News

July 16, 2023 20:21

• Chechen courts demonstrate tougher approach to desertion

  After the announcement of mobilization, the toughening of the Russian legislation has led to more severe sentences for absence from a military unit or desertion, including in Chechnya, where coercion to participate in the special military operation (SMO) is typical, human rights defenders have noted.

July 16, 2023 16:43

• Kadyrov decides to take part in new elections of the head of Chechnya

  Ramzan Kadyrov has refuted the rumours that a replacement was searched for him, declaring his readiness to re-nominate for the post of the head of Chechnya at the next election. This Kadyrov's statement contradicts his earlier plans to leave the post.

July 15, 2023 23:12

• Resident of Novorossiysk fined for posting flag on social media

  The publication of the flag of a Ukrainian paramilitary formation was the reason to impose a fine on a resident of the city of Novorossiysk. He posted the flag image in a social network 10 months before the above formation was banned in Russia.

July 15, 2023 21:55

• Human rights defenders request state protection for Milashina

  An investigator from Chechnya questioned in Moscow Elena Milashina, a journalist of the newspaper “Novaya Gazeta”, in connection with an attack on her in Grozny. A lawyer of the “Team Against Torture” (TaT)* requested the investigators to provide the journalist with state protection for investigative actions in Chechnya in connection with the threat to her life.

July 15, 2023 18:50

• Court dismisses all motions of human rights defender Igor Nagavkin

  Convicted human rights defender Igor Nagavkin requested the court of appeal to question participants in the investigation, the victim, and the fourth defendant in the case on theft, but the Volgograd Regional Court refused to grant the request. The motions of Igor Nagavkin and another convict to request materials of the case and exclude evidence were also dismissed.

July 15, 2023 17:53

• Chechen refugee goes on hunger strike in Swiss deportation centre

  The authorities of Switzerland have considered illegal the stay in the country of Chechen native Ali Bataev, who arrived from Ukraine, and intend to deport him to Russia. Ali Bataev went on a hunger strike, as he believes that he will be persecuted by the authorities of Chechnya.

July 14, 2023 23:45

• Court upholds verdict against Colonel Kotovich in case on fakes about Russian army

  In Rostov-on-Don, the military court refused to change the verdict against Valery Kotovich, Colonel of the “Rosgvardiya”, convicted under the article on disseminating false information about the Russian Armed Forces.

July 14, 2023 21:57

• Advocate for Ingush activist, Barakh Chemurziev, highlights gross contradictions in verdicts to protest leaders

  The testimonies of some secret witnesses, which made the basis for the verdict against the Ingush oppositionists, contradict those of MPs and high-ranking law enforcers. The latter testified to the desire of the defendants to prevent violence at the rally, Magomed Abubakarov, the advocate for Barakh Chemurziev, has stated at the trial.

July 14, 2023 21:07

• Human rights defender Nagavkin accuses court of bias

  In his last plea, Igor Nagavkin, a human rights defender, has doubted the impartiality of the appellate court and refused to ask for verdict mitigation. His advocate, Ilya Govorukhin, pointed to inconsistencies in the case files, while Sergey Ivaschenko, another advocate, has noted that such inconsistencies arise when courts fail to question important witnesses.

July 13, 2023 22:38

• Activist from Nalchik complains about forced fingerprinting at airport

  Border guards at the Minvody Airport have forced Olga Begretova, a human rights defender, to give her fingerprints and biological material, although these procedures are not provided for by the law. However, investigators found no violations in border guards' actions.

July 13, 2023 21:50

• Contract soldier from Chechnya sentenced to a year for leaving his military unit

  In Grozny, Alan Batyrkhanov, who had signed a contract for military service, has been sentenced to a year in prison for more than two-week-long absence from his military unit.

July 13, 2023 20:11

• Court re-sentences Dagestani law enforcer to imprisonment for torture

  The Supreme Court (SC) of Dagestan has for the second time considered the case of Artyom Magomedov, the head of the Rutul ROVD (District Interior Division), accused of beating a detainee and again replaced his conditional sentence with a real imprisonment.

July 13, 2023 19:49

• After picket disruption, Dagestani journalist Magomedov demands to admit investigators' inaction

  Investigators have groundlessly ignored the application lodged by Magomed Magomedov, a deputy editor-in-chief of the "Chernovik" outlet, who demanded to bring to justice the policemen, who disrupted his solo picket, held in June 2022.

July 12, 2023 23:13

• Court sides with activists in their dispute with Kabardino-Balkarian Ministry for Public Health

  The Supreme Court of Kabardino-Balkaria granted a claim filed by the public organization “Patient Monitor” and invalidated the provisions of the territorial programme of state guarantees of free medical care for citizens of the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic (KBR) for 2023-2025, concerning per capita funding standards.

July 12, 2023 21:34

• Milashina and Nemov discharged from hospital

  Elena Milashina, a journalist of the "Novaya Gazeta" outlet, and Alexander Nemov, an advocate, who were attacked in Grozny, have been discharged from the hospital under medical supervision.

July 12, 2023 20:08

• KBR: two military servicemen convicted for non-appearance at military unit

  The Nalchik Garrison Military Court in the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic (KBR) has sentenced two soldiers, who failed to appear at their military unit, to real prison terms.

July 12, 2023 18:41

• Complaint about liquidation of HRC "Memorial"* sent to ECtHR

  The decision to liquidate the Human Rights Centre (HRC) "Memorial"* was appealed against at the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR); in the complaint, the lawyers pointed out the violation of six articles of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).

July 12, 2023 15:47

• Volgograd resident arrested for drawing a flag on a fence

  A court recognized a drawing in the form of a white-blue-white flag as an extremist symbol and arrested Radmir Tuleshev, a resident of Volgograd, for 10 days.

July 11, 2023 23:56

• Week in the Caucasus: review of main events of July 3-9, 2023

  Attack on Milashina and Nemov in Chechnya, Zarema Musaeva’s case, persecution of pacifists and activists in Southern Russia, blockade of Nagorno-Karabakh, 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 3-9, 2023, prepared by the “Caucasian Knot”.

July 11, 2023 23:13

• Police conduct a search at house of activist from Astrakhan

  The police conducted a search at a house of Astrakhan lawyer Sarvan Gasanov after the activist had held a picket in support of Alexei Navalny*. Sarvan Gasanov claimed that the seized leaflets were planted to him and suggested that law enforcers intended to institute a criminal case against him under the article on extremist.