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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.

The Chechens living in Azerbaijan want their rights to be respected according to the Constitution of the country. This was stated by Ramzan Mollaev, one of the refugees from Chechnya, during the roundtable that took place on February 17 at the Baku business centre "Caspian Plaza" and dedicated to the status of migrants in the country.

A source in law enforcement bodies of the republic has reported that Musa Daurbekov, a resident of Ingushetia, who was kidnapped by unidentified persons in the evening on February 17, was found dead with traces of torture.

The oppositional Armenian newspaper "Aikakan Zhamanak" has named, with reference to its sources close to the police, four ensigns from military police units Nos. 1032 and 1033, who killed on March 1, 2008, from special weapon "Cheryomukha-7" three demonstrators - Tigran Khachatryan, 23, Gora Kloyan, 29, and Armen Farmanyan, 35.

On February 17, Bukhari Baraev, who until recently held the post of special representative of separatists' leader Dokku Umarov in the countries of Europe and who unexpectedly came back from Austria to Chechnya, appeared on local television, hammered his criticism on his former comrades and called the militants who are still hiding in mountains to get back to peaceful life.

Today, the Moscow Regional Military Court has completed debates of the parties on the murder case of Anna Politkovskaya, observer of "Novaya Gazeta". The defendants who made their last plea refused to admit their guilt.

Power Units Nos. 3 and 4, planned to be built by the "Rosatom" (Russian nuclear power agency) at the Rostov Nuclear Power Plant (NPP), are outdated and have no double protective shells, which is a threat to the population of Volgodonsk. This is the conclusion of the "Ekozaschita" (Environment protection) made after the public hearing held yesterday, on February 17.

Today, at the hearing on the case about the attack on power agencies of Kabardino-Balkaria, which resumed after a two-month break, the prosecution moved a petition that the case should be considered by three professional judges.

The hostel residents and human rights activists note that living conditions in the hostels of the city of Cherkessk are becoming worse and worse. Many of them have no heating, hot and cold water, the buildings fall into decay - no major repairs from the time of construction.

On February 16, unidentified persons threw a grenade into the yard of the household belonging to the Tsokiev family, located in Bazorkina Street in Malgobek (Ingushetia). The "Caucasian Knot" correspondent was told about by the owner of the house Magomed Tsokiev; later the fact was confirmed by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ingushetia.

Bukhari Baraev, plenipotentiary of Dokku Umarov, President of self-proclaimed Chechen Republic of Ichkeria, has announced his return to Chechnya and abdication of the powers of separatists' special envoy. Ahmed Zakaev, head of the government of Ichkeria, has also states his comeback to the homeland and his intention "to promote long-standing peace in the region."

Today, John Prescott and George Colombier, co-rapporteurs for Armenia of the PACE's Monitoring Committee, have promulgated a statement calling the authorities of Armenia not to interfere with the rally of the opposition to be held at 3 p.m. at the Matenadaran building in the centre of Yerevan.

Today, the Eisk City Court of the Krasnodar Territory today has passed a verdict on the fire at the boarding house for old people in Kamyshevatskaya village in March 2007. Director of the house Galina Korvel was sentenced to 3.5 years of freedom deprivation in colony-settlement. Her deputy Yuri Bashko was sentenced to 4 years in colony. They were found guilty of breaching fire safety regulations.

Today, Kasumbek Amirbekov, head of the Investigatory Department for the Republic of Dagestan of the Investigatory Committee at the Prosecutor's Office (ICPO) of the Russian Federation, has stated that the investigation possesses no data about involvement of Gadzhimurad Aliev, son of the Republic's President and deputy head of the Department of the Federal Taxation Service (DFTS) for Dagestan, in kidnapping of Vladimir Radchenko.

On February 16, Larissa Zavedeeva, first deputy head of the Territorial Administration for enforcing powers of preparing the Olympiad, told at the sitting of the Regional Olympic Headquarters that the land area allotted for placing Olympic structures in Sochi will be increased by 45 percent that makes additional 6500 hectares.

An inspector of the Investigatory Department of the RF's Investigatory Committee for Kalmykia refused four times to initiate a criminal case on applications lodged by parents of the inmates beaten by the employees of the colony-settlement Tsagan-Usn, located in the Yashkul District. However, his rejection statements were cancelled by a higher body. In the end, the prosecutor's office has demanded to eliminate the reasons and conditions that promote violations and to punish those guilty.

The Supreme Court (SC) of Ingushetia has refused to consider the idea of delivering the criminal case on the death of Magomed Evloev, former owner of the oppositional website "Ingushetia.Ru", to some other region of Russia.