News

September 13, 2023 21:46

• Rights defenders recall unpunished kidnappings in Chechnya

  During the years of the counterterrorist operation (CTO) and the rule of Ramzan Kadyrov, thousands of people disappeared in Chechnya, but Russia failed to take measures to investigate their disappearances, says the report by Oleg Orlov and Alexander Cherkasov, human rights defenders.

September 13, 2023 21:08

• Defenders promise to challenge verdicts in journalist Gadjiev’s case

  The decision of the court, which sentenced Abdulmumin Gadjiev, Kemal Tambiev, and Abubakar Rizvanov to long terms of imprisonment, will be challenged, report advocates of the convicts. Friends of Abdulmumin Gadjiev have noted that the severe sentence was pronounced against the backdrop of the lack of real evidence of guilt.

September 13, 2023 19:23

• Court reduces Zarema Musaeva’s sentence by six months

  The Supreme Court (SC) of Chechnya reduced the term of imprisonment for Zarema Musaeva to five years and replaced the term in a common-security penal colony with a settlement colony.

September 13, 2023 17:49

• ECtHR awards compensation to Chechen gay Maxim Lapunov for torture in Chechnya

  The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) has ruled that in relation to Maxim Lapunov, who had claimed kidnapping and torture in Chechnya because of his sexual orientation, authorities had violated the articles prohibiting torture and discrimination and the right to the freedom and security of person.

September 12, 2023 22:45

• Gadjiev, Rizvanov and Tambiev sentenced to long prison terms

  The Southern District Military Court in Rostov-on-Don has announced the verdict in the case of Abdulmumin Gadjiev, Abubakar Rizvanov and Kemal Tambiev, accused of financing terrorism. They were sentenced to terms from 17 to 18 years in prison.

September 12, 2023 20:38

• Volgograd resident accused of discrediting Russian Army

  Law enforcers have drawn up a report on discrediting the Russian Army against Sergey Latmentsev, a resident of Volgograd.

September 12, 2023 18:40

• Lawyer requests MoD to intervene in mobilized Znamensk resident’s case

  A military unit stationed in Volgograd refuses to dismiss a mobilized resident of Znamensk, who was recognized unfit for the military service by a military medical commission and a court. A lawyer has appealed to the court with a request to involve the Russian Minister of Defence (MoD) in the consideration of the mobilized Znamensk resident’s case.

September 12, 2023 18:10

• Dagestani journalist Gadjiev’s colleagues and friends share their expectations of verdict

  Prior to the pronouncement of the verdict against Dagestani journalist Abdulmumin Gadjiev, residents of Dagestan are actively interested in the progress of the trial, and this fact was facilitated by the final speech delivered by the journalist, his colleagues and friends note. They believe that the verdict will be challenged.

September 11, 2023 23:12

• Week in the Caucasus: review of main events of September 4-10, 2023

  Elections in Russia, 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 September 4-10, 2023, prepared by the “Caucasian Knot”.

September 11, 2023 18:47

• Novorossiysk resident fined for pacifist inscription

  A court in Novorossiysk has found Stanislav Shaforostov, a local resident, guilty of discrediting the Russian Army for making a pacifist inscription on the administration building. The judge took into account the defendant's remorse and imposed a fine on him that was half of that provided for by the administrative article.

September 11, 2023 17:50

• 50-year-old Krasnodar resident fails to challenge his conscription

  The Krasnodar Garrison Military Court has rejected the lawsuit lodged by Vasily Kovalyov, 50, a local resident, who demanded to nullify his mobilization conscription. Kovalyov was drafted into the army on October 11, 2022, although he had the right to a deferment from conscription as an employee of an accredited IT company.

September 10, 2023 16:47

• Journalist Milashina finds it unsafe to go to the appeal in Musaeva's case

  Elena Milashina, a journalist, has refused to attend the session of the Supreme Court (SC) of Chechnya that will consider the appeal complaint against the verdict passed to Zarema Musaeva. The refusal is caused by the absence of Chechen authorities' reaction to the question about the safety of the trip, Ms Milashina has explained.

September 09, 2023 21:13

• Law enforcers limit themselves to warning those detained at protest rally in Dagestan

  Policemen decided not to draw up protocols against the opponents of the garbage dump detained at a protest action held in the Kumtorkala District, and limited themselves to a warning, said activist, Shamil Khadulaev. The detentions were conducted without any use of force, another protester has added.

September 09, 2023 19:44

• Irina Danilovich, Crimean woman, complains about absence of medical treatment in Stavropol colony

  Irina Danilovich, a resident of Crimea, sentenced to seven years in prison on charges of possessing explosives, has been transferred to the colony located in the town of Zelenokumsk. Her father has informed that her health condition had worsened sharply; the doctor prescribed some medicine; she is taking it, but Irina can only receive the due medical treatment at hospital.

September 09, 2023 18:54

• In Dagestani journalist Gadjiev’s case, defendants plead not guilty in their final speeches

  In their final speech, Kemal Tambiev, Abdulmumin Gadjiev, and Abubakar Rizvanov have stated that public prosecution did not present any convincing evidence in court. The defendants have again pleaded not guilty.

September 08, 2023 21:09

• ECtHR awards compensations for suffered torture to natives of Southern Russia

  The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) in Strasbourg has ordered Russian authorities to pay compensations to the natives of Dagestan, Ingushetia, Karachay-Cherkessia, Krasnodar Territory and Chechnya, who had suffered from torture. The decision was made amid Russia's refusal to enforce ECtHR's decisions.

September 08, 2023 18:13

• Investigators ignore Solomina's statement about threats from Chechnya

  Three days after the statement made by Tatiana Solomina about the threats received by her from her client's relatives living in Chechnya, investigators have failed to question her, which is contrary to the requirement of the law, the SK SOS Crisis Group* has informed.

September 07, 2023 22:51

• In Caucasus, courts pronounce lenient sentences to mobilized men on drug charges

  In the Stavropol Territory, military courts sentenced mobilized Vitaly Sayutin and Anton Degtyaryov to a year of probation, and Akhmed Murtsalov – to a fine in cases on drug trafficking. In Nalchik, a court sentenced Ilyas Sultygov to nine months of probation on the same charge. Participation in the special military operation was taken into account by the courts as a mitigating circumstance.

September 07, 2023 22:15

• Threats against advocate Solomina highlight trend of persecution of victims of domestic violence

  When commenting on the threats faced by advocate Tatiana Solomina, human rights defenders have noted that those who try to help victims of domestic violence in the republics of Northern Caucasus often find themselves at risk, as they begin to receive threats from family members of a victim they defended.

September 07, 2023 21:14

• Kadyrov's mother receives highest award of Russian Council of Muftis

  Aimani Kadyrova has been awarded the Al-Fakhr order by the Russian Council of Muftis, but was not present at the awarding ceremony. The order for Kadyrova at the opening of the restored mosque in the city of Mariupol was received by Salakh Mezhiev, the Mufti of Chechnya.