News

The Supreme Court of Ingushetia has recognized lawful the refusal to transfer the trial on the case of the death of Magomed Evloev, owner of the website "Ingushetia.Ru", from the republic to some other subject of the Russian Federation.

Members of human rights organizations of Kabardino-Balkaria and Karachaevo-Circassia have offered the authorities of Russia to announce amnesty by the Victory Day, including for the participants of events on October 13, 2005, in Nalchik.

The journalist who made a television clip for Boris Nemtsov, a candidate for Sochi Mayor, was attacked. The "Caucasian Knot" correspondent was told about it by Olga Shorina, press secretary of the Movement named "Solidarity".

On April 23, the Supreme Court of Kabardino-Balkaria will continue considering the case on events on October 13, 2005, in Nalchik. It is not excluded that the verdict will be passed at last, anticipated by the public for three and a half years already.

The Prosecutor's Office refused to provide any data to human rights activists about Yusup Zagirov, who was kidnapped in Dagestan on April 5 by unidentified power agents. On April 8 the Human Rights Centre "Memorial" was informed about this kidnapping by Yusup's brother Omar Zagirov.

A group of sappers of the Ministry for Emergencies (MfE) of Russia has arrived to Chechnya and started demining the rural territory in the vicinity of Grozny. They will have to examine about 50 hectares of arable land.

Since April 20, in the south of Chechnya, in the Itum-Kalin and Vedeno Districts, the counterterrorist operation (CTO) regime was announced. Some local observers believe that these could be power agents' response actions to the Kremlin's decision to cancel the CTO regime that had survived in Chechnya for more than nine years.

The delegation of human rights activists from Azerbaijan was invited to Strasbourg to the regular session of the PACE to take place on April 27-30.

Today, in Baku, near the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Azerbaijan, a picket was held by a group of activists of the youth movement "Dalga" (Wave). Their demand was to restore expelled 4th year student Pyarviz Azimov at the Lenkoran State University (LSU).

In Tbilisi, in the square in front of the parliament, supporters of the opposition have resumed their rally with participation of more than 10,000 protesters. Oppositionists plan to install "prison cells-cages" along the whole Rustaveli Avenue, and the local Union of Journalists "Objective" starts its project "Free Street Television" for broadcasting "alternative news" onto a big screen.

On April 22, the Moscow Garrison Military Court will continue debates on the case of Vladimir Bukreev accused of bribe-taking. Bukreev, who passed a verdict of guilty in 2003 to Colonel Yuri Budanov for murdering a Chechen girl, is complaining of violations in the course of the trial.

The majority of defendants who figure in the criminal case on the events on October 13, 2005, in Nalchik refuse to admit their guilt. Some of them have admitted only the charge under Article 222 of the Russian Criminal Code - "Bearing and storage of arms".

The family of Robert Kocharyan, the second president of Armenia, who brought an action to the general court of Centre-Nork-Marash community against the oppositional daily newspaper "Aikakan Zhamanak" (Armenian Time) claims compensation moral damage in the sum of 16 million drams (some 40-42 thousand US dollars).

Political prisoner Sarkis Atspanyan, kept in custody at the Nubarashen criminal corrective establishment, has disseminated a statement with his complaint on bad health condition need of a repeated examination.

The city of Elista, the capital of Kalmykia, is hosting the constituent assembly of a new public organization - the "Union of Repressed Nations of Russia". Representatives of six nations are taking part in the event.

A bill was submitted to the State Duma assuming to exempt victims of terror acts from paying taxes on the help that they receive in kind. Its appearance was caused by the scandal around children-victims of Beslan.

President of Ingushetia Yunus-Bek Evkurov has stated that 47 families, which were in the state of feud, reached reconciliation. According to the President, it brings hope for peace to be settled in the region.

At about 8:00 a.m. today, in Ingushetia, in the village of Verkhni Alkun and adjoining territory, the counterterrorist operation (CTO) regime was introduced. Power agents are searching militants.

Former commandant of Chechnya Sergey Kizyun, who was attacked in a car in central Moscow together with ex-deputy of State Duma Ruslan Yamadaev, has recognized the latter's killer by his eyes. Mr Kizyun has stated that they had been attacked by Aslanbek Dadaev, a native of Chechnya. Dadaev's advocates would not agree with Sergey Kizyun.

A number of objects, built in South Ossetia for Russia's money, will remain in RF's ownership. According to political scientist Dmitri Oreshkin, this Russia's decision is caused by the desire to keep control over spending of the 10 billion roubles, which RF plans to allot on restoration of South Ossetia.