Week in the Caucasus: review of main events of June 14-20

President of Russia visits Chechnya; head of HRC "Memorial" Oleg Orlov interrogated under the case of Ramzan Kadyrov's claim; militiamen severely beat lawyer Sapiyat Magomedova in Dagestan, - look up these and other events in the review of the week of June 14-20, 2010, in the Caucasian regions prepared by the "Caucasian Knot".

Medvedev visits Chechnya

Last week Chechnya received President of Russia Dmitri Medvedev; in this context the central Grozny and the districts leading to the Grozny airport, were blocked by strengthened units of militiamen and soldiers. Motor traffic was completely blocked in the city centre.

Mr Medvedev started his visit to Chechnya from paying tribute and laying flowers to the tomb of the first president of Chechnya Ahmad Kadyrov in the village of Tsentoroy; then in Grozny he held a meeting on republic's development issues. Having stated the need to check how the federal budget money is spent, Dmitri Medvedev said that "the Kremlin is going to support enterprises of the real sector of economy."

"I think we may talk also about granting an investment tax credit to certain participants of economic relations and providing state guarantees to investment projects. In some cases, especially when agrarian enterprises are meant, we can subsidize a share of interest rates on credits," said Russian President.

Mr Medvedev highlighted a great scope of problems in local agriculture. In particular, he mentioned poor technical equipment of agricultural facilities and high wear and tear of machines and mechanisms. The point of deficit of specialized establishments for children-invalids was also raised.

Investigation believes that Orlov had slandered Kadyrov

The investigation has concluded that Oleg Orlov, head of the Human Rights Centre (HRC) "Memorial", had made slanderous statements in relation to President of Chechnya Ramzan Kadyrov. Mr Orlov was interrogated on June 18; he does not exclude that his freedom may be restricted.

Earlier, Andrei Krasnenkov, advocate of President of Chechnya, reported that Mr Kadyrov followed his mother's advice and recalled his claims against journalists and human rights activists, Mr Orlov inclusive. However, as Krasnenkov explains now, in order to stop the slander criminal case against Orlov, the latter should have concluded an amicable agreement with Kadyrov, which he failed to do; therefore, the investigation was continued.

At the same time, lawyer Krasnenkov admitted that he had made no recall of the claim to Orlov on behalf of Kadyrov, having stated that "it was not needed by the procedure."

Alvi Karimov, press secretary of President of Chechnya, reconfirmed that Kadyrov had followed his mother's request, recalled his claim against Orlov and did not file any new suits against him since; however, the Orlov's case was not stopped, since the latter failed to fulfil "certain legal formalities related to reconciliation of the parties."

Militiamen beat lawyer in Dagestan

In the afternoon on June 17 employees of the GOVD (City Interior Department) of the city of Khasavyurt in Dagestan severely beat lawyer Sapiyat Magomedova: she received brain concussion and numerous bruises.

Ms Magomedova was representing the interests of Malika Evtemirova, who, in the latter's version, was persecuted by a militiaman of Khasavyurt PPS (Patrol and Post Service). Ms Evtemirova addressed Magomedova with a complaint that the prosecutor's office of Khasavyurt and law enforcement bodies would not accept her applications. Militiamen detained Evtemirova at the entrance to Khasavyurt. Magomedova, having learnt about her detention, came to the GOVD and was beaten there.

According to Sapiyat's relatives, after beating she cannot move by herself, practically cannot speak and eat normally.

Georgia suffers from bad weather again

Last week, bad weather seriously damaged some Georgian territories. Stormy rains affected the Mestiya and Tsalendzhikh Districts. In the former 18 villages were isolated from the outward world, while in the latter houses were flooded, crops and domestic animals were lost.

On June 16, the village of Sharakhevi, located in Mtskheta-Mtianeti region, 40 kilometres to the north from Tbilisi, was practically completely destroyed by a landslip. Six families lost their houses.

Torrential rains resulted in flooding of four villages in the area of Pankisi Gorge. Electric power lines and highways were damaged. According to local residents, they lost plenty of poultry and cattle.

The damage caused by the nature is calculated by a specially set up commission. It is already known that it will make hundreds thousands of dollars. They will start restoring the damaged villages immediately after improvement of weather. However, forecasts for the near future are unfavourable.