Week in the Caucasus: review of main events of September 30-October 6, 2024

Fire in Kaspiysk, detention of blogger Guzenko, persecution of pacifists and activists in Southern Russia, authorities in Kabardino-Balkaria, pressure on the opposition in Azerbaijan, parliamentary elections in Georgia, 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 September 30-October 6, 2024, prepared by the “Caucasian Knot”.

Fire in Kaspiysk

On October 6, a fire broke out at the “Caspian Expo” shopping and exhibition complex in Kaspiysk. The fire spread over an area of 700 square metres. Three employees of the Ministry for Emergencies (MfE) got injuries while extinguishing the fire.

The day earlier, the administration of the leader of Dagestan reported about paying compensation of one million roubles for each victim who perished in an explosion and a fire at a petrol station in Novy Khushet. The families of those perished have already received the above compensation. The total amount paid reached 13 million roubles.

Residents of Dagestan complained on social networks that after the explosion in Novy Khushet, petrol stations began to close in the suburbs of Makhachkala and in other areas. The activities of several petrol stations in Dagestan have been suspended at the request of their owners, the press service for the regional Ministry of Energy and Tariffs reports.

Detention of blogger Guzenko

On October 5, in Novopavlovsk, the police detained military blogger Yegor Guzenko, who criticized the Russian authorities and Apti Alaudinov, the commander of the “Akhmat” special forces. The blogger was beaten during his detention, an author of the “Trinadtsaty” (Thirteenth) Telegram channel reports.

Authors of Telegram channels covering events in the combat zone have recalled the Yegor Guzenko’s participation in battles and called on the authorities to release the blogger or give him a chance to go to the special military operation (SMO) zone.

Persecution of pacifists and activists in Southern Russia

In Kalmykia, the Maloderbetovsky District Court, which considered a case against Miroslav Genik, a father of many children, found him guilty of discrediting the Russian Armed Forces. The man was fined 30,000 roubles. According to the court’s ruling, the store clerk, who has five children dependent on him, “repeatedly voiced negative statements” about the actions of the Russian Army in Ukraine in the presence of his neighbours. In July 2024, one of the neighbours heard the man’s statements and contacted the police.

In the Yashaltinsky District of Kalmykia, law enforcers drew up a protocol on discrediting the Russian Armed Forces against local resident Ayan Shalkhenov.

The Kirovsky District Court of Astrakhan fined Nadezhda Petrova, a mother of a military man. According to the court’s version, the woman posted pacifist comments in a messenger. Taking into account the Nadezhda Petrova’s age and personality, as well as the fact that “her son is a military man,” the court considered it possible to “impose an administrative penalty below the minimum limit” in the form of a fine of 15,000 roubles.

In the comments posted in a Telegram channel by Arsen Tuaev, a resident of North Ossetia, law enforcers found signs of discrediting the Russian Armed forces and drew up a protocol against the man. The Promyshlenny District Court of Vladikavkaz refused to consider the case and returned the case materials to the law enforcers, since they did not indicate in their protocol the place where the offense had been committed.

Authorities in Kabardino-Balkaria

The Kabardino-Balkarian Parliament has re-elected Kazbek Kokov as the leader of the region for a second term, the TASS reports. The candidacy of Kazbek Kokov for another five-year term was supported by all parliamentary factions, even the Communist Party of the Russian Federation (CPRF) and the Socialist Political Party “Spravedlivaya Rossiya – Patrioty – Za Pravdu” (Fair Russia – Patriots – For Truth) (SRZP), which had their own candidates,  Ilyas Shavaev and Alexei Voitov.

By his decree, the new old leader of Kabardino-Balkaria has appointed Arsen Kanokov as a senator from the republic’s government, thus extending his powers in the position that the top-ranking official has held since 2013. Arsen Kanokov is also the former president of the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic (from September 28, 2005 to December 31, 2011) and the former leader of the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic (from January 1, 2012 to December 6, 2013).

Pressure on opposition in Azerbaijan

Activist Famil Khalilov, who was prosecuted after criticizing the authorities of Azerbaijan, announced the end of his dry hunger strike in a Baku pre-trial prison. The activist still refuses to accept food.

A group of members of the Azerbaijani parliament called on the country’s Foreign Minister to review relations with the United States and denounce a number of defence agreements, as well as cease cooperation with USAID. The initiative of the Azerbaijani MPs became a response to an appeal to the US Secretary of State from about 60 US congressmen and senators, who called for pressure on Azerbaijan and the release of political prisoners ahead of the United Nations Climate Conference (COP29).

Ulvi Gasanli, the director of the “Abzas Media” online publication, has complained that after he made public the facts of violations of the detainees’ rights at the Baku pre-trial prison, where he is being kept, the SIZO staff created torture conditions for him.

In Baku, a court has extended until January 6, 2025 the detention of Ramil Babaev, an employee of the Institute for Democratic Initiatives, who was detained during a search at the “Toplum TV” office. The defence claimed there were no grounds for extending the Ramil Babaev’s arrest.

Azerbaijani journalist Afgan Sadygov, who is being kept in a Georgian pre-trial prison, refused to be hospitalized despite his worsening condition, his spouse reports.

Before the COP29 climate conference, the authorities of Azerbaijan should release employees of four media outlets accused of criminal offenses, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) claims. The CPJ has criticized the extension of the arrest of 11 journalists.

Activist Elvin Mustafaev, who was convicted in Azerbaijan, stopped his hunger strike after being transferred to a medical facility.

The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe (CE) has called on Azerbaijan to lift the entry ban earlier imposed on a number of members of the Parliamentary Assembly of Council of Europe (PACE) and resume cooperation with all institutions of the organization. The chair of the CE’s Committee of Ministers has also called on Azerbaijan to engage in dialogue with PACE to return the Azerbaijani delegation to the assembly. Azerbaijan should share the values of the Council of Europe, participants of the debates at the PACE session have noted.

The international community is to influence Baku ahead of the COP29 climate conference to secure the release of political prisoners and the end to the persecution of dissidents, the Norwegian Human Rights House Foundation said.

Parliamentary elections in Georgia

The actions of the ruling party, which led to the suspension of contacts with the European Union, contradict the Constitution of Georgia and the aspirations of the people of Georgia, the opposition believes. The threat of cancellation of the visa-free regime with the European Union will affect the lives of many families and is capable of driving voters to polling stations, emphasizes former Georgian Ambassador to Russia Valeri Chechelashvili.

Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili proposed the opposition to form an alternative cabinet for the parliamentary elections. The President of Georgia has noted she has a proposal for the candidacy of the prime minister.

At the parliamentary elections, the “Georgian Dream” Party is betting on demonizing the opposition and using administrative resources while the opposition has made the Georgia’s European choice the main issue. Pre-election campaign programmes in themselves are not important, as they often look populist, and voters have learned not to believe the promises of politicians during the pre-election campaign period, political analysts believe.

The European Union (EU) has suspended meetings with the Georgian government in response to the “anti-European and anti-Western narrative and propaganda,” reports EU Ambassador to Georgia Pavel Gerchinsky.

Nine cases of violence have been recorded during the pre-election campaign, which violates the right to equal opportunities during pre-election campaigning, the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association claims.

Official data on natives of Southern Russia perished in Ukraine

By October 6, the authorities and the law enforcement bodies reported about at least 5020 residents of Southern Russia perished in Ukraine, including 2408 residents of the North-Caucasian Federal District (NCFD) and 2612 residents of the Southern Federal District (SFD).

In Dagestan, the authorities reported about 1051 local residents perished in Ukraine, in the Volgograd Region – 945, in the Krasnodar Territory – 572, in the Rostov Region – 560, in the Stavropol Territory – 496, in the Astrakhan Region – 381, in North Ossetia – 310, in Chechnya – 208, in Kabardino-Balkaria – 174, in Kalmykia – 94, in Ingushetia – 89, in Karachay-Cherkessia – 80, and in Adygea – 60.