News

The manifestations and political battles that took place on May 26 in Tbilisi gave grounds to cast a new look on the situation in the country. Politicians and observers note that the struggle of the oppositionists has passed over to a new level.

Andjey Zaukha, Polish TVN channel correspondent, calls the attack on him in Moscow on May 24 when he was crossing the street "an absolute accident" not connected with his journalist's work.

Lawyer Boris Kuznetsov who represented the interests of Levon Chakhmakhchian, convicted earlier ex-senator of Kalmykia, expects his criminal case to be dropped and intends to get rehabilitation.

The new law prevents people of South Ossetia from electing persons whom they trust to manage the state, although elections are arranged in order to periodically delegate the right to govern the society on behalf of people. This is the view of Vissarion Aseev, deputy of the RF National Assembly and a political scientist.

For several years now Moslems in Karachai-Cherkess have been persecuted only because they regular pray, refrain from smoking or drinking, and their wives wear hijabs, runs the open letter of the relatives of persons accused of an attempt of a violent coup and preparation of terrorist acts on the republic's territory, who are on trial now in Cherkessk.

Vage Stepnian, representative of Armenian Ombudsman in the Group on Collecting Facts about March 1, 2008 intends to leave his post. Stepanian explains his decision by a heavy confrontation in the Group between representatives of the authorities and the opposition.

Eight out of fifteen Ingushetia residents detained for illegal possession of arms and ammunition have been released, the others are under check. This information is claimed by a source of the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent at the republic's law enforcement agencies.

Today, about one hundred residents of the Sulak village seized an electric substation and switched on the cut off equipment. In the evening, Makhachkala residents again blocked the city streets in a protest against switching off light.

The central stadium of Tbilisi, Georgian capital, with the 80,000 capacity is overcrowded. Tens of thousands of opposition representatives and their supporters, including oppositionists from West Georgia headed by Giya Gachechiladze, well-known singer and brother of the opposition leader Levan Gachechiladze, have gathered in order to mark Georgian Independence Day and demand resignation of Michail Saakashvili, Georgian president.

The statements of presidents of Chechnya and Ingushetia on the number of militants in their republics widely differ form the data from MoI and FSS, claims Anatoli Tsyganok, head of the Military Forecasts under the Institute of Political and Military Analysis.

On May 25, a 19-year old resident of Urus-Martan district, Chechnya, was kidnapped by officers of unidentified power authorities.

Most of the 16 decisions passed by the European Court against Azerbaijan are connected with violation of the right of citizens to association, stated Chinghiz Askerov, plenipotentiary representative of Azerbaijan at the European Court, on May 22.

The Prosecutor's Office in Tbilisi has started a check on the fact of excess of power by policemen in the course of May 20 special operation to detain Giya Krialashvili, Koba Otanadze and Levan Amiridze, the persons accused of taking part in the riot at Mukhrovan military unit. This has been reported by Onice Meboniya, Otanadze's lawyer.

The explosion near the Tbilisi independent TV company "Maestro" may be connected with the documentary on the scandalous murder of Sandro Ghirgvliany, employee of the United Bank of Georgia, by policemen, claims Mamuka Glonti, Director General of the TV company.

15 Ingushetia residents detained on May 23 are only accused of illegal possession of arms and ammunition. Representatives of the republic's MoI do not confirm their connections with illegal armed formations. According to some reports, they all have been released.

At 7 a.m. today, a search has been conducted in Makhachkala in the house at 3, Siniavin Street where Adallo Aliyev, a well-known Dagestan poet, lives. Upon its completion, militiamen from Lenin district militia of the Dagestan capital have taken Gamzat, the poet's youngest son, to the militia station.

19 militants have been killed and 27 of their bases annihilated in Chechnya during one month. The losses of the power authorities amount to nine persons. These data have been cited by Colonel Roman Edilov, the republic's acting Minister of Interior.

There is no one to complain to in Ingushetia, except to the perpetrators themselves - this is why young Ingushes leave their motherland, claims Magomed Khazbiev, one of the leaders of Ingushetia opposition, citing an example of Ilez Gardanov's arrest.

The Azeri Ministry of Defense has confirmed the fact of shooting five persons to death on May 23 and stated that the reasons for the incident are being clarified. The prosecutor's office has not confirmed any reports on harassments among servicemen so far.

Lieutenant-general Vladimir Shamanov, former commander of a military group in Chechnya who until recently was chief of the main department of army troops combat training, has been appointed commander of Russian airborne troops.