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Within the preparation campaign for the 2014 Olympic Games, Sochi authorities have introduced fines to be imposed on city residents for poorly cared yards. This was announced by Sergey Yurin, Deputy City Mayor. The maximum fine will amount to 50,000 roubles.

Four journalists from Azerbaijan, namely: Parviz Gashimli, Sardar Alibeili, Hilal Mamedov and Avaz Zeinalov, and four active Internet users, namely: Rashad Ramazanov, Zaur Gurbanly, Araz Guliev and Nidjat Aliev, have been included into the study "Barometer of Media Freedom" conducted by the international organization "Reporters without Borders".

Starting from December 18, an amnesty was launched on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the Constitution of the Russian Federation. The amnesty will affect the persons, who are serving their sentences for committing minor crimes. However, the amnesty will not affect the political prisoners from Northern Caucasus and persons convicted under the anti-extremist legislation and under the terrorism-related articles of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.

The issue of the need to convene the World Congress of Circassian People had been raised long before the detention of Circassian activists that happened on December 13. This was declared by Mukhamed Cherkesov, the chairman of the movement "Adyge Khase-Circassian Parliament" in Karachay-Cherkessia. Aslan Beshto, the former leader of the movement "Adyge Khase" in Abkhazia, believes that detentions are not the reason for convening an extraordinary congress.

The activeness of the Muslim community has played a significant role in the fact that the Krasnodar Regional Court has cancelled the earlier decision to ban the translation of the Koran made by Elmir Guliev. This was stated by the Candidate of Political Science Rinat Mukhametov, Deputy Director of the Foundation for the Support of Humanitarian Initiatives "Altair".

Gadji Makhachev, Deputy Prime Minister of Dagestan, was lost in a road accident that occurred in Kutuzov Avenue in Moscow. The "Caucasian Knot" correspondent has learnt about it from an official of the government of Dagestan.

The Tsentralny District Court of Sochi has found Alexander Valov guilty of violating the order of organizing and holding rallies and sentenced him to 50 hours of mandatory works. Mr Valov would not agree with the court ruling and intends to appeal against it within 10 days.

The Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite has stated that she will not go to the Olympic Games in Sochi, indicating human rights violations in Russia and foreign policy factors as her reasons.

At the trial conducted by the Baku Court of Grave Crimes of seven activists of the movement "Nida" and of Ilkin Rustamzade, a member of the organization "Free Youth", the defendant Mamed Azizov said that during the investigation, he was forced to sign a testimony that he did not give, the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent reports.

Fifteen protesters against the construction of a water intake station on the Samur River have been released after serving their administrative arrest, said the on duty unit of the Magaramkent ROVD (District Interior Division). Meanwhile, the village meeting of deputies passed a resolution to suspend the construction of the water intake facility.

Today, the Supreme Court of Kabardino-Balkaria, which is considering the Nalchik attack case, has extended the term of detention of all the figurants by three more months – till March 26, 2014.

Activists of 30 human rights NGOs of Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia, which make up the South-Caucasian Network of Human Rights Defenders, have held a joint seminar, where they announced their countries' most typical problems in the human rights movement. After meeting the Georgian Ombudsman Ucha Nanuashvili, they decided to intensify cooperation among themselves and with international organizations, and to expand their ranks by inviting new members.

The negotiations on security issues in Southern Caucasus ended on December 18 in Geneva. Georgia refused to discuss the issues of the state border with South Ossetia and sign a joint statement on non-use of force in the region.

The imprisonment in Dagestan of Zarema Bagavutdinova (or Bagautdinova, by other sources), a member of the Dagestani Regional Public Organization (DRPO) Pravozaschita" (Advocacy), accused of promoting terrorist activity, was applied to her exclusively because of her non-violent public activities, said the Human Rights Centre (HRC) "Memorial" and decided to recognize the woman as a political prisoner.

Investigators have indicted Magomed Kaitov, the former Director General of the Open Joint-Stock Company (OJSC) "IDGC (Interregional Distribution Grid Company) of Northern Caucasus", on charges of a billion-worth embezzlement, said a source from law enforcement bodies.

On December 18, the city of Astrakhan hosted solo pickets in support of the Porfiriev family, evicted from their house without providing any other housing. Activists Mikhail Anisenko and Andrei Egorov came to the city administration and stood there, in turn, with a poster reading: "Constitution of the Russian Federation; Bosses of Housing Department, Resign!"

Sochi authorities toughen the passport regime; and policemen are inspecting house after house, local residents report. However, as noted by Alexander Valov, the editor-in-chief of the edition "BlogSochi", these actions of the police fail to increase the safety of residents and visitors of Sochi; and according to Semyon Simonov, the coordinator of the reception office of the network "Migration and Law" of the HRC "Memorial" in Sochi, believes that law enforcers themselves violate citizens' rights and freedoms.

In Sochi, the trial in the case against a policeman from the Adler OVD (Interior Division), who is accused of abuse of power in connection with beating of builder Pavel Solovyov, has been scheduled for December 19. Victim Pavel Solovyov has arrived from Novosibirsk to Sochi to participate in the trial and give his testimony in the case, the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent reports.

The top officials of the Centre for Election Monitoring and Democracy Training (CEM&DT) and the Public Association for International Cooperation of Volunteers (PAICV) are suspected of embezzling the funds of the US National Democratic Institute (NDI). The lawyer of Anar Mamedli, one of the suspects, has stated the invalidity of the charges presented by the General Prosecutor's Office (GPO) of Azerbaijan.

The trial in the case against Zarema Bagautdinova, a member of the Dagestani Regional Public Organization (DRPO) "Pravozaschita" (Advocacy), will be held behind closed doors.