Human rights

June 19, 2025 16:49

• Human rights defenders: police pretend to be searching for Seda Suleimanova

  The appearance of a Seda Suleimanova’s wanted card in the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) database actually only indicates that the law enforcement bodies are simulating their activities. When a criminal case is instituted, all active actions to search for a missing person are being carried out at the discretion of an investigator from the Investigating Committee of the Russian Federation (ICRF).

June 19, 2025 16:46

• Journalist Nizfa Arshba* refuses to disclose her sources to Abkhazian State Security Service

  At a trial on a lawsuit against the State Security Service of Abkhazia, Abkhazian journalist Nizfa Arshba* called the compensation in the amount of five million roubles demanded by her adequate. The journalist also refused to disclose the sources of her posts. Representatives of the defendant’s side withdrew their statement on readiness for a settlement agreement.

June 18, 2025 18:24

• Refusal to exclude “Memorial”* from foreign agents register upheld

  The Moscow appellate court has rejected the complaint against the court ruling refusing to remove the Human Rights Centre (HRC) “Memorial”* from the register of foreign agents.

June 18, 2025 18:12

• Book about life of rights defender Natalia Estemirova published

  The book "Please Live" about the life of human rights defender Natalia Estemirova has been presented in England. According to the author, Lana Estemirova, it took many years to write the book because it was emotionally difficult. Lana wanted to immortalize her mother's name in the absence of a fair investigation into her mother's murder.

June 18, 2025 18:07

• Rights defenders criticize investigators for refusing to familiarize Grozny woman with her son’s case

  Contrary to a court ruling, investigators in Chechnya wouldn’t allow Eset Umarova to study the case materials on the disappearance of her son, Movsar. Human rights defenders have assessed the investigators’ position as “a mockery of the mother and the law.”

June 18, 2025 16:29

• Chechen state-run TV channel reports public apology of woman accused of practicing witchcraft

  Zara Yakhyaeva, a resident of the Kurchaloi District, her son, and several women who addressed her for help were taken to a police department. A state-run TV channel journalist called on residents of Chechnya to report to the police about persons who provide occult services.

June 18, 2025 16:08

• Armenian NSS conducts search at billionaire Samvel Karapetyan’s house in Yerevan

  The National Security Service (NSS) of Armenia conducted a search at the Yerevan house of Samvel Karapetyan, an owner of the “Tashir” Group of Companies, after the businessman had expressed his support for the Armenian Apostolic Church. Forty-five people were detained near the Samvel Karapetyan’s house. The Armenian Apostolic Church and the opposition condemned the persecution of Samvel Karapetyan.

June 17, 2025 17:32

• Alaudinov's call to declare mobilization is in conflict with law

  According to the Russian law, the Israeli-Iranian hostilities are no ground for declaring mobilization in Russia, but if necessary, authorities can declare it because of the special military operation (SMO) in Ukraine, analysts have pointed in their comments on Apti Alaudinov's calls to mobilize at least 500,000 people.

June 17, 2025 15:06

• Kuban police report closing illegal prayer rooms

  As a result of the police raid, law enforcers discovered ten illegal migrants from the Central African Republic (CAR) and brought the spiritual leader of the prayer room to justice.

June 17, 2025 15:03

• Human rights defenders explain transfer of prisoners from Chechnya closer to home

  The law limits the right of the persons convicted under articles on terrorism and extremist to serve the sentences closer to their home, although all prisoners may request such a transfer. However, in the case of convicted natives of Chechnya, the position of the republic’s authorities often plays a decisive role.

All news