Week in the Caucasus: review of main events of November 19-26, 2023

Authorities against journalists in Azerbaijan, armed conflict in Northern Caucasus, persecution of pacifists and activists in Southern Russia, refugees from Nagorno-Karabakh, Caucasus and Palestine, and official data on the natives of Southern Russia who perished in Ukraine, – see the review of these and other events in the Caucasus during the week of November 19-26, 2023, prepared by the “Caucasian Knot”.

Authorities against journalists in Azerbaijan

On November 20, Ulvi Gasanli, the director of the “Abzas Media” publication, was detained. During a search in the editorial office, the police seized 40,000 euros. Sevindj Vagifgyzy, the editor-in-chief of the “Abzas Media”, explained that the publication was engaged in investigating the business of family members of top-ranking officials, and associated the Ulvi Gasanli’s detention with the above-mentioned investigations. Ulvi Gasanli is accused of smuggling foreign currency by a group of persons by prior conspiracy.

On November 21, Sevindj Vagifgyzy herself was detained and also accused of smuggling. The court arrested both persons for four months. The journalists associated the persecution with their professional activities.

On November 22, the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) of Azerbaijan reported that Mokhammed Kekalov was detained in a criminal case. Mokhammed Kekalov is involved in social projects and supporting people with disabilities. He only advised the administration of the “Abzas Media” publication. On November 23, Mokhammed Kekalov was arrested for three months and 27 days on the charge of smuggling. According to Article 206 of the Criminal Code of Azerbaijan, all the above-mentioned arrested persons face 7 to 12 years of imprisonment.

Investigators banned Ulvi Gasanli and Sevindj Vagifgyzy from mobile phone conversations and visits by their relatives and friends. Advocates called the ban unfounded.

A group of Azerbaijani journalists condemned the persecution of the “Abzas Media” executives and activist Mokhammed Kekalov. The international network of investigative journalists “Forbidden Stories” also condemned the harassment of their colleagues. The “Abzas Media” editorial office announced the intention to continue to investigate corruption. The “Freedom Now” organization noted that Ulvi Gasanli, like Sevindj Vagifgyzy, has already been detained because of his professional activities.

On November 25, in connection with the arrest of the “Abzas Media” executives, EU Special Representative for Human Rights Eamon Gilmore called on the authorities of Azerbaijan to stop the persecution of journalists. The Brussels-based International Human Rights Network Europe has expressed its concern about the arrests of journalists in Azerbaijan.

Armed conflict in Northern Caucasus

On November 22, during a counter-terrorist operation (CTO) in Sunzha, law enforcers killed a man who opened fire on them. The killed man was suspected of aiding and abetting Amirkhan Gurazhev and Adam Ozdoev, who were wanted after an attack on a road-and-patrol police service (known as DPS) checkpoint on the border between Ingushetia and North Ossetia, a source reported. A law enforcer was wounded in the shootout.

On March 28, a DPS checkpoint on the border between Ingushetia and North Ossetia was attacked. Six residents of Ingushetia were put on the wanted list. Two of them were later found dead. The wanted suspects twice managed to escape from the law enforcers after shootouts: in Malgobek and Zyazikov-Yurt. On April 7, one of them surrendered to the police, and on April 8, another wanted person was detained. Amirkhan Gurazhev and Adam Ozdoev remained wanted.

The press service of the Russian FSB Department for Ingushetia reported that the person killed in the shootout in Ingushetia was identified as 33-year-old Kh. Ganiev. The circumstances of the detention of an alleged accomplice of militants in Sunzha and the wounding of a law enforcer in the shootout raise questions about the level of training of Ingush law enforcers, note veterans of the law enforcement bodies interviewed by the “Caucasian Knot”.

Persecution of pacifists and activists in Southern Russia

The Magassky District Court of Ingushetia fined Ismail Pliev 30,000 roubles. According to the court, the man posted a pacifist post on his page in Instagram*. In court, Ismail Pliev pleaded guilty and expressed his remorse.

Viktor Selyutin, a resident of Stavropol, was fined 30,000 roubles under the article on discrediting the Russian Armed Forces. The protocol was drawn up against Viktor Selyutin for his post on the “VKontakte” social network with a photograph of “representatives of public authorities” in a truck “with the letter Z,” which he accompanied with an offensive inscription. Viktor Selyutin stated that he did not intend to insult anyone or discredit the Russian Armed Forces.

The Nalchik City Court fined local resident Tamerlan Ivanov under the same article on discrediting the Russian Armed Forces because of a pacifist inscription on a backpack. The Kharabalinsky District Court of the Astrakhan Region fined 34-year-old Irina Zharikova, who left pacifist posts, including poems, on her pages in Instagram* and the “VKontakte” social network from May to August of this year. The court considered Irina Zharikova’s posts discrediting the Russian Armed Forces.

The Moscow City Court upheld the order for the arrest in absentia of Denis Mamedov, who, together with his wife Maria, was put on the wanted list in a case on fakes about the Russian Army. The couple left Russia because of pressure on Maria due to her refusal to organize a fundraiser for participants in the special military operation (SMO) in Ukraine. The first instance court imposed a pre-trial restriction measure in the form of arrest for a period of two months on Denis Mamedov, who, together with his wife, sent anti-war appeals to the public institutions.

Refugees from Nagorno-Karabakh

Armenia is preparing an addition to its claim against Azerbaijan on the issue of restoring the property rights of Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh, reports the Office of the Armenian Representative on international legal issues. The decision made by the International Court of Justice on the Azerbaijan’s preservation of documents on the property rights of the Nagorno-Karabakh residents will protect their rights and ensure consideration of the claim, explains lawyer Ara Kazaryan.

Yerevan will not agree to sign a peace treaty if it does not contain a clause on the return of the Armenian population to Nagorno-Karabakh, suggests political analyst Armen Vardanyan. The issue of returning Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians to their homeland is no longer discussed, although Yerevan previously insisted on it, point out political observer Akob Badalyan and analyst Armen Ovannisyan.

Refugees from Nagorno-Karabakh have to spend all the funds they receive from the state as support on renting housing. They experience great problems with finding employment. Internally displaced persons (IDPs) say that without pensions and social benefits, which the authorities promise to pay only in December, the people have not enough money even for the most necessary purchases.

On November 21, the US Agency for International Development (USAID) announced that the United States would allocate more than 4.1 million US dollars for “refugees and displaced persons from Nagorno-Karabakh who found their refuge in Armenia.” Taking into account additionally allocated funds, the volume of US humanitarian assistance in connection with the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh since 2020 has amounted to almost 28 million US dollars. After that, Assistant to the President of Azerbaijan Khikmet Gadjiev sharply condemned the US.

Public organizations from Nagorno-Karabakh have submitted an appeal to participants in the session of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, in which they presented their vision of resolving the issue of the Nagorno-Karabakh people, focusing on their right to return to their homeland and the right to self-determination. The return of residents of Nagorno-Karabakh is possible only under international guarantees, and the status of Nagorno-Karabakh should be discussed again in negotiations, emphasize Armenian political analysts.

Caucasus and Palestine

On November 25, the first group of refugees from Palestine, consisting of about 50 people, arrived in Dagestan. They were sent to a temporary accommodation centre (TAC). On the other day, they were joined by 27 more people, including 14 children. Residents of Dagestan are ready to adopt Palestinian orphans, and the republic’s authorities have reported on funding assistance to refugees.

The total amount of funds raised by residents of Ingushetia as part of a charity event for the Palestinians amounted to more than 79 million roubles, reports the “Help to Palestine” Telegram channel.

A working group has been created in Chechnya that is preparing to receive 250 refugees from Palestine.

On November 21, the administration of the leader of Dagestan reported about the dispatch of 27 tons of humanitarian aid for the Palestinians by a plane of the Ministry for Emergencies (MfE). The humanitarian aid was purchased with money raised with the participation of residents of the republic, including food and clothing. According to Sergey Melikov, the leader of Dagestan, it is planned to send a total of 100 tons of humanitarian cargo.

On November 20, Rashid Temrezov, the leader of the Republic of Karachay-Cherkessia, reported that 30 tons of humanitarian aid, purchased with money from residents of Karachay-Cherkessia who participated in a fundraiser, were being prepared to be sent to the residents of Palestine. On November 20, Makhmud-Ali Kalimatov, the leader of the Republic of Ingushetia, announced that 104 tons of humanitarian aid had been collected.

Official data on natives of Southern Russia perished in Ukraine

By November 26, the authorities and the law enforcement bodies reported about at least 2956 residents of Southern Russia perished in Ukraine, including 1452 residents of the North-Caucasian Federal District (NCFD) and 1504 residents of the Southern Federal District (SFD).

In Dagestan, the authorities reported about 676 local residents perished in Ukraine, in the Volgograd Region – 606, in the Rostov Region – 323, in the Krasnodar Territory – 249, in North Ossetia – 238, in the Astrakhan Region – 237, in Stavropol Territory – 216, in Chechnya – 138, in Kabardino-Balkaria – 114, in Kalmykia – 49, in Ingushetia – 44, in Adygea – 40, and in Karachay-Cherkessia – 26.

*On March 21, 2022, the Tverskoi Court of Moscow banned the activities in Russia of the Meta Company, owning the Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, in connection with extremist activities.