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The meeting of the PACE's Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights, appointed for November 16 in Paris, which was to consider the issue of political prisoners in Azerbaijan, has been cancelled. This was reported by Einullah Fatullaev, former political prisoner invited to the meeting, now the head of the NGO "For Human Rights".

Yerevan hosted the 2nd two-day international conference on Talysh studies dated to the 15th anniversary of the international magazine "Iran and Caucasus". The organizers of the conference emphasize that the event has no political orientation and represents a purely academic initiative; however, they claimed violation of rights of Talysh people living in Azerbaijan. At the same time, no representatives of Azerbaijan attended the conference.

Madina Nalieva, a resident of Chechnya, was sentenced to 3.5 years of imprisonment for selling two of her newborn babies. This was reported today by the Russian General Prosecutor's Office.

The People's Assembly of Karachay-Cherkessia formed a republican Committee for restoration of rights of rehabilitated victims of political repression. It will deal with publishing a Book of Memory and construction of a memorial complex in honour of the lost people.

This year sappers in Armenia have defused about 21 hectares of local territories, including mined areas in Siunik district. However, the neighbourhood of 60 settlements of the country still remains mined.

First Vice-premier Victor Zubkov criticized local officials in Volgograd for being slow in solving the "people's problems" and gave them two weeks to improve the situation.

Business lady Silvia Ambartsumyan in Armenia accused Governor of Siunik district Suren Khachatryan of beating her up in "Armenia Marriott Hotel".

The police in the capital of Azerbaijan suppressed an action of protest of youth oppositional activists demanding release of political prisoners, in particular, those arrested in connection with the meeting of April, 2, and ensuring freedom of assembly. The action was timed to a visit of European Union Special Representative for Foreign Policy Catherine Ashton to Baku.

Khadjimurat Akkaev, an athlete from Kabardino-Balkaria, won the World Championship in Weightlifting, held in Paris on November 5-13.

Shamil Gasankhanov, a native of Dagestan, acting in the weight category of 74 kg, won a gold medal at World Championship in Combat Sambo, held on November 11-13 in Vilnius, the Lithuanian capital.

Commenting on the presentation of the project of a new city for refugees from Azerbaijan, held in Yerevan, Saro Saryan, Chairman of the NGO of the Nagorno-Karabakh refugees, called it a politically ill-considered step. According to him, refugees will unlikely agree to move once again.

Spartak Gogniev, a football player from the "Krasnodar" FC, who was injured during a match between the youth teams of the "Terek" and the "Krasnodar" FCs in the city of Grozny, declared no more claims against the Chechen club.

One of the persons killed in the city of Kaspiisk was identified as Magomed Djamaev, who led the grouping of Caspian militants. This was reported by the National Anti-Terrorism Committee (NAC). According to the NAC, Islam Rashidov, the second deceased, was an active member of the grouping.

Today, at the trial on case against three defendants accused of terrorism two witnesses - Nikolai Fedorenko, Assistant Officer on duty of the Lenin OVD (Interior Division) of Rostov-on-Don, and Alexei Bocharov, the operating investigator of the Lenin OVD of Rostov-on-Don. Before court session, relatives and lawyers of the defendants asserted their innocence.

On November 13, in the course of the referendum, 83.99 per cent of citizens voted to declare the Russian language the second official language in South Ossetia. 16.01 per cent voted against the idea.

On November 13 in the village of Shamkhal station of Kirov District of Makhachkala mass detentions of residents were conducted. At least 5 detainees were kept in the building of the OVD (Interior Division) of the village.

On November 14 in Kabardino-Balkaria in the trial of attack on the Baksan hydroelectric power plant (HPP) the defendant Shebzukhov claimed that he had not been involved in the act of sabotage, he had not participated in the attack on law enforcement agents, and that at the preliminary hearing he had given evidence under duress.

The fans were gathered at the unofficial football match between the second combined teams of Russia and Lithuania which passed off on November, 12, in Grozny by enforceable law. This is stated by residents of the town working in government-financed organizations of the republic, students and pupils of general senior school. In spite of this, about half of the tribunes for fans were empty during the match.

According to preliminary information after data handling of 98,84% ballot papers, Head of the Ministry of Emergency Situations Anatoly Bibilov (25,44%) and ex-Minister of Education Alla Jioeva (25,37%) are in the lead at the presidential election in South Ossetia. They will participate in the second round fixed on November, 27. This was reported by Bella Plieva, Head of republican Central Election Committee.

On November, 13, a procession under the slogan "You need not see, you should just look" organized by non-governmental organization "The Need for Public Information and Knowledge" and scientific and cultural organization "Forte" timed to the International Day of the Blind passed off in the capital of Armenia.