Week in the Caucasus: review of main events of June 3-9

Terror act in Afghanistan which took lives of six Georgian soldiers; infective episode in the kindergarten in Rostov-on-Don; recently adopted law establishing criminal penalties for defamation on the Internet and arrest of an opposition activist in Azerbaijan, - look these and other events in the Caucasus in the review of the week of June 3-9, 2013, prepared by the "Caucasian Knot".

AI: advocates are under daily danger in Northern Caucasus

The advocates who work in the regions of the North-Caucasian Federal District (NCFD) are facing active opposition of power and investigating bodies; the justice is administered in the atmosphere of pressure; while the threats received by advocates are often carried out. This is stated in the report of the Amnesty International (AI) entitled "Face to face with injustice: threats and pressure on lawyers in Northern Caucasus", the full text of which has been published on June 4 by the "Caucasian Knot".

According to the report, in particular, some of the lawyers were physically assaulted because of their professional activities. Such violations are often characterized by the absence of adequate response from the Russian authorities. Often, Russian officials keep denying the fact of violation, even in cases when the AI and other organizations managed to collect documentary evidence, the report says.

President of Azerbaijan approves amendments to Criminal Code establishing criminal penalties for defamation on the Internet

On June 4, the Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliev signed the law "On Amendments to the Criminal Code of the Azerbaijani Republic", adopted by the Parliament on May 14. The amendments criminalize defamation and insults spread through the global network. By the severity of punishments, defamation (slander) and insults on the Internet are equated to the same acts in the real world (including imprisonment of up to three years).

The amendments were initiated by the General Prosecutor's Office, which explained the initiative by the need to have means to protect citizens' honour and dignity affected through the Internet.

The amendments provoked protests both of local and international journalists and human rights organizations. Dunja Mijatovic, the OSCE Special Representative on Freedom of Media, and Nils Mujzhnieks, the Commissioner of the Council of Europe for Human Rights, had urged the Azerbaijani President not to sign the law.

Sesiashvili: After terror act in Afghanistan Georgia to step up home security

On June 6, six soldiers of the Georgian contingent of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) perished in Afghanistan. According to Colonel Irakli Dzneladze, the Chief of the Joint Staff of the Georgian Armed Forces, the attack was carried out by a suicide bomber, who blew up a car stuffed with explosives.

As stated by the spokesman of the Ministry of Defence (MoD), the families of the perished Georgian soldiers will receive assistance from the state.

Irakli Sesiashvili, the Chairman of the above Committee, noted that after the terror act, the general security measures in Georgia would be strengthened.

Doctors failed to render adequate help to child who died in Rostov, investigators assert

On June 2, a child, who attended the kindergarten "Teremok" in Rostov-on-Don, was hospitalized with a diagnosis of "acute purulent meningoencephalitis". On June 4, the child died. Later, on June 6, in total, 78 children were under doctors' supervision; 28 of them were hospitalized.

The Investigating Department for the Rostov Region of the Investigating Committee of the Russian Federation (ICRF) has opened a criminal case under the article of "causing death by negligence due to improper performance of one's professional duties". According to investigators, the parents of the perished child "were repeatedly visited by paediatricians": an ambulance came; however, "only after a resolute request of the mother the child was hospitalized."

In the near future, investigators intend to check how other kindergarten workers performed their duties, whether the medical care to children was rendered timely, and whether the children groups were no overcrowded.

Azerbaijani court leaves opposition activist Gadjibeili behind bars

On June 6, the Baku Court of Appeal has considered the complaint of Mustafa Gadjibeili, an advisor to the head of the oppositional "Musavat" Party, against his administrative detention; eventually, the activist was left in custody, said his advocate Nemat Kerimli and added that his client was illegally involved in forced labour at the temporary detention facility (known as IVS).

In connection with Gadjibeili's arrest a complaint was filed; its consideration was held on June 6 at the Baku Court of Appeal. The complaint was dismissed, told the lawyer Nemat Kerimli. Bringing of an administrative detainee to forced labour is illegal, said Novella Djafaroglu, a member of the Monitoring Group of Human Rights Organizations of Azerbaijan (MGHROA).