News

July 18, 2024 19:45

• Rights defenders doubt any advocate Idalov's chances to hide from investigators in Chechnya

  After leaving Moscow for Chechnya, Timur Idalov, a Chechen advocate, accused within the case of threats to the prosecutor and put on the wanted list, is unlikely to hide from investigators in Chechnya, like those involved in the Nemtsov murder case, lawyers and human rights defenders have suggested.

July 18, 2024 18:16

• Court repeatedly fines Volgograd politician for his interview to “Golos”* movement

  The Volzhsky City Court repeatedly considered a case against Alexander Yefimov, a member of the federal bureau of the “Yabloko” Party, who was found guilty of giving an interview to the “Golos” (Vote)* movement. Alexander Yefimov was again found guilty and fined 15,000 roubles. Alexander Yefimov called the court’s decision a precedent and announced his intention to lodge an appeal against it.

July 18, 2024 17:05

• Teenager convicted of high treason complains about threats in penal colony

  Kevin Lik, an 18-year-old teenager from Adygea, convicted of high treason, claims that after he has complained about being deprived of contacts with the outside world, he began receiving threats of physical violence in the penal colony.

July 17, 2024 22:57

• Believer from Kuban accused of extremism

  A resident of the Pavlovsky District studied banned extremist books and tried to recruit new members into the ranks of Jehovah’s Witnesses*, investigators suggest.

July 17, 2024 22:14

• Blogger from Dagestan detained for insulting believers' feelings

  In Moscow, law enforcers have detained Javier Yarmagomedov, a native of Dagestan, who had trampled on a cross, on charges of insulting believers' feelings. Ismail Berdiev, the head of the Muslims' Coordination Centre of Northern Caucasus, has demanded that the blogger be punished for mocking a Christian symbol.

July 17, 2024 21:56

• Relatives of “prison jamaat” case figurant state violation of his rights at Taganrog SIZO

  After the hostage-taking in the Rostov SIZO (pre-trial prison), relatives lost contact with a native of Dagestan, Magomed Khanilaev, accused within the “prison jamaat” case, his wife has complained. Khanilaev was taken to the Taganrog SIZO, and its employees are refusing his meeting the advocate, a Khanilaev’s defender has complained.

July 17, 2024 21:09

• Blogger from Dagestan apologizes for mocking over Christian cross

  A native of Dagestan living in Moscow has made a public apology to believers for trampling on a Christian cross during a live broadcast on the Internet. He has stated that he fell victim to a provocation. Commentators in social networks demanded that the streamer be punished and recalled the beating of Nikita Zhuravel by Ramzan Kadyrov's son for burning down the Koran.

July 17, 2024 18:12

• Activist Olga Begretova challenges court’s decision in her lawsuit against FSB

  In Nalchik, a court which recognized the FSB’s refusal to provide the collected data as legal, did not take into account the facts proving that the check at the airport in Mineralnye Vody was carried out on behalf of the FSB. The above has been claimed by activist Olga Begretova in her appeal, the “Memorial” Centre for Human Rights Defence (CHRD)* reports.

July 16, 2024 23:58

• Human rights defenders doubt law enforcers’ report on investigation into militants’ attack on Ingushetia

  During the investigation into the attack on Ingushetia by a militant grouping led by Shamil Basaev, law enforcers were detaining people from Chechnya in refugee camps, human rights defenders recalled. They called the investigation system involving classified witnesses questionable.

July 16, 2024 22:26

• Amid criticism of Davankov’s initiative, Muftis of North-Caucasian regions explain the ban on niqabs

  The bill put forward by Vladislav Davankov, a Vice-Speaker of the Russian State Duma, to ban wearing religious clothing in schools and public places is anti-Islamic in nature, the Muftis of North-Caucasian regions are sure.

July 16, 2024 21:15

• Suspected militant-attacker in Dagestan claims being tortured

  Zaur Magomedov, arrested within the case of the militant attacks in Derbent and Makhachkala, has reported torture and called himself not involved in the incidents, Shamil Khadulaev, the head of the Dagestani Public Oversight Commission (POC), has stated.

July 16, 2024 20:37

• Analysts explain terrorists’ interest in attacks on temples in Southern Russia

  When commenting on the detention of a man suspected of preparing an attack on a temple in Maikop, analysts have noted that churches and synagogues attract terrorists as targets of their attacks due to weak security. The analysts believe that strengthening security measures can prevent attacks.

July 16, 2024 17:35

• Colleagues of journalist Natalia Estemirova remember her merits on anniversary of her murder

  When working in Chechnya, Natalia Estemirova put the law above anything else and solved all problems exclusively in the legal field, and her main merit was saving lives, stated colleagues of the human rights defender who was killed 15 years ago.

July 15, 2024 22:52

• Week in the Caucasus: review of main events of July 8-14, 2024

  Forest fires in Kuban, drone attacks, persecution of pacifists and activists in Southern Russia, about niqabs, 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 8-14, 2024, prepared by the “Caucasian Knot”.

July 15, 2024 20:57

• Defence treats verdict to newspaper employees in Rostov Region as unjustified

  The verdict to Elena Pivovarova, the editor-in-chief of the Bataysk newspaper, and to Ekaterina Avakova, the chief accountant thereof, will be appealed against, their defence has stated. After the verdict, the issue of documenting the guardianship over the convicts' children was raised, Vera Yuzhanskaya, a journalist, has stated.

July 15, 2024 20:34

• Volgograd student convicted to five years for fakes about Russian Army

  The court has sentenced Daniil Vodolagin, a Volgograd student, to five years of freedom deprivation, finding him guilty of spreading fake news about the Russian Army.

July 15, 2024 19:15

• SMO fighters appeal to Putin over seizure of land plots from Kurush villagers

  Bureaucrats fail to address the problem of taking away pasture lands from the residents of the village of Kurush, where the Samursky National Park was created, and fail to respond to numerous complaints. This was stated by the participants in the special military operation (SMO) in Ukraine from the Dokuzparinsky District of Dagestan in their video appeal to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

July 14, 2024 23:16

• Network users support North-Caucasian Muftis' protest against ban on wearing niqabs

  The Muslims' Coordination Centre of Northern Caucasus (MCCNC) has asked the Russian President not to pass a bill banning religious clothing. The Muftis of Northern Caucasus have stated that this ban violates believers' rights. Commentators in social networks have supported the Muftis' appeal, noting that this initiative has already split the society.

July 14, 2024 22:31

• Lawyers treat request of KChR's MIA about Muslim clothing in schools as illegal

  The campaign to combat Muslim headdresses poses a threat of persecuting Muslims, the human rights defender believes. Lawyers have treated the request lodged by the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) of the Karachay-Cherkessian Republic (KChR) demanding to provide information about the pupils and teachers wearing Muslim headdresses as a violation of laws, the right to the freedom of religion and access to education.

July 14, 2024 20:47

• Dagestani SC stops prosecuting journalist Yulia Vishnevetskaya

  The Supreme Court (SC) of Dagestan has re-examined the complaint lodged by Yulia Vishnevetskaya, a journalist, who was arrested for five days for taking part in an anti-mobilization action, and found no offense in her actions.