News

Sixteen officials are found guilty of using violence against more than 100 suspects accused of cooperation with the Armenian special services and the preparation of acts of sabotage and sentenced to long terms of imprisonment. The above has been announced by the Deputy General Prosecutor of Azerbaijan.

Second round of municipal elections in Georgia; beginning of the unplanned holidays announced because of the coronavirus spread and the introduction of QR codes in Southern Russia; anniversary of the terror act during the “Nord-Ost” musical show; visit of the President of Turkey to Azerbaijan, – see the review of these and other events in the Caucasus during the week of October 25-31, 2021, prepared by the “Caucasian Knot”.

In Gudermes, law enforcers took three 14-year-old girls to the police; one of them posted a video filmed on the edge of the balcony; and their parents were brought to responsibility. Instagram users who watched the video clip reproached their parents for their poor control over the teenagers.

During the week from October 25 to October 31, 2021, during the ongoing armed conflict in Northern Caucasus, no information about casualties or wounded persons was reported. These are the results of the calculations run by the "Caucasian Knot" based on its own materials and information from other sources.

The "Roskomnadzor" (the Russian Federal Service for Supervision of Communications, Information Technology, and Mass Media) has demanded from the YouTube to block the video by Adam Gisaev, a native of Chechnya and a former prisoner, telling about torture at the Irkutsk SIZO (pre-trial prison), which was posted on the channel of the human rights project Gulagu.net.

The "Grozny" ChGTRK (Chechen State TV and Radio Broadcasting Company) has presented the report, in which three women detained by Chechen law enforcers for practising witchcraft, were scolded, as "psychics' battle under law enforcers' supervision." Some Instagram users believe that this sarcasm was inappropriate.

The election campaign passed amid intimidation of voters and pressure on them, the Embassy of the European Union (EU) to Georgia has stated. A sharp imbalance of resources in favour of the ruling party has affected the election outcomes, the head of the mission of the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) of the OSCE (Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe) has stressed.

After their return from exile, the repressed residents of the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic (KBR) failed to receive compensations for their seized or lost property; now they are paid only a small surcharge to their pensions, Marx Shakhmurzov, the head of the Association of Victims of Political Repressions, has stated at a rally held in Nalchik.

Eight criminal cases have been initiated in connection with the incidents that occurred during the voting at the second round of municipal elections, the Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) has reported. The NGOs "Transparency International" and the "Georgian Young Lawyers' Association" (GYLA) have filed 32 complaints with the Central Election Commission (CEC).

On October 30, residents of Volgograd, individually and in small groups, laid flowers at the monument to repressed people and read out their names.

Vadim Cheldiev, an Ossetian opera singer, who is accused of organizing riots in Vladikavkaz, may be harshly sentenced by the court. In this way, authorities hope to prevent a rise of protest sentiments amid roughening restrictions on coronavirus, the analysts interviewed by the "Caucasian Knot" believe.

Several skirmishes have broken out during local elections in Batumi and Zugdidi. Members of the ruling "Georgian Dream" Party and the opposition have exchanged accusations of trying to interfere with observers' work.

The second round of elections in the Gldani District of Tbilisi began with a lower voter turnout than the first round, observers have noted.

The criminal case about the purchase by an official from the city administration of apartments unfit for living intended for orphans has been sent to the court. While the case was being investigated, the administration provided the orphans with comfortable housing.

The Elista City Court has ruled to fine Valentina Erdnieva, an activist of the Congress of the Oirat-Kalmyk People, by 20,000 roubles for her solo pickets in the city centre.

The suspect-figurant of the extortion case committed suicide in one of Volgograd SIZOs (pre-trial prisons). Igor Nagavkin, a rights defender, who was contacted by the victim's relatives, did not rule out that he had been beaten up.

In Kuban (Krasnodar Territory), tests were held for the right to wear maroon berets, which for the first time were accompanied by video broadcast. This novelty is explained by an attempt to avoid frauds when passing tests after the incident with candidates from Chechnya, the military analysts interviewed by the "Caucasian Knot" believe.

The murder of prisoner Albert Yuldashev became possible because of gross violations of the regime in the Vladikavkaz penal colony, his mother claims. The woman believes that her son was taken to hospital too late after being stabbed.

Three former policemen are sentenced to 7-9 years of imprisonment in a case on the death of Sulli Yunusilau, a father of two-time MMA world champion Magomed Yunusilau. The Orekhovo-Zuevo City Court also awarded compensation for moral damage in the amount of 600,000 roubles.

Mikhail Saakashvili, who is continuing his hunger strike in prison, again refused to consult with doctors and take medication. The former Georgian president has the right to commit suicide, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili notes.