News

April 13, 2021 22:27

• OPHRD launches a campaign in defence of Elchin Mamed

  The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders called on the authorities of Azerbaijan to immediately release journalist Elchin Mamed and provide him with adequate medical care and treatment. A mother of the imprisoned journalist called his health state severe.

April 13, 2021 22:07

• Advocate finds out whereabouts of Magomed Gadaev

  Magomed Gadaev, deported from France and handed over to Chechen law enforcers in Novy Urengoy, is being kept at a police department of Urus-Martan, but no advocates have been yet allowed to visit him, the “Caucasian Knot” has been informed by Tatiana Lokshina, the associate director for Human Rights Watch’s Europe and Central Asia division.

April 13, 2021 21:54

• POWs’ relatives block administration building in Shirak Region

  Relatives of prisoners of war (POWs) and of soldiers missed in action blocked the entrance to the administration of the Shirak Region. They demand a meeting with the Prime Minister of Armenia. The problem of POWs remains unresolved despite several meetings with the authorities, the protestors claim.

April 13, 2021 18:44

• Advocate: Artsuev’s relatives refuse help for fear of deportation

  Relatives of Lezi Artsuev, a native of Chechnya, deported from France to Russia, refused the help of an advocate after it turned out that Lezi Artsuev had been taken to Gudermes, his former defender reported. The advocate associates the decision of the Lezi Artsuev’s relatives with their fear of being deported as well.

April 13, 2021 18:28

• Beginning of Ramadan highlights ban on sale of alcohol in Dagestan

  In Dagestan, the ban on the sale of alcoholic drinks during the month of Ramadan infringes on the rights of residents, some local residents note on Facebook. However, their opponents consider the ban justified.

April 13, 2021 13:24

• Greenpeace criticizes plans to build "Dolina Vasta" resort in Sochi

  The construction of the new "Dolina Vasta" (Vasta Valley) ski resort in Sochi is illegal, the Russian branch of the environmental Greenpeace has stated. The construction of a new ski resort on the lands of the Sochi National Park will lead to the destruction of natural complexes, ecologists assert.

April 13, 2021 13:03

• Gadjiev's colleagues hold pickets in his support

  At their solo pickets held in Makhachkala, Magomed Magomedov and Magdi Kamalov, the deputy editor-in-chief and the founder of the "Chernovik" (Draft) weekly edition, accordingly, demanded to set the journalist Abdulmumin Gadjiev free and put an end to the practice of unjustified arrests.

April 13, 2021 11:14

• Chechen Diaspora accuses French authorities of Gadaev's illegal deportation

  The deportation of the Chechen-born Magomed Gadaev to Russia is illegal; his life is in danger, the Assembly of Chechens in Europe has stated blaming Gerald Darmanin, the French Interior Minister, for Gadaev's fate.

April 13, 2021 10:55

• Muslims of Southern Russia welcome Ramadan

  In the evening on April 12, believers in Southern Russia held collective prayers in mosques in honour of the onset of the holy month of Ramadan.

April 13, 2021 08:34

• "Such are the matters": women in Ingushetia are defenceless against domestic violence

  In Ingushetia, it is shameful to be a divorced woman, and it is not customary to complain about domestic violence, while the teip (family-clannish) structure of the society keeps victims from going to the police and seeking psychological support, the founder of the "ING-Attention" fem group asserts.

April 13, 2021 08:17

• Clashes with police break out in Namakhvani

  Policemen have set up a cordon and would not let protesters against the construction of the hydroelectric power plant (HPP) near the village of Namakhvani, who tried to break through the cordon. One of the women-defenders of the Rioni River Gorge lost consciousness in the clash.

April 12, 2021 22:39

• Two activists of Navalny’s office disappear in Dagestan

  Eduard Ataev, a coordinator of an Alexei Navalny’s office, disappeared after opening an office in Makhachkala. Today, Murad Munapov, an assistant to Eduard Ataev, has also stopped contacting his relatives and friends.

April 12, 2021 21:32

• Police rescue hostages in Vladikavkaz

  Today, hostages have been taken in a clothing store in Vladikavkaz. The police detained a suspect, who threatened with an explosion, and the hostages were not injured, sources from the law enforcement bodies report.

April 12, 2021 21:15

• Gadaev’s whereabouts still unknown after his detention in Novy Urengoy

  An advocate and human rights defenders are not aware of the whereabouts of Magomed Gadaev, who was handed over to Chechen law enforcers in Novy Urengoy a day ago, reports today Oleg Orlov, a member of the Council of the Human Rights Centre (HRC) “Memorial”*.

April 12, 2021 18:49

• Human rights defenders appeal against refusal to investigate extrajudicial executions in Chechnya

  The details of the extrajudicial killings in Chechnya made public by Suleiman Gezmakhmaev give grounds to cancel the decision to refuse to institute a criminal case on the killings of 27 people, the Human Rights Centre (HRC) “Memorial”* announces today. The human rights defenders request the Investigating Committee of the Russian Federation (ICRF) to study the testimony of the former Chechen law enforcer and question his colleagues.

April 12, 2021 18:30

• POWs’ parents demand a meeting with Pashinyan

  Relatives of the prisoners of war (POWs) and soldiers missed in action during the autumn war in the Nagorno-Karabakh gathered in front of the building of the government and the residence of the President of Armenia. Participants of the protest action near the government building are seeking a meeting with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan in the presence of the media.

April 12, 2021 17:53

• Week in the Caucasus: review of main events of April 5-11, 2021

  Change of the leader in North Ossetia; films about residents of Southern Russia and Southern Caucasus at the “Artdocfest” documentary film festival; Nikol Pashinyan’s meeting with Vladimir Putin and protests in connection with the failed attempt to return home Armenian prisoners of war, – see the review of these and other events in the Caucasus during the week of April 5-11, 2021, prepared by the "Caucasian Knot".

April 12, 2021 13:27

• After machine gun attack, police strengthen guarding of Karabakh village

  The operation mode of police checkpoints near the village of Sarushen has been strengthened after two civilians were shelled from the Azerbaijani side, the Nagorno-Karabakh Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) has reported, promising to notify the peacemakers about the incident.

April 12, 2021 13:01

• Week of April 5-11 passed without victims of armed conflict in Northern Caucasus

  During the week of April 5-11, 2021, during the ongoing armed conflict in Northern Caucasus, no information about any casualties or wounded persons was reported. These are the results of the calculations run by the "Caucasian Knot" based on its own materials and information from other open sources.

April 12, 2021 11:43

• Police remove tents of opponents of Namakhvan HPP

  Law enforcers have banned setting up tents by protesters against the construction of the Namakhvan hydroelectric power plant (HPP), arguing that the Rioni River is overflowing its banks.