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The upcoming population census will give Russian Circassians a chance to get registered as a single nation; and a promotion of the idea in social networks will play a big role therein, NGO activists believe. The idea of becoming a consolidated nation is popular among Circassians; therefore, most of them will take advantage of this opportunity, Caucasian scholars are sure.

The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) has obliged Russian authorities to pay 20,000 euros to relatives of Gelani Tsechoev, a resident of Ingushetia, who was killed in 2010, by recognizing a violation of his right to life.

Law enforcers put pressure on a secret witness in a case on the murder of journalist Anna Politkovskaya: they threatened him with criminal prosecution and demanded from him to testify as requested by investigators, the newspaper “Novaya Gazeta” reported on the 15th anniversary of the murder of the journalist.

In Baku, a policeman used force during the detention of Bakhtiyar Gadjiev and then at a police station, the activist himself claims. A “preventive conversation” was held with Bakhtiyar Gadjiev, the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) of Azerbaijan announced its version.

According to the decision of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), the arrest of Azerbaijani oppositionists Ulvi Gasanov and Medjid Medjidli for distributing anti-government leaflets violated their rights to liberty and security of person. The ECtHR obliged the Azerbaijan’s authorities to pay each of the arrested activists 5850 euros.

The case on the murder of Anna Politkovskaya is being investigated under an article that provides for capital punishment, and the practice of a 15-year statute of limitations is extremely rarely applied in such cases, lawyers note. According to them, the resonant murder of the journalist is not an exceptional case.

Rubati Mitsaeva, who lives in Germany and supports Akhmed Zakaev, has turned to Ramzan Kadyrov with a request to allow her to return to Chechnya. Some social media users have supported her desire to return to her homeland.

The South-Ossetian authorities have released the two Georgian citizens, who had been detained near the village of Ergneti. A day earlier, another citizen, who fell down during detention and broke his arm, was transported to Georgia.

On the 15th anniversary of the murder of Anna Politkovskaya, the "Novaya Gazeta" reports about the progress of the investigation into the assassination, recalling that this year the statute of limitation for the crime expires. The results of the investigation conducted by Politkovskaya's colleagues are presented in a documentary film.

The Baku Court of Appeal (BCA) has denied the defence's motion against the refusal to apply the conditional early relief (CER) to Alizamin Salaev, an activist of the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (PFPA). The activist is on a hunger strike for the 29th day, demanding to punish the colony staff for torturing him.

The defendants in the so-called "Ingush case", except Barakh Chemurziev and Bagaudin Khautiev, have refused to answer the questions of the court, fearing that the answers would be interpreted against them.

Anar Abdulla, an Azerbaijani journalist, has been arrested for 15 days for disobeying the police and petty hooliganism. However, activists believe that he is prosecuted for his freedom of expression on the Internet.

Georgian political analysts have ruled out any possibility of the country's progress along a revolutionary scenario, despite the return of Mikheil (Mikhail) Saakashvili, and suggested that early parliamentary elections would be held next year.

Tehran will not unleash an armed conflict with Baku, despite the deterioration of relations after the Azerbaijan’s victory in the Karabakh war, Tofig Turkel, an observer of the agency “Turan”, suggests. Aggravation of relations is unprofitable for Tehran, since it has established economic ties with Baku, military expert Natig Djafarli notes.

In Tbilisi, 40% of ballots were falsified, which resulted in the ruling party’s dominance in the Tbilisi City Council, claims Elene Khoshtariya, the leader of the “Droa” Party. According to opposition MP Tamar Kordzaya, throughout the whole country, votes at 478 polling stations should be recounted because of violations.

Former residents of the territories that came under the control of Azerbaijan, held a protest action in front of the Armenian government building. They demand to solve problems with social benefits and housing. The authorities promised the protestors new measures of social support.

In Baku, law enforcers have detained Anar Abdulla, a journalist, and accused him of petty hooliganism and disobeying the police.

The Southern District Military Court in Rostov-on-Don has sentenced Azamat Aivazov, a Dagestani resident, to 13 years in a high-security colony, having found him guilty of links with Syrian militants.

The city of Grozny, the capital of Chechnya, has celebrated the City Day and the 45th Ramzan Kadyrov's birthday; he has also taken the post of the head of Chechnya for another term. Kadyrov has combined the holidays to be more visible; his ambitions grow from year to year, Svetlana Gannushkina, a human rights defender, has noted.

Near the city of Djrakan, Karabakh rescuers have found the remains of two Armenian servicemen, bringing the total number of remains and bodies found up to 1680, the Emergency Service (ES) of Nagorno-Karabakh has informed.