News

May 25, 2020 14:45

• Week in the Caucasus: review of main events of May 18-24, 2020

  Spread of the coronavirus infection in the Caucasus; celebration of Eid al-Fitr amid the pandemic; unofficial information about the Ramzan Kadyrov's illness, – see the review of these and other events in the Caucasus during the week of May 18-24, 2020, prepared by the "Caucasian Knot".

May 25, 2020 13:27

• Pardoning of Georgian oppositionists increases chances for release of Rurua

  The clemency of the oppositional leaders, Irakli Okruashvili and Giorgi Ugulava, which was agreed with the leadership of the ruling party, will be followed by the release of the oppositionist Giorgi Rurua, the political analysts interviewed by the "Caucasian Knot" have suggested.

May 25, 2020 13:01

• On May 18-24, seven persons fell victim to armed conflict in Northern Caucasus

  During the week of May 18-24, 2020, in the armed conflict in Northern Caucasus, seven people suffered: six were killed and one was wounded. These are the results of the calculations run by the "Caucasian Knot" based on its own materials and information from other open sources.

May 25, 2020 11:38

• North-Caucasian residents treat restrictions on Eid al-Fitr with understanding

  The restrictions imposed in connection with coronavirus made changes in the celebration of Eid al-Fitr in the republics of Northern Caucasus. Local residents have welcomed the holiday in their families; they almost did not visit cemeteries, and congratulated each other over the phone.

May 25, 2020 11:25

• Use of force against advocates in Nartkala police outrages social network users

  The law enforcers, who used force against three women advocates in the police station of the city of Nartkala, should be severely punished; and this fact should have a wide public outcry in the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic (KBR), social network users assert.

May 25, 2020 11:03

• Collective prayers held in mosques of Tbilisi and Batumi

  Festive namazes (prayers) and sermons on the occasion of Eid al-Fitr were held on May 24 in the mosques of Tbilisi and Batumi. Mosque workers made sure that believers observe the social distance.

May 25, 2020 10:49

• Format of Kadyrov's video appeal adds to residents' suspicions of his illness

  In his congratulation on Eid al-Fitr, Ramzan Kadyrov did not appear in the video clip, but recorded only his voice, residents of Chechnya have noted. It is possible that he is really sick, they have suggested.

May 24, 2020 11:14

• HBO announces premiere of film about persecution of LGBT people in Chechnya

  After the premiere in the USA of the documentary "Welcome to Chechnya", telling about persecutions for sexual orientation, it will be screened in Russia, says Askold Kurov, a cameraman.

May 24, 2020 11:06

• Instagram users demand proofs of guilt of Dagestanis killed in CTO

  The alleged militants killed in Dagestan had recently returned to their native village from Moscow, where they left for earnings, a source of the "Kommersant" newspaper asserts. Law enforcers should provide proofs of their links with militants, commentators to the posts about the counterterrorist operation (CTO) insist, recalling the murder of the Gasanguseinov shepherds.

May 24, 2020 10:59

• Activist Djalil Zabidov convicted in Azerbaijan

  Djalil Zabidov, a school teacher from the village of Dyallyaklyar of the Yardimli District, a member of the D18 movement, has been sentenced to five months in prison on charges of hooliganism. Activists believe that he is being persecuted for his protests against falsifications at parliamentary elections in Azerbaijan.

May 23, 2020 21:42

• Chechen officials differ in assessing Kadyrov's condition

  Ramzan Kadyrov is healthy, Magomed Daudov, the Speaker of the Chechen Parliament, said after reports of hospitalization of the head of the region with suspicion of COVID-19. However, Adam Delimkhanov, an advisor to the head of Chechnya, said that he was praying for Kadyrov's recovery.

May 23, 2020 21:37

• Five Endirey residents killed during CTO identified

  Five of the six alleged militants killed in Dagestan have been identified. The wounded participant in the counterterrorist operation (CTO) is in grave condition, the TASS has informed.

May 23, 2020 21:28

• NKR accuses Azerbaijan of attempted diversion

  Azerbaijan has suffered losses in a shootout while attempting a diversionary invasion, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR) has reported.

May 23, 2020 17:09

• Azerbaijani activist, Fuad Ismailov, re-arrested under narcotic article

  Fuad Ismailov, an activist, has been arrested for 60 days in Azerbaijan. He is charged with drug use. This is his second arrest within the last three months on the same charge. NGOs believe that he is being persecuted for political reasons.

May 23, 2020 17:06

• Grozny residents complain about crudity of permissive regime

  Residents of Grozny can get permits for shopping and moving around the city only for pre-determined hours; and every day they can go out for only two hours. Some Grozny residents have such permitted hours not coinciding with the working hours of trading enterprises; and on the eve of the Eid al-Fitr, there are long lines in stores, and people fail to buy groceries within the prescribed hours.

May 23, 2020 11:45

• Activists accuse NKR authorities of breaking self-isolation

  The banquet participants on the occasion of the inauguration of President of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR) have violated the self-isolation regime and should be fined, the "Union of Informed Citizens" has stated.

May 23, 2020 11:38

• Count of coronavirus victims in Southern Caucasus grows due to Armenia and Azerbaijan

  The count of coronavirus infection cases in Southern Caucasus, including the unrecognized republics, reached 10,598. The number of COVID-19 deaths in the region has increased to 133 due to recent four deaths in Armenia and two in Azerbaijan.

May 23, 2020 11:29

• Armenia: analysts criticize restriction on freedom of assembly

  The authorities have acted inconsistently by reducing the permissible number of meeting participants amid the weakening of quarantine, the Yerevan Press Club and the Helsinki Assembly of Armenia have noted. The authorities have no reason to fear large-scale protests, political analysts believe.

May 23, 2020 01:35

• NAC reports about six killed militants in Dagestan

  Six militants were killed in a special operation in the Khasavyurt District, when they rendered resistance while law enforcers tried to detain them, the National Antiterrorist Committee (NAC) reported.

May 23, 2020 01:22

• CTO in Khasavyurt District becomes second special operation in Dagestan since early 2020

  A special counterterrorist operation (CTO), during which four suspected militants were cordoned off in a private house in the Khasavyurt District, was preceded by a shootout in the Tabasaran District on April 16.