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The procedures for the enforcement of the Georgian-Russian trade agreement have been completed. The agreement is forcing Georgia to recognize Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent customs territories, Grigory Karasin, the Russian Deputy Foreign Minister, has stated.

Some documents were signed by the boss, who had no right to sign them, the defence of Oyub Titiev, the head of the Grozny office of the Human Rights Centre (HRC) "Memorial", and demanded to conduct a handwriting examination.

Valery Osipyan, the head of the Armenian Police, said that he had lost his friends during the actions of the "Sasna Tsrer" detachment in 2016, and, therefore, he cannot reconcile with them. His words have questioned the acquittal of members of the armed grouping, since, if the victims disagree, the amnesty cannot be applied to "Sasna Tsrer" fighters. The court decided to hold its sessions behind closed doors.

Giyas Ibragimov, an activist, who is serving his sentence in an Azerbaijani colony on the case of drug dealing, is often searched, his mother, Shura Amiraslanova, has stated. She is sure that the colony staff is preparing a provocation against Giyas, and links it with the recent publication of her son's article on the "Meydan.TV" website.

The court that is considering the case of Salamkhan Sampiev, Ruslan Esmurziev, Khusen Kitiev, Magomed Amatkhanov and Elbert Kharsiev, accused of preparing terror acts in Ingushetia and Moscow, has listened to a fingerprint expert. He rejected the statement on "signs of falsification," made by the expert, invited by the defence.

The Prosecutor's Office has failed to explain the discrepancy in case materials, which arises doubts regarding the key proof of the guilt of Oyub Titiev, the head of the Grozny office of the Human Rights Centre (HRC) "Memorial"; nevertheless, the court has ignored the defence's arguments. The arguments of the prosecution against the rejected defence's motions are untenable, the representative of the HRC "Memorial" has stated.

The authorities of Chechnya have offered Dagestan to exchange equal territories of 73 hectares, said Shamil Khadulaev, a member of the Dagestani delegation to Grozny. Residents of Dagestan have no information about the process of border demarcation; while journalists and political analysts believe that the silencing policy, which Ramzan Kadyrov had insisted on, is carried out with the knowledge of the Kremlin.

Employees of Yerevan State University have held an action against contests for funding scientific programmes. The authorities did not abandon this idea, but cancelled the decision to drastically cut the financial support for R&D institutes and laboratories in 2019.

Signatures are being collected on the Internet for the transfer of the planetarium building in Vladikavkaz to the Spiritual Administration of Muslims (SAM). The author of the petition has marked the head of Chechnya as one of its recipients.

The father and trainer of Dagestani fighter Khabib Nurmagomedov thanked the leader of Chechnya for a Mercedes car presented by the Akhmat Kadyrov Foundation. Some residents of Chechnya and social network users found the luxury gestures of the authorities inappropriate against the background of poverty in the republic.

Bekkhan Yusupov, whose detention in Chechnya had been reported by the "Russian LGBT Network", was to return to France by January 11, but was released only after his advocate arrived in Grozny on January 31.

The Supreme Court (SC) of Chechnya has announced that the date for consideration of the complaint filed by the "Gazprom Mezhregiongaz Grozny" about the court decision on writing off gas debts from residents of Chechnya will be appointed in the coming days.

Political analysts responded to the meeting of Nikol Pashinyan and Ilham Aliev in Davos. Azerbaijan has abandoned the Madrid Principles, believes Oganes Igityan, a member of the ruling "My Step" Party. Azerbaijan tries to strengthen its position, while the Armenian authorities have to demonstrate toughness and readiness to negotiate at the same time, notes political analyst Alexander Iskandaryan.

On February 5, Khizri Shikhsaidov, Speaker of the People's Assembly, announced that the authorities of Dagestan clarify the borders not only with Chechnya, but also with other regions. The work is conducted "openly and transparently," notes Khazali Misiev, a Dagestani MP.

In Abkhazia, bread makers explain they had to raise bread prices because of an increase in the cost of flour and gasoline. Residents of the republic express their fears that after the increase in the cost of bread, the prices for other food and goods of general consumption will also grow.

Since February 5, the border between Abkhazia and Georgia is temporarily open, but the quarantine regime of its crossing is still valid. If the situation with the swine flu in Georgia deteriorates, the border will be closed again, reports Temur Nadaraya, the head for the administration of the Gali District.

The decision of the Russia's Supreme Court (SC), which has refused to reconsider the verdict to Islam Gugov, a resident of the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic (KBR), who has voluntarily returned from Syria, will be appealed against at the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), his advocate has stated.

The South-Ossetian party has handed the priest David Durglishvili, who was detained on the border, over to Georgian law enforcers.

The discussion of the Dagestani-Chechen border in Grozny passed without conflict, said Shamil Khadulaev, a member of the Dagestani delegation, showing a map fragment with the border across Lake Kezenoi-Am. Residents of Dagestan called on the authorities to ensure the open process of delimitating the border with Chechnya.

A Tbilisi court has refused to find that the State Security Service (SSS) had violated the presumption of innocence, by stating the involvement of Temirlan Machalikashvili, killed in a special operation in Pankisi, in extremism.