News

The matter of the open letter prepared by the Chernobyl liquidators for publication in press concerns the payment of compensation for health damage provided for by the law.

Two residents of Ingushetia were wounded in the center of Nazran during a detention of a man suspected of membership of illegal armed units.

Sub-units of the Azerbaijan Armed Forces have occupied the settlement of Gyrmyzykend in the Agderinsky district without any combat actions.

Almost all members of Chechen law enforcement agencies give a hefty percentage of their pay to Ramzan Kadyrov, head of the security service of his father Akhmad Kadyrov, leader of the republic. Prague Watchdog's correspondent learnt about these kickbacks from Chechen policemen who preferred not to be named.

Participants in the round table discussion were activists of non-government organizations (NGOs) and trade union organizations, members of regional branches of the Yabloko party, the Union of Right Forces (SPS) and the Russian Liberal Democratic Party (LDPR), Cossacks, and students.

The complaint was lodged at the instance of former hostages and relatives of the people killed in the Theatre Center on Dubrovka in 2002

Chechen government officials explain the necessity to liquidate the tent camps by poor living conditions there, "Tents have decayed, their operating period expired long ago, people often fall ill."

Kavkaz Center's editors received an e-mail from an anonymous address from an unknown earlier group called "Gazoton Murdash." The group's leader, who identified himself as Lom-Ali of Chechnya, made a statement in which he pointed out that his militarized organization claimed responsibility for the blast in the Moscow metro that happened on February 6.

Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Alexis II, Chairman of the Supreme Religious Council of Caucasian Peoples Sheikh Allakhshukyur Pasha-zade, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia Iliya II and Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II took part in the meeting.

A workshop for journalists and 11 regional workshops for prosecutors, policemen and lawyers will be held shortly under Civil Society Institute's Problems of Pretrial Detention in Armenia program.

Two women were killed in a landmine explosion in the Achkhoy-Martan district in the morning on March 2.

"The study of the statement by the Azerbaijan Foreign Ministry [issued in connection with the incident in Budapest] leads to disappointment. Instead of the condemnation having a single meaning, it contains explanations in the form of excuses. The statement is an attempt to blame the victim," said Head of the Armenian Delegation to the OSCE Jivan Tabibian.

Special attention at the meeting was devoted to the problem of people's employment, in particular, in Estonian villages, and granting help to them in the restoration of wine-growing and farm traditions.

The refugee camp Bart, located near the Ingush town of Karabulak, was totally dismantled on March 1, the deadline for eliminating of all Chechen refugee camps in Ingushetia as set by the Chechen government in mid-January.

A presentation of the books "Council of Europe Documents in the Media Field" and "New Times" took place at the Armenian Journalists Association on February 27.

"It is impossible to achieve peace in the republic with Akhmad Kadyrov," she said.

A regular picket against the war in Chechnya was held in Petersburg, at the intersection of Nevsky Avenue and Malaya Konyushennaya Street, on February 29.

The Danish Refugee Council, within the framework of the Caucasus NGO Networking Initiative program and with the financial support of the Danish Foreign Ministry, announces a grant competition for non-government organizations (NGOs) working with refugees in the Caucasian region.

"I know that most of you will not continue studies, however, I am glad that you have fought together for the minority," Rafael Kazarian, an academician of the Armenian National Academy of Sciences, said at a meeting of students devoted to their fight against the draft Law on Military Service.

The action was aimed not only at helping the children in need but at reminding of two dates: the 60th anniversary since the beginning of the illegal deportation of the Chechen and Ingush peoples and the 10th anniversary since the beginning of the Chechen war.