All news

The Baku Court of Grave Crimes has dismissed the petition to stop the case against Mustafa Gadjibeili, the editor-in-chief of the oppositional website. Mr Gadjibeili himself asserts that the charges are contrived.

Stars of the TNT TV Channel have recorded a video clip with apologies to Ingushes for a performance in the Comedy Woman programme; it was done at the insistence of their bosses. Feeling of insult at the joke is a manifestation of weakness, while the apology for the show fragment was a manifestation of strength, Natalia Eprikyan, the producer of the show, has stated.

In Chechnya, the persecution of LGBT community members has been resumed amid warnings disseminated through social networks, the newspaper "Novaya Gazeta" reports.

Buyers of alcoholic beverages, detained on the eve of the New Year, were released after paying fines and preventive conversations, reported residents of Chechnya. According to a lawyer, law enforcers exceed their powers while detaining people for purchase of alcoholic beverages.

Ukrainian citizen Pavel Grib, who is being kept in custody in Rostov-on-Don, needs medical assistance, reports the European Union.

An author of a resonant video about demolition of houses in Shali died of carbon monoxide poisoning, his relatives reported. They refuted the information that Abubakar Osmaev died from heart problems that worsened after he had been detained and beaten by law enforcers in 2017.

Isa Khamkhoev, the Mufti of Ingushetia, is ready for a conflict with the Muslims' Coordinating Centre (MCC) of Northern Caucasus, as he enjoys a strong support in the republic even in the midst of confrontation with the head of the republic, Yunus-Bek Evkurov. The MCC is a dependent organization with no political influence, analysts have pointed out.

The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) has granted the complaint of the journalist Khadija Ismayilova against the authorities of Azerbaijan in the case of interference with her personal life. The ECtHR has also acknowledged the violation of her rights to the freedom of expression, and has ruled that compensation shall be paid out to her in the amount of 16,750 euros.

The man, who is beating up a person in a video, has been charged, the Chechen Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) has stated. Using cruelty to a helpless person deserves severe punishment, social network users believe.

The version that the persons, who rushed into the bus of the Ministry of Defence (MoD) wanted to escort their relatives into the army is questionable, an MoD spokesman and rights defenders have stated. Both suspects regret about their actions, said their advocate.

Khabib Nurmagomedov, a Dagestani fighter, has promised to fulfil wishes of ten children, having held the New Year charity action "Letter to Khabib" on the Instagram. The action took place after social network users' criticism of Nurmagomedov's trip to Africa, where he promised to help the local residents.

The court has failed to prove the guilt of Mamed Ibragim, an advisor to the chairman of the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (PFPA), said his advocate. The oppositionist is persecuted for political reasons, human rights defenders assert.

The positions of the Azerbaijani Army in the Karabakh conflict zone were shelled, including those stationed in six villages, the country's Ministry of Defence (MoD) has reported.

A court in Baku has found Mamed Ibragim, an advisor to the chairman of the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (PFPA), guilty of keeping a knife in his colony cell. The oppositionist has treated the verdict as a political order.

Harlem Désir, Representative on Freedom of the Media, has joined the calls for the release of blogger Mekhman Guseinov, who is on hunger strike in prison. Meanwhile, Siyavush Novruzov, the deputy executive secretary of the ruling "Yeni Azerbaijan" Party, has accused "anti-national groups and their foreign patrons" in an attempt to launch an anti-Azerbaijani campaign.

In 2018, Georgia dropped from the 78th to the 89th place in the Democracy Index calculated by The Economist. According to the British edition, the index drop is associated with the return to politics of billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili and the leave of Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili.

Amnesty International (AI), a human rights organization, has expressed its concern about Mekhman Guseinov's health condition, who is on hunger strike in jail, and called on the Azerbaijani authorities to release him.

The Baku court has dismissed the complaint of Azad Gasanov, an activist of the "Musavat" Party, about the refusal to transfer him to house arrest. Then, Gasanov went on a hunger strike, claiming solidarity with the blogger Mekhman Guseinov and violation of his rights at the SIZO (pre-trial prison).

The prosecutor and the investigator have asked the judge, who is running the case of the second president of Armenia, Robert Kocharyan, to recuse himself, because of his friendship with another figurant in the case. These petitions are artificially protracting Kocharyan's release from custody, his advocate has stated.

The Supreme Court (SC) of Dagestan has begun considering a new lawsuit lodged by residents of Makhachkala against the construction of a temple in the "Ak-Gel" Park. They have reported violations in adopting the build-up rules of Makhachkala.