Week in the Caucasus: review of main events of August 26-September 1, 2024

Parliamentary elections in Azerbaijan, fires and drones in the Caucasus, parliamentary elections in Georgia, persecution of pacifists and activists in Southern Russia, anniversary of the terror act in Beslan, 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 August 26-September 1, 2024, prepared by the “Caucasian Knot”.

Parliamentary elections in Azerbaijan

On September 1, Azerbaijan launched voting in the extraordinary elections to the country’s parliament (Milli Majlis). The opposition “Musavat” Party claimed that observers faced pressure and that the cases of so-called “carousel voting” were identified at polling stations. In Baku, voters explained that they came to polling stations to give their votes to candidates in the hope of change in the country.

The next parliamentary elections were supposed to take place on November 3. Meanwhile, Baku is to host the COP-29 UN Climate Change Conference in November. The ruling “Yeni Azerbaijan” (New Azerbaijan) Party has announced the need to hold parliamentary elections before the international climate summit. On June 28, the President of Azerbaijan dissolved the country’s parliament and called early parliamentary elections for September 1. The opposition “Musavat” and “Republican Alternative” Parties are participating in the elections.

The campaign before the parliamentary elections in Azerbaijan was held in conditions of using administrative resources in favour of the candidates from the government, and opposition candidates faced obstacles, activists from the “Musavat” and “Republican Alternative” Parties claimed.

Sixty representatives of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly are observing the parliamentary elections in Azerbaijan. The observers will monitor the elections’ compliance with democratic standards and values and maintenance of a fair and transparent electoral process.

At the same time, the Azerbaijan’s decision to officially declare several members of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe as undesirable persons is a negative signal that will complicate the country’s position within the Council of Europe, emphasizes Theodoros Roussopoulos, the Presidents of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE). Azerbaijan faces a difficult situation with human rights, and the country will have to resort to lobbyists to preserve the powers of its delegation to PACE, the opposition believes.

Fires and drones in the Caucasus

The fire at the “Atlas” oil refinery in the Kamensky District of the Rostov Region, which caught fire on August 28 after a drone attack, has not been extinguished within a day, which raises concerns among residents of nearby villages and towns, especially parents of schoolchildren. In the Kamensky District, a high alert regime has been introduced because of the fire, announced Vladimir Savin, the head of the Kamensky District.

On August 28, Vasily Golubev, the governor of the Rostov Region, reported on his Telegram channel that four unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) had been shot down. According to the preliminary information, there are no casualties.

Andrei Bocharov, the Governor of the Volgograd Region, reported that drones launched from the direction of Ukraine attempted to attack the territory of the region on August 26. “In the Yelansky District, a residential building and two non-residential buildings were damaged as a result of the fall of two UAV fragments. There were no casualties,” the regional administration reported on its official Telegram channel.

Since August 18, diesel fuel which caught fire as a result of the fall of drone fragments has been burning in industrial warehouses in Proletarsk. On August 26, local residents complained that Proletarsk was covered in soot and smoke from the fire and that people’s health had worsened. The local authorities have cancelled the celebration of the City Day in Proletarsk and the 100th anniversary of the Proletarsky District because of the fire at the oil depot.

Parliamentary elections in Georgia

Voting in the elections of members to the Georgian parliament is scheduled for October 26. Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze announced that the ruling “Georgian Dream” Party and the “United National Movement” (UNM) Party will enter the country’s parliament, and then a ban on opposition parties and the abolition of the mandates of opposition MPs will be initiated. Analysts treat the Georgian Prime Minister’s statement about the abolition of the opposition and the creation of a one-party parliament as a pre-election speculation to attract voters.

The registration of political parties for the parliamentary elections scheduled for October 26 has been completed, and 27 parties have been registered by the Central Election Commission (CEC), the Georgian CEC announced.

The opposition claims that the Russian foreign intelligence service declared the threat of a “colour revolution” and tried to support the “Georgian Dream” Party in the upcoming parliamentary elections.

Persecution of pacifists and activists in Southern Russia

A criminal case instituted against Alexei Schus, an engineer from Sochi, accused of disseminating fake news about the Russian Army, has been filed with the court. According to the advocate’s report, the charges against Alexei Schus are based on captions to photos and videos allegedly “containing information about the hostile and criminal activities of the Russian Armed Forces with signs of fascism and genocide as part of the special military operation (SMO) in Ukraine and persistent hostility towards the head of the state.”

The Leninsky District Court of Krasnodar fined local resident Ilya Kharchenko under three protocols on administrative offenses. The reason for the fines were two entries on social media in support of Ukraine. Ilya Kharchenko was fined more 1000 roubles under the article on displaying prohibited symbols.

The Cherkessk City Court fined local resident Madina Karaketova for displaying prohibited symbols. The reason was an avatar posted on a social network, which depicted the US flag with a slogan used by the Ukrainian militaries as a greeting, with the postscript “and the USA.”

The Abinsky District Court found Maria Borzova guilty of discrediting the Russian Armed Forces and fined her 40,000 roubles. During a live broadcast on the Internet, Maria Borzova criticized participants of the special military operation. Later, the blogger explained in her video message that she criticized only those military personnel who lead an immoral lifestyle, who regularly drink alcoholic beverages and commit offenses.

In Slavyansk-on-Kuban, a court fined local resident Anton Kolyadin, recognizing that his comments on a social network discredited the Russian Armed Forces. FSB officers identified comments that undermine the interests and security of the country.

The Kirovsky District Court of Astrakhan returned to the police a case instituted against local resident Aslan Kuanyshev for discrediting the Russian Army, pointing out violations in the case materials.

Anniversary of terror act in Beslan

On September 1-3, North Ossetia holds a series of mourning events to mark the 20th anniversary of the school siege. The cultural and patriotic centre for the prevention of terrorism “Beslan. School No. 1” will be open to visitors for all three days.

At 09:00 on September 1, a mourning ceremony began in the yard of the school No. 1 in Beslan. Some participants of the ceremony wore T-shirts with an image of an angel and held in their hands the photographs of the people who fell victim to the terror act. A presentation of the “Flowers of Beslan” project and a press conference with victims of the terror act in 2004 are planned to be held at the school No. 1 in Beslan. In the evening, people lit candles in the school yard.

On September 2, activist will hold the round table “Remember to Live”, a presentation of the book “Red Cross. Beslan, We Are Together”, and a screening of the documentary film “Citizens of Beslan” directed by Vadim Tsalikov. On September 3, people will lay flowers and wreaths at the “Tree of Sorrow” memorial.

Official data on natives of Southern Russia perished in Ukraine

By September 1, the authorities and the law enforcement bodies reported about at least 4801 residents of Southern Russia perished in Ukraine, including 2291 residents of the North-Caucasian Federal District (NCFD) and 2510 residents of the Southern Federal District (SFD).

In Dagestan, the authorities reported about 990 local residents perished in Ukraine, in the Volgograd Region – 916, in the Krasnodar Territory – 542, in the Rostov Region – 535, in the Stavropol Territory – 463, in the Astrakhan Region – 367, in North Ossetia – 306, in Chechnya – 207, in Kabardino-Balkaria – 159, in Kalmykia – 90, in Ingushetia – 86, in Karachay-Cherkessia – 80, and in Adygea – 60.