Anastasya Baburova dies
RUSSIA, Moscow. On January 19, in Moscow, Novaya Gazeta journalist Anastasya Baburova died after an operation in the intensive care unit of the 1st City Hospital, reported Novaya Gazeta. Baburova attempted to detain the murderer of attorney Stanislav Markelov, and the criminal shot her in the head.
Full Story...Attorney Stanislav Markelov murdered
RUSSIA, Moscow. In Moscow, on January 19, attorney Stanislav Markelov was gunned down, reported Radio Freedom. Markelov was representing the interests of the Kungaev family in court. Their daughter, Elza Kungaeva, was a Chechen girl killed by former Russian army Colonel Yuri Budanov.
Full Story...Former Colonel Budanov granted parole
RUSSIA, Dimitrovgrad, Ulyanov Province. Former Colonel, Yuri Budanov, who was found guilty of killing Elza Kungaeva, a Chechen girl, has been paroled from prison, reported Radio Freedom on January 15, based on information obtained by ITAR- TASS and Interfax from law-enforcement agencies in the Ulyanov Province.
Full Story...Who led the riots Riga?
The majority of participants in the riots which occurred on Tuesday in Riga were members of the National-Bolshevik party (NBP) of Edward Limonov, a party forbidden in Russia. They were the instigators who turned a peaceful meeting of the opposition into a genuine riot, according to the Internet site “Konturi”.
Full Story...A Million Roubles for Soldier’s Death
RUSSIA, Khanty-Mansiisk. On 15 January the Khanty-Mansiisk district court of the Khanty-Mansiisk autonomous okrug-Yugry awarded compensation in the amount of 1 million roubles in connection with a suit lodged by the ‘Mother’s Right’ Foundation on behalf of Tatiana Tikhon, mother of a deceased military serviceman. This is the largest sum of compensation to be awarded for an army death, the Foundation notes.
Full Story...Rubbish Dump Plans for St Petersburg Memorial Zone
RUSSIA, St. Petersburg. Information has recently come to light about St Petersburg government plans to build a waste-burning plant and a dump for dangerous industrial and household waste at Siniavinskie Heights in the city’s Kirovskii district, where bloody battles took place during the war and the defence of Leningrad in 1941-44.
Full Story...”Transformations in Ingushetia A Model for Solving Problems of Entire North Caucasus”
RUSSIA, Moscow. The transformations in Ingushetia are a model for solving the problems of the entire North Caucasus, according to chair of the Moscow Helsinki Group Liudmila Alekseyeva and Moscow Helsinki Group member and head of the “Social Partnership” Foundation Valerii Borshchev. Addressing a press conference held in the Independent Press Centre on 26 December, they noted that the incidence of kidnappings in the republic appeared to have fallen.
Full Story...Grozny: Protests at Budanov’s Release
CHECHNYA, Grozny. On 25 December a mass demonstration was held near Journalists’ Square in Grozny protesting the release of former colonel of the Russian army Yurii Budanov, who was sentenced in 2003 to 10 years in a colony for the abduction and murder of Elza Kungaeva, 17-year-old resident of the village of Tangi-Chu in Urus-Martanovskii district.
Full Story...European Court of Human Rights approves Abdumalik Bakaev’s petition
FRANCE, Strasbourg. The European Court of Human Rights has approved Abdumalik Bakaev’s petition and has halted any possible extradition of Bakaev to Uzbekistan pending examination of the case, the “Social Action” Centre has reported. The ruling was brought down in accordance with Rule 39 (preliminary judicial measures) of the Court Regulations on the evening of 17 December, and court notification of the application of the Rule was received on 18 December.
Full Story..."The country is being prepared for emergency rule"
RUSSIA, Moscow. On 19 December the "Yabloko" party’s press service distributed a statement from "Yabloko"’s Political Committee entitled "The Country is Being Prepared for Emergency Rule", regarding a bill which has been introduced to the Russian State Duma and which would dramatically expand the grounds for making accusations of state treason.
Full Story...“Dissenters’ March” held in Moscow
RUSSIA, Moscow. On December 14, in Moscow, a “Dissenters’ March” was held. Earlier, city authorities refused to agree on the route for the procession proposed by its organizers. During the action, more than 100 participants were detained, reported Ludmila Mamina, press-secretary of the oppositional coalition “The Other Russia”, to a correspondent of PRIMA-News.
Full Story...Russian “Solidarity” Congress concludes
RUSSIA, Moscow. On December 13, in the Moscow city of Khimki, the Constitutive Congress of the United Democratic movement “Solidarity” was concluded. The creation of the movement was proclaimed, a federal political council was selected, and program documents and statements were confirmed.
Full Story...30 activists detained on Human Rights Day in Belarus
BELARUS, Minsk. On December 10, demonstrations dedicated to the 60th anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights ended with detentions. According to the the human rights center “Spring”, about 30 activists were detained, the majority simply because they handed out the Human Rights Declaration.
Full Story...Demonstration against Constitutional reform broken up in Saint Petersburg
RUSSIA, Saint Petersburg. On December 10, at the Legislative Assembly building in Saint Petersburg, a demonstration against the introduction of changes to the Constitution of the Russian Federation (RF) was broken up, reported the press service of the St. Petersburg “Yabloko” party. Activists from “Yabloko”, “Defense”, the United Civil Front, and the People's Democratic Union took part in the demonstration.
Full Story...«Dissenters’ March» to take place in Moscow despite ban
RUSSIA, Moscow. The «Dissenters’ March» will go ahead in Moscow, despite the ban placed on it by the authorities; the marchers will gather on Triumfalnaia Square at 2:00pm on 14 December, say the representatives of its organising committee: leader of the United Civic Front (OGF) Garry Kasparov, member of the leadership of the oppositional coalition ‘Another Russia’ Eduard Limonov, and chair of the Union of Soviet Officers, General-Lieutenant Aleksei Fomin.
Full Story...Strasbourg condemns Russia for extradition of plaintiff to face torture in Uzbekistan
FRANCE, Strasbourg. On 11 December the European Court of Human Rights brought down a decision on the case «Muminov vs Russia». The plaintiff – Rustam Muminov, citizen of Uzbekistan, – in violation of both Russian and international law was unlawfully extradited to his homeland in October 2006 where he was then condemned to five and a half years’ imprisonment on accusations of religious extremism and anti-state activities, charges which he categorically denied, the ‘Civic Assistance’ committee reported on 12 December.
Full Story...Belarus Helsinki Committee will not attend NPO Congress in Penza
BELARUS, Minsk. The Belarussian Helsinki Committee (BKHK) will not attend the IIIrd Regional Congress of the Nongovernmental Organizations of the Countries of Eastern Europe under the aegis of the Council of Europe, planned for the beginning of December in Penza. Previously, the Moscow Helsinki Committee (MKHG) refused to participate in the forum.
Full Story...Declaration by International Organisation ‘Memorial’
RUSSIA, Moscow. «On 4 December, by order of the city procuracy, a search was conducted on the premises of the St Petersburg ‘Memorial’ Research-Information Centre – a research organisation engaged in studying the history of the Stalinist terror. The search was conducted on the pretext of investigating a case of a certain ‘extremist’ (according to the procuracy) publication in a newspaper titled ‘Novyi Peterburg’, dating to one and a half years ago», says a statement issued by the International Organisation ‘Memorial’ on 4 December.
Full Story...Nazran Militia Staff Attacked
RUSSIA, Ingushetia. On the night before 5 December in the city of Nazran, unidentified individuals with grenade launchers shot up the home of employees of the Ingushetian Interior Ministry, the brothers Rustam and Uruskhan Azhegov, the Council of Non-Governmental Organisations reported on 5 December.
Full Story...Family Shot Dead by Unknown Attackers in Shalinskii District, Chechnya
CHECHNYA, Shalinskii district. According to information received from residents of the village of Agishty, on the night before 4 December a group of unknown attackers murdered the Sadulaev family, who lived in the village of Agishty, on Vedenskaia Street. The attackers broke into the house and then shot 72-year-old Khozhi Sadulaev, his 58-year-old wife Taus and their 32-year-old son Salman.
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