Week in the Caucasus: review of main events of December 2-8

Resignation of the head of Kabardino-Balkaria; visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to Armenia; increase of prices for gasoline and diesel fuel in Azerbaijan, – see the review of these and other events in the Caucasus during the week of December 2-8, 2013, prepared by the "Caucasian Knot".

Kanokov dismissed from the post of KBR leader

On December 6, the Russian President dismissed the head of the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic (KBR) Arsen Kanokov, who was serving his second term from September 1, 2010. Kanokov has resigned on his own will, citing the need for a healthy rotation of the staff as the main reason for his decision. Yuri Kokov, a native of the KBR, the Head of the All-Russian Institute of Qualification Improvement of Employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA), who had also headed the Department for Combating Extremism of the Russia's MIA, was appointed as the Acting Head of the KBR. Arsen Kanokov noted that the tasks that had been set before him by the President of Russia have been solved; however, according to experts, the real reason for his resignation was the desire of the federal centre to improve the security of the region before the upcoming Olympics.

During his visit to Armenia Putin cancelled export duties on oil and gas

On December 2, the Russian President Vladimir Putin paid an official visit to Armenia and signed agreements on the abolition of export duties on oil and gas for this country. As stated by Vigen Sarkisyan, the Chief of Staff of the President of Armenia, the agreements would allow not raising the gas tariffs for the population of Armenia for five years. During the talks with his Armenian counterpart, Mr Putin discussed the progress of the agreements reached during Serzh Sargsyan's visit to Moscow on September 3 and further steps for Armenia's accession to the Customs Union and the Common Economic Space. The visit of Vladimir Putin took place against a large-scale protest in Yerevan, where about one hundred participants were detained by the police.

Azerbaijan increases gasoline and diesel fuel prices; opposition is preparing protests

On December 3, the Tariff Council under the Government of Azerbaijan reported that the country would increase – for the first time since January 2007 – the retail prices for gasoline and diesel fuel. The average increase will make 27-33%. This decision arouse criticism from civil society and activists of the opposition, who said that the increase in fuel prices would trigger an avalanche growth of prices for other goods and services and result in deterioration of the living conditions of the population. Jamil Gasanli, the leader of the National Council of Democratic Forces (NCDF), said the opposition would hold a series of protest actions. The Internet is also collecting signatures to a petition addressed to the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliev asking to halt the rise in fuel prices.

Russia's SC upholds verdict to native of Chechnya for killing Budanov

On December 4, the Judicial Panel on Criminal Cases of the Supreme Court (SC) of the Russian Federation rejected the appeal complaints lodged by the defence of Yusup Temerkhanov, a native of Chechnya, who had been sentenced to 15 years in a high security colony for the murder of the former Colonel Yuri Budanov, who had been earlier convicted for kidnapping and killing a Chechen girl Elza Kungaeva. On June 10, 2011, Budanov was shot dead in Moscow. The suffered party at the trial – Valery Budanov, Yuri Budanov's son, – said that the verdict to Temerkhanov was "fair and duly justified", while Temerkhanov's advocates announced their intention to appeal against the decision of the SC.

In Krasnodar, court places Professor Mikhail Savva moved to home arrest

On December 4, the court in Krasnodar decided to transfer Professor Mikhail Savva from the Kuban State University (KSU), the director of grant programmes of the Southern Regional Resource Centre, to home arrest. Mr Savva was detained on April 12 and accused of fraudulently stealing about 360,000 roubles and receiving payment for fictitious training course he gave at the KSU. On November 29, the Pervomaisky District Court of Krasnodar ruled to extend Savva's arrest till January 30, 2014. The decision to change his freedom restriction measure was made as a result of a complaint lodged by Russia's Ombudsman Vladimir Lukin. According to local and international human rights organizations, Mikhail Savva's case is a political one; the Professor himself refuses to plead guilty.