjanadze’s husband, will start in the city court of Tbilisi today. Bitsadze is in search and, according to his wife, is going to ask for a political asylum in one of the EU countries.

The Sabail District Court in Baku listened to the defendants' speeches at the hearings on the case of six opposition's activists accused of violating public order at an unsanctioned rally which was held on April 2 at the centre of the Azerbaijani capital.

Representatives of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) of Dagestan claim having no information about the "shahid belts", that, according to their colleagues' story, were hidden at a house during the special operation in the city of Dagestanskie Ogni on July 24. However, according to the MIA's information, guns were found at the house.

Today, the Moscow City Court sentenced Ruslan Ozniev, a resident of Ingushetia, accused of preparing terror acts in Moscow. He was sentenced to 17 years in prison, the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent was informed by the press service of the Court.

In Norway, the search of the Georgian citizen, who disappeared after terror act of July 22, has been finished. The body of Tamta Liparteliani, which had previously been identified by the Norwegian law enforcement authorities by her fingerprints, was identified by the girl's parents.

The assassination of Garun Kurbanov, Chief of the Information Policy of the Dagestani President, was, most likely, caused by his uncompromising attitude towards extremists. This was reported by Rasul Khaibullaev, Press Secretary of the President of Dagestani. Gadjimurat Kamalov, the editor-in-chief of the independent newspaper "Chernovik" (Draft), shares this attitude.

In Astrakhan, residents of a wooden two-storey house, which was burnt in fire on July 27, blame the fire-fighters for negligence. The residents also believe that the fire that took 7 human lives could be caused by a criminal arson. The fire-fighters from the local rescue service of the Ministry for Emergencies (MfE) deny the fire victims' allegations.

Neimat Panakhly, the leader of the Party of National Statehood of Azerbaijan (PNSA), faces a threat to his life in the Baku SIZO (pre-trial prison). This was stated today at a press conference at the office of the Institute for Reporters' Freedom and Safety (IRFS) Samad Panakhly, a brother of Neimat Panakhly.

Activists of “Environmental Watch on North Caucasus” and “Committee of Protection of Tuapse” held one more picket against launching of a bulk terminal (TBT) of “Eurochim” company at the Black Sea coast in the town of Tuapse, Krasnodar district.