News

The Armenian Nuclear Power Plant (ANPP) is obsolete; while its equipment and location are a potential hazard. The conclusions of the commission of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) regarding the safety of the ANPP are just a formal assessment. This statement was made today by Akop Sanasaryan, Chairman of the Union of Greens.

Today, the Taganka District Court has announced the verdict to blogger Alexei Dudko. Judge Natalia Larina found him guilty on all points; while his evidences were treated as unjustified and unconfirmed.

Five law enforcers from the Volgograd Region are accused of inflicting bodily harm to detainees with the aim to obtain their confessions. The case has been forwarded to the court, the press service of the regional prosecutor's office reports.

Blogger Boris Sarakuev, a resident of the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic (KBR), who has posted a video on the Internet about corruption in the State Department of the Russian Pension Fund for the KBR, receives demands to remove the video, accompanied by threats of execution. The "Caucasian Knot" correspondent was told about it by Sarakuev himself.

On June, 9, the Appelate court of Armenia on civil cases rejected the complaint of "Aikakan Zhamanak" newspaper. It brought a standing judgment on the verdict of the court of general jurisdiction. The newspaper will have to offset harm to three deputies of the ruling Republican party of Armenia.

A video web conference Moscow - Kazan: "Murder of Maksud Sadykov: will the murderers be found?" passed off on June, 9, in RIA "Novosti", Moscow. The participants honoured the victim's memory and discussed possible reasons for the attempt at the scientist.

A press conference of members of a workgroup of the Public Chamber for the affairs of the Caucasus "From Nalchik to Vladikavkaz: a border between justice and reality" was held on June, 8, in the Press center of RIA "Novosti". Human rights activists and journalists spoke about violations of the rights of members of Moslem community detained in Vladikavkaz.

A resident of Makhachkala who works as a lawyer submitted a statement to the standby unit of the Department of Interior Affairs of the town reporting that at night of June, 9, three unknown persons inflicted injuries on him and tried to kidnap him, Press service of the Ministry of Interior Affairs of Dagestan reported.

During nine month of litigation, the guilt of Oleg Orlov, head of the Human Rights Centre (HRC) "Memorial", accused of libel against the head of Chechnya Ramzan Kadyrov, was never proved; and an acquittal could stop "abuses of the prosecutor's office," said Genry Reznik, Orlov's advocate, at the debate session on June 9.

By this August all the penal colonies of the Krasnodar Territory will open special rooms, where prisoners will be able to express their complaints and wishes to prison bosses, said Yuri Kulik, the head of the Russian UFSIN for the region.

Today, Sargis Atspanyan, an active opposition figure, a French citizen and a veteran of the Karabakh War, was released from the penal institution "Vardashen" in Armenia.

On June 14, a peaceful action will be held in front of the building of the parliament in central Tbilisi under the slogan "Women - for Life and Country's Dignity". One of the women's demands is "to release innocent detainees".

Today, Georgiy Murashev, father of David Murashev, who was killed during a special operation in Vladikavkaz and who was suspected of murdering poet Shamil Dzhigkaev, decided to refuse from his son.

The All-Russia Islamic Cultural Centre will appeal to the supreme Russia's, and then - to European justice. This was stated by Abdul-Vakhed Niyazov, head of the Islamic Cultural Centre (ICC), who gave his comments on satisfaction by the Russian Supreme Court of the lawsuit of the Russian Ministry of Justice asking to close the Centre. According to Anvar Khadjiev, the Centre's representative in Kabardino-Balkaria, the work of the ICC was helpful for the Muslims of Northern Caucasus, as the Centre was explaining the essence of Islam as the religion of peace.

Material damage from suspension of the work of the print shop of "Krestyanin" newspaper makes about one million rubles, Irina Samokhina, Director General of "Krestyanin" publishing house told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

A representative of the Conservative Party of Georgia Lasha Chkhartishvili who was detained on June, 5, for an attempt of organizing an action of protest in the center of Tbilisi went on a hunger strike.

In Khamovnichecky court of Moscow Public prosecutor appealed to the court to fine Head of "Memorial" Human Rights Center Oleg Orlov accused of slandering Head of Chechnya Ramzan Kadyrov to a sum of 150 thousand rubles. In the opinion of Public prosecutor, Orlov's guilt of committing the crime stipulated by clause "Slander" was completely proven.

Svetlana Gannushkina, member of "Memorial" Human Rights Center, Chairperson of the Committee "Civil Support", member of the Presidential Council of Assistance to Development of the Institutions of Civil Society and Human Rights, whose activities is to a great extent connected with North-Caucasian republics will become Holder of the Order of the Legion of Honour today.

The Ministry of Interior Affairs of Ingushetia denied the information that on the list of names of 52 people called potential suicide bombers allegedly published by security services the majority were natives of Ingushetia. The Ministry called for the residents of the republic to report all the facts of obscure disappearance of citizens to law enforcement bodies.

The capital of Chechnya has resumed the practice of mass voluntary work of citizens (the so-called "subbotniks"), who clean up city streets of trash, ill weeds and other wastes. Employees of state-run institutions and public offices are involved in this free-of-charge labour. Some residents of Grozny believe that local authorities abuse their powers.