News

CTO in Dagestan, persecution of pacifists and activists in Southern Russia, prisons for Azerbaijani oppositionists, news from Georgia, and official data on the natives of Southern Russia who perished in Ukraine, – see the review of these and other events in the Caucasus during the week of March 25-31, 2024, prepared by the “Caucasian Knot”.

A military court has sentenced Zakhar Zaripov, a resident of the Khabarovsk Territory, to five years in penal colony, having found signs of justification for terrorism in his public appeal to Ramzan Kadyrov, the human rights project "OVD-Info"* has informed.

During the counterterrorist operation (CTO) in Dagestan, law enforcers blocked five apartments at once, and two suspects were detained without opening fire, without attracting the attention of residents, a source reported.

A court sentenced Vladimir Dronov, a resident of Volzhsky, to a fine, recognizing the inscription left by the defendant on a street banner depicting Russian militaries as discrediting the Russian Armed Forces.

The counterterrorist operation (CTO) announced in Makhachkala and the neighbouring Kaspiysk was the first since May 2022, when law enforcers killed two people in a CTO introduced in the Leninsky District of Makhachkala, the capital of Dagestan.

Islam Albakov, a native of Chechnya, who had been kept in a deportation prison in Belgium since 2019, has been released, the "Vayfond" human rights association has in its Telegram channel.

Evgenia Opalich, a former teacher of the branch of the All-Russian State Justice University, has managed to cancel the fine of 40,000 roubles imposed on her.

The “Memorial” Centre for Human Rights Defence** recognized Jehovah’s Witness* Vladimir Fomin from Cherkessk as a prisoner of conscience. The court placed the man in custody in a case on extremism, despite his disability.

The deterioration of Zarema Musaeva's health condition is another reason to apply CER (conditional early relief) to her, but she is actually being held hostage by Chechen authorities, human rights defenders have pointed out. Her diabetic cataract requires treatment at a specialized clinic, the doctor asserts.

Aida Milaidi, around whose apartment in Derbent a local deputy has built a shopping centre, has reported that she received state protection in Makhachkala. However, she is dissatisfied with the reaction of law enforcement bodies to her appeals regarding threats.

The Ministry of Culture of Kabardino-Balkaria explained the cancellation of entertainment events on the occasion of the revival day of the Balkar region by the terror act at the Crocus City Hall. Residents of the republic said that this year they refrained from celebrating because of the tragedy which occurred in the Moscow Region.

A court fined Alexander Goncharov, a resident of Sochi, 50,000 roubles for reposting in Telegram critical publications about the authorities of Russia.

Oleg Orlov*, a human rights defender, sentenced to 2.5 years in penal colony for his pacifist position, is deprived of hot meals and subjected to gruelling daily trips from the SIZO (pre-trial prison) to the court, says his advocates' complaint.

Zarema Musaeva's sense of vision has sharply deteriorated in the colony in Argun; and she also suffers from swellings and severe pain, his advocate has informed.

Torture is a grave crime; and the court ruling to sentence a law enforcer from the Krasnodar Territory (also known as Kuban by the name of the main river) to a fine of 50,000 roubles for beating up Andrei Popov is excessively lenient, human rights defenders have noted.

The Volgograd residents, whose personal data were disclosed on air of the "Volgograd-1" TV channel, intend to file complaints with law enforcement bodies.

A court in the Krasnodar Territory has fined Evgeny Volkov, a policeman, by 50,000 roubles under the case of torturing Andrei Popov, who was detained on suspicion of theft.

Alyona Agafonova, a blogger from Samara, accused of desecrating a symbol of military glory because of her video filmed near the monument "The Motherland is Calling!" has been left in custody until June 19.

A court in Moscow arrested Alisher Kasimov, a native of Kyrgyzstan, on the charge of involvement in organizing the terror act at the Crocus City Hall.

In Tatarstan, the court of appeal upheld the decision to arrest Askhabali Alibekov, a native of Dagestan, suspected of using violence against a policeman.