South Ossetia and Abkhazia close border with Georgia because of coronavirus February 27, 2020 22:36 The South-Ossetian and Abkhaz authorities completely stopped communication with Georgia, where the first case of coronavirus had been detected.
Rights defenders point to failures in investigating Machalikashvili's murder February 27, 2020 16:54 The NGO "Human Rights Monitoring and Training Centre" has criticized the inquiry conducted by the Prosecutor' Office (PO) into the murder of Temirlan Machalikashvili. Investigators should not rely solely on testimonies of a special troop fighter, who shot Temirlan dead. Besides, these testimonies contradict to the examination outcomes, which should have become the basis for suspicions, human rights defenders believe.
Tumso Abdurakhmanov's brother reports threats received by blogger February 27, 2020 16:46 The ward, where Tumso Abdurakhmanov, wounded during the attack on him, is treated, is guarded by policemen, said Tumso's brother, adding that before the attack Tumso received threats.
Makhi Idrisov's case indicates problem of extradition from Chechnya February 27, 2020 13:16 Chechnya could become a place where Makhi Idrisov, who escaped from house arrest in Makhachkala, is hiding, said Svetlana Gannushkina, a human rights defender. Earlier, suspects of involvement in high-profile crimes and put on the wanted list had already hid in Chechnya. At least in one case, an attempt to detain such person triggered threats from Kadyrov to open fire at law enforcers from other regions.
South-Ossetian MIA explains seizure of medicines with Georgian inscriptions from pharmacies February 27, 2020 13:12 The Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) of South Ossetia intends to continue raids and seize medicines with Georgian inscriptions from pharmacies. Patients used to order foreign drugs via Georgia, now they will have to do this via North Ossetia, a local pharmacist has explained.
Children's public apologies questioned parents' authority in Chechnya February 27, 2020 13:04 The report with sons' apologies for rendering occult services by their parents has emphasized the exclusivity of Chechnya and reminded about Soviet practices of bringing up young people, in which the authority of power bodies competed with the parents' authority, analysts have noted.
Attempted assassination committed on Chechen blogger Tumso Abdurakhmanov (+video) February 27, 2020 11:32 The well-known Chechen blogger, Tumso Abdurakhmanov, has been hospitalized after an attack by a man who penetrated into his apartment.
In issue of Vainakhs' deportation, Kadyrov stops looking back at Russian authorities February 27, 2020 11:25 The legalization of the mourning for deportation victims is a consequence of the consolidation of Kadyrov's status quo, Caucasian experts have explained the cancellation of the many-year-long moratorium on commemoration actions in Chechnya.
Azerbaijani court cuts journalist Mamedov's conditional imprisonment February 27, 2020 11:19 Anar Mamedov, the editor-in-chief of the "Criminal.az" website, who had asked the Supreme Court (SC) of Azerbaijan to acquit him, has criticized the decision to re-qualify the charge against him and cut his conditional sentence by three months.
Instagram users surprised by reconciliation of blood feud conflict in Chechnya February 26, 2020 22:21 Relatives of a murdered resident of the Nadterechny District are reconciled with two families who appealed to Ramzan Kadyrov. In Chechnya, relatives of murderers can escape persecution, but criminals themselves rarely escape revenge, experts note.
Court finds Zaur Dadaev's transfer from penal colony to prison as lawful February 26, 2020 22:15 The court of appeal dismissed a complaint filed by Zaur Dadaev about the decision to toughen the terms of his punishment for the murder of Boris Nemtsov.
Chechen TV Channel reports detainee's public repentance for theft February 26, 2020 21:42 On February 25, a detainee repented on the air of the "Grozny" TV Channel of stealing a mobile phone. Residents of Chechnya found his repentance forced.
Relatives report return of kidnapped Chechen residents February 26, 2020 21:37 Four residents of the Urus-Martan District, kidnapped three weeks ago, returned home after a 10-day arrest in Grozny, their relatives reported.
Makhi Idrisov's escape recalls his ties with authorities of Chechnya February 26, 2020 17:09 Eduard Urazaev, a political analyst, and Gadjimurad Sagitov, a journalist, have expressed different opinions on what Idrisov's ties with Ramzan Kadyrov were.
Dagestan: Kurbanov brothers denied initiating torture case February 26, 2020 17:07 Investigators refused to institute a criminal case against the law enforcers, whom the brothers, Mukhtar and Ismail Kurbanov, have accused of torturing them in an attempt to knock out confessions to their participation in the Syrian conflict on the side of militants.
Residents of Azerbaijan commemorate victims of massacre in Khojaly February 26, 2020 09:23 On the eve of the 28th anniversary of the Khojaly tragedy, during the assault of which over 600 people perished, mourning events were held in Azerbaijan and abroad.
Visit of Kadyrov's daughter to Paris gives rise to scepticism among Chechen refugees February 26, 2020 09:19 Amid human rights violations in Chechnya, Aishat Kadyrova's participation in a fashion show in Paris looks strange, Chechen refugees believe. In the opinion of Sasha Kulaeva, a rights defender, and Galina Akerman, a publicist, this visit was devised as a sort of rehabilitation of what is happening in Chechnya.
Court sentences Ingush activist Dugiev to 14 months in colony February 26, 2020 08:59 The court has sentenced Ibragim Dugiev to one year and two months of imprisonment for assaulting a policeman during a rally in Magas. On Tuesday, February 25, Mustafa Vysegurov, an activist, was set free from the SIZO (pre-trial prison).
Social network users urge residents of Northern Caucasus to refuse from celebrating February 23 February 26, 2020 08:57 In solidarity with all affected nations, residents of Northern Caucasus should refuse to celebrate the Russian state holiday on February 23, the date of the start of Vainakhs' deportation, the Instagram users believe.
TI demands to stop pressing journalists in Adjara February 26, 2020 08:50 The staff of the Adjara TV are going to strike, an NGO "Transparency International (TI)-Georgia" has informed urging the General Prosecutor's Office (GPO) investigate the alleged pressure on journalists.