Anatoly Pakhomov takes the post of Sochi Mayor May 12, 2009 17:00 At the inauguration ceremony, Anatoly Pakhomov, the newly elected Mayor of Sochi has taken an oath of commitment to city dwellers.
Bekhbudov: two detainees on Baku Academy massacre plead guilty May 12, 2009 16:00 The defendants on the case of the mass murder on April 30 at the Azerbaijani State Oil Academy (ASOA) have no complaints of their custody conditions and any pressure exerted on, two of them have pled guilty. The "Caucasian Knot" correspondent was informed about it by Elchin Bekhbudov, head of the Azerbaijani Committee against Torture.
Human rights activists call authorities of Georgia to investigate into attacks on rally participants May 12, 2009 14:00 The Human Rights Watch (HRW) has called the authorities of Georgia to hold investigation into the facts of attacks on supporters of the opposition in the course of the protest actions held in Tbilisi with the demand of President Mikhail Saakashvili's resignation.
IOC Coordination Commission arrives to Sochi May 12, 2009 13:00 On May 12, the Coordination Commission of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) arrived to Sochi with the aim to assess the preparation process of 2014 Winter Olympiad. From the moment of awarding Sochi with the title of Olympic capital it is already the second visit of the IOC commission to the Black Sea resort; and it will last till May 14.
Young man kidnapped in Chechnya May 12, 2009 12:00 On April 28, in the centre of the capital of Chechnya, armed persons in black uniform kidnapped a young man and violently took him away in an unknown direction.
Georgian opposition plans general nationwide disobedience May 11, 2009 23:43 The Georgian opposition, which demands Mikhail Saakashvili's resignation, plans to declare the general disobedience all over the country. This was stated by Gubaz Sanikidze, one of the leaders of the National Forum, at the rally near the building of the Parliament of Georgia.
In Armenia, inspectors object to fact-finding group's conclusions on March 1, 2008, events May 11, 2009 23:00 The Special Investigatory Service of Armenia denies the conclusions of the fact-finding group on the events in Yerevan on March 1, 2008, in the part of the death of Police Major Hamlet Tadevosyan. Inspectors assert that the group has distorted the results of their work. It was stated by the head of the Service Vaagn Arutyunyan.
Solemn opening ceremony of NATO exercises held in Georgia May 11, 2009 22:00 On May 11, the Tbilisi suburb of Vasiani, where the base of Ministry of Defence of Georgia is located, hosted a solemn opening of the NATO exercises named "Cooperative Lancer/Cooperative Longbow-2009", held under the NATO Programme "Partnership for Peace".
Isa Yamadaev: authorities of Chechnya are guilty of attempting Sulim and killing Ruslan May 11, 2009 21:00 Isa Yamadaev has expressed his confidence that President of Chechnya Ramzan Kadyrov stood behind the attempt on his brother, ex-commander of the "Vostok" battalion Sulim Yamadaev, and the murder of his other brother, ex-deputy of the State Duma of the Russian Federation Ruslan Yamadaev. Now Isa is afraid for his life too.
Saakashvili is satisfied with his meeting with the opposition and calls to further dialogue May 11, 2009 20:00 President of Georgia Mikhail Saakashvili asserts that the starting day of negotiations with the opposition is the victory day of Georgian democracy. In his opinion, today a step to civilized relations was made.
In Arshty village, Ingushetia, unknown persons shot dead a local resident May 11, 2009 19:00 Today in the village of Arshty, Sunzha District of Ingushetia, a local resident Sultanov, Suleiman Suleimanovich, born in 1976, was assassinated. Unknown persons in masks rushed into Sultanov's house and shot him dead point-blank.
Information about murder of Musa Mukozhev in Kabardino-Balkaria confirmed May 11, 2009 17:00 Former Imam of Jama'at of Kabardino-Balkaria Musa Mukozhev was identified among the three persons killed at night on May 11 in Dugulubgey village as a result of a special operation of the FSB.
Top officers detained in Georgia, experts state start of spy scare May 11, 2009 16:00 In Georgia, on the case about mutiny at the military base in Mukhrovani, David Sulkhanishvili and Kakha Kobaidze, Commanders of the 1st and 3rd Infantry Brigades, were detained. The are suspected of concealing information about the would-be mutiny of the armoured battalion in Mukhrovani.
Armenia: General Public Prosecutor opens case on compulsion of witnesses to evidence in "Case of Seven" May 11, 2009 11:00 Basing on witnesses' evidences about application of beatings and torture to them by law enforcers with the aim to knockout the "necessary" evidences, the General Public Prosecutor of Armenia Agvan Ovsepyan has signed a decision to open a criminal case on "compulsion to evidence".
In Azerbaijan, another mosque closed May 11, 2009 10:00 On May 10, the recently built mosque in the "Oil Stones" region - a settlement on piles in the Caspian Sea, built in late 1940s for development of the oil deposit having the same name, was closed.
Bako Saakyan: Nagorno-Karabakh should be full-fledged party in negotiations May 11, 2009 04:00 Nagorno-Karabakh should be an equal party in the negotiating process on settlement of the Karabakh conflict, as stated by Bako Saakyan, President of Nagorno-Karabakh.
Three suspected militants liquidated in Kabardino-Balkaria May 11, 2009 02:00 In the evening on May 10, in Baksan District of Kabardino-Balkaria, law enforcers killed three persons who, according to power agencies, were participants of illegal armed formations.
In Georgia, more than 10,000 take part in oppositional rally May 09, 2009 19:00 In Tbilisi, about 10,000 persons demand resignation of President Mikhail Saakashvili in the square in front of the building of the Parliament of Georgia.
Students from Vladimir who disappeared in Abkhazia found May 09, 2009 17:00 The students from the city of Vladimir, who disappeared in the mountains of Abkhazia, have been found sound and healthy in a difficult to access place in Bzyb Gorge of Gagra District.
In Baku, youth activists demanding cancellation of Flowers Holiday are arrested May 09, 2009 15:00 Youth activists who plan to hold a protest action on May 10 against the Flower Holiday traditionally held on this date in Baku are detained. The protesters find the holiday inappropriate in the context of the grief for the victims of the April 30 massacre at the Azerbaijani State Oil Academy.