17:07, 20 May 2016

Delegation of Turkish Circassians denied entry to Russia

The Remembrance Day of the Victims of the Caucasian war, Nalchik, May 21, 2015. Photo by Lyudmila Maratova for the "Caucasian Knot"

The delegation, which was on its way from Turkey to mark the Remembrance Day of the Victims of the Caucasian War, was stopped at the border and had to go back, said Andzor Kabard, a Circassian activist. The delegation was denied entry because of the knowingly false information about the aim of its visit to Russia, said a source from the Frontier Service.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that the mourning events dedicated to the Remembrance Day of the Victims of the Caucasian war (Circassians' Memorial Day) are held annually on May 21 in Kabardino-Balkaria and Karachay-Cherkessia, as well as in other regions.

The 1763-1864 Caucasian War put Adyg nations on the brink of extinction. After the war and mass deportation of Circassians to the Ottoman Empire, a little more than 50,000 of them remained in the homeland.

"In accordance with the established procedure, foreign citizens are obliged to confirm the availability of the funds needed to stay in the territory of the Russian Federation and subsequent departure from it, or to present guarantees of provision of such funds. The members of this group couldn't do it," the "Caucasus Today" quoted a source from the Frontier Service.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.