News

Zelimkhan Yandarbiyev died in a hospital in Qatar as a result of an attempt on his life, reported an Al Arabiya TV Channel correspondent with reference to medical sources in Doha (Qatar's capital).

The first meeting of workers of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) with Meskhetian Turks will be held on February 16 in the village of Kholmskaya, Krasnodar Territory's Abinsky district. The IOM representatives will inform the Meskhetian Turks about the program of resettlement to the United States.

Representatives of British and American non-government organizations (NGOs) that worked out a joint project to promote the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement and to create the atmosphere of trust in the region made a three-day visit to the Republic of Nagorny Karabakh.

On February 17, the Zamoskvoretsky Intermunicipal Court of Moscow will consider a complaint by people suffered as a result of the terrorist act on Dubrovka against actions of investigative bodies in the course of the investigation into the criminal case.

Eduard Agabekian, a deputy of the Karabakh parliament, made a statement to the National Assembly. He announced on behalf of the initiative group that Movement - 88 was a new political movement to be formed.

A meeting arranged by the district administration and leaders of the Chechen regional branch of the United Russia party was held on the central square of Gudermes on February 10.

"Article 49 "Freedom of Assembly" of the Constitution has been suspended in the republic in fact after the presidential election of 15 October 2003 and the clashes between demonstrators and the police that followed the election on 15 and 16 October," reads the statement.

Hundreds of people abroad and only a few in Russia responded to the peacemaking action arranged by the offices of Human Rights Center "Memorial" in Nazran and Grozny.

"Today there is no principle that both the sides accept in the Karabakh settlement, therefore Azerbaijan has full authority to start from the beginning," said Azerbaijan Foreign Minister Vilayat Guliyev.

There is a possibility that the office of Abdul-Khakim Sultygov, special envoy for human rights in Chechnya, which was officially terminated by President Putin a month ago, continue its activity in the republic later this year.

On February 6 and 10, two more satellite press conferences Yerevan-Baku were held within the framework of the project of the Yerevan and Baku Press Clubs "Possible Resolutions of the Karabakh Conflict: Expert Evaluations and Media Coverage".

The number of prisoners taking part in the hunger strike at the Bailovskaya prison has risen to 70. A further 7 activists of the Musavat party and Azerbaijan Popular Front, not in prison, are also taking part.

Residents of the Krimsky district picketed the regional administration in Krasnodar on February 9.

Former chairman of the Abkhazian Supreme Soviet Tamaz Nadareishvili declares against the signing of the agreement between Georgia and Abkhazia that the war will not be resumed.

The ceremony to present the 2003 Symbol of Freedom, a sign of public recognition instituted in the field of human rights, will be held at the Marble Hall of the House of Journalists in Moscow on February 17.

The Antiwar Club and Committee for Antiwar Actions have issued a statement in which they called upon everybody to "join the actions aimed at the cessation of war in Chechnya, establishment of the United Nations Interim Administration in Chechnya and political settlement of the conflict" on 23 February, the day of memory of people fallen victims to Stalin's deportation.

120 families of displaced persons returned to the places of their former residence on the territory of North Osetia for 12 months of 2003, according to the data by the Ingush State Committee on Refugees and Displaced Persons.

A volunteer for the interregional NGO Society for Russian-Chechen Friendship, Alkhazur Batayev, was detained in the tent camp for Chechen refugees "Satsita" by officers of Ingushetia's Sunzhensky district police department on February 10.

FSB (Federal Security Service) officers wage a fierce struggle against songs by Chechen singers in Ingushetia. It is prohibited to sale cassettes with songs by Timur Mutsurayev, Khas-Magomed Khadzhimuradov and Islam Alimsultanov in the republic.

Director of the Scientific Research Institute of the Caucasus Professor Nikolay Avdulov called this day a holiday of wisdom, good and education.