News

December 30, 2008 22:00

• Georgia applies to "Memorial" with a request to locate a captured soldier

  Mamuka Areshidze, director of the "Caucasian Strategic Studies Center", has handed to the "Memorial" organization the request of Georgian authorities to locate captured soldier Sergo Melia.

December 30, 2008 22:00

• Georgian Laborites start impeachment procedure against Mikhail Saakashvili

  The Georgian Labor Party has started to collect signatures for impeaching Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili. Shalva Natelashvili, leader of Laborites, stated at the December 29 press-conference that the parliamentary group of the party had started the procedures necessary for impeaching Saakashvili.

December 30, 2008 21:00

• Kungaev's lawyer protests against release of Budanov

  Sviatoslav Markelov, lawyer of Elza Kungaeva's family, has protested against the court ruling to release Yuri Budanov from prison before term. He has sent a complaint to Viacheskav Lebedev, chair of the Russia's Supreme Court, reports the administration of the Chechen Ombudsman to "Interfax".

December 30, 2008 19:00

• Chechens suspected of attempting Kadyrov's life accused of forging their diplomas

  The only charge count recognized by Ruslan Musaev, a suspect on the case of preparing an attempt to murder Ramzan Kadyrov, president of Chechnya, is forgery of a university diploma. This has been reported to the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent by Shamil Arifulov, Musaev's lawyer.

December 30, 2008 18:00

• Broadcasting of Western radio stations to be stopped in Azerbaijan

  Broadcasting of the radio stations "Liberty", the "Voice of America" and the BBC on the local frequencies will be stopped from January 1, 2009. This decision has been taken today at the meeting of the National TV and Radio Council (NTRC) of Azerbaijan.

December 29, 2008 23:00

• Court in Kalmykia supports journalist

  On December 25, the Supreme Court of Kalmykia granted the cassation appeal of Semen Ateyev, journalist of the newspaper "Sovietskaya Kalmykia Segodnia", with regard to protection of honor and dignity.

December 29, 2008 23:00

• Administration of Nalchik pre-trial prison refutes information on harassment of prisoners from Ingushetia

  Aivar Bolov, deputy chief of RF department of execution of punishments for Kabardino-Balkaria, has categorically refuted information that prisoners from Ingushetia held in Nalchik pre-trial prison are harassed by the prison administration and are periodically placed to the punishment cell.

December 29, 2008 22:00

• Committee to Protect Journalists: threats against investigation in Karachaevo-Circassia are unacceptable

  The Committee to Protect the Rights of Journalists has called on the Russian authorities to conduct a fair investigation of the attack on Zhanna Akbasheva in Karachaevo-Circassia.

December 29, 2008 22:00

• Miners who retired on pension in the town of Zverevo, Rostov region, filed law suit in the European Court on Human Rights

  84 residents of Zverevo, Rostov region, sent their applications to the European Court on Human Rights. This was reported to the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent by Valeri Diakonov, deputy of the Zverevo town Duma, one of the organizers of the protests by pensioner miners.

December 29, 2008 22:00

• Defense claims the person charged with the murder of Politkovskaya has an alibi

  Today, during the session of Moscow military district court which was considering the case of murder of Anna Politkovskaya, columnist of the "Novaya Gazeta" newspaper, the defense lawyers of defendant Sergei Khudzhikurbanov has presented a proof that he was not at the spot on the day of the murder.

December 29, 2008 21:00

• The Armenian court hearing on the "Case of Seven" put off till January 9

  In Armenia, judge Mnatsakan Martirosian adjourned the court hearing on the "Case of Seven" and explained his decision by the defendants' contempt of court. In particular, when the judge entered the court room all the seven defendants continued to sit. The next hearing is appointed for January 9.

December 29, 2008 21:00

• Three militiamen to be tried in Stavropol krai

  Three detectives are going to be tried in Kislovodsk, Stavropol krai, for abusing their powers and applying violence with regard to a lawyer. This has been reported to the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent at the press-service of the investigation department under the RF Prosecutor's Office in Stavropol krai.

December 29, 2008 19:00

• Tskhinvali: Georgia accumulates troops on the border with South Ossetia

  Georgian authorities accumulate armored troops at the border with South Ossetia, reports the press-service of the South Ossetia Ministry of Defense.

December 29, 2008 18:00

• Chechen residents held a second meeting against early release of Budanov

  Today, Chechen residents have held a second meeting in Grosny against the grant of parole to former colonel Yuri Budanov convicted for murdering Chechen girl Elza Kungaeva.

December 27, 2008 23:00

• Trial of seven oppositionists suspended in Armenia

  In Armenia, Judge Mnatsakan Martirosyan has interrupted a session of the process of seven oppositionists accused of a putsch attempt, having motivated his decision by disrespect for the court allegedly exhibited by the defendants. The following session was appointed on January 9.

December 27, 2008 21:00

• Four suspected militants detained in Dagestan

  On December 26, in Makhachkala, the capital of Dagestan, four suspected participants of illegal armed formations were detained.

December 27, 2008 17:22

• Several families in Chechnya lose their flats for non-payment of municipal bills

  The administration of the capital of Chechnya has launched an active campaign aimed to increase collections for municipal services. In the opinion of Grozny officials, it is the time "to pay in full for the benefits of civilization." Apartment rental agreements are cancelled with those who fail to pay for their flats.

December 27, 2008 15:11

• Spaniards to help Astrakhan Region in using wind energy

  The government of the Astrakhan Region and the LLC "FERSA-Cherkessk", an affiliate of the Spanish Company "Fersa Energias Renovables", have signed a contract on construction of windmills in the Astrakhan Region.

December 27, 2008 13:00

• North Ossetia already has over 20,000 jobless persons

  According to the Republic's Department for Statistics, the number of unemployed persons in North Ossetia has already exceeded 20,000, as Rimma Gutieva, chair of the Republic's trade union organization, has reported.

December 27, 2008 11:00

• Tourist zones suffer from global crisis in Karachaevo-Cherkesia

  On the eve of the New Year, the most popular resorts of Karachaevo-Cherkesia - Dombai and Arkhyz - remain practically without tourists. Hotels drop rates, and "one-day tours" are gaining popularity. Experts of the tourist business say that it is the effect of the financial crisis.