News

On March 28, a number of Georgian non-government organizations, i.e., "Young Lawyers' Association," "42nd Article of the Constitution," "Centre for Rehabilitation of Victims of Torture," as well as the Georgian Republican Party, published an open letter addressed to the country's leadership, in which they call on the government to make public detailed information on the riot in Tbilisi prison No. 5, reports IA Novosti-Gruziya.

"The problem of political prisoners in Azerbaijan is still urgent. According to our observations, it is far from being solved yet, rather, it continues to deepen," said Leila Unus, director of the Institute of Peace and Democracy, to the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent. According to her, an analysis of fulfilment of this obligation shows that, out of the initial list of 716 names and an additional list of 107 assumed political prisoners who appeared after the country's accession to the СЕ, there are still 78 prisoners.

On March 26, the Youth Group for Tolerance "ETnIKA" from Krasnodar completed a series of actions within the international action "Your vote against racism!" by the FLASH MOB "STOP RACISM!"

A roundtable "Situation in North Caucasus and Condition of Balkars" is to be held on Tuesday March 28, from 12 noon till 14. 00 at the Independent press-centre in Moscow. The "Forum.msk" reports that the discussion will be attended by Dzhappuev Rasul Soltan-Khamidovich, chair of the State Council of Balkaria, founder of the newspaper "Balkaria" and representative of Balkars in the Federative Council of National Minorities in Europe; Ponomaryov Lev Alexandrovich, executive director of the movement "For Human Rights"; Yazykova Alla Alexeevna, doctor of historical sciences; Boziev Ruslan Sakhitovich, deputy director of the Institute of Innovation Activity in Education; Boziev Ismail Khakimovich, deputy of the local self-government body in the village of Khasaniya; Khubolov Alim Lazhdautovich, expert of the movement "For Human Rights"; Metov Magomed Ilyasovich, director general of "Apatit" Ltd., Abdulayev Ali Amashevich, director general of the "А Аliko" Ltd. Political scientists and sociologists have also been invited.

Shalva Natelashvili, leader of the Labour Party, stated before journalists that the opposition forces intend to demand resignation of Vano Merabishvili, Minister of Internal Affairs, and the administration of the Department on Enforcement of Punishment. "The actions of the riot squad which used arms against prisoners are illegal," said Natelashvili, reports NEWSru.com.

Two international organizations have made a statement in protection of lawyer Mikhail Trepashkin. "Amnesty International" and the American Bar Association call the persecution of Trepashkin unfair and illegal, reports "Gazeta.Ru."

Today, on March 24, another session of the Khasavyurt town court hearing on the case of the human rights activist Osman Boliev accused of storage, acquisition and wearing of arms took place in Dagestan. Salimat Kadyrova, Boliev's lawyer, told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent by telephone about the proceedings.

Andrei Sychov and his relatives have completed studying the materials in the criminal case file on his inhuman treatment. During the coming days, the materials are to be handed over to the Chelyabinsk garrison tribunal, reports "Gazeta.Ru."

Today, on March 24, the Khasavyurt town court hearing of the case of the human rights activist Osman Boliev accused of storage, acquisition and wearing of arms continues in Dagestan. Ruslan, the brother of the accused, and lawyer Salimat Kadyrova told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent by telephone from Khasavyurt during a break in the court session about the proceedings.

In his talk with the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent, human rights activist Chinghiz Ganizade has stated that now there are about 50 political prisoners in Azerbaijan. "This problem will not be resolved until they are released," he notes.

The location and fate of the assistant of Aslan Maskhadov, president of ChRI killed in March 2005 in Chechnya, are still unknown.

Human rights activists accuse the military prosecutor's office of insufficient attention paid to non-statutory relationships in the Russian army. Representatives of the Russian national movement "For Human Rights" have addressed a letter to the Main Military Prosecutor's Office in which they request investigation of two cases of "dedovschina" in the relationships of conscripts. Lev Ponomaryov, chair of the Russian national movement "For Human Rights," reported to the "Novy Region", that human rights activists request initiation of criminal proceedings.

The appeal of the Russian office of the international organization of writers and poets PEN-club (Russian PEN-centre) against the decision of Moscow court of arbitrage to the effect that the PEN-centre must pay to the Tax Inspectorate about 2,000,000 roubles as a tax for the land occupied by the building of the centre, is appointed to be considered on March 27 in Moscow's 9th appellate court of arbitrage. This has been reported to the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent by deputy general director of the Russian PEN-centre today.

Khanifa Battayeva, resident of the town of Cheghem in Kabardino-Balkaria, addressed the "Caucasian Knot" to relate that her son Yusuf Battayev, born in 1972, was kidnapped on July 14, 2004 and nothing has been heard of him ever since. "We appealed to the public in the hope that the law enforcement agencies may find him, but the hope diminishes with every passing day," says the victim's mother.

Militia has managed to find an eye-witness of an attack on Marina Litvinovich, member of the UCF Federal Council, on the night of March 20. This is a resident of the house in Makarenko Street. The witness has not been interrogated by the investigating officers of Basman militia unit No 46 yet. The fact has been reported to the Kasparov.Ru correspondent by Litvinovich herself.

N. A. Mukhotorov, investigating officer of Crimea inter-district prosecutor's office, promises to bring to disciplinary punishment Vladimir Butenko, district militia officer, for persecuting human rights activist and leaders of ethnic minorities subjected to ethnic discrimination in Krasnodar Territory. This has been reported to the "Caucasian Knot" by the ANO "Novorossiysk Committee for Human Rights."

Natalia Sivyakova, mother of junior sergeant Alexander Sivyakov, one of the main persons accused of harassment of Andrei Sychov, soldier of Cheliabinsk tank school, intends to file a complaint to the Commission on the Rights of Accused and Convicted Persons under the State Duma and to the Commission on Human Rights. Natalia Sivyakova stated to the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent, "even before the trial, everywhere in the country my son has been declared criminal who harassed Andrei Sychov and made Sychov an invalid. My son was forced to sign evidence incriminating him although he never beat Sychov. Officers of the Prosecutor's Office have committed violations, now they are openly trying to get a confession from my son that he beat other soldiers, in order to save this notorious criminal case. But he never beat anyone and is not going to incriminate himself. The investigation of the case will be extended till June 8, but I will not be surprised if the prosecutor's office extends the investigation further in the hope to "dig up" something against my son. If the case goes to court, the prosecutor's office will be interested in a smooth trial without much publicity. But I am not going to keep silence and intend to do everything in order to save my son from undeserved accusations."

Today, Madina Ezhieva, the wife of Arthur Ezhiev held on the territory of the Argun town military commandant's office, has filed a complaint to the Chechen Prosecutor's Office in which she detailed the circumstances of kidnapping of her husband.

Arthur (Yakub) Ezhiev, activist of the Russian-Chechen Friendship Society, kidnapped on March 15 from his house in the village of Serzhen-Yurt, Shali District of Chechnya by officers of Chechen power authorities, has been released today, reports Zharada Kharipova, the wife of Arthur's uncle Imran Ezhiev, citing their relatives in Chechnya, to the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent by telephone from Germany. According to her, no circumstances of his release are known, so far.

Marina Litvinovich is inclined to connect the attack on her with her activity in the investigation of the terrorist acts in Moscow and Beslan.