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The Russian Cabinet of Ministers has decided to increase subsidies for the Sochi Olympics in the amount of 1.6 billion roubles. The money is allocated for the organization of the 22nd Winter Olympic Games and the 11th Paralympic Winter Games.

Sergey Khadjikurbanov, one of the defendants in the case of the murder of Anna Politkovskaya, an observer of the newspaper "Novaya Gazeta", was transferred to a special regime module of the SIZO (pre-trial prison) "Matrosskaya Tishina" (Sailor's Silence) in Moscow. This was reported by his advocate Alexei Mikhalchik.

In 2013, in Azerbaijan, at least 5 persons died from torture in the military units of the National Army, and 115 persons complained about torture, inhuman treatment and abuse. This was declared by Elchin Bekhbudov, the leader of the Committee against Torture, when presenting the annual report of the organization at the press conference.

Sochi began the demolition of buildings in the territory of the resort complex "Caucasian Riviera". The public is deprived of the possibility to control the process of demolition. Members of public organizations fear that, together with buildings recognized unauthorized by the court's decision, the historical monument may also be demolished.

26-year-old Khamzat Aldiev, a resident of Ingushetia, who has been earlier affected by the amnesty, is suspected of attacking law enforcers. The court pronounced a pre-trial restriction measure to Khamzat Aldiev as detention in custody till February 22. At present, he is kept at the SIZO (pre-trial prison) of Grozny. This was reported by his advocate.

The Islamic Party of Azerbaijan (IPA) has addressed to Sheikh-ul-Islam Allahshukur Pashazadeh, the leader of the Caucasian Muslims Office (CMO), asking him to take steps to cancel the festivities on the occasion of the coming New Year.

At the trial conducted by the Adler District Court of Sochi on the charge of a policeman Sergey Kuznetsov of abuse of office and beating Pavel Solovyov, a builder of the Olympic facilities, the witnesses have confirmed that they had seen the policeman beating the victim, the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent reports.

Today, in the village of Psykhurey, Baksan District of the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic, a woman folk healer was killed, said the spokesman of the Republic's Department of the Investigating Committee of the Russian Federation (ICRF).

Today, about three thousand residents of the Magaramkent District of Dagestan have broken the police cordon and stopped the construction of a water intake near the village of Azadogly, which, according to villagers, threatens the ecology of the unique Samur forest, said Magomedanifa Beibutov, a Deputy of the District Assembly.

In 2013, the Prosecutor's Office of Dagestan sent to the court 38 criminal cases of frauds with the maternity capital, says the website of the Office. According to prosecutors, the women forged documents about the birth of their children in order to receive state certificates giving the right to receive maternity capital.

The lawyer Sapiyat Magomedova, who is defending the interests of the suffered party in the murder case of Gamzatovs in Kizlyar, states another attempt to influence the witnesses and the Gamzatov family. This time, she said, pressure is exerted by the gas company, which has stopped supplying gas to their house and the shopping centre "Planet Lux".

In the village of Tanusi, Khunzakh District of Dagestan, Shamil and Magomedsaigid Khatipov, pupils of the eighth and ninth grades, respectively, saved a six-year-old boy from drowning in an icy lake, the Republic's Department of the Ministry for Emergencies (MfE) of the Russian Federation has reported.

Mansur Adjigisiev, a resident of the village of Kangly, Mineralovodsky District of the Stavropol Territory, detained on suspicion of illegal possession of firearms and treated under arrest at the city hospital of Georgievsk, needs a qualified care of gastroenterologists; however, law enforcers deny his transfer to a specialized clinic. This was stated by his wife Sofia Adjigisieva, who has turned to human rights defenders.

Russia has fulfilled all its commitments to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for the organization of the Winter Olympic Games in Sochi. This was stated on December 23 by Vitaly Mutko, the head of the Russian Ministry of Sports.

Residents of Taganrog held a rally to protest against the existence in the city centre of the temple complex of the religious association of the Church of Jesus of Latter-Day Saints in Russia, parishioners of which are called Mormons. The protest action was held on December 21; and according to various sources, it was attended by 30-80 persons.

On December 25, the City Court of Tskhinvali will hold a session to define the legality of the unauthorized occupation of people in need of better housing of apartments in new houses.

On December 23, the Soviet Court of Makhachkala granted the lawsuit filed by Khabib Budaikhanov, a resident of the city of Khasavyurt, Dagestan, whose verdict was cancelled five years after announcement, and ruled to compensate his moral harm in the amount of 250,000 roubles.

During 2013, the law enforcement bodies of Dagestan took a number of repressive actions, which heightened the tensions and increased the level of discontent from the part of strictly practicing Muslims. These actions included mass detentions of Muslims for document check, taking their DNA assays, check and closing Muslim cafes, kindergartens, schools, and restricting access to mosques. The "Caucasian Knot" acquaints its readers with the chronicle of events.

On December 22, about forty persons, including public figures, human rights defenders and intellectuals, came to the library named after Dostoevsky in Moscow to meet the authors of the book "Nobody But Me" dedicated to the deceased advocate Stanislav Markelov.

The German Chancellor Angela Merkel has refused to go to the Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, the German magazine Focus reported on Sunday, citing its sources in government circles. The German delegation will be headed by Thomas de Maiziere, the head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, says the magazine.