News

February 08, 2025 23:17

• Chechen native Eliza Soltaeva considers her refuge safe

  Elza Soltaeva, a native of Chechnya, who fled to Kazakhstan from domestic violence, reported that she stayed in a safe place. Making the situation public helped save the young woman, who was beaten by her father and husband, human rights defenders noted.

February 08, 2025 22:47

• Human rights defenders explain sentences for militaries in Nalchik

  The short terms of imprisonment to which mobilized Kirill Soshkin and contract soldier Vyacheslav Takhmazyan have been sentenced for leaving their military unit can be explained by their admission of guilt and the fact that they reported for duty on their own.

February 07, 2025 23:57

• Georgian doctors warn about health risks for journalist Amaglobeli

  Mziya Amaglobeli, the founder of the "Batumelebi" and "Netgazeti" outlets can move around the hospital ward, where she continues her hunger strike, but her health condition is a cause for concern, doctors have stated.

February 07, 2025 23:55

• “Russian House” in Baku closed to put pressure on Moscow

  The official Baku’s demand to close the “Russian House” has become a way to put pressure on Moscow, seeking the Russia’s admission of guilt in a crash of an “Azerbaijan airlines” (AZAL) plane and payment of compensation. The official Baku also wants to demonstrate the independence of its actions without destroying relations with the Kremlin, Azerbaijani and Russian analysts suggest.

February 07, 2025 23:40

• ECtHR states violation of Dagestani journalist Abdulmumin Gadjiev’s rights

  The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) has awarded compensation in the amount of EUR 6000 to Abdulmumin Gadjiev, a Dagestani journalist, for his rights violations after his detention.

February 07, 2025 23:40

• Rights defenders treat Kazakhstan as unsafe country for Chechen Elza Soltaeva

  It is difficult to obtain refugee status in Kazakhstan; and although Elza Soltaeva has every reason to ask for it, local state bodies are closely cooperating with Russia; while the large local Vainakh Diaspora is expanding chances for Elza’s relatives to find her.

February 07, 2025 22:16

• Ingush activist Bagaudin Khautiev released

  Ingush activist Bagaudin Khautiev has served his full sentence in a case on an extremist community and has been released from a penal colony in the Stavropol Territory.

February 07, 2025 21:48

• Smelaya, being victim of domestic violence, explains her decision to travel to Chechnya

  During her trip to Chechnya, Krasnodar resident Maria Smelaya wants to get confirmation that her son does not live at the address where her former husband registered the child. The woman needs the information about the child’s place of registration to provide it to court to get a decision on guardianship.

February 06, 2025 23:47

• Law enforcers help Elza Soltaeva, who fled Chechnya, reach shelter in Kazakhstan

  With the help of the police, Elza Soltaeva, a native of Chechnya, could reach a shelter; law enforcers escorted her to the place and stopped a car with people from Chechnya who were pursuing Elza.

February 06, 2025 23:16

• Amaglobeli’s advocate reports pressure on his client in hospital

  In a hospital, employees demonstratively offer food to Mziya Amaglobeli, the founder of the “Batumelebi” and “Netgazeti” online publications, who is on a hunger strike for the third week.

February 06, 2025 23:09

• Court in Novorossiysk sentences military to colony for refusing to go to SMO

  Sergey Belim, a military serviceman has been sentenced to two years in penal colony for his refusal to take in the special military operation (SMO) in Ukraine.

February 06, 2025 22:30

• Rights defenders condemn detentions of journalists in Azerbaijan

  On February 5, Shamshad Aga, the head of the arqument.az news site, was detained; his home was searched, and his computer and mobile phones were seized. He was charged with "smuggling" within the “Meydan TV” case.

February 06, 2025 21:37

• Relatives and colleagues report disappearance of Rostov activist Borzilo

  Lyudmila Borzilo, an activist from the Rostov Region, has stopped communicating with her relatives and associates. Earlier, the activist complained about an unfounded criminal case instituted against her and the law enforcement bodies’ demand to undergo a psychiatric examination.

February 05, 2025 23:18

• Dagestani activist Rabadanov’s office closed as price for release, his colleagues believe

  The closure of a studio run by Dagestani activist Ramazan Rabadanov has become one of the conditions for his transfer to house arrest, and failure to comply threatened to return him to a SIZO (pre-trial prison).

February 05, 2025 23:09

• Elza Soltaeva detained in Kazakhstan after escaping from Chechnya

  Elza Soltaeva, a native of Chechnya, who had fled domestic violence, has been detained by the police in Kazakhstan. She has stated that her relatives were persecuting her, and she feared for her life.

February 05, 2025 21:05

• Baku analysts consider AZAL Embraer crash report overly cautious

  In a preliminary report on the Baku-Grozny flight crash, Kazakhstan has not provided any clear conclusions about the causes of the plane crash. The Azerbaijani Ministry of Transportation has also commented on the report with excessive delicacy.

February 05, 2025 09:19

• In Tbilisi, protest action marked by attacks on journalists

  Law enforcers beat up employees of several Georgian publications covering a protest action which took place in front of the “Tbilisi Mall” shopping centre.

February 04, 2025 23:58

• At least five activists hospitalized after being beaten in Tbilisi

  In Georgia, at least five persons who were beaten during a protest action in Tbilisi or after their detention have been hospitalized. Politician Nika Meliya, who was released after being detained, claimed that a law enforcer kicked him while he was handcuffed. In total, about 30 people were arrested at the protest actions.

February 04, 2025 23:54

• Oppositional Telegram channels report death of a Chechen after torture

  Law enforcers have detained a native of the village of Serzhen-Yurt for putting a “Like” to a post that was unfavourable to authorities and tortured him, oppositional Telegram channels have informed.

February 04, 2025 23:48

• Rights activists explain logic behind persecuting Elena Patyaeva

  To justify the administrative prosecution of Elena Patyaeva, a Seda Suleimanova's friend, the court has announced the poster she was holding to be a collapsible structure. This is reported by the “Slovo Zaschite” (Floor to Defence) Telegram channel.