News

On the evening of July 13, a shooting from machine guns near Shusha continued for an hour. It was heard in Stepanakert and caused anxiety among city residents, local people said. They called on the authorities and Russian peacekeepers to respond to the incident.

The Azerbaijani armed forces opened targeted fire on positions in the Ararat Region, and as a result, one Armenian soldier was killed, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) of Armenia reported. One soldier of the Azerbaijani army was wounded as a result of a shelling attack from the Armenian side, the Ministry of Defence of Azerbaijan reported.

At night on July 14, nine activists detained during a protest in Tbilisi were released from the SIZO (pre-trial prison) under recognizance not to leave the city.

Residents of Chechnya, Eldar Orazbaev, Muslim Zulkarnaev, Timur Satabaev and Umar Chapanov, complained to the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) about the torture by law enforcers, who demanded from them to plead guilty under terrorism cases.

The visit of diplomats to the city of Shushi, which has seceded under Azerbaijan's control, contributes to the escalation of the Karabakh conflict, since the diplomats' trip can be regarded as their recognition of the resolution of the Karabakh conflict in favour of Baku, Armenian analysts believe.

The positions of Azerbaijani militaries near Shusha were shelled from machine and submachine guns from the territory guarded by Russian peacemakers, the Azeri Ministry of Defence (MoD) has stated.

The Azerbaijani Supreme Court (SC) has dismissed the complaints lodged by the journalist, Elchin Gasanzade, and the blogger Ibragim Tyurksoy. Their defence sees a violation of the right to the freedom of expression in the SC's verdict and intends to appeal to the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR).

There is no organized underground in Chechnya, but it is beneficial for the republic's authorities to maintain the status of a troubled region in order to receive additional funding for the fight against terrorism, Svetlana Gannushkina, a human rights defender, and Ruslan Kutaev, the President of the Assembly Caucasian Nations, have stated in connection with the attack on policemen in Grozny.

The film director, Kira Kovalenko, in her Ossetian-language film "Unclenching The Fists", has raised the problem of women's lack of freedom in a patriarchal society; the topic is in demand in the West, but not urgent for North Ossetia, Alik Pukhaev, a blogger, and Diana Sokaeva, a philologist, have noted.

The Supreme Court (SC) of the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic (KBR) has dismissed the complaint lodged by the defence of Martin Kochesoko. His advocate intends to appeal against this decision.

Dagestani activist Murad Manapov has filed a lawsuit against law enforcers who used force against him at a police station during his detention in April.

Relatives found signs of torture on the body of Anzor Barazov, which law enforcers gave out to them after a special operation in Nalchik and Baksan. Anzor Barazov’s family members request the Investigating Committee of the Russian Federation (ICRF) to conduct an investigation.

Azerbaijani journalist Polad Aslanov went on a hunger strike to protest against the pressure on him and extortion of money in a penal colony. According to his spouse, the convicted journalist also urged diplomats to visit him.

A case against Aslanbek and Salambek Idalov brothers, accused of banditry and an attack on the Russian federal troops in the Shelkovsky District of Chechnya in 1999, has been submitted to the court.

Many priests of the Georgian Orthodox Church have accused the organizers of the "Tbilisi Pride" of the July 5 incident and regard that the use of violence was justified. However, some priests called violence against any people unacceptable.

The attacks of LGBT opponents on journalists in Tbilisi could turn into a media vs. authorities confrontation, which will exacerbate the political crisis. The incident has affected the "Georgian Dream" ratings; while the West may impose sanctions and suspend economic aid to the country, Georgian analysts believe.

A journalist and an oppositionist, who were detained on July 12 during a protest action near the office of the "Georgian Dream" Party, were injured; one of them was hospitalized.

At the rally held near the office of the "Georgian Dream" Party, law enforcers detained 12 people. Protesters promise to come there again until their demands – the resignation of Prime Minister, Irakli Garibashvili, and the government; and the investigation into the death of Lekso Lashkarava, a cameraman of the "TV-Pirveli" Company – are satisfied.

A 27-year-old resident of Ingushetia provided food and transport to members of an illegal armed formation (IAF), and also kept a bomb and a grenade at home, investigators assert.

Razi Gumbatov, an activist of the "Muslim Unity" movement, who was arrested within a drug dealing case, was deprived of the opportunity to contact his family and invite a lawyer of his choice, his defence has stated in an appeal complaint against his arrest. Gumbatov had been conducting an anti-drug campaign in his dwelling settlement by warning young people against drug use, the movement has stated.