News

July 20, 2023 23:15

• In Krasnodar, court sends man to penal colony for “disseminating fakes” about Russian army

  The Pervomaisky District Court of Krasnodar found Alexander Somryakov guilty of discrediting the Russian Armed Forces and sentenced him to six years of imprisonment. The Judicial Collegium for Criminal Cases of the Krasnodar Territorial Court upheld the verdict.

July 20, 2023 22:14

• "Important Stories"*: hundreds of "Wagner" fighters from colonies settled in Kuban hotels

  About 400 former prisoners who had signed contracts with the "Wagner" Private Military Company (PMC) live in hotels near the city of Anapa, waiting for an official pardoning, the outlet named "Vazhnye Istorii" (Important Stories)* has found out.

July 20, 2023 20:37

• Barakh Chemurziev points out factual errors in sentencing of Ingush activists

  The first-instance court made many mistakes and distortions of facts in the verdict, by using them as the basis for incorrect conclusions, Barakh Chemurziev has stated at the trial.

July 20, 2023 19:46

• Defence reports deterioration of Musaeva’s health state

  Zarema Musaeva, who is being kept in a SIZO (pre-trial prison) in Grozny, needs a full medical examination, her defence states. An advocate reports that Zarema Musaeva has got high blood pressure and high blood sugar levels and that she suffers from regular nosebleeds.

July 20, 2023 18:17

• Law enforcement bodies of Moscow Region ignore Kadyrov’s demand for punishment for raid at mosque

  Despite the assurances of Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov and Russian State Duma member Adam Delimkhanov about the inevitability of punishment for a raid on a mosque in Kotelniki in the Moscow Region, four days after their statements, the law enforcement bodies of the Moscow Region have not reported about any inspections of the activities of the law enforcers who disrupted Friday namaz (prayer).

July 19, 2023 19:18

• Residents of Malgobek criticize local authorities for problems with water supply

  The emergency regime was introduced in Malgobek due to water deficit; both pumps at the water intake have failed, Mussa Galaev, the city Mayor, has stated. Telegram users have criticized local authorities for wearing out the equipment.

July 18, 2023 23:55

• Lawyers consider request for state protection of Elena Milashina as justified

  State protection is provided in case of a real threat to personal security, and representatives of journalist Elena Milashina, who was attacked twice in Chechnya, have grounds for such a request, lawyers note. They point out that the provision of state protection, in particular, a bodyguard, could limit the Elena Milashina’s actions.

July 18, 2023 23:17

• In Volgograd, court reduces sentence of human rights defender Igor Nagavkin

  The Volgograd Regional Court partially granted an appeal filed by Igor Nagavkin and reduced his sentence by two months to five years and 10 months of imprisonment. Advocate Ilya Govorukhin intends to challenge the court’s decision at a court of cassation, and human rights defender Valentin Bogdan claimed violations during the trial and falsification of the case.

July 18, 2023 22:58

• Victim of scam with land plots in Izberbash holds picket in Makhachkala

  Aminat Shagieva has held a picket in Makhachkala, demanding law enforcers' reaction to a scam with land plots, in which, in her opinion, officials were involved.

July 18, 2023 22:16

• Reaction to pickets in support of Gadjiev show increased interest in his case

  The speeches during debates at the trial have sparked an increased interest in the case of the Dagestan journalist Abdulmumin Gadjiev, which was confirmed by the reaction to pickets held in Makhachkala.

July 18, 2023 20:50

• Investigators return to "Memorial" part of property seized during searches

  Some of the documents seized during the searches conducted within the case of rehabilitation of Nazism have been returned to the "Memorial" Centre for the Defence of Human Rights.

July 18, 2023 18:19

• Relatives of Dagestani man killed in Chechnya complain about persecution

  In Dagestan, the police have put a widow of Islam Magomedov, who was killed in Chechnya, on their preventive police registration list and regularly visit her at home for conversations, a mother of Islam Magomedov reports. The visits of the police cause inconvenience, complained the widow of the killed man.

July 18, 2023 11:49

• Human rights defenders report about new practice of preventive police registration in Dagestan

  In Dagestan, the police have changed their registration tactics, and now they visit those put on the preventive police registration list under the pretext of a population census or request them to send photographs from their place of residence, reports the “Memorial” Centre for Defence of Human Rights.

July 17, 2023 23:16

• Week in the Caucasus: review of main events of July 10-16, 2023

  Attack on Milashina and Nemov in Chechnya, assassination of Rzhitsky, persecution of pacifists and activists in Southern Russia, flooding in Tuapse, blockade of Nagorno-Karabakh, 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 July 10-16. 2023, prepared by the “Caucasian Knot”.

July 17, 2023 19:56

• Head of Dagestan criticizes law enforcers for raid in a mosque near Moscow

  The competent authorities should assess the behaviour of the law enforcers who raided the mosque located in the town of Kotelniki near Moscow during the last namaz (Friday prayer), Sergey Melikov, the head of Dagestan, has stated.

July 17, 2023 17:19

• Chechen Diaspora in Vienna opposed persecution of refugees

  A rally against persecution of refugees from Chechnya was held in the capital of Austria. Activists of public associations expressed their disapproval of the use of violence against them in Austrian jails, and of deportation them to Russia.

July 16, 2023 23:10

• Defence of Ingush activists points to ignored proofs of their innocence

  The first-instance court has refused to take into account the contradictions in the prosecution's version, ignored the videos and other proofs that confirms the Ingush oppositionists' innocence; as a result of which the court made false conclusions, Magomed Abubakarov, one of the advocates, has stated.

July 16, 2023 22:45

• Kadyrov demands to punish law enforcers for raiding mosque near Moscow

  Checking Muslims' documents during the Friday prayer in the town of Kotelniki has outraged Ramzan Kadyrov; he demanded that law enforcers be held accountable. Adam Delimkhanov, a State Duma MP, had a meeting on this occasion with the governor of the Moscow Region.

July 16, 2023 21:57

• Posts in social network cause check of Volgograd teacher on discrediting Russian Army

  Policemen came home with a check to Roman Melnichenko, a former teacher of the Volgograd State University (VolSU). The reason was in his posts in a social network, in particular, video clips in the Ukrainian language.

July 16, 2023 20:21

• Chechen courts demonstrate tougher approach to desertion

  After the announcement of mobilization, the toughening of the Russian legislation has led to more severe sentences for absence from a military unit or desertion, including in Chechnya, where coercion to participate in the special military operation (SMO) is typical, human rights defenders have noted.