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The Moscow Regional Military Court has returned the murder case of Anna Politkovskaya, observer of the "Novaya Gazeta", back to the Investigatory Committee at the Prosecutor's Office (ICPO) of the Russian Federation for reinvestigation.

The experts interrogated by the "Caucasian Knot" diverge in their opinions on how much lawful the decision is to replace a jury for a panel of judges in the case on attack on Nalchik.

The problem of defending journalists in Russia needs addressing at the top level. This was stated on February 19 by Miklos Harasti, OSCE representative on freedom of mass media.

The current trials of oppositionists, and behaviour of judges and prosecutors are evident confirmations that there are plenty of falsifications in materials of the cases related to events on March 1, 2008, in Yerevan, as human rights activist Mikael Danielyan, Chairman of the Helsinki Association, told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

The Supreme Court (SC) of the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic (KBR) has upheld the petition lodged by Olga Chibinyova, head of the group of accuser, asking to cancel trial by jury of the criminal case on events in Nalchik on October 13, 2005. The Court ruled to send the case to the Chairman of the Supreme Court of Kabardino-Balkaria for appointing a panel of three professional judges to consider the case.

The current phase of the mission of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in the Republic of South Ossetia, which started on January 28, has basically the form of distributing footwear and clothes among those who need them.

The verdict of acquittal passed by the jury on Anna Politkovskaya's murder case has stemmed out from the unpersuasive position of the investigation, as the Human Rights Centre "Memorial" has stated.

After prosecutor's inspections held amidst the academic year, 21 children's educational establishments of the Krasnodar Territory preferred to get closed for capital repairs.

Late in the evening on February 19, Peter Semnebi, special EU representative in South Caucasus, who is now in Yerevan, had a meeting with Alexander Arzumanyan, ex-Minister of Foreign Affairs, one of the defendants in the resonant "Case of Seven".

Leila Yunus, Director of the Azerbaijani Institute for Peace and Democracy (IPD), has sent letters to the Yasamal District Court and the Supreme Court of Azerbaijan asking to hold the process against her, starting on March 2, in a large courtroom. She also insists on video recording of the hearings.

Self-withdrawal of Magomed Mutsolgov, leader of the "MAShR" Human Rights Organization, out of the commission for defence of human rights under President of Ingushetia will have no impact on its further work, as Musa Pliev, adviser of President of Ingushetia Yunus-Bek Evkurov, has announced.

On February 19, at about 3 p.m. local time, in the centre of Yerevan, the building of the Central Electoral Commission (CEC), policemen attacked participants of a protest action, in particular, members of youth organizations.

The power agents have identified the person of one of the three casualties suspected in participation in illegal armed formations (IAFs) killed in today's special operation conducted in Sagopshi village, Ingushetia.

On February 18, live on TV Channel "Grozny", former leaders of Chechen separatists told that Maskhadov was ready to sign an agreement on Chechnya's accession into Russia and placement of Russian military bases in the territory of Chechnya, while Berezovsky kept funding militants.

The Supreme Court of Ingushetia has received a criminal case initiated against supposed participants and organizer of mass disorders that took place in the republic in January 2008. Maksharip Aushev, Musa Aushev and Ruslan Khazbiev are accused of committing crimes covered by Articles 212, 318 and 222 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation ("Organization of and participation in mass disorders, use of violence against officials and illegal circulation of weapons").

Today jurymen have unanimously acquitted brothers Dzhabrail and Ibragim Makhmudovs, Sergey Hadzhikurbanov, former of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Pavel Ryaguzov, former FSB officer, who had been defendants in the murder case of Anna Politkovskaya, journalist of the "Novaya Gazeta".

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) of Armenia has published a statement in reply to accusation by the opposition about the army's illegal interference into events on March 1, 2008. The statement runs, in particular, that the pretext for as a basis for interference was the decree of the President of Armenia dated March 1, 2008, to introduce the state of emergency.

David Bagapsh, head of security service of Abkhazian President, expressed threats to Inal Khashig, editor-in-chief of the Abkhazian newspaper "Chegemskaya Pravda". According to Inal's colleagues, the threat was to follow Anna Politkovskaya's fate for Khashig's critical publications. The administration of President Sergey Bagapsh denies the threats, and the public waits for President's explanations and calls to maintain pre-election peace.

Press Release of the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders

The relatives of Musa Daurbekov, who was kidnapped and yesterday found murdered in Ingushetia, have confirmed their previous version about possible involvement in Musa's murder of Ruslanbek and Uruskhan Zyazikovs - security head of former President Murat Zyazikov and his father. The "Caucasian Knot" the correspondent was told about it by Salamkhan and Ahmet Daurbekovs, casualty's father and cousin.