News

March 18, 2011 21:00

• Chechen deputies suggested to introduce amendments into the law "On Police"

  The Parliament of Chechnya brought into State Duma amendments to the law "On Police" which would let Chechen militiamen who have formerly fought on the side of gunmen pass re-attestation.

March 18, 2011 20:00

• A "Spartak" fan attacked in the Moscow metro

  In the evening of March, 17, a native of Northern Caucasus assaulted two young fans of "Spartak" football club with a knife, officials of law enforcement bodies of Moscow reported.

March 18, 2011 19:00

• An officer of Federal Service of execution of punishments found murdered in Makhachkala

  A captain of internal service, officer of Department of Federal Service of execution of punishments (FSEP) of Russia in Dagestan was murdered in Makhachkala, Press service of the republican Ministry of Interior Affairs reported.

March 18, 2011 18:00

• Mother of a figurant on the case of "Spartak" fan's murder fears for her son's life

  The investigation on the criminal proceedings started against Aslan Cherkesov is going on in a prejudged way. This was Sonya Cherkesova's statement at a meeting with journalists in Nalchik.

March 17, 2011 23:40

• Appeal of Chechen FSB Department to militants to lay down arms causes mixed reaction of citizens and rights defenders

  On March 16, the Department for Chechnya of the Russian Federal Security Bureau (FSB) released an appeal to members of illegal armed formations (IAFs). Militants are invited to lay down arms and return to peaceful life. Activists of local NGOs believe that the appeal contains direct threats against families of IAF members and express serious concern in this connection.

March 17, 2011 23:10

• School teachers in Chechnya complain of systematic withholdings from their salaries

  Teachers of some general educational institutions in Chechnya report that their bosses withhold money - in the range of 400-600 roubles on the average - from their salaries. The Ministry of Education of Chechnya states that there are no written applications or oral complaints about it from school teachers. Law enforcement bodies also know nothing about such facts.

March 17, 2011 23:00

• Armenian opposition asserts that police prevents a rally

  On the eve of the rally of the Armenian National Congress (ANC) policemen blocked most of the roads, running from villages to highways, preventing people's arrival in the capital, states the opposition. The police deny this information.

March 17, 2011 22:30

• Azerbaijan: health condition of imprisoned journalist Fatullaev is worse

  As reported by Anar Gasymov, Einullah Fatullaev's advocate, the life of his client, kept imprisoned in Azerbaijan, is under threat; the lawyer believes that the journalist should be delivered to another place of detention.

March 17, 2011 22:10

• Wife of figurant in Vladikavkaz terror act case states her husband's innocence on Internet

  The video appeal to public of Pyatimat Khashagulgova, wife of Issa Khashagulgov, a resident of Ingushetia, kept at the SIZO (pre-trial prison) Lefortovo, appeared on the website youtube.com at night on March 16.

March 17, 2011 22:00

• CPJ calls on Armenian authorities to allow entry of international film team

  The International Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has expressed concern about expulsion from Armenia of four journalists, representing the Finnish public TV Company YLE and called on the authorities of the country to permit entry of the members of the international group of journalists.

March 17, 2011 21:00

• "Nomaran": over 3000 formerly dispossessed persons in North Osetia received indemnity payments

  Thanks to the assistance of North-Osetian republican non-governmental charity Association of retired and disabled people and victims of unlawful political repression "Nomaran", many persons dispossessed in -30's of the XX century, i.e. over 3000 of them, got back their property and dwellings and three people received flats from the state. Auzhbi Zuraev, leader of the Association, announced this news at a round table conference devoted to the 20-th anniversary of "Normaran"s activities held in North-Osetian Institute of Humanitarian and Social Research.

March 17, 2011 21:00

• Azerbaijan and Armenia exchange prisoners of war

  Today, at about 3:00 p.m. local time (2:00 p.m. Moscow time), on the troops contact line of the Karabakh conflict in the Agdam District of Azerbaijan, the parties to the conflict have exchanged recent detainees-prisoners of war.

March 17, 2011 20:00

• An action of protest against the visit of Prime Minister of Turkey to Moscow passed off in Armenia

  On March, 16, an action of protest against Prime Minister of Turkey Recep Erdogan's visit to Moscow passed off in Armenia near the Russian Embassy in Yerevan. The participants of the action demanded dissolution of the Moscow treaty signed between Turkey and Russia 90 years ago.

March 17, 2011 20:00

• Two oppositionists early released in Armenia

  Opposition activists Arutyun Urutyan and Roman Mnatsakanyan have been released before term from prison in Armenia.

March 17, 2011 19:00

• Release of the Georgian sailors from Somali prison deferred until the end of March

  Release of 15 Georgian sailors who have been staying in Somali pirates' prison over six months was deferred until the end of March "for technical and organizational reasons", Sergo Devadze, one of the sailors' father, Manager of "Greenwich-21" company, informed.

March 17, 2011 18:00

• The house of Chief of investigative isolation ward fired upon in Ingushetia

  Night explosions in Ingushetia, in the neighbourhood of the town of Magas and the settlement of Ali-Yurt, which woke up the villagers of Ali-Yurt turned out to be connected with unknown criminals' assault upon the house of Bashir Gagiev, Chief of investigative isolation ward of Ingushetia.

March 16, 2011 23:00

• Paananen: Russia spreads wrong information about Mikael Storsjo who helped refugees from Chechnya in Finland

  The information about Mikael Storsjo and his help to refugees from Chechnya, which appears in Russia, is often just repeating the words of Storsjo's opponents, said Kerkko Paananen, secretary of the human rights organization "Finnish-Russian Civil Forum". He believes that the information from people, who have close relations with Russian authorities, is quoted by opposition media in Russia, which is puzzling people in Finland.

March 16, 2011 23:00

• Week in the Caucasus: review of main events of March 7-13

  Preliminary election outcomes in Southern Russia: opposition's complaints against satisfaction of election commissions; Manege Square in Moscow becomes again a "rendezvous" of nationalists; UN Security Council could see a dangerous terrorist in Dokku Umarov; protest actions in Azerbaijan again turn into clashes and arrests, - look these and other events in the review of the week of March 7-13, 2011, prepared by the "Caucasian Knot".

March 16, 2011 22:40

• Investigation to build accusation in Anna Politkovskaya's murder case on indirect evidences

  As reported by Alexander Bastrykin, head of the Investigatory Committee of the Russian Federation (ICRF), in his speech at conference held in the North-Western branch of the Russian Legal Academy of the Ministry of Justice in St Petersburg, the investigation will have to build its evidence base in the murder case of Anna Politkovskaya, reporter of the "Novaya Gazeta", on indirect evidences for lack of direct ones.

March 16, 2011 22:20

• In Armenia, opposition newspaper appeals against court ruling on payment compensation to three MPs

  The newspaper "Armenian Time" has refused to implement the decision of the general jurisdiction court prescribing to publish a refutation and pay compensations to three members of the national parliament. On March 9, the edition filed an application to the Court of Appeal an appeal against the verdict of the court passed on February 7.