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The police watch tower in Baku. Photo: REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach

23:46, 6 April 2020

In Azerbaijan, elderly prisoners pardoned because of coronavirus threat

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliev signed a decree on the early relief of 176 prisoners over 65 years old in connection with the spread of COVID-19.

A soldier of the Nagorno-Karabakh Defence Army. Photo: http://www.mil.am/hy/news/7677

20:41, 6 April 2020

Karabakh soldier wounded in conflict zone

Araik Shakhpazyan, a soldier of the Defence Army, was wounded by a shot from the Azerbaijani side, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) of Nagorno-Karabakh reported.

A resident of Baku wearing a medical mask. Photo by Aziz Karimov for the "Caucasian Knot"

20:37, 6 April 2020

Opposition accuses Azerbaijani authorities of repression during pandemic

The National Council of Democratic Forces (NCDF) of Azerbaijan has condemned the authorities for repressive measures against oppositionists. Members of the NCDF claim that the government uses the pandemic situation "for reprisal against its political opponents."

A resident of the Achkhoi-Martan District of Chechnya posted a video with his apologizes. Screenshot of the video sent via WhatsApp

20:24, 6 April 2020

Instagram users criticize Chechen resident for mocking authorities' aid

A resident of the Achkhoi-Martan District of Chechnya demonstrated ingratitude when posting on the Internet a video in which he showed bread and green tomatoes he had got from the authorities as assistance. The above opinion was expressed by social network users.

Street disinfection in Tbilisi. Photo by the press service of the Tbilisi mayoralty

14:48, 6 April 2020

Georgia sets new restrictions because of coronavirus

Georgian authorities have extended the ban on air travels until April 30. Marketplaces are closed in districts because of non-compliance with sanitary standards; and in Tbilisi, street disinfection is carried out.

Ramzan Kadyrov and his comrades-in-arms at a collective prayer. Screenshot of the video by the "Grozny" TV Channel

14:44, 6 April 2020

Residents of Chechnya criticize Kadyrov for ignoring bans due to coronavirus

The head of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov, and his comrades-in-arms have made a collective prayer, despite the prohibitions related to the threat of coronavirus spread. Residents of the republic have expressed their bewilderment at the violation by the authorities of their own prohibitions.

14:24, 6 April 2020

Kadyrov praises law enforcers for beating quarantine violator in Argun

The head of Chechnya has promised to reward policemen for beating a quarantined violator in the city of Argun and announced his readiness to "beat up people with truncheons and put them in jail" in order to protect the population from coronavirus.

Ramzan Kadyrov reprimands Aslambek Akhmetkhanov (in a red suit). Screenshot of the video by the "Grozny" TV Channel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUHeFy2cpfk

14:13, 6 April 2020

Kadyrov faces criticism after family of quarantine violator addressed him

After the video appeal of the wife of Aslambek Akhmetkhanov, who asked Ramzan Kadyrov to forgive her husband, Facebook users have rebuked the head of Chechnya of trying to use women and children with the aim to put pressure on the entrepreneur.

13:51, 6 April 2020

Week in the Caucasus: review of main events of March 30-April 5, 2020

Spread of the coronavirus infection and new methods to combat it in Southern Russia; special operation in the Stavropol Territory; presidential and parliamentary elections in Nagorno-Karabakh; updated list of political prisoners in Azerbaijan, – see the review of these and other events in the Caucasus during the week of March 30-April 5, 2020, prepared by the "Caucasian Knot".

People in police uniform kicked a man. Screenshot of the video posted on Instagram "Голос Дагестана" https://www.instagram.com/p/B-kj2lQouDl/

11:23, 6 April 2020

Video of humiliation of man without mask triggers criticism of Chechen law enforcers

Chechen law enforcers have publicly subjected a man to humiliating beatings for the absence of a medical mask, a lawyer of the Committee against Torture (CaT) has informed. Instagram users have also criticized law enforcers' actions.

A food package received by a resident of Chechnya from the authorities. Screenshot of the video sent via Whatsapp by a resident of the Achkhoi-Martan District

11:20, 6 April 2020

Resident of Chechnya publicly apologizes for mocking the help to the poor

A resident of the Achkhoi-Martan District has issued a video message with his apology for the video, in which he mockingly commented on the food package received from the authorities. The man has apologized involuntarily, his fellow countrymen have suggested.

A guideline on getting permission to leave home via SMS. Screerenshot of the video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LncKT2qkjLA&feature=emb_logo

11:15, 6 April 2020

Authorities oblige residents of Azerbaijan to take leave from home via SMS

Since April 5, Azerbaijan introduced a permissive system of travels: one category of people may travel freely, the second – through the online registration, and the third one – after receiving a permit by means of an SMS message. Activists saw a violation of fundamental freedoms in these measures.

12:14, 5 April 2020

After being summoned to police, Azerbaijani journalist removes his critical post

Tezekhan Miralamli, an employee of the "Azadlyg" newspaper, was summoned to the police in connection with his critical post placed in social networks about law enforcers' work during the quarantine regime. The police released the journalist after taking his explanatory note and a promise to remove the post.

A young woman wearing medical mask. Photo: pixabay.com

11:40, 5 April 2020

Makhachkala woman complains of absence of help to those who lost jobs due to quarantine

An employee of a private medical centre closed for quarantine has found herself without a salary or state assistance, while living in a rented apartment with her two children.

11:25, 5 April 2020

NKR counts 170 shelling attacks committed by Azerbaijan

During the past week, Azerbaijani militaries fired over 1300 rounds at the positions of the Defence Army, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR) has informed.

Screenshot from video appeal to Ramzan Kadyrov of the Aslambek Akhmetkhanov's wife

19:13, 4 April 2020

Akhmetkhanov's family asks Kadyrov to forgive him

The wife of Aslambek Akhmetkhanov, who was severely criticized by the head of Chechnya, has admitted that a quarantine violation is a shame, and asked Ramzan Kadyrov to forgive her husband. Akhmetkhanov disappeared from Gekhi, his fellow villager has informed.

Screenshot from documentary 'Orthodox Church in Georgia': https://youtu.be/uYKEMPPntUU

18:58, 4 April 2020

Opposition urges Georgian authorities to restrict worships

The restrictions introduced due to coronavirus should also cover the Georgian Orthodox Church, the "Free Democrats" Party has stated.

Elchin Mamed. Screenshot: https://youtu.be/PmH31Q8uTdQ

18:32, 4 April 2020

AI demands to release Elchin Mamed

Elchin Mamed was arrested after his critical report on the observance of human rights in Azerbaijan, the "Amnesty International (AI) has stated.

Vardges Gaspari. Photo from Vardges Gaspari's Facebook page: Facebook.com/vartgez.gaspari

18:04, 4 April 2020

ECtHR obliges Armenia to pay 5500 euros to activist Vardges Gaspari

The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) has found that the right of the activist, Vardges Gaspari, to an impartial and fair trial had been violated.

Young Chechen natives who refused to pay for a trip in a Moscow taxi. Screenshot: ChGTRK 'Grozny', https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2rEsTrWRUA

17:47, 4 April 2020

Chechen apology campaign is addressed to federal centre

The Chechen authorities are demonstratively putting things in order, forcing everyone, whose behaviour and words differ from their ideas about the norms, to publicly apologize. The aim of this campaign is to receive Moscow's approval, the journalists and activists interviewed by the "Caucasian Knot" believe.

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News

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LEGAL TEXTS

The illustration was created by the Caucasian Knot using AI

The peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan, as well as other documents signed at the meeting with Trump on August 8, 2025

The “Caucasian Knot" publishes the agreement on the establishment of peace and interstate relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia, which was initialed by Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev on August 8, 2025, through the mediation of US President Donald Trump. The meeting of Trump, Aliyev and Pashinyan took place on August 8 in Washington. Following the meeting, Pashinyan and Aliyev also signed a joint declaration. In addition to the agreements between Armenia and Azerbaijan, Trump signed a number of separate memoranda with Aliyev and Pashinyan....

Personalities

Zelimkhan Khangoshvili

A participant of the second Chechen military campaign, one of the field commanders close to Shamil Basaev and Aslan Maskhadov. Shot dead in Berlin in 2019.

Magomed Daudov

Magomed "Lord" Daudov is a former Chechen militant who was awarded the title of "Hero of Russia", the chairman of the Chechen parliament under Ramzan Kadyrov.

Tumso Abdurakhmanov

Tumso Abdurakhmanov is a blogger from Chechnya. After a conflict with Ramzan Kadyrov's relative, he left the republic and went first to Georgia, and then to Poland, where he is trying to get political asylum.