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A police officer. Photo https://xacavurt.ru/news/4560-v-dagestane-obyavlen-konkurs-zhurnalistskih-rabot-budni-dagestanskoy-policii.html

11:49, 18 July 2023

Human rights defenders report about new practice of preventive police registration in Dagestan

In Dagestan, the police have changed their registration tactics, and now they visit those put on the preventive police registration list under the pretext of a population census or request them to send photographs from their place of residence, reports the “Memorial” Centre for Defence of Human Rights.

Consequences of the flooding in Tuapse. Photo by the operational headquarters of the Krasnodar Territory

23:16, 17 July 2023

Week in the Caucasus: review of main events of July 10-16, 2023

Attack on Milashina and Nemov in Chechnya, assassination of Rzhitsky, persecution of pacifists and activists in Southern Russia, flooding in Tuapse, blockade of Nagorno-Karabakh, and official data on the natives of Southern Russia who perished in Ukraine, – see the review of these and other events in the Caucasus during the week of July 10-16. 2023, prepared by the “Caucasian Knot”.

A law enforcers who raided the mosque located in the town of Kotelniki near Moscow. Screenshot of the video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4R7DMv-mjQ

19:56, 17 July 2023

Head of Dagestan criticizes law enforcers for raid in a mosque near Moscow

The competent authorities should assess the behaviour of the law enforcers who raided the mosque located in the town of Kotelniki near Moscow during the last namaz (Friday prayer), Sergey Melikov, the head of Dagestan, has stated.

17:19, 17 July 2023

Chechen Diaspora in Vienna opposed persecution of refugees

A rally against persecution of refugees from Chechnya was held in the capital of Austria. Activists of public associations expressed their disapproval of the use of violence against them in Austrian jails, and of deportation them to Russia.

The Ingush activists (Barakh Chemurziev is in the foreground) in the courtroom. Photo by the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent

23:10, 16 July 2023

Defence of Ingush activists points to ignored proofs of their innocence

The first-instance court has refused to take into account the contradictions in the prosecution's version, ignored the videos and other proofs that confirms the Ingush oppositionists' innocence; as a result of which the court made false conclusions, Magomed Abubakarov, one of the advocates, has stated.

Ramzan Kadyrov. Screenshot of the video posted on Kadyrov's Telegram channel on July 14, 2023 https://t.me/RKadyrov_95/3757

22:45, 16 July 2023

Kadyrov demands to punish law enforcers for raiding mosque near Moscow

Checking Muslims' documents during the Friday prayer in the town of Kotelniki has outraged Ramzan Kadyrov; he demanded that law enforcers be held accountable. Adam Delimkhanov, a State Duma MP, had a meeting on this occasion with the governor of the Moscow Region.

21:57, 16 July 2023

Posts in social network cause check of Volgograd teacher on discrediting Russian Army

Policemen came home with a check to Roman Melnichenko, a former teacher of the Volgograd State University (VolSU). The reason was in his posts in a social network, in particular, video clips in the Ukrainian language.

Announcement of the verdict against Alexander Khmelev in the case on abandoning the service in the Grozny garrison military court. Screenshot of the photo published on the "Grozny Inform" website on December 26, 2022 https://www.grozny-inform.ru/news/society/146935/

20:21, 16 July 2023

Chechen courts demonstrate tougher approach to desertion

After the announcement of mobilization, the toughening of the Russian legislation has led to more severe sentences for absence from a military unit or desertion, including in Chechnya, where coercion to participate in the special military operation (SMO) is typical, human rights defenders have noted.

16:43, 16 July 2023

Kadyrov decides to take part in new elections of the head of Chechnya

Ramzan Kadyrov has refuted the rumours that a replacement was searched for him, declaring his readiness to re-nominate for the post of the head of Chechnya at the next election. This Kadyrov's statement contradicts his earlier plans to leave the post.

23:12, 15 July 2023

Resident of Novorossiysk fined for posting flag on social media

The publication of the flag of a Ukrainian paramilitary formation was the reason to impose a fine on a resident of the city of Novorossiysk. He posted the flag image in a social network 10 months before the above formation was banned in Russia.

Elena Milashina. Screenshot of the video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BqB1Tjy_tWc

21:55, 15 July 2023

Human rights defenders request state protection for Milashina

An investigator from Chechnya questioned in Moscow Elena Milashina, a journalist of the newspaper “Novaya Gazeta”, in connection with an attack on her in Grozny. A lawyer of the “Team Against Torture” (TaT)* requested the investigators to provide the journalist with state protection for investigative actions in Chechnya in connection with the threat to her life.

Igor Nagavkin (on the right) in the courtroom. June 2017. Screenshot of the video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TlZ5jAB5Sgc

18:50, 15 July 2023

Court dismisses all motions of human rights defender Igor Nagavkin

Convicted human rights defender Igor Nagavkin requested the court of appeal to question participants in the investigation, the victim, and the fourth defendant in the case on theft, but the Volgograd Regional Court refused to grant the request. The motions of Igor Nagavkin and another convict to request materials of the case and exclude evidence were also dismissed.

Ali Bataev. Photo: https://www.kavkazr.com/a/chechenskiy-bezhenets-obyavil-golodovku-v-deportatsionnom-tsentre-shveytsarii-v-rossii-emu-grozit-presledovanie/32503470.htm

17:53, 15 July 2023

Chechen refugee goes on hunger strike in Swiss deportation centre

The authorities of Switzerland have considered illegal the stay in the country of Chechen native Ali Bataev, who arrived from Ukraine, and intend to deport him to Russia. Ali Bataev went on a hunger strike, as he believes that he will be persecuted by the authorities of Chechnya.

Valery Kotovich. Photo: https://memopzk.org/figurant/kotovich-valerij-nikolaevich/ included into the register of foreign agents

23:45, 14 July 2023

Court upholds verdict against Colonel Kotovich in case on fakes about Russian army

In Rostov-on-Don, the military court refused to change the verdict against Valery Kotovich, Colonel of the “Rosgvardiya”, convicted under the article on disseminating false information about the Russian Armed Forces.

Barakh Chemurziev. Screenshot of the video by the Council of Teips (Family Clans) of Ingush People https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8fr6C2Gaa4w

21:57, 14 July 2023

Advocate for Ingush activist, Barakh Chemurziev, highlights gross contradictions in verdicts to protest leaders

The testimonies of some secret witnesses, which made the basis for the verdict against the Ingush oppositionists, contradict those of MPs and high-ranking law enforcers. The latter testified to the desire of the defendants to prevent violence at the rally, Magomed Abubakarov, the advocate for Barakh Chemurziev, has stated at the trial.

Igor Nagavkin. Screenshot of the video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=889D7ey9c0w

21:07, 14 July 2023

Human rights defender Nagavkin accuses court of bias

In his last plea, Igor Nagavkin, a human rights defender, has doubted the impartiality of the appellate court and refused to ask for verdict mitigation. His advocate, Ilya Govorukhin, pointed to inconsistencies in the case files, while Sergey Ivaschenko, another advocate, has noted that such inconsistencies arise when courts fail to question important witnesses.

Olga Begretova (Efendieva). Photo by the "Memorial" Centre for Defence of Human Rights https://memorialcenter.org/news/byvshaya-sotrudnicza-memoriala-pozhalovalas-na-pogranichnikov

22:38, 13 July 2023

Activist from Nalchik complains about forced fingerprinting at airport

Border guards at the Minvody Airport have forced Olga Begretova, a human rights defender, to give her fingerprints and biological material, although these procedures are not provided for by the law. However, investigators found no violations in border guards' actions.

The Southern District Military Court. Photo by Konstantin Volgin for the "Caucasian Knot"

21:50, 13 July 2023

Contract soldier from Chechnya sentenced to a year for leaving his military unit

In Grozny, Alan Batyrkhanov, who had signed a contract for military service, has been sentenced to a year in prison for more than two-week-long absence from his military unit.

Artyom Magomedov. Photo: https://chernovik.net/content/lenta-novostey/nachalnik-policii-rutulskogo-rayona-artyom-magomedov-zaderzhan

20:11, 13 July 2023

Court re-sentences Dagestani law enforcer to imprisonment for torture

The Supreme Court (SC) of Dagestan has for the second time considered the case of Artyom Magomedov, the head of the Rutul ROVD (District Interior Division), accused of beating a detainee and again replaced his conditional sentence with a real imprisonment.

19:49, 13 July 2023

After picket disruption, Dagestani journalist Magomedov demands to admit investigators' inaction

Investigators have groundlessly ignored the application lodged by Magomed Magomedov, a deputy editor-in-chief of the "Chernovik" outlet, who demanded to bring to justice the policemen, who disrupted his solo picket, held in June 2022.

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News

The announcement of the verdict against the Karabakh leadership in Baku. Screenshot from the "Report" photo from February 5, 2026, https://report.az/ru/vnutrennyaya-politika/lejla-alieva-podelilas-publikaciej-o-poezdke-v-gyojgyol-s-alenoj-alievoj#gallery_0cbbef4f9e6ba8e172d990a01ae0637a-8.

Activists expressed hope for US intervention in the fate of convicted Karabakh leaders.

A teenager has been arrested in connection with the shooting at a Baku lyceum.

The defendants in the Meydan TV case are outraged by the ban on filming the trial.

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.