Week in the Caucasus: review of main events of September 15-21

Summing up the results of the elections held on September 14 in the regions of Southern Russia; Investment Forum in Sochi, attended by representatives of 37 foreign countries and 74 regions of Russia; uphold of verdict of guilty against Said Amirov pronounced by the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation; attack on reporters of the Moscow BBC Office in Astrakhan; departure of the first group of pilgrims from Southern Russia to Hajj; early termination of the visit to Azerbaijan of the mission of the UN Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture, – see the review of these and other events in the Caucasus during the week of September 15-21, 2014, prepared by the "Caucasian Knot".

SFD and NCFD sum up results of September 14 elections

During the last week, the Southern Federal District (SFD) and the North-Caucasian Federal District (NCFD) were summing up the results of the elections of various levels held on September 14 as on a single day of voting. Thus, inthe Volgograd Region, at the elections to the Regional Duma under a single party list, the "Edinaya Rossiya" (United Russia) Party gained 60.09%, the Communist Party of the Russian Federation (CPRF) 14.34%, the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia (LDPR) 8.16%, the "Spravedlivaya Rossiya" (Fair Russia) 5.21%, and the other parties failed to overcome a five-percent barrier. Andrei Bocharov, the acting head of the Volgograd Region, who gained 88.49% of the votes, won at the election of the Governor. In the Astrakhan Region, Alexander Zhilkin gained 75.09% of the votes and won at the elections of the Governor, while his main rival Oleg Shein, a candidate of the "Spravedlivaya Rossiya", was supported only by 16.43% of the voters. In Kalmykia, Alexei Orlov gained 82.89% of the votes at the elections of the republic leader and left his four opponents far behind. In the Stavropol Territory, Vladimir Vladimirov gained 84.22% of the votes and won at the election of the regional Governor.

In Karachay-Cherkessia, the five parties took part in the elections to the Parliament: the "Edinaya Rossiya" Party, the CPRF, the "Spravedlivaya Rossiya" Party, the LDPR, and the "Patriots of Russia" Party. In Kabardino-Balkaria, following the outcome of the elections to the Parliament, also five parties gained seats in it, as follows: the "Edinaya Rossiya" Party, the CPRF, the "Spravedlivaya Rossiya" Party, the Green Party, and the LDPR (5.10%). Deputies have already elected the new Speaker Tatiana Egorova, nominated by the faction of the "Edinaya Rossiya" Party.

In Sochi, at the election of the City Mayor, Anatoly Pakhomov, the incumbent Mayor, gained 75.37% of the votes and defeated his four opponents.

In Sochi, Investment Forum brings together representatives from 37 foreign countries and 74 regions of Russia

On September 18-21, Sochi hosted the XIII International Investment Forum. It was attended by 9000 people, including heads of a number of Russian regions, members of the government, and Dmitry Medvedev, the Prime Minister of the Russian Federation. The forum participants came from 37 foreign countries and 74 regions of Russia, including the southern regions. The event programme included the discussions on substitution of import in terms of sanctions; and behind the scenes, Maxim Sokolov, the Russian Minister of Transport, said that within a month, the government would select a contractor for the construction of a bridge across the Kerch Strait. Following the event, it became known that the Krasnodar Territory has become a leader in the number of contracts agreed: the Krasnodar Territory has concluded 310 contracts for more than 353 billion roubles. Of them, the most significant investments will be directed for expansion of the fuel and energy and construction industries, the production of fruits and vegetables and the development of resorts. At the Sochi forum, the Rostov Region has signed 15 contracts for 133 billion roubles, Ingushetia 13 contracts for the total amount exceeding 15 billion roubles, and Adygea three contracts for 12.5 billion roubles.

Russian Supreme Court upholds verdict of guilty against Said Amirov

On September 18, the board for military men of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation considered an appeal against the verdict pronounced by the North-Caucasian Military District Court and the request of the Military Prosecutor's Office concerning the verdict in the case against Said Amirov, the dismissed Mayor of Makhachkala, accused of plotting a terror act. The Court upheld the verdict against Said Amirov, who was sentenced to 10 years of imprisonment, and reduced the punishment of his nephew Yusup Djaparov for three months. Advocates of Said Amirov have announced that they intend to file a cassation appeal against the decision of the Supreme Court to uphold the sentence. According to advocate Vladimir Postanyuk, the appeal against the Said Amirov's sentence will be filed to the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR).

Attack in Astrakhan on reporters of Moscow BBC Office

On September 16, inAstrakhan, staff members of the Moscow BBC Office were attacked by unidentified persons. According to reporters, they were attacked by at least three persons, who took away the camera and beat a camera man. While the reporters were giving testimonies to the police, someone erased the video records from the memory cards stored in the reporters' car. The BBC treats the attack on the reports as a planned action and associates it with the fact that the journalists were investigating the reports of deaths of Russian soldiers in the zone of the Russian-Ukrainian border. Law enforcers instituted a criminal case on the incident under article on robbery of the Criminal Code of the Russian   Federation. Dunja Mijatovic, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, has called on the Russian authorities to ensure a transparent investigation into the incident.

In Southern Russia, Muslims begin to leave for Saudi Arabia for Hajj

Last week, pilgrims from the southern regions of Russia started to leave for Saudi   Arabia for Hajj. On September 15, the first group of Chechen pilgrims went for Hajj. On September 19, the first group of 92 pilgrims from Kabardino-Balkaria left for Saudi Arabia. On the same day, 49 residents of Adygea and the Krasnodar Territory left for Mecca. On the other day, first 600 pilgrims from Dagestan and 220 pilgrims from Ingushetia went for Hajj. This year, the largest number of pilgrims among the Russian regions - 6000 people - will go to Saudi Arabia from Dagestan; Chechnya will send 2600 pilgrims, and Ingushetia 1400. 190 people will go to Mecca from Karachay-Cherkessia, and 400 from Kabardino-Balkaria.

In Azerbaijan, members of mission of UN Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture announce early termination of their visit

On September 17, members of the mission of the UN Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture announced the early termination of their visit to Azerbaijan. Members of the mission have noted that they failed to fully implement their plans in the country because of obstacles in visiting a number of penitentiary institutions. The fact that in Azerbaijan, the mission of the UN Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture was facing obstacles to its activities inflicts serious damage to the country's image in the international arena. This was stated by members of local NGOs. They have also noted that they are also not allowed to visit penitentiary institutions. Until present, the Azerbaijani authorities have not yet commented on the early termination of the visit of the UN mission. Officials from the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) of Azerbaijan have only announced that they are preparing an official report.