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Sixteen US senators have appealed to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliev and called on him to release journalists and activists from prisons and to ensure respect for human rights in the country.

Today marks two years since the murder in Dagestan of Akhmednabi Akhmednabiyev, a "Caucasian Knot" correspondent. In Dagestan, the investigation into the murder is not successful, and the criminal case has a chance for the qualified investigation only if it is transferred to the federal level. This opinion has been expressed by advocate Abdurashid Sheikhov. The request for the federal investigation into the murder of the journalist is also supported by members of the civil society, since the case does not cease to be of public interest.

Militants of Northern Caucasus fighting in Syria and led by Salakhuddin Shishani have sworn allegiance to Mukhammad Suleimanov (Abu Usman of Gimry), the new leader of the "Imarat Kavkaz" recognized in Russia and the US as a terrorist organization.

In Freedom Square in Yerevan, three of six activists on hunger strike to appeal to the citizens of Armenia to unite in the fight against the increase in the electricity tariff have stopped participating in the protest action.

Recent appointments made by Ramzan Kadyrov indicate his desire to strengthen the position of his family members and to demonstrate to the federal centre the solidarity of his team. This opinion has been expressed by experts interviewed by the "Caucasian Knot".

Now, after two years of fruitless investigation, the murder case of Akhmednabi Akhmednabiyev, a "Caucasian Knot" correspondent, should be transferred to the federal level, human rights organizations insist. The demand was signed by 28 organizations, including the "Article 19", Human Rights House Foundation, Index on Censorship, PEN International and Reporters without Borders.

Today in the afternoon, a strong explosion occurred in Astan Kesaev Street in Vladikavkaz. The casualty has not been identified yet.

Today, advocate Selim Magomedov has complained that Makhachkala policemen have exceeded their powers, when he tried to meet his client.

Ownerless pits full of petroleum products in the Astrakhan Region poison the ground water; they run into the Volga River and one of its largest tributaries – the Kizan River, and from there – into the Caspian Sea. Scientists, state officials and local residents have been aware of the problem of the Sokolov oil pits since early 1990s, but so far – there is no solution.

Dagestani policemen have identified the man, who was shot dead in a shootout with power agents in the Babayurt District. According to the police, he was a helper of members of an illegal armed formation (IAF).

In Dagestan, investigators try to identify the man who tried, on July 7, to place a bomb under the door of the shop in the village of Babayurt and then, at an attempt to detain him, opened fire at law enforcers, but was killed by return fire, said the spokesman of the republic's MIA.

The movement against the increase of electricity tariff in Armenia is political, the coordinators of the action believe. However, some of the protesters treat their action as social and unite into groups to protect demonstrators from the influence of political ideologies.

Pavel Okruzhko, a native of Kislovodsk, Stavropol Territory, who is living in Turkey, is accused by Russian law enforcers of taking part in an illegal armed formation (IAF) in the territory of Syria. Okruzhko himself stated that his case was fabricated and his rights were violated in the context of the blocking of his bank accounts.

In Yerevan, in Freedom Square, four more activists have joined the hunger strike with a call to Armenian citizens to unite in the fight against the increase of electricity tariff. Thus, the total number of hunger-strikers has reached six.

A letter by Polina Zherebtsova, the author of the child's diary about life in Grozny at war, to Mikhail Khodorkovsky in connection with his statements on Chechnya, was put by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) of Russia on the list of extremist materials.

In Ingushetia, an explosion occurred near the house of Akhmet Dzeitov, the head of the Sunzha ROVD (District Interior Division). Fortunately, nobody was hurt.

Mikhail Fedotov, Adviser to Russian President and Chairman of the Human Rights Council (HRC), has personally addressed Leonid Korzhinek, the Public Prosecutor of the Krasnodar Territory, with a request on the legality of the court's judgement in the case of Anna Gritsevich, a "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

The Russian Union of Journalists (RUJ) has appealed to the Investigating Committee of the Russian Federation (ICRF) asking to consider the issue of opening a criminal case on the fact of obstructing the lawful activities of Anna Gritsevich, a "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

Ovannes Karapetyan, an activist from Yerevan, who stitched up his mouth in protest against the rise in electricity tariff, today agreed to remove the stitches and was transported to hospital. After leaving the hospital, Ovannes Karapetyan announced a hunger strike.

The measures to stabilize the situation in Northern Caucasus should include, among other things, open recruitment to state service; adoption of a law on remote mountainous areas; support for the secular state school education; and low-interest loans to small businesses. This is stated in the report released today by the International Crisis Group (ICG).