News

July 17, 2009 21:10

• In Chechnya, during Estemirova's farewell ceremony unknown persons tried to stop the procession

  In the course of the farewell ceremony with the well-known human rights defender Natalia Estemirova, killed on July 15, two men in civil clothes, one of them with firearms on him, tried to stop the column that moved along the Putin Avenue in Grozny ahead of the catafalque with Estemirova's body.

July 17, 2009 21:00

• OSCE representative calls Azerbaijani authorities to release arrested bloggers

  In the course of the meetings, held by the OSCE Secretary General Marc Perrin de Brichambaut with officials of Azerbaijan during his visit to Baku on July, 15-17, the issue was raised about the bloggers Adnan Gadjizade and Emin Milli, who were arrested last week.

July 17, 2009 21:00

• "Berlin's German-Russian Exchange" is shocked by Estemirova's murder

  The organization named "Berlin's German-Russian Exchange" (DRA) was shocked by the news about violent murder of Russian human rights activist Natalia Estemirova and thinks that Russia is still far from "overcoming its legal nihilism."

July 17, 2009 20:30

• Criminals killed Estemirova, having suspected a militia raid, investigation believes

  The Investigatory Committee at the Prosecutor's Office (ICPO) of the Russian Federation has restored the picture of the murder of the employee of the HRC "Memorial" in Chechnya Natalia Estemirova. Under inspectors' preliminary conclusions, the kidnappers initially were not going to kill the human rights activist, but had to do it, probably, having come across a road blockade. They could take the operative group that worked on the road for a round-up mission against them.

July 17, 2009 20:30

• Picket in memory of Natalia Estemirova held in Moscow

  The picket in memory of the assassinated employees of the Grozny "Memorial" Natalia Estemirova lasted in the Novopushkinskiy Mini-Park of Moscow for one and a half hours. Over 200 persons came to commemorate the human rights activist and express protest against events in Chechnya. At 7:17 p.m. the militiamen who surrounded the site allocated for the picket demanded the participants to disperse.

July 17, 2009 19:00

• European Court finds Russia guilty of a Chechen resident's disappearance in 2003

  On July 16, the European Court on Human Rights (ECtHR) passed a decision, obliging Russia to pay 50,500 euros to relatives of Arbi Karimov, a resident of Chechnya, as Russian authorities were found guilty of his disappearance in 2003.

July 17, 2009 18:20

• Russian rights activist kidnapped, found dead. White House condemns killing of Russian rights activist

  The killing of Natalia Estemirova, prominent Chechen human rights activist, came a week after U.S. President Barack Obama met with Russian civil society activists, including members of Estemirova's group. The White House National Security Council issued a strong statement of condemnation, saying it was "deeply disturbed and saddened."

July 17, 2009 18:00

• U.S. condemns murder of Russian rights activist Estemirova

  The White House has expressed sadness over the abduction and murder of Russian human rights activist Natalya Estemirova in the North Caucasus, and called on the Russian government to bring the killers to justice.

July 16, 2009 23:50

• Rostov miners-pensioners want to ask European Court to accelerate consideration of their claims

  In the near future, miners-pensioners from the city of Zverevo, Rostov Region, who strive for their privileges in payment for heating, plan to send a letter to the Chairperson of the European Court on Human Rights (ECtHR) with the request to accelerate consideration of their claims because of the applicants' elderly age.

July 16, 2009 23:10

• IRFS calls EU "trio" to help in defending human rights in Azerbaijan

  The Institute for Reporters' Freedom and Safety (IRFS) has addressed the delegation of the European Union's "trio", which arrives in Baku on July 19, with an appeal to raise, at negotiations with Azerbaijani officials, the issues of human rights violations and restriction of the freedom of press in the country.

July 16, 2009 23:00

• MIA: three rebels liquidated, two militiamen wounded in skirmish near Makhachkala

  The "Caucasian Knot" correspondent was informed at the MIA of Dagestan that in the course of the skirmish near Shamkhal-Termen village near Makhachkala, three IAF (illegal armed formation) members were killed today and two militiamen were wounded. One of the casualties was Imam of one of rural mosques.

July 16, 2009 22:10

• At trial on events of October 2005 in Nalchik, prosecution discloses the case

  On Thursday, at the session of the Supreme Court of Kabardino-Balkaria on the events on October 13, 2005, the accusation party started disclosing the materials of the criminal case related to the episode named "Landysh" (Lily of the Valley).

July 16, 2009 22:00

• MIA: 15 IAF members liquidated in special operation in Chechen-Ingush border

  As reported by Arkadiy Edelev, Deputy Interior Minister, 15 suspected IAF members were killed and two more were detained in the course of a special operation, conducted in the administrative border of Chechnya and Ingushetia.

July 16, 2009 21:10

• Armenian authorities to pay 4000 US dollars to every family of perished aircraft passengers

  The government of Armenia will provide compensations to the families of the victims of the catastrophe of the Iranian aircraft. This was stated by Gevork Pogosyan, Minister of Labour and Social Matters of Armenia. According to his version, every family will receive 1.5 million drams, or over 4000 US dollars, allotted from the state budget.

July 16, 2009 20:10

• Orlov: Kadyrov states his innocence of Estemirova's murder

  Natalia Estemirova's death is of no benefit to authorities of Chechnya. Probably, the human rights defender was assassinated by the people, who wanted to frame up the leaders of Chechnya and Ingushetia. This was stated in a telephone conversation with Oleg Orlov, Board Chair of the Human Rights Centre (HRC) "Memorial", of a person, who presented himself as President of Chechnya Ramzan Kadyrov.

July 16, 2009 20:00

• Investigation considers four versions of Natalia Estemirova's murder

  As stated in Rostov-on-Don by Arkadiy Edelev, Russian Deputy Interior Minister, the investigation has four versions of Natalia Estemirova's murder.

July 16, 2009 20:00

• About 100 persons came to Natalia Estemirova's farewell ceremony in central Grozny

  Today, a farewell ceremony with human rights defender Natalia Estemirova took place in the centre of Grozny, which brought together about 100 persons - journalists, human rights activists and people whom she helped.

July 16, 2009 19:00

• Alekseeva: Kadyrov's resignation can stop murders of human rights defenders

  Russian human rights advocates are confident that the series of murders of the people who defend rights of other people can be stopped by removing Ramzan Kadyrov from the post of the President of Chechnya. This viewpoint was expressed by Liudmila Alekseeva, Chair of the Moscow Helsinki Group. In the opinion of Oleg Orlov, Board Chairman of the HRC "Memorial", murders will stop as soon as the authorities cease calling human rights defenders as bandits.

July 16, 2009 18:10

• Natalia Estemirova gave interview to "Caucasian Knot" one day before her death

  One day before kidnapping and murder of Natalia Estemirova, an employee of the HRC "Memorial", committed on July 15, the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent had two telephone conversations with her about the situation with human rights in Chechnya.

July 16, 2009 18:00

• "Memorial" links Estemirova's murder to authorities' policy in Chechnya

  The statement of the Human Rights Centre (HRC) "Memorial" that has arrived to the "Caucasian Knot" runs that Ramzan Kadyrov has made the work of human rights activists in Chechnya impossible. Russia is under state terror; those who try to tell the truth and criticize the regime are assassinated; and Natalia Estemirova's murder is also a result of such policy.