News

January 14, 2025 21:18

• Ombudsperson demands investigation of law enforcers’ actions during detentions in Batumi

  Three out of the ten people detained at the protest action in Batumi demanded an investigation into the law enforcers’ actions, and one of the detainees claimed being beaten. A criminal case has been instituted against Mziya Amaglobeli, the founder of the “Batumelebi” and “Netgazeti” online publications for attacking a police officer.

January 14, 2025 20:58

• Social network users treat campaign against car window tinting in Chechnya as election campaign

  The ban on car window tinting in Chechnya fails to cover the head of the republic himself and his close associates, commentators have pointed out.

January 13, 2025 23:21

• Week in the Caucasus: review of main events of January 6-12, 2025

  Zaira Pirova’s escape, pollution in Anapa, drone attacks, persecution of pacifists and activists in Southern Russia, protests 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 January 6-12, 2025, prepared by the “Caucasian Knot”.

January 13, 2025 22:17

• Rights defenders criticize investigators' version of Talysh researcher Abilov's case

  The charge of treason brought against Igbal Abilov, a Talysh researcher, looks unconvincing and has become another episode in the prosecution practice of activists from Azerbaijani national minorities.

January 13, 2025 20:31

• Girlfriend of Suleimanova, who went missing in Chechnya, complains about investigators' inaction

  Elena Patyaeva has sent her complaints to the Russian General Prosecutor's Office (GPO) about the inaction of the investigators who deal with the disappearance case of her girlfriend, Seda Suleimanova.

January 13, 2025 17:40

• Russian analysts assess Aliev's harsh statements against Moscow

  The harsh rhetoric by the Azeri President, Ilham Aliev, against Russia after the AZAL plane crash will test mutual relations, but is unlikely to lead to any serious deterioration of them.

January 12, 2025 23:23

• Ukraine's recognition of Circassian genocide encourages activists

  Circassian organizations and activists abroad have welcomed the recognition of the Circassian genocide by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine and expressed hope that this will lead to the recognition of the genocide by other countries. The International Circassian Association has treated this decision as anti-Russian.

January 12, 2025 22:44

• Azerbaijani activist Gadjiev claims beating by police

  Djamil Gadjiev, an activist, claims that he was beaten up after being detained by police in Baku. A doctor diagnosed him with bruises.

January 12, 2025 22:41

• ECtHR obliges Azerbaijan to provide information on Armenian POWs

  By the end of this January, Azerbaijan shall provide detailed information on the Armenian prisoners of war (POWs) kept in custody. This was stated by Yeghishe Kirakosyan, the Armenian official on international legal issues.

January 12, 2025 22:07

• Rights defenders assess court ruling in case of mobilized soldier from Rostov Region

  Command orders and medical records can be proofs in the lawsuit lodged by relatives of Igor Tatarov, a deceased mobilized military serviceman from the Rostov Region, but it is not always possible to obtain these documents.

January 12, 2025 19:11

• Human rights defenders launch campaign to protect arrested “Meydan TV” journalists

  The “Amnesty International” human rights organization has launched a campaign demanding the release of “Meydan TV” journalists arrested in Azerbaijan. The human rights organization has called on its supporters to send letters to the President of Azerbaijan calling for the release of the journalists.

January 12, 2025 17:31

• Four Dagestani residents convicted in case on riots at Makhachkala airport

  Marat Rabadanov, Radjab Radjabov, Magomed Ramazanov, and Zaurbeg Khalikov were each sentenced to ten years of imprisonment. A court in Georgievsk found them participants of the riots at the “Uytash” airport in Makhachkala in October 2023.

January 11, 2025 23:58

• Zaira Pirova, who ran away from home, returns to her family in Dagestan

  Zaira Pirova has returned from Georgia to Dagestan and stays with her family now, human rights defenders report. They express their hope that the girl’s relatives will keep their promises to her.

January 11, 2025 23:55

• Rights defender Safarov links his arrest with US State Department's Award

  Rufat Safarov, an Azeri human rights defender, has stated that before his arrest, he faced demands to publicly refuse the US State Department's Award.

January 11, 2025 22:57

• Contract soldier complains about absence of treatment at hospital in Chechnya

  Ruslan Arazov, a wounded soldier, has stated that he was discharged from a hospital in Chechnya, although he received no proper treatment there. He has demanded to conduct a check and punish those guilty.

January 11, 2025 21:28

• Torture case of detainee by law enforcers in Malgobek reaches court

  The case opened against the policemen from the city of Malgobek, accused of torturing a detainee and receiving a bribe in the form of an apartment, has been transferred to the court.

January 11, 2025 20:59

• Human rights defenders: Zaira Pirova, who ran away from home, faces danger in Georgia

  Georgia has ceased to be a safe country for the women who run away from the North Caucasus due to a change in the country’s political course and the accessibility of the country for Russian citizens. It is still risky for Zaira Pirova to return to Dagestan.

January 11, 2025 20:53

• Social media users argue about Zaira Pirova’s escape to Georgia

  The family should accept the choice of Dagestani native Zaira Pirova and stop searching for her in Georgia, social media users note. Their opponents demanded that the girl should be returned to her family.

January 10, 2025 21:45

• Resident of Stavropol Territory convicted of repeated discrediting Russian Army

  A court in the Stavropol Territory has sentenced a local resident to nine months of probation, finding him guilty under a criminal article on repeated discrediting of Russian militaries.

January 10, 2025 21:44

• Azerbaijani activist Rail Abbasov sentenced to freedom deprivation

  A court in Baku has sentenced Rail Abbasov, an activist, to 6.5 years in jail, finding him guilty in a fraud case.