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The explanation of the Stavropol Territorial Ministry of Justice (MoJ) that coming out is assessed as a statement of belonging to an extremist community has no legal force. Lawyers and human rights defenders have noted that the reasons for persecuting activists in this case are very broad.

Natalia Dorozhnova, an activist, has been fined for her statements in an interview that the court treated as discrediting the Russian Army. She refused to admit her guilt, reminding that the freedom of speech is enshrined in the Russian Constitution.

If deported to Russia, Salman Mukaev, a native of Grozny, risks persecution and violence, his defence has stated at a court session held in Yerevan. Mukaev himself said that threats to his relatives living in Chechnya stopped after the Chechen law enforcers became aware of his whereabouts.

Passers-by supported a solo picket in support of Dagestani journalist Abdulmumin Gadjiev, sentenced in a terrorism case, and asked about his fate, noted Magomed Magomedov, the deputy editor-in-chief of the Dagestani weekly newspaper “Chernovik” (Rough Draft).

Relatives of those residents of Chechnya who are suspected of extremism must be held accountable along with them as accomplices, Ramzan Kadyrov, the head of Chechnya, has stated. Before that, on the eve of the New Year, he expressed threats to relatives of people suspected of extremism.

Repressions and presidential election in Azerbaijan, persecution of pacifists and activists in Southern Russia, echoes of Nagorno-Karabakh, unabashed trolling and intensified repressions by Kadyrov, 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 January 1-7, 2024, prepared by the “Caucasian Knot”.

A court fined Igor Fedotov, a resident of Yeisk, 40,000 roubles, considering his pacifist comment on the “VKontakte” social network as discrediting the Russian Armed Forces.

A court in Rostov-on-Don has sentenced Sergey Zaitsev, a military contractor, to 5.5 years in prison, finding him guilty of leaving his military unit without permission.

Chechen authorities are continuously persecuting their critics and, in an attempt to finally suppress them, use such methods as pressure on their relatives.

The Nalchik Garrison Military Court has sentenced Dagi Gadiev, an officer from Ingushetia, to five years in penal colony, finding him guilty of leaving his military unit without permission.

Ramzan Kadyrov's proposal to lift sanctions in exchange for the release of Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs) was his personal initiative, not of the Kremlin, which is also confirmed by the attempt of the head of Chechnya to explain his words, analysts have pointed out, emphasizing that decisions about POWs are made in Moscow.

The proposal of the head of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov, to release 20 Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs), if sanctions against his relatives are lifted, was criticized by a number of pro-government Russian bloggers. Kadyrov has treated this offer as "fat trolling" against American authorities.

A court in Chechnya has fined Ali Bakaev, a native of the republic living in Ukraine, in absentia, finding him guilty of inciting hatred against Kadyrov's supporters. Russian law enforcers plan to repeatedly seek his extradition to Russia, Bakaev himself has suggested.

After requests from theologians and authorities, six families in Ingushetia abandoned their declared blood feud.

Chechen authorities have long used intimidation of opponents' families in the fight against them, but Kadyrov's recent order to kill relatives of crime suspects could lead to real murders that will not be restrained by the practice of blood feud, human rights defenders have stated.

The head of Chechnya has stated that he is ready to release 20 Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs) if the sanctions introduced against his relatives, as well as his horses and aircrafts, are lifted.

When commenting on a report about an expensive Moscow apartment owned by a spouse of Deputy Prime Minister of Kabardino-Balkaria Muaed Kunizhev, lawyers have pointed out that the information about expensive real estate properties of relatives should become a reason for checking an official for corruption.

Ramzan Kadyrov has well-established connections in the Middle East and could play an important role in involving the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to an exchange of prisoners of war (POWs) between Russia and Ukraine, political analysts believe.

Georgy Kolyan, a convict with disabilities, requested compensation of 900,000 roubles for the lack of medical care and violation of conditions of detention in a Stavropol penal colony. The Stavropol Territorial Court recognized the violations, but assessed moral damage at 50,000 roubles.

Two fighters of the "Rosgvardiya" (Russian National Guard) from Dagestan were found guilty by a Ukrainian court of torturing civilians in Zaporozhye and sentenced them in absentia to 12 years of freedom deprivation each.