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January 12, 2024 23:07

• Kadyrov's critics explain motives for his threats to relatives

  Threats to administrators of the Chechen oppositional Telegram channel and pressure on their relatives living in Chechnya are caused by the team's political activeness, the team members have suggested. All the critics of Chechen authorities are in danger, even if there are no direct threats against them, the "Vayfond" association has informed.

January 12, 2024 22:41

• Stavropol law enforcer got off with conditional imprisonment for disclosing state secrets

  A court in the Stavropol Territory has sentenced a former operative agent of the "K" police department (a division of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) engaged in counteracting crimes in the field of information technology, as well as illicit trafficking in radio-electronic and special technical means), to three years of probation for disclosing state secrets.

January 12, 2024 20:08

• Activist Natalia Garyaeva claims fabrication of new criminal case against her

  Natalia Garyaeva, the leader of the “Poltavskaya Against the Landfill” movement, recorded a video appeal to the President of Russia. In her video appeal, Natalia Garyaeva complains that corrupt officials interested in ensuring that the landfill in the village of Poltavskaya continues to operate are trying to fabricate a criminal case against her.

January 12, 2024 18:55

• Cassation court refuses to consider complaint filed by Orlov’s defence

  The Moscow City Court had not commit any significant violations when considering an appeal against the sentence of human rights defender Oleg Orlov under the article on discrediting the Russian Armed Forces and lawfully returned the case to the prosecutor’s office, the Second Cassation Court of General Jurisdiction concluded.

January 12, 2024 17:15

• Criminal case for discrediting militaries initiated against woman from Taganrog

  Law enforcers came to Irina Skorovarova, a resident of Taganrog, to conduct a search and reported that a criminal case had been opened against her for discrediting the Russian Army.

January 12, 2024 16:48

• Rights defender treats former combatants as potential victims of labour slavery

  The case of a former combatant who ended up in labour slavery in Kalmykia is not unique; and this trend is gaining momentum as recruiters are benefiting from people's vulnerable situation. The most problematic regions in Southern of Russia are the Rostov Region and the Stavropol Territory.

January 11, 2024 23:55

• Verdict to Mikhail Filatov, who set fire to military commissariat, upheld

  The Court of Appeal has approved the verdict passed to Mikhail Filatov, a resident of Uryupinsk, who was sentenced to 12 years in prison for setting fire to a military commissariat (registration and enlistment office).

January 11, 2024 22:13

• Former SMO participant escapes from labour slavery in Kalmykia

  After leaving the combat zone, a participant in the special military operation (SMO) in Ukraine, found himself at the railway station in Rostov-on-Don without money and agreed to an offer to work in a farm in Kalmykia, but ended up in labour slavery.

January 11, 2024 21:15

• Resident of Vladikavkaz accused of disseminating fakes about Russian Army

  A criminal case against Kazbek Alikov, accused of disseminating false information about the Russian Armed Forces, has been transferred to the Vladikavkaz District Court.

January 11, 2024 20:38

• Telegram users criticize “moral advocates” in Kuban

  A video posted on the Internet and showing a senior schoolboy dressed as a Snow Maiden displeased several local residents, who filed a complaint to the authorities about LGBT* propaganda during a New Year’s performance. There is nothing wrong with comic re-dressings, Telegram users point out.

January 11, 2024 13:58

• Rights defenders report health worsening of Chechnya native in deportation prison in Belgium

  Since 2019, Islam Albakov, a native of Chechnya, has been kept in a deportation prison in Belgium; his health condition has deteriorated greatly, he is almost blind, but does not receive full medical care, Fatima Gazieva, a human rights defender, has stated.

January 11, 2024 13:49

• Singer Sharlot apologizes to Kadyrov and Putin in court

  The musician, Eduard Sharlot, accused of rehabilitating Nazism and insulting believers' feelings, has apologized in court to the head of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov, for "insulting" him, and to Vladimir Putin, whose portrait he had tore up.

January 10, 2024 18:24

• Court hearing in case against Zhuravel, who burned Koran, postponed at defence’s request

  In Grozny, a court granted the defence’s request and postponed a court hearing in the case against Nikita Zhuravel, accused of burning the Koran.

January 10, 2024 18:18

• Human rights defenders recognize Adygea resident Tatiana Moskalenko as political prisoner

  The criminal article under which Tatiana Moskalenko, a resident of Adygea, is accused allows any defendant’s statements regarding the authorities’ actions to be interpreted as calls for action against the state. That was stated by the “Support for Political Prisoners.Memorial” human rights project.

January 10, 2024 16:12

• Czech police asks for help in the case of stealing Kadyrov's horse

  The Czech police have sent inquiries to other countries as part of the investigation into the kidnapping of the horse owned by Ramzan Kadyrov, the head of Chechnya. Besides, a genetic examination is underway to define the animal's DNA profile.

January 09, 2024 22:19

• Rights defenders assess prospects of prosecution for coming out in Stavropol Territory

  The explanation of the Stavropol Territorial Ministry of Justice (MoJ) that coming out is assessed as a statement of belonging to an extremist community has no legal force. Lawyers and human rights defenders have noted that the reasons for persecuting activists in this case are very broad.

January 09, 2024 21:18

• Court fines Volgograd activist for her pacifist statements

  Natalia Dorozhnova, an activist, has been fined for her statements in an interview that the court treated as discrediting the Russian Army. She refused to admit her guilt, reminding that the freedom of speech is enshrined in the Russian Constitution.

January 09, 2024 18:57

• Defence of Chechen Mukaev reports the risk of his return to Russia to court

  If deported to Russia, Salman Mukaev, a native of Grozny, risks persecution and violence, his defence has stated at a court session held in Yerevan. Mukaev himself said that threats to his relatives living in Chechnya stopped after the Chechen law enforcers became aware of his whereabouts.

January 09, 2024 16:21

• Picket in support of journalist Abdulmumin Gadjiev evokes response from Makhachkala residents

  Passers-by supported a solo picket in support of Dagestani journalist Abdulmumin Gadjiev, sentenced in a terrorism case, and asked about his fate, noted Magomed Magomedov, the deputy editor-in-chief of the Dagestani weekly newspaper “Chernovik” (Rough Draft).

January 09, 2024 16:08

• Chechen media remind about Kadyrov's threats to militants' relatives

  Relatives of those residents of Chechnya who are suspected of extremism must be held accountable along with them as accomplices, Ramzan Kadyrov, the head of Chechnya, has stated. Before that, on the eve of the New Year, he expressed threats to relatives of people suspected of extremism.