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In North Ossetia, the court has sentenced Soslan Dzagoev, a 29-year-old criminal detective from Vladikavkaz, to 3.5 years in prison for abuse of power, expressed through beating and torturing a detainee.

As reported on November 3 by Ia Bobokhidze, the editor-in-chief of the "Akhali Gazeti", and Manana Managadze, an activist from the centre for defending civil interests "Argus", seven inmates were holding hunger strike for five days at the Kutaisi prison.

At night on November 2, a mass beating of inmates by the prison staff took place in the colony "Salyn IK-1", located in Elista, the capital of Kalmykia. In protest, prisoners cut their veins; some of them tried to put themselves on fire, said Nina Efremova, an activist of the international public movement "Unity".

Georgia is waiting for Russia's response to the decision of the Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili to introduce the post of Special Representative of the Prime Minister on settlement of Georgian-Russian relations, said Zurab Abashidze who was appointed to the post.

Raffi Ovannisyan, an ex-Foreign Minister and the current leader of the "Heritage" Party, has confirmed his readiness to participate in the upcoming presidential election in Armenia. He officially announced it at a press conference in Yerevan on November 2.

As reported by the Civil Movement for Democracy "Public Chamber" (CMDPC), 12 participants of the action against amendments to the legislation aimed to toughen penalties for unauthorized demonstrations that took place in Baku were brought to administrative responsibility.

The non-Muslim villagers of Nigvziani, Lanchkhuti District of Georgia, demand to close the mosque that operates in the house of Archil Kakhadze, a migrant from Adzharia. On November 2, they gathered near the house and demanded that Muslims, who are ecological refugees resettled from Adzharia in 2006 after a landslide, stopped their prayers.

Five supporters of the Ingush regional public movement "Mekhk-Khel", who were arrested for 15 days each and went on a protest hunger strike, need medical care, but continue their protest, the head of the organization Idris Abadiev told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

Today is exactly two years since the establishment of the commission under the President of Dagestan for assistance in adaptation to civilian life of persons, who decided to stop their terrorist and extremist activities. During the last two years, the members of the commission have considered 46 applications. Rizvan Kurbanov, the chairman of the commission, emphasized the positive dynamics of appeals to the adaptation commission.

On November 2, the Parliament of Azerbaijan adopted amendments to the legislation to toughen penalties for violation of the rules of organization and holding of protest actions. Earlier, multiple increases in penalties for the above offences caused criticism from the opposition; however, despite that, MPs adopted the amendments by an overwhelming majority.

Today, at the court session of the Guba District Court on the case against seven defendants, accused of the riots on March 1 in the city of Guba, prosecutor read out the indictment. Four defendants completely denied their guilt. This was told to the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent by lawyer Asabali Mustafaev.

The "Good Truth Machine", the new project of oppositionist Alexei Navalny, a fighter against corruption, includes collecting funds for emergencies and willingness to render financial assistance to residents of Derbent and Crimean and to help them "with working hands". This was reported by Georgy Alburov, the coordinator of the organization.

The Chief Investigatory Department of the Investigatory Committee of the Russian Federation (ICRF) in Moscow has completed the investigation into the criminal case against Yusup Temerkhanov, accused of the murder of ex-Colonel Yuri Budanov.

Today, the Lefortovo Court of Moscow found to be unlawful the refusal of investigators to institute criminal proceedings against the officials, who led the operation to rescue hostages in the Dubrovka Theatrical Centre in 2002.

Today, Karachay-Cherkessia remembers the tragic events connected with the deportation of the Karachay nation to Central Asia in 1943.

The Tver Court of Moscow arrested for five days Zurab Ramazanov and Ruslan Mamerdzaev. They were found guilty of disobedience to the orders of the police during the incident with shooting at the "Dagestani wedding party" in Moscow.

In Baku, the police prevented an unsanctioned picket in front of the Parliament of Azerbaijan, which was to be held by the opposition "Civil Movement for Democracy 'Public Chamber'" (CMDPC). The action was held to protest against the discussion by the country's National Assembly of the draft amendments, aimed at multiple increases in penalties for violations of the rules of holding rallies and pickets.

This morning, workers began massive cutting down of rare tree along Gorky Street, half a kilometre away from the crossing of Titov and Constitution Streets, down to the Sochi River. This was reported by residents of the residential district "Zavokzalny." The workers state that they are clearing space for the construction of the alternate road.

17 convicts in Rustavi prison No 16, Georgia, are holding an action of protest in form of a hunger strike, 11 of them are ill with AIDS. The convicts are indignant at their prison conditions and the actions of prison administration. They also refuse to take medicines as a sign of protest.

11 institutions of higher education and 25 subsidiaries in North-Caucasian Federal okrug were put on the list of inefficient by the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation from the point of view of their activities.