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December 24, 2011 12:00

• RWB: situation with the freedom of speech in Azerbaijan remains poor

  In 2011, the situation in Azerbaijan with the freedom of speech was the worst in the past six years. For the first time after 2005, a murder of a journalist was committed – the publicist Rafiq Tagi was assassinated. This is stated in the annual report of the "Reporters Without Borders" (RWB), an international organization in defence of the press.

December 24, 2011 11:00

• In Azerbaijan, a businessman tries to burn himself down

  In the Azerbaijani city of Sheki, a local businessman made an attempt of self-immolation, claiming violation of his rights.

December 24, 2011 10:00

• Sochi Airport creates barrier-free environment for invalids

  The Sochi Airport is implementing a programme of a barrier-free environment for disabled passengers. The programme was adopted after the Airport was criticized by the commission for preparation and holding the Paralympic Winter Games of 2014.

December 24, 2011 09:00

• Electoral Code of Georgia adopted in the second reading

  On December 23, the draft Electoral Code was adopted at an extraordinary sitting of the Parliament of Georgia in the second reading by a majority of votes of the MPs.

December 23, 2011 22:40

• Rosaviatsiya: conflict between "Vnukovo" and "Kuban Airlines" should not affect passengers

  Clarification of the relationship between the top management of the Moscow airport "Vnukovo" and the airline "ALK" is irresponsible under conditions of rising passenger traffic during the holidays. This was declared by the Federal Air Transport Agency ("Rosaviatsiya"), which urged the parties to reconcile the conflict.

December 23, 2011 22:30

• Azerbaijan bans foreign TV serials on national TV channels

  In Azerbaijan, starting May 1, 2012, the ban on screening foreign TV serials and feature films on national TV channels comes into effect. The appropriate decision was made on December 22 by the National TV and Radio Council (NTRC).

December 23, 2011 22:30

• In Stavropol, prosecutor's office makes canning factory pay over 16 million roubles of wage debts to its workers

  The top management of the OJSC (Open Joint-Stock Company) " Stavropolsky Canning factory" did not paid wages to its 232 employees for 1.5 years; the formed arrears amounted to more than 16 million roubles. Only due to interference of the prosecutor's office, at present, wages have been paid in full.

December 23, 2011 22:20

• Astrakhan Regional Court cancels compensation to school principal for unlawful dismissal

  The Regional Court granted the appeal of the Committee on Education and Science of the Administration of Astrakhan on its earlier decision on compensation for unfair dismissal of Nadezhda Gogoleva, Principal of the school No. 74. The Principal does not agree with the decision and intends to appeal to higher courts.

December 23, 2011 22:10

• Pyatigorsk mosque opens Russian language courses for immigrants

  In the Stavropol Territory, at the mosque of Pyatigorsk, free courses on Russian language for foreign immigrants are to be established. Opening of the courses was initiated by the Spiritual Administration of Muslims in the Stavropol Territory.

December 23, 2011 22:00

• MRI: in 2011, situation with freedom of expression in Azerbaijan has worsened

  In Azerbaijan, the year of 2011 is characterized by further deterioration of freedom of expression. This is the main conclusion of the annual report of the Media Rights Institute (MRI) entitled "Freedom of expression in Azerbaijan: legal cases of defamation, pressure, freedom of information, the Internet, regulation of TV and radio", which was presented on December 23 at "a roundtable" in Baku.

December 23, 2011 22:00

• Ex-district head in Volgograd Region suspected of embezzling four million budgetary roubles

  The ex-head of the administration of the Kotovo District of the Volgograd Region and the General Director of the OJSC (Open Joint-Stock Company) "Volgogradneftegazstroy" are suspected of theft of 4 million roubles allocated from the budget for reconstruction of a road. Investigation is underway, the Ministry of Interior Affairs (MIA) in the Volgograd Region reports.

December 23, 2011 21:50

• In Sochi, woman-organizer of protests against election violations is summoned to police "for a talk"

  Olga Noskovets, a resident of Sochi, one of the organizers of the sanctioned rally against violations at the elections to the State Duma held on December 4, which was scheduled for December 24, reported on the summon to the police.

December 23, 2011 21:40

• Group of children from Chechnya goes to Moscow for New Year holidays

  48 children from the Chechen Republic, aged 8-14, went to celebrate the New Year in the Moscow Kremlin. This was reported by the Republic's Ministry of Education and Sciences.

December 23, 2011 21:20

• In Sochi, human rights defender Sergey Basmanov arrested for 10 days

  Today, the Khosta District Court found Sergey Basmanov, the human rights defender from Sochi, guilty of disorderly conduct committed on the day of voting at the elections to the State Duma. Sergey Basmanov was sentenced to an administrative penalty in the form of 10-day arrest.

December 23, 2011 21:10

• 120 requests submitted to Committee for clemency in Georgia

  On December, 25, a session of Committee for clemency to the convicts will be held in Georgia. On this day it will be decided how many convicts will be recommended for clemency.

December 23, 2011 21:00

• An action of protest passed off near the Embassy of France in Baku

  An action of protest against adoption of a bill criminalizing denial of genocide of the Armenians by France passed off On December, 22, near the French Embassy in Baku. The action was organized by International Center of Diaspora and Azerbaijani Community of War Veterans.

December 23, 2011 20:00

• Journalist Tolmachev in Rostov region earlier exculpated on clause "Slander" arrested for accusation of extortion

  Alexander Tolmachev, Rostov journalist, Editor-in-Chief of the newspaper "Upolnomochen Zayavit" ("Empowered to State") and journal "Pro Rostov" ("About Rostov") was taken into custody in connection with the case on which he was accused of extortion. This preventive punishment was sanctioned on December, 22, by the court of Novocherkassk. On December, 20, district court recalled the sentence to the journalist on accusation of slander.

December 23, 2011 19:00

• The US congressmen called for President of Azerbaijan to release Aliev brothers, political prisoners

  Two co-chairmen of Legal Committee of the Congress of the USA Frank Wolf and James McGovern sent a message to President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliev calling to release political prisoners.

December 23, 2011 18:00

• Residents of the settlement of Nardaran, Azerbaijan, report arrests of believers

  In the settlement of Nardaran, Baku, believers are regularly arrested: at night policemen come, without any grounds put them into cars and drive them away to police departments, local residents report.

December 22, 2011 22:30

• Ulyanovsk: six football fans suspected of distributing anti-Caucasian leaflets

  Six residents of Ulyanovsk are suspected of inciting hatred based on ethnic grounds against players and fans of the "Anji" FC (Makhachkala). According to the prosecutor's office, fans of the "Volga" FC prepared and distributed leaflets with extremist content.