News

As a result of the today's four-hour-long meeting of representatives of the opposition and the authorities of Georgia, an agreement was reached on the basic demands of the opposition related to staffing of the Public Television and release from custody of political prisoners.

Natalia Estemirova, employee of the Human Rights Centre (HRC) "Memorial", has become the chair of the newly-created Public Council for assisting in ensuring human and citizens' rights and freedoms under the administration of the city of Grozny.

On February 24, in the district of Los Angeles named "Minor Armenia" a rally of the Armenians who live in this American city was held, where the participants addressed the US Department of State not to recognize the outcomes of the presidential election in Armenia.

Six employees of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia have been dismissed from their posts for support of Levon Ter-Petrosyan, presidential candidate from the opposition.

The Election Office of Levon Ter-Petrosyan has addressed the Prosecutor's Office and the observation mission of the OSCE/ODIHR with a request to consider the violations admitted by the Central Electoral Commission of Armenia during its sitting on February 24 dedicated to final totals of the presidential election.

One more case has been initiated against the members of the "Voice of Beslan" Committee, this time - an administrative one.

In the evening on February 22, at about 6:00 p.m. in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, Agyl Khalilov, a reporter of the "Azadlyg" newspaper, was severely beaten.

President of Chechnya Ramzan Kadyrov has called human rights organizations to cooperate with the leadership of the Republic in monitoring the observance of human rights. The statement was made by Kadyrov on February 22 at a meeting with representatives of Human Rights Organization "Memorial".

Today, we mark 64 years from the date of mass deportation of Ingushes and Chechens to Kazakhstan and Central Asia.

Currently, a break has been announced at the mass rally of the united opposition that is taking place in the capital of Armenia; according to some sources, about 70,000 persons take part in it. The participants of the march demand that "Ailur", the main information program of the Public TV of Armenia, provide truthful coverage of events.

The government of Armenia has received congratulations on "active and competitive" presidential election from the US Department of State of the USA and Chairmanship of the European Union.

The police of Armenia have disseminated a statement about their readiness "to strike a blow back on any attempts to violate the public order and destabilize the situation, with the aim to prevent any manifestations of anarchy and defend constitutional rights of citizens."

Relatives of the people kidnapped in Dagestan and the members of the Movement "Dagestan Mothers" suspect the workers of law enforcement bodies of involvement in kidnapping and accuse the prosecutor's office of inaction.

In Armenia, supporters of Levon Ter-Petrosyan keep asserting that the presidential elections held on February 19 were falsified, and they will struggle for the right of their choice.

Nikol Pashinyan, a member of the election office of Levon Ter-Petrosyan, made his comments at the rally of the opposition in Yerevan on the news about resignation of vice-premier of Armenia Vaan Ovannisyan and dismissal from the position of Deputy General Public Prosecutor of Armenia of Gagik Dzhangiryan.

Now, the march of several tens thousand persons along the streets of Yerevan is over.

On February 20, the All-Russian NGO "Voice of Beslan" has filed a complaint against the actions of the investigatory group of the State Office of Public Prosecutor of the Russian Federation and demanded to recognize the actions of the investigatory group, which was in charge of forensic medical examination of victims' bodies, to be illegal.

The united opposition of Georgia has refused to start a hunger strike, as presidential candidate Levan Gachechiladze has announced to the Georgian Parliament.

Today, the innovations in Chechnya related to the requirement of observing external attributes of women's modesty in educational institutions cause irritation of the majority of teachers and students.

In Kalmykia, collectors of signatures in support of Mikhail Kasyanov, a nominee to the position of President of Russia and leader of the Party "People for Democracy and Justice", find themselves under tough pressure.