News

Influential prisoners under the control of prison administrations try to prevent Ombudsperson's officers from inspecting prisons and other prisoners – from filing complaints, Georgia's Ombudsperson Nino Lomjaria claims. She has urged the Georgian government and parliament to intervene in the situation.

Niyameddin Akhmedov, a member of the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (PFPA), arrested in a case on financing of terrorism, has been charged with public appeals against the state and illicit trafficking in banned items. Niyameddin Akhmedov pleads not guilty, the PFPA reports.

Over the past five months, the number of political prisoners has decreased by 46, and now makes 146 persons, the Union "For Freedom of Political Prisoners in Azerbaijan" (UFFPPA) has stated. At the same time, human rights defenders treat the fact of the presence of political prisoners in the country – a member of the Council of Europe as unacceptable, and call on the authorities to release all the political prisoners.

Peacemakers have escorted a group of 187 refugees from Armenia to Nagorno-Karabakh, making the total number of returnees 50,303 persons, the Russian Ministry of Defence (MoD) has informed.

Asya Gazhaeva from Grozny is hiding from her husband with her four children, unsuccessfully seeking a divorce. It's problematic to dissolve a marriage in Chechnya, since Ramzan Kadyrov declared that there are "no divorces" in the republic, Ms Gazhaeva said in her interview with the "Glasnaya" (Public) Social Project, which aims to overcome gender stereotypes.

After the liquidation of a militant grouping headed by Aslan Byutukaev in Katar-Yurt it is too early to declare the end of armed conflicts in Chechnya, as a young generation is growing up, dissatisfied with authorities' policies, the experts interviewed by the "Caucasian Knot" believe.

After the last autumn war, as a result of which a part of Nagorno-Karabakh and adjacent regions came under Azerbaijan's control, the feeling of grief and despair on the anniversary of the Soviet troops' invasion into Baku is complemented by satisfaction that the victims of the "Black January" were not in vain, the participants in the mourning action told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

In its investigation "Palace for Putin. Story of the Biggest Bribe", the Anti-Corruption Foundation (known as the FBK) has not so much made a sensation, but rather systematized data from various sources on the construction of Putin's "dacha" (summer residence) near Gelendjik, analysts assert.

A total of 3439 bodies of those who perished on the Armenian side in the hostilities in Nagorno-Karabakh have been found, the Armenian Vice-Premier has stated. Armenian authorities are sure that the country's losses in battles for Nagorno-Karabakh did not exceed 4000 persons.

Five law enforcers were slightly wounded in a shootout that broke out in the outskirt of the village of Katar-Yurt, the Chechen Minister for Information and Press has informed.

A special operation in the village of Katar-Yurt was preceded by two attacks on policemen in Chechnya and the killing of a suspected militant in the Achkhoi-Martan District.

Five suspected militants were killed in a special operation, the National Antiterrorist Committee (NAC) reports today. All participants of the counterterrorist operation (CTO) in Chechnya will be nominated for state awards, announces Russian President's press secretary Dmitry Peskov today.

While defending oppositionist Alexei Navalny from the accusations of Islamophobia, Tumso Abdurakhmanov criticizes a Muslim blogger, YouTube users note. They also recall the Tumso Abdurakhmanov's criticism of Imam Shamil.

Militants on the federal wanted list led by Aslan Byutukaev were killed during a special operation conducted on the outskirts of the village of Katar-Yurt, the leader of Chechnya reports today.

If Azerbaijan allows residents of Nagorno-Karabakh to drive across its territory to Armenia, the travel length will make about 50 kilometres instead of about 500. Thus, the Azeri authorities could reduce political confrontation and speed up the settlement of the Karabakh conflict, political analysts have noted.

Armenian authorities should disclose the number of residents who are held captive in Azerbaijan, as this will strengthen the protection of their rights, as well as speed up their return to their homeland, the Armenian ombudsperson, Arman Tatoyan, has stated.

A commemoration of the lawyer, Stanislav Markelov, and the journalist, Anastasia Baburova, was held in Moscow. Authorities refused to sanction a traditional march; and those wishing to honour the memory of Markelov and Baburova laid flowers at the venue of their murder in Prechistenka Street.

The cells of the SIZO (pre-trial prison), where leaders of the Ingush protest movement, accused of creating an extremist community, are kept, are cold; they are brought to court sessions from Pyatigorsk to Essentuki in narrow booths, their advocates assert.

In Chechnya, people are threatened with sanctions for refusing to get vaccinated against coronavirus; therefore, it is easier to buy a certificate that the vaccination has been made, local residents assert.

A court in Magas, the capital of Ingushetia, has released Rashid Maisigov, an Ingush activist, from criminal liability in connection with the decriminalization of the article on public appeals against the territorial integrity of Russia.