News

Investigation of the criminal cases opened after the explosions triggered on April 26 continues. Power agents are interrogating visitors from Northern Caucasus and activists of the non-systemic opposition.

In the west of Moscow, after a slight road accident a mass brawl burst out among 15 citizens of Russia and Azerbaijan. One man was hospitalized, said a source from law enforcement bodies.

The store burned down at night on April 22 in the village of Khasanya in Kabardino-Balkaria did not sell alcohol. According to some sources, the owner of the shop refused to pay tribute to members of the armed underground.

The Prosecutor's Office of Chechnya has revealed facts of illegal overpricing of medicines in pharmacies. Administrative cases have been initiated against the owners of two pharmacies.

The Parliament of the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic (KBR) has recalled the legislative initiative on amending the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, which assumed criminal liability of criminals' spouses or close relatives for sheltering and non-reporting about grave crimes.

Last night a triggered combat grenade F-1 was thrown into the yard of the liturgical buildings of Jehovah's Witnesses in the city of Nartkala (Kabardino-Balkaria). The grenade failed to explode, but it blew up later, in the course of de-mining. Nobody was hurt.

Today, the head of the Chechen Republic Ramzan Kadyrov answered - by means of the video conference - the questions of the magistrate court of the Khamovniki District of Moscow and stated that the words of the head of the Human Rights Centre (HRC) "Memorial" Oleg Orlov about of his guilt in the murder of rights defender Estemirova had tarnished his honour and dignity. Kadyrov said that he wanted to have Orlov criminally prosecuted.

The jury engaged in the trial of the murder case of lawyer Stanislav Markelov and journalist of the "Novaya Gazeta" Anastasia Baburova has found the defendants in the case - Nikita Tikhonov and Eugenia Khasis - guilty of the crime.

As reported by the National Antiterrorist Committee (NAC), today in the course of three special operations in Dagestan law enforcement bodies liquidated six suspected militants.

In Armenia, the government has already fulfilled two out of the three main demands of the opposition. The third one remains - to release political prisoners. This was stated by former president Levon Ter-Petrosyan, leader of the Armenian National Congress (ANC), said at the rally on April 28.

Murtazali Tagirov, head of the public organization named "Fighter for Justice" said that officials from the local "Rospotrebnadzor" (Russian Federal Agency for Consumer Supervision) keep him under administrative pressure for his human rights activities.

A non-governmental organization "The Georgian Academy" and a number of other NGOs submitted a special petition to Tina Kaidanow, Deputy Assistant of State Secretary of the USA on Europe and Eurasia, calling for US Administration to bring pressure upon the Georgian authorities in order to provide democratic election in the country.

During the search carried out by the personnel of Public prosecutor's office of Baku on April, 26, in the headquarters of "Musavat" party all the documents connected with the activities of civil movement for democracy "The Public Chamber" (CMDPC) were confiscated.

Convict Natalia Badalyants in Georgian colony No 5 went on a hunger strike of protest. This is her way of expressing protest against the decisions of the Committee for Mercy and release on parole which she considers unfair.

North Ossetia is finalizing preparations for the 75th International Crafts Fair in Florence, Italy, which will be held from April 30 to May 8 with the support of the Russian Ministry of Culture within the year "Italy-Russia-2011". Dagestan and Kabardino-Balkaria are also getting ready to take part in the Fair.

The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) has found violations of the rights guaranteed under the European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR) in relation to Sandro Girgvliani, an employee of the United Bank of Georgia, killed in 2006, and his parents - Irina Enukidze (deceased in 2007) and Guram Girgvliani.

From the start of the year, as a result of targeted repressive actions of the Azerbaijani authorities against the opposition, fabricated charges have been brought against 25 citizens; thus, they are potential political prisoners. This statement was made on April 26 by the Azerbaijani human rights organization named the Institute for Peace and Democracy (IPD).

Igor Negerev, a former Deputy of the Astrakhan Regional Duma, sentenced to a fine of 160,000 roubles for an attempt to trip over a GIBDD (traffic police) inspector, states that a new criminal case is being fabricated against him, where he is accused of a false denunciation against law enforcement bodies. The ex-Deputy, who became an invalid during his detention at SIZO (pre-trial prison) under the previous criminal case, also announced his intention to appeal to the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) to appeal against the court decisions passed against him earlier.

Railway in Dagestan became a target - five explosive devices could be triggered there; nationalists in Moscow demand from the authorities to stop "feeding the Caucasus"; anthrax was diagnosed in one of Kuban city hospitals, - look these and other events in the review of the week of April 18-24, 2011, prepared by the "Caucasian Knot".

Alexei Tokhtamysov, an operative agent of the Criminal Investigation Department, was found guilty of abuse of office committed with violence by the verdict of the Zhirnovsky District Court.