News

Syrian militants suspect that the leader of the "Imarat Kavkaz" (Caucasus Emirate), a terrorist organization banned in Russia by the court, was killed by a person who might cooperate with the Russian secret services. The murdered "Imarat Kavkaz" leader had little influence on militants in Russia, Islamic experts believe.

Units of the armed forces of Armenia used large-calibre machine guns and sniper rifles and violated the ceasefire regime 24 times within 24 hours, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) of Azerbaijan reported.

On May 17, Azerbaijani oppositionist Babek Gasanov went on hunger strike in protest against pressure on him and other prisoners, his brother Djavid Gasanli reported. The Public Relations Department of the Azerbaijani Penitentiary Service denied the above information.

Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, the father and coach of the Dagestani mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter Khabib Nurmagomedov was diagnosed with bilateral pneumonia; he has undergone a heart surgery and remains in very grave health condition.

Chechen authorities have announced May 23-26 to be says-off. There will be no collective namaz (prayer) in mosques on Eid al-Fitr, the Muftiate has stated.

The medics' dismissal issues must be resolved according to the law, Leonid Ogul, Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Health Care, has stated in his comment to the appeal of the head of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov, to dismiss the doctors of the Gudermes Central District Hospital (CDH) after their complaints about the shortage of protective means. However, according to hospital medics, only one radiologist has been fired so far, while the rest of the staff has escaped sanctions.

The Muftiate of the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic (KBR) has urged Muslims to celebrate Eid al-Fitr (Uraza Bayram) with their families, and not to visit cemeteries and other people in the conditions of the restrictions imposed because of the epidemic.

There is no need to keep Afghan Sadygov, the editor-in-chief of the Azerbaijani website "Azel.tv" in custody for the period of investigation, his advocate believes. His wife treats the case against Afghan as a provocation.

Presidents of Russia and Azerbaijan have discussed the situation in border districts of Dagestan, where more than 700 people cannot return to their homeland amid the coronavirus epidemic.

Niyameddin Akhmedov, an activist of the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (PFPA) has been accused of financing terrorism. The PFPA treats the criminal case as a "gross falsification with the aim of political revenge."

Over 24 hours, the positions of the Azerbaijani troops in the Karabakh conflict zone were shelled from sniper rifles and large-calibre machine guns, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) of Azerbaijan reported.

In Kabardino-Balkaria, officials ignore complaints from residents of the Sovkhoznoye village about harsh living conditions, high unemployment, and absence of possibilities for leasing of land plots. This was claimed by the villagers in their appeal to Yuri Chaika, the presidential envoy to the North-Caucasian Federal District (NCFD).

Afghan Sadygov, the head of the Azerbaijani edition "Azel.tv", accused of extortion, has been arrested for four months. He himself treats the accusation as slander.

The head of Chechnya has ordered to bring the medics of the Gudermes Central District Hospital (CDH), who had complained about the working conditions, to responsibility. The same concerned their relatives, while the author of the message about a doctor's death was blamed as a provocateur, and Kadyrov demanded fire him.

Spread of the coronavirus infection in the Caucasus; doctors' complaints in Southern Russia about the absence of compensations and protective gear; special operation in Ingushetia; pardon of sentenced oppositionists in Georgia, – see the review of these and other events in the Caucasus during the week of May 11-17, 2020, prepared by the "Caucasian Knot".

Employees of budget-funded organizations were forced to participate in garbage collection and tree whitewashing, despite the restrictions introduced to COVID-19, residents of the Urus-Martan District of Chechnya have informed. The self-isolation regime "passes with benefit," said the head of the district.

On the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Bifobia, the People's Defender (Ombudsperson) of Georgia, Nino Lomzhariya, and several non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have treated the position of LGBT people in the country as depressing, and called on the authorities to support them.

During the week of May 11-17, 2020, no casualties or victims were recorded during the armed conflict in Northern Caucasus. These are the results of the calculations run by the "Caucasian Knot" based on its own materials and information from open sources.

Russian authorities should respond to the continued practice of female circumcisions in Northern Caucasus, subscribers of feminist publics in social networks believe.

There are practically no active members of the armed underground in Ingushetia, the experts interviewed by the "Caucasian Knot" are sure.