Week in the Caucasus: review of main events of July 15-21, 2024

Protests in Abkhazia, drone attacks in Rostov Region, persecution of pacifists and activists in Southern Russia, fight against the law on foreign agents, 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 15-21, 2024, prepared by the “Caucasian Knot”.

Protests in Abkhazia

On July 17, at a meeting of the Committee on Economic Policy and Reforms, delegates recommended the Parliament of Abkhazia to consider a draft law on measures for the economic development of the eastern part of Abkhazia, including the Ochamchira, Tkuarchal, and Gal Districts. If the above-mentioned draft law is adopted, about 30,000 apartments will be built, and Abkhazia will become home for approximately 60,000 non-Abkhazian people, analysts note.

On July 20, rallies against the draft law on apartments took place in a number of villages and towns in Abkhazia, and significant police forces were accumulated near the parliament building in Sukhumi. The opposition took part in the rallies, the “Abkhazia Centre” Telegram channel reported. Protesters spent the night of July 20 in front of the parliament building. On July 20, Abkhazian opposition leaders held a press conference about protests against the law on apartments, the “Nuzhnaya Gazeta” (Necessary Newspaper) reported in its Telegram channel.

Abkhazia faces a problem with employment and the outflow of population to other countries. The authorities are not seeking to develop the republic and instead of allowing the sale of real estate to foreigners, they should build factories, social media users suggest.

Drone attacks in Rostov Region

On the night of July 16, in the Rostov Region, the Russian air defence forces shot down nine drones, the local authorities reported.

Since the start of the special military operation (SMO) in Ukraine, the Rostov Region has been regularly subjected to drone attacks. So, on the night of July 9, the Russian air defence forces neutralized 21 drones in the Rostov Region. On July 5, in the Rostov Region, the Russian militaries shot down 10 drones launched from the direction of Ukraine. As a result of the drone attack, fires broke out in the regional centre and in the Azov District.

On July 19-20, in the Rostov Region, the Russian air defence forces intercepted and destroyed 26 drones, announced Vasily Golubev, Governor of the Rostov Region.

Persecution of pacifists and activists in Southern Russia

A court sentenced Daniil Vodolagin to five years of imprisonment and ordered the confiscation of his personal computer and mobile phone.

The police considered a video with a verse by activist Marina Melikhova, posted on YouTube, as discrediting the Russian Armed Forces. The activist noted that she did not post the video because at that time she was serving her sentence in a SIZO (pre-trial prison).

The Akhtubinsky District Court recognized as discrediting the Russian Armed Forces the entries posted on a social network page of local resident Viktor Kabakov, who wrote about the salaries of Russian military personnel participating in the special military operation (SMO) in Ukraine and the provision of firearms to fighters. Viktor Kabakov pleaded guilty, but claimed that he did not consider his actions as discrediting the Russian Armed Forces. The court took into account that Viktor Kabakov had no earlier criminal records and was a pensioner, and obliged him to pay a fine of 30,000 roubles.

Law enforcers conducted a search at home of parents of Kase Kik, the leader of the “Circassian Congress”, living abroad. The activist called the unsanctioned search an attempt to put pressure on him.

Fight against law on foreign agents

Salome Zurabishvili lodged a claim with the Constitutional Court of Georgia. In her claim, the President of Georgia requested the court to repeal the Law “On Transparency of Foreign Influence”. Salome Zurabishvili believes that the mentioned law does not comply with the Constitution of the country, the “Rustavi 2” TV channel reports. The President of Georgia has been supported by the opposition: some oppositionists claim that they are also preparing a lawsuit to the Constitutional Court with the demand to repeal the law on foreign agents.

Following the President of Georgia, the association of 121 public organizations and media appealed to the Constitutional Court of Georgia with the demand to repeal the law on foreign agents. NGO activists also requested the court to suspend the law on foreign agents while the case is pending. The activists who filed the claim refer to the restriction on the constitutional right of citizens to freedom of association and expression contained in the mentioned law.

Public organizations have also announced their appeal to the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) in Strasbourg in connection with the law on foreign agents. NGO activists have noted that they do not plan to comply with the requirements of the law, which obliges public organizations and media to register with the country’s Ministry of Justice (MoJ) as foreign agents starting from August 2.

On July 18, the Constitutional Court of Georgia accepted for consideration the claim lodged by Salome Zurabishvili. However, when making a decision on the Georgian President’s claim, the Constitutional Court of the country will be guided by the position of the “Georgian Dream” Party and therefore its decision will be biased. The similar situation already took place when the “Georgian Dream” Party requested the court to impeach Salome Zurabishvili for her trips to Europe, Georgian political analysts pointed out.

Official data on natives of Southern Russia perished in Ukraine

By July 21, the authorities and the law enforcement bodies reported about at least 4518 residents of Southern Russia perished in Ukraine, including 2188 residents of the North-Caucasian Federal District (NCFD) and 2330 residents of the Southern Federal District (SFD).

In Dagestan, the authorities reported about 952 local residents perished in Ukraine, in the Volgograd Region – 843, in the Rostov Region – 511, in the Krasnodar Territory – 484, in the Stavropol Territory – 457, in the Astrakhan Region – 346, in North Ossetia – 295, in Chechnya – 191, in Kabardino-Balkaria – 151, in Kalmykia – 88, in Ingushetia – 72, in Karachay-Cherkessia – 70, and in Adygea – 58.