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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.

The case of Professor Mikhail Savva, accused of a fraud, will be reconsidered by a court in Krasnodar, since the judge in charge of the trial was replaced, said Elena Savva, the activist's wife, who is also acting as his public defender, adding that the first session was scheduled for December 20.

The person, suspected of involvement in illegal armed formations (IAFs), who was detained on December 17 in the city of Tyrnyauz, blew himself up, when he brought power agents to the place, where, according to his story, his accomplice could be hiding, said a source from law enforcement bodies of the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic (KBR).

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) will continue its activities in Nagorno-Karabakh. This was announced by Nicolas Fleury, the head of the ICRC mission, in Stepanakert at the opening of the photo exhibition dedicated to the ICRC's 150th anniversary of the organization. The exhibition presented 45 photographs of the ICRC's work around the world.

In Azerbaijan, the investigation into the case against Anar Mamedli is held in violation of his rights, the charges filed are unfounded, and the very case demonstrates the authorities' willingness to eliminate independent NGOs. This was stated by participants of the committee created in Baku to protect the rights of the arrested leader of the Centre for Monitoring Elections.

The draft of the new Armenian Code of Criminal Procedure has been approved by the government and submitted to the Parliament for consideration. This was reported by Grair Tovmasyan, Minister of Justice, at a special briefing. Lawyers interviewed by the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent expect that the new Code will significantly reduce the proportion of arrests in all possible pre-trial restriction measures.

The public committee in defence of the rights of Anar Mamedli, the Chairman of the Centre for Election Monitoring and Democracy Training (CEM&DT), who was arrested on December 16, has been set up in Azerbaijan. The "Caucasian Knot" reports that this decision was made at an emergency meeting of civil society activists and country's oppositional politicians.

In Makhachkala, a road-and-patrol service (known as DPS) squad was shelled. As a result, one policeman was killed, and another policeman was wounded. Besides, two passers-by suffered.

The Investigating Department of the Investigating Committee of the Russian Federation (ICRF) for the Krasnodar Territory has questioned six Circassian activists, who were detained in the territory of Adygea, Karachay-Cherkessia, and Kabardino-Balkaria. Besides, they also questioned Arambiy Khapai, ex-Chairman of the movement "Adyge Khase-Circassian Parliament" of Adygea.

On Tuesday, in the centre of Yerevan, one more protest action against the new funded pension system was held. The event was organized by opposition parties, such as the "Heritage", the "Prosperous Armenia", the Armenian National Congress (ANC), and the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) "Dashnaktsutyun". The protest action was attended by more than 1500 persons.

The Krasnodar Regional Court has cancelled the decision of the Oktiabrsky District Court of Novorossiysk to recognize the book "Semantic Translation of Holy Koran into Russian" written by Elmir Guliev, a well-known Azerbaijani religious philosopher, as an extremist one. This was reported by advocate Ravil Tugushev.

On December 16, in the Tsumada District of Dagestan, an avalanche occurred. It covered a border guard squad. One soldier was killed, and two others were wounded. This was reported by a source from the law enforcement bodies of the republic.

Local residents believe that the village of Djivani of the Martuni District of Nagorno-Karabakh is isolated because of absence of transport communications, the Internet, and TV channels. The village administration promises to solve infrastructure problems in the nearest future.