Week in the Caucasus: review of main events of May 27-June 2

Russian school graduates start taking their USEs, during which a number of violations were fixed in South of Russia; Makhachkala Mayor detained on suspicion of organizing a murder in Dagestan; Georgia protests against Russia's demarcation actions on the border with South Ossetia; establishment of the oppositional National Council of Democratic Forces of Azerbaijan prior to the upcoming presidential election; women's hunger strike demanding more places in kindergartens of Volgograd, – look these and other events in the Caucasus in the review of the week ofMay 27-June 2, 2013, prepared by the"Caucasian Knot".

Start of USEs in Southern Russia accompanied by violations; some graduates may be left without certificates

Last week Russia began attesting its school graduates under the Unified State Examinations (USEs). Immediately after the first exam, reports appeared about violations registered in the regions of Southern Russia. Thus, after the May 27 exam in the Russian language, it was announced that the USE results were annulled in two pupils in the StavropolTerritory, who used their mobile phones during the exam. The examination paper in the Russian language of a schoolgirl in Kabardino-Balkaria will also be cancelled, as she put her finished work on the Internet; the same punishment was used to two Chechen pupils. In Dagestan, after the Russian language exam, 20 works were cancelled; and two pupils who put their works on the Internet, will not be able to get their school certificates this year. After the exams on May 30 in history, computer basics and biology, 11 more graduates were dismissed from the USE in Chechnya for having their mobile phones on them during the exam. On May 30, three pupils were expelled from the biology exam for using their cellular phones in the Volgograd Region.

As reported by regional ministries of education, the incidents in the exams by choice will not be affect the obtaining certificate; however, those graduates who broke the rules at mandatory subjects will be able to retake them only next year, and, accordingly, only next year they will receive their certificates. It is noteworthy that within the organization of the USE, there is no mechanism to challenge the decision of the State Examination Commission (SEC), which takes a decision to cancel the exam results of those graduates, who have violated the procedure. A SEC's decision can only be challenged in a court by means of civil proceedings.

Mayor of Makhachkala detained on suspicion of organizing murder in Dagestan

On June 1, inMakhachkala, the Mayor Said Amirov was detained on suspicion of organizing the murder of an investigator in Dagestan. As reported by a source from the law enforcement bodies of the republic, Amirov was brought out of the city by helicopter. Later it became known that he was delivered to Moscow, where the Basmanny Court arrested him until August 1. Investigators assert that the involvement of the Mayor of Makhachkala in criminal activity was reported to security officials by Sirazhudin Guchuchaliev, the suspected leader of a criminal grouping, who was detained in Kaspiisk.

After the session of the Basmanny Court, Said Amirov accused the investigators of fabricating the case against him. His advocate Mark Kruter believes that the investigation has no proofs of his client's guilt; while the court has failed to take into account Amirov's health condition, who, according to the medical conclusion, suffers from a severe form of diabetes.

Deputies of the Parliament of Makhachkala have voiced their support to Amirov; they gathered to an emergency session and adopted an open letter to the leadership of the country, the Investigating Committee of the Russian Federation (ICRF) and the General Prosecutor's Office (GPO) with a request to release Amirov under recognizance not to leave. Makhachkala activists, who also held their emergency meeting on June 2, also demanded to clear out Amirov's case. As stated by the Acting Mayor Bagand Magomedov, Said Amirov's detention and search of his house were accompanied by violations of the criminal-procedure legislation.

Georgia protests against actions of Russian border guards at demarcation of border with South Ossetia

On May 27, the Georgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) stated that Russian border guards, while stretching barbed wire near the villages of Ditsi, Gori District, and Dvani, Kareli District, which border on South Ossetia, deepened by about 300 meters towards Shida Kartli. To assess the circumstances of the conflict, the region was visited by the European Union observation mission, the members of which fixed the erection of the barrier. Georgia sent a protest note to the Russian   Federation via the Swiss Embassy, expressing the outrage and claiming a violation of the principle of territorial integrity of the country.

Grigory Karasin, a deputy head of the Russian MFA, has stated that all the works carried out by the border guards, are fulfilled under the request of authorities of South Ossetia. The latter has treated the Georgia's protest as a "provocation," noting that the actions of border guards do not affect the sovereignty of Georgia; and there was no unauthorized border removal. On May 30, the situation was commented on by the Prime Minister of Georgia Bidzina Ivanishvili, who said that the number of monitors should be increased in the region, and noted that the problems should be addressed peacefully and in cooperation with the international community.

Azerbaijan: opposition establishes NCDF in expectation of presidential election

On May 28, the leading oppositional organizations of Azerbaijan announced the creation of the National Council of Democratic Forces (NCDF). The aim of the new organization is to consolidate efforts for holding a free and fair presidential election in October this year, and subsequent reforming the political system of the country. It has been already announced that the NCDF includes more than 100 politicians, civil society activists and intellectuals.

The consultations on establishment of the NCDF were held with participation of Eldar Namazov, the leader of the EL ("People"); Isa Gambar, the head of the "Musavat" Party; Ali Kerimli, the chairman of the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (PFPA); Beibala Abil, a deputy head of the "Classic" People's Front of Azerbaijan; Sulkhaddin Akper, the chairman of the "Open Society" party; and Avaz Temirkhan, the Chairman of the Liberal Party of Azerbaijan. Despite the above broad representation of opposition forces, some organizations refused to join the Council; among them – the members of the civil movement "Republican Alternative" (ReAl).

Volgograd: women go on hunger strike, demanding from authorities to add places in kindergartens and respect other children's rights

In Volgograd, on May 31, nine mothers announced a three-day hunger strike in an attempt to attract the attention of local authorities to the problem of shortage of places in kindergartens, rehabilitation of children with disabilities, the need to return dairy kitchen and increase the salary of educators of preschool institutions. The hunger strike began in a private house in the township of Angarsky. The room was provided by an activist of the "RPR-Parnas". Irina Kharkova, one of the hunger-strikers, said should the local authorities fail to pay attention to the action, "some mothers of disabled children will go on an endless hunger strike." Earlier, Roman Grebennikov, the First Deputy Prime Minister of the Volgograd Region, told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that the problems raised by the hunger-strikers "are being addressed."