Week in the Caucasus: review of main events of April 8-14

Inauguration of Serzh Sargsyan, accompanied by protest action of supporters of Raffi Ovannisyan; bankruptcy of "Express" Bank and dispute about the order of electing head of the republic in Dagestan; termination of inquiry into GIBDD bribery case in Volgograd; disqualification of judges of Krymsk District Court on the flood case; funeral of the first president of North Ossetia; sentence and arrest of figurant in resonant crimes in Stavropol Territory, – look these and other events in the Caucasus in the review of the week of April 8-14, 2013, prepared by the"Caucasian Knot".

Inauguration of Serzh Sargsyan accompanied by protests of Raffi Ovannisyan's supporters

On April 9, Yerevan hosted the inauguration ceremony of president-elect Serzh Sargsyan – the winner of the February 18 election. He took the oath and officially entered his second term. On the same day, supporters of the runner-up Raffi Ovannisyan gathered in Freedom Square to hold an action named "Inauguration of New Armenia", as an alternative to Sargsyan's inauguration. After the action Ovannisyan organized a rally, and then marched with his supporters to the presidential residence. In Bagramyan Avenue, they were blocked by the police, a scuffle burst out; and four activists were detained. Raffi Ovannisyan asked the police to unblock the avenue; and they did it around 10:30 p.m. The action was actually over at about midnight local time.

Bankruptcy of "Express" Bank and dispute about election procedure of head of Dagestan

The Deputies of the People's Assembly of Dagestan have brought the issue of how to elect the head of the republic to debates at the session on April 18. The faction of the "Edinaya Rossiya" (United Russia) Party, making the majority – 62 out of 90 Deputies, stands for electing the Dagestani leader by the local parliament. This became possible after the law giving the subjects of the Russian Federation the right to cancel direct election of governors was adopted by the Russian State Duma and signed by the President of the Russian Federation. However, the Dagestani branch of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation (CPRF), the Union of Patriotic Forces of Dagestan and several voters' initiative groups began collecting signatures to the demand of the nationwide election of the head of the republic.

On April 8, the Arbitration Court of Dagestan, where the Central Bank of Russia had turned about recognition of the Dagestani "Express" Bank bankrupt, because of insufficient cost of its assets to meet liabilities to creditors, granted the motion. On April 11, officials of the "Express" Bank went to court on nullifying the orders of the Central Bank to revoke the license and appoint a provisional administration oat the "Express". The lawsuit was filed with the Arbitration Court of Moscow – the location of the respondent – the Central Bank of Russia.

Court in Volgograd in GIBDD bribery case starts pleadings

On April 8, the court running the trial on the case of bribes in the GIBDD (State Traffic Safety Inspectorate) began listening to parties' arguments. The public prosecution stated that the outcomes of the judicial investigation are similar to those of the preliminary inquiry – the defendants are guilty of taking bribes – and asked for 8-9 years in prison for them. The defence will speak out on April 22. In total, the court questioned 116 witnesses from among the servicemen of the 2^nd Separate Battalion of the Road-and-Patrol Service; and the overwhelming majority of them evidenced that they had delivered money to the defendants in different circumstances. According to investigators, in 2010, the GIBDD officers Oleg Kirpa, Alexander Bondarenko, Sergey Novak, Alexander Karasaev and Evgeny Perepelitsa organized a grouping engaged in collecting money from their subordinates; however, the defendants refuse to plead guilty.

Court in Krymsk failed to start hearing the case on deaths in flood

April 9, the Krymsk District Court of the Krasnodar Territory started hearing the criminal case against four officials accused of negligence that resulted in the death of civilians during the flood in July last year in Krymsk. Reinforced police units were on duty outside the courthouse; and the session was held behind closed doors. The court granted the prosecution's motion to challenge all the judges of the court. Now, the Territorial Court will decide on changing the territorial jurisdiction of the case.

Vladikavkaz has buried the first president of North Ossetia

Akhsarbek Galazov died on April 10 in Vladikavkaz. He was elected the first president of the Republic of North Ossetia in January 1994 and held the post until 1998. On April 12, the capital of the republic held a farewell for Akhsarbek Galazov. At the memorial service people spoke about the difficult time when Galazov headed the republic, and the challenges of socio-economic and political nature he and his colleagues had to address. The first president of North Ossetia was buried into the Alley of Fame in Vladikavkaz.

Sentence and detention of suspect of committing two resonant crimes in Stavropol

On April 10, the Stavropol Territorial Court sentenced Vladimir Ambartsumov accused of raping and murdering a nine-year-old girl in Pyatigorsk last year and of two other crimes, was sentenced to life imprisonment. His involvement in the crime was confirmed by DNA examination, and, as reported by investigators, later under the burden of evidence Ambartsumov confessed of the crime.

Last week, another high-profile crime committed in the territory received its continuation. On April 11, Magomed Akaev was detained in Chechnya. He is accused of hooliganism during the conflict in Nevinnomyssk at night on December 6, 2012, which culminated in the death of a local resident Nikolai Naumenko. After that, mass actions of nationalistic organizations were held in Nevinnomyssk demanding to accelerate the inquiry into the murder. The actions were accompanied by mass detentions; and the order in the city was maintained by a combined police detachment. Law enforcement officials deny that the murder of Nikolai Naumenko was motivated by interethnic hatred. Magomed Akaev has already been delivered to the Stavropol Territory; and his brother, Viskhan Akaev, has been charged in absentia under the article of causing grievous bodily harm that resulted in the death of the victim.