News

February 19, 2009 21:00

• Case on mass disorders in Ingushetia sent to court

  The Supreme Court of Ingushetia has received a criminal case initiated against supposed participants and organizer of mass disorders that took place in the republic in January 2008. Maksharip Aushev, Musa Aushev and Ruslan Khazbiev are accused of committing crimes covered by Articles 212, 318 and 222 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation ("Organization of and participation in mass disorders, use of violence against officials and illegal circulation of weapons").

February 19, 2009 20:00

• Prosecution to appeal against jury's verdict on Politkovskaya's case

  Today jurymen have unanimously acquitted brothers Dzhabrail and Ibragim Makhmudovs, Sergey Hadzhikurbanov, former of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Pavel Ryaguzov, former FSB officer, who had been defendants in the murder case of Anna Politkovskaya, journalist of the "Novaya Gazeta".

February 19, 2009 20:00

• Armenian MoD: the army dispersed oppositional demonstration under President's personal order

  The Ministry of Defence (MoD) of Armenia has published a statement in reply to accusation by the opposition about the army's illegal interference into events on March 1, 2008. The statement runs, in particular, that the pretext for as a basis for interference was the decree of the President of Armenia dated March 1, 2008, to introduce the state of emergency.

February 19, 2009 19:00

• Abkhazian public wants Bagapsh's explanations on threats to Inal Khashig

  David Bagapsh, head of security service of Abkhazian President, expressed threats to Inal Khashig, editor-in-chief of the Abkhazian newspaper "Chegemskaya Pravda". According to Inal's colleagues, the threat was to follow Anna Politkovskaya's fate for Khashig's critical publications. The administration of President Sergey Bagapsh denies the threats, and the public waits for President's explanations and calls to maintain pre-election peace.

February 19, 2009 18:00

• Call for effective measures to protect human rights defenders and put an end to impunity

  Press Release of the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders

February 19, 2009 18:00

• Musa Daurbekov's relatives suspect ex-president's retinue

  The relatives of Musa Daurbekov, who was kidnapped and yesterday found murdered in Ingushetia, have confirmed their previous version about possible involvement in Musa's murder of Ruslanbek and Uruskhan Zyazikovs - security head of former President Murat Zyazikov and his father. The "Caucasian Knot" the correspondent was told about it by Salamkhan and Ahmet Daurbekovs, casualty's father and cousin.

February 18, 2009 23:00

• In Azerbaijan, refugees from Chechnya state violations of their rights

  The Chechens living in Azerbaijan want their rights to be respected according to the Constitution of the country. This was stated by Ramzan Mollaev, one of the refugees from Chechnya, during the roundtable that took place on February 17 at the Baku business centre "Caspian Plaza" and dedicated to the status of migrants in the country.

February 18, 2009 23:00

• Resident of Ingushetia found dead with traces of torture

  A source in law enforcement bodies of the republic has reported that Musa Daurbekov, a resident of Ingushetia, who was kidnapped by unidentified persons in the evening on February 17, was found dead with traces of torture.

February 18, 2009 22:00

• "Aikakan Zhamanak" names hunters on demonstrators in Yerevan on March 1, 2008

  The oppositional Armenian newspaper "Aikakan Zhamanak" has named, with reference to its sources close to the police, four ensigns from military police units Nos. 1032 and 1033, who killed on March 1, 2008, from special weapon "Cheryomukha-7" three demonstrators - Tigran Khachatryan, 23, Gora Kloyan, 29, and Armen Farmanyan, 35.

February 18, 2009 21:00

• Ex-representative of separatists' leader Umarov returns to Chechnya

  On February 17, Bukhari Baraev, who until recently held the post of special representative of separatists' leader Dokku Umarov in the countries of Europe and who unexpectedly came back from Austria to Chechnya, appeared on local television, hammered his criticism on his former comrades and called the militants who are still hiding in mountains to get back to peaceful life.

February 18, 2009 20:00

• At Politkovskaya's murder process, defendants made last plea

  Today, the Moscow Regional Military Court has completed debates of the parties on the murder case of Anna Politkovskaya, observer of "Novaya Gazeta". The defendants who made their last plea refused to admit their guilt.

February 18, 2009 20:00

• "Ekozaschita": "Rosatom" to build obsolete power units at Rostov NPP

  Power Units Nos. 3 and 4, planned to be built by the "Rosatom" (Russian nuclear power agency) at the Rostov Nuclear Power Plant (NPP), are outdated and have no double protective shells, which is a threat to the population of Volgodonsk. This is the conclusion of the "Ekozaschita" (Environment protection) made after the public hearing held yesterday, on February 17.

February 18, 2009 19:00

• At trial on Nalchik attack, prosecution wants to have judges instead of jurymen

  Today, at the hearing on the case about the attack on power agencies of Kabardino-Balkaria, which resumed after a two-month break, the prosecution moved a petition that the case should be considered by three professional judges.

February 17, 2009 23:00

• Living conditions in hostels of the capital of Karachaevo-Circassia become worse

  The hostel residents and human rights activists note that living conditions in the hostels of the city of Cherkessk are becoming worse and worse. Many of them have no heating, hot and cold water, the buildings fall into decay - no major repairs from the time of construction.

February 17, 2009 22:00

• In Ingushetia, unidentified persons shell Tsokievs' house

  On February 16, unidentified persons threw a grenade into the yard of the household belonging to the Tsokiev family, located in Bazorkina Street in Malgobek (Ingushetia). The "Caucasian Knot" correspondent was told about by the owner of the house Magomed Tsokiev; later the fact was confirmed by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ingushetia.

February 17, 2009 22:00

• Zakaev and Baraev get back to Chechnya

  Bukhari Baraev, plenipotentiary of Dokku Umarov, President of self-proclaimed Chechen Republic of Ichkeria, has announced his return to Chechnya and abdication of the powers of separatists' special envoy. Ahmed Zakaev, head of the government of Ichkeria, has also states his comeback to the homeland and his intention "to promote long-standing peace in the region."

February 17, 2009 22:00

• PACE co-rapporteurs call on Armenian authorities not to prevent opposition to rally

  Today, John Prescott and George Colombier, co-rapporteurs for Armenia of the PACE's Monitoring Committee, have promulgated a statement calling the authorities of Armenia not to interfere with the rally of the opposition to be held at 3 p.m. at the Matenadaran building in the centre of Yerevan.

February 17, 2009 22:00

• Convicts for the fire at boarding house for elderly persons in Krasnodar Territory will appeal against their verdict

  Today, the Eisk City Court of the Krasnodar Territory today has passed a verdict on the fire at the boarding house for old people in Kamyshevatskaya village in March 2007. Director of the house Galina Korvel was sentenced to 3.5 years of freedom deprivation in colony-settlement. Her deputy Yuri Bashko was sentenced to 4 years in colony. They were found guilty of breaching fire safety regulations.

February 17, 2009 21:00

• Inspectors have no data about involvement of Dagestan president's son in Radchenko's kidnapping

  Today, Kasumbek Amirbekov, head of the Investigatory Department for the Republic of Dagestan of the Investigatory Committee at the Prosecutor's Office (ICPO) of the Russian Federation, has stated that the investigation possesses no data about involvement of Gadzhimurad Aliev, son of the Republic's President and deputy head of the Department of the Federal Taxation Service (DFTS) for Dagestan, in kidnapping of Vladimir Radchenko.

February 17, 2009 20:00

• Authorities want to expand the area for Sochi Olympiad objects by 45 percent

  On February 16, Larissa Zavedeeva, first deputy head of the Territorial Administration for enforcing powers of preparing the Olympiad, told at the sitting of the Regional Olympic Headquarters that the land area allotted for placing Olympic structures in Sochi will be increased by 45 percent that makes additional 6500 hectares.