News

Today, the Board of the Russian Society "Memorial" has sent a letter to its regional branches, in which the Society explains its attitude to the RF State Duma elections to take place on December 2, 2007.

The Human Rights Centre (HRC) "Memorial" has published a necrology in memory of Farid Babaev, a public figure, human rights activist and candidate to the RF's State Duma from the "Yabloko" Party, who was killed on November 21, 2007, in Dagestan.

Journalists of the "24" news group of the "Ren-TV" Channel - Artyom Vysotskiy, Stanislav Goryachev and Karen Sakhinov, who had been detained in Nazran, have arrived to Moscow.

The Public Chamber of the Russian Federation (RF) is dissatisfied with the State Duma: during the recent four years the legislators have failed to pass at least a law in support of the activities of non-commercial organizations and patrons of art.

The Government of Chechnya has developed a project of spiritual and moral education of the Republic's population. From this month on, students of higher schools of the Chechen Republic will wear special uniform, and girls will wear headscarves.

Appointment of Vladimir Shamanov, a former commander of one of military groupings in Chechnya, to the post of Deputy Minister of Defence of Russia has caused an extremely negative reaction among representatives of Chechen human rights organizations.

Miklosh Charasti, OSCE representative for the freedom of press matters, has stated today that the closing of the "Imedi" TV Channel in Georgia contradicts to the principles of the freedom of mass media.

On November 23, President of Georgia Mikhail Saakashvili signed a pardon decree in relation to 722 prisoners, the President's press service reports.

Today Farid Babaev, leader of the Dagestan branch of the "Yabloko" Party, who was wounded on Wednesday, November 21, died at the Republic's Clinical Hospital. Daud Garakoev said when making comments on the attempt on Babaev that it could be caused by political reasons and human rights activities of the oppositional politician.

The people who have rallied to a mass meeting in Nazran (Ingushetia) dispersed at 5:00 p.m., and nothing is known about the fate of the persons detained by power agents.

Oleg Orlov, leader of the Human Rights Centre (HRC) "Memorial", and three "Ren-TV" reporters were kidnapped and beaten in Ingushetia under direct order of the authorities, Ekaterina Sokiryanskaya, representative of the HRC "Memorial" in Ingushetia, told.

US Ambassador to Azerbaijan Ann Dersy has expressed her serious concern about the situation with the freedom of speech and press in Azerbaijan.

At the present moment, Mukhmed Gazdiev, one of the co-chairmen of the organizing committee of the meeting due to take place tomorrow, on November 24, is kept, together with some members of his family, in the building of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ingushetia.

According to the latest data, as a result of the bus explosion in the border of North Ossetia with Kabardino-Balkaria, 6 persons were killed, and the number of those injured has reached 17 persons.

Today, a resident of Kabardino-Balkaria tried to commit an act of self-burning in the "Lobnoe Mesto" in the Red Square of Moscow, having explained the attempt by his discontent with the work of law enforcement agents at investigating his brother's murder.

The trial on the criminal case on the murder of Gipsies in the city of Volzhsk, Volgograd Region, in 2006 spring is protracted. Experts fail to appear at the court sessions, and the offended party is not summoned to the court.

The Prosecutor's Office has presented an official charge to Maksharip Khidriev, a native of Ingushetia, suspected of involvement in blowing up the "Neva-Express" train on August 13 this year.

Today, the consideration of the appeal lodged by editor-in-chief of the "Azadlyg" newspaper Ganimat Zakhidov against the decision of the Yasamal District Court ended in upholding of the latter.

The United Nations are phasing out their humanitarian projects in Northern Caucasus, since they do not consider Chechnya, Ingushetia and other Russian Republics to be a disaster zone any longer.

On Thursday, at the trial held at the North-Caucasian District Military Court, the state prosecution demanded 20 and 18 years of imprisonment for the two officers of the Internal Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs accused of murdering peaceful Chechens.