Caucasian Knot

25/06/2025

Court of Appeal overturns Ardzinba's arrest

The court in Adler has ruled to release Adgur Ardzinba, an Abkhaz oppositionist, from custody. The decision was made amid an intention to hold a public meeting in support of the politician.

On June 21, Adgur Ardzinba, a former presidential candidate of Abkhazia, was arrested for 14 days in Sochi due to an incident with crossing the state border back in April.

The appellate court session has decided to terminate Adgur Ardzinba's administrative arrest. The petition for release was granted in full, the “Respublika” outlet has reported today.

Adgur Ardzinba will be released from custody on June 24 at 6:15 p.m. Moscow time, the report says.

According to the report placed in the website of the Adler Court, the appeal against Adgur’s arrest was filed with the court on June 23.

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The court in Adler has ruled to release Adgur Ardzinba, an Abkhaz oppositionist, from custody. The decision was made amid an intention to hold a public meeting in support of the politician.

25/06/2025

Bastrykin reacts to appeal on violation of housing rights of Kuban residents

In their video appeal to Alexander Bastrykin, the Chairman of the Investigating Committee of the Russian Federation (ICRF), a family from the Seversky District of the Krasnodar Territory (also known as Kuban by the name of the main river) told about how local authorities are preventing payments under the Kherson certificate, because of which people risk being left without their only housing. Mr Bastrykin has demanded to conduct a check.

In their video appeal, the members of the family that moved to Kuban from the city of Kherson claim that regional authorities are preventing payment under the Kherson certificate for the house they live in. The house in the village of Kaluzhskaya, purchased under the certificate, is the only home of this family. If the Krasnodar Territorial Administration fails to make the payment, the former owner of the house can evict the family out through the court.

More: https://eng.kavkaz-uzel.eu/articles/66420

25/06/2025

Arrest of three “Meydan TV” journalists extended
A Baku court has extended the arrest term of Ainur Elgyunesh, Nurlan Gakhramanly and Aitadj Tapdyg by three months. During the court session, the defence stated that the charges of smuggling brought against the “Meydan TV” journalists were unsubstantiated.

Today, the Khatai District Court of Azerbaijan has considered the prosecutor's motion to extend the arrest of several journalists arrested under the "Meydan TV” case.

During the separate court hearings, the arrest terms of Ainur Elgyunesh, Nurlan Gakhramanly (Libre) and Aitadj Akhmedova (Tapdyg) were extended by another three months, the “Meydan TV” has reported.

Their advocates objected to the motion, stating that there was no need to extend their clients’ arrest. They emphasized that the journalists had committed no crimes. According to the defence, although the journalists are accused of smuggling, there are no proofs to that effect.

More: https://eng.kavkaz-uzel.eu/articles/66419

24/06/2025

Two oppositionists convicted in case on failure to appear at Georgian parliamentary commission

In Tbilisi, a court sentenced opposition politicians Mamuka Khazaradze and Badri Djaparidze to eight months of imprisonment. Thus, the number of those convicted for failing to appear when summoned by the parliamentary investigative commission has grown to three.

Court hearings on similar cases against Mamuka Khazaradze, a spokesperson for the leaders of the “Strong Georgia” opposition coalition and the “Lelo” Party, and Badri Djaparidze, one of the leaders of the “Lelo” Party, were also scheduled for June 23.

The Tbilisi City Court found Badri Djaparidze guilty of failing to appear at a meeting of the parliamentary investigative commission and sentenced him to eight months of imprisonment. The court also deprived Badri Djaparidze of the right to hold office for two years. The defendant did attend the court hearing, as he stayed at the “Lelo” Party’s office. Earlier, Badri Djaparidze paid the bail chosen as a pre-trial restriction measure, the “InterPressNews” reports.

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In Tbilisi, a court sentenced opposition politicians Mamuka Khazaradze and Badri Djaparidze to eight months of imprisonment. Thus, the number of those convicted for failing to appear when summoned by the parliamentary investigative commission has grown to three.

24/06/2025

Investigation into case against 19 defendants in case on terrorist attack in “Crocus City Hall” completed.

The investigation into a criminal case against nineteen defendants accused of involvement in the terrorist attack in the “Crocus City Hall” concert hall in the Moscow Region has been completed. The criminal case has been transferred to the prosecutor’s office. Six more persons remain under investigation in the criminal case on the terrorist attack.

The criminal case against nineteen defendants accused of involvement in the terrorist attack in the “Crocus City Hall” concert hall has been sent to the prosecutor’s office for transfer to court, and the investigation with regard to two organizers and four members of a terrorist organization is still ongoing, reports Svetlana Petrenko, a spokesperson for the Investigating Committee of the Russian Federation (ICRF).

The investigation into the criminal case against Shamsidin Fariduni, Dalerdjon Mirzoev, Mukhammadsobir Fayzov, Saidokrami Murodali Rachabalizoda, Shakhromdjon Gadoev, Zubaydullo Ismoilov, Khusein Khamidov, Mukhammad Zoir Sharipzoda, Yakubdjoni Davlatkhon Yusufzoda, Nazrimad Lutfulloya, Djumakhon Kurbonov, Khusein Medov, Djabrail Aushev, Alisher Kasimov, Umedjon and Mustakim Soliev, Isroil Islomov, as well as Dilovar and Aminchon Islomov has been completed. According to the investigators’ version, all of the above-mentioned defendants were members of the “Vilayat Khorasan” terrorist organization, banned in Russia. Depending on the role of each defendant, they are accused of particularly grave crimes.

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The investigation into a criminal case against nineteen defendants accused of involvement in the terrorist attack in the “Crocus City Hall” concert hall in the Moscow Region has been completed. The criminal case has been transferred to the prosecutor’s office. Six more persons remain under inv...

24/06/2025

Journalist Mziya Amaglobeli’s vision severely deteriorated in custody

Mziya Amaglobeli, a founder of the “Netgazeti” and “Batumelebi” publications, has become almost blind in one eye while being kept in custody. The journalist’s vision in her other eye has also severely deteriorated.

On June 23, a court left the journalist in custody.

The Mziya Amaglobeli’s vision has drastically deteriorated because of her detention in custody, the “Georgia-Online” portal reported on June 23 with reference to Gela Mtivlishvili, an editor of the “Mtis Ambebi” online publication.

Gela Mtivlishvili has noted that Mziya Amaglobeli had previously had vision problems, but the latest examination showed that the journalist’s vision in her right eye was 10%, and in her left – only 0.04%. That is, with her left eye, Mziya Amaglobeli can actually distinguish only light and darkness.

The journalist’s colleague claims that if before the imprisonment, the Mziya Amaglobeli’s vision could be improved with the help of medical intervention at least in her right eye, then now this is essentially impossible.

Mziya Amaglobeli, a founder of the “Netgazeti” and “Batumelebi” publications, has become almost blind in one eye while being kept in custody. The journalist’s vision in her other eye has also severely deteriorated.

24/06/2025

Azeri researcher Samedov sentenced to 15 years in jail

Bakhruz Samedov, a postgraduate student at the Charles University in the Czech Republic, accused of treason, has been sentenced to 15 years of freedom deprivation by a Baku court.

Bakhruz Samedov, a researcher and a postgraduate student at the Charles University in the Czech Republic, accused of treason, has been sentenced to 15 years of freedom deprivation by the Baku Court of Grave Crimes, the “Medan TV” has reported.

According to the decision of Judge Elnur Nuriev, the sentence will be served in a maximum security correctional facility, the “haqqin.az” outlet has clarifies.

More: https://eng.kavkaz-uzel.eu/articles/66413

Bakhruz Samedov, a postgraduate student at the Charles University in the Czech Republic, accused of treason, has been sentenced to 15 years of freedom deprivation by a Baku court.

24/06/2025

Karapetyan's defence recalls appeal against his arrest

The defence of the arrested Russian entrepreneur, Samvel Karapetyan, has withdrawn its appeal complaint against the ruling to arrest him because of the judge who will hear the case, Armen Feroyan, Karapetyan's advocate, has informed.

Armen Feroyan, who represents Mr Karapetyan’s interests, has issued a statement in which he announced the withdrawal of the appeal complaint against his client’s the arrest. "I filed an appeal against the clearly illegal decision to detain Samvel Karapetyan under a fabricated criminal case on June 19, 2025, to the Criminal Court of Appeal. However, with unprecedented speed, which probably indicates some outside interference, the case materials were promptly transferred to Judge Armen Danielyan," the statement says.

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The defence of the arrested Russian entrepreneur, Samvel Karapetyan, has withdrawn its appeal complaint against the ruling to arrest him because of the judge who will hear the case, Armen Feroyan, Karapetyan's advocate, has informed.

24/06/2025

“Russian Community” treats incident involving Chechens in Lyublino as provocation

Activists of the “Russian Community” Movement acted legally in Lyublino and didn’t try to detain Chechen children, but they themselves fell victim to a provocation, the movement's coordinator has stated.

A video appeal of the “Russian Community” was posted late in the evening on June 22 in its Telegram channel. "One of our coordinators, Andrei Tkachuk, on attempts to denigrate the ‘Russian Community’," the video's annotation says.

In the video footage, a man addresses his comrades in the "Russian Community", assuring them that "we are working absolutely legally."

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Activists of the “Russian Community” Movement acted legally in Lyublino and didn’t try to detain Chechen children, but they themselves fell victim to a provocation, the movement's coordinator has stated.

23/06/2025

PO demands to seize land under cottage village in Gelendjik

The court has accepted for consideration the claim lodged by the Prosecutor's Office (PO) of the Krasnodar Territory, which has demanded to seize the land under the cottage village Mayak (Beacon) in the city of Gelendjik in favour of the state, and to recognize the houses built there as unauthorized construction and demolish them.

The claim of the above PO in defence of the interests of an indefinite number of persons and the Russian Federation in connection with the loss of the state's rights to a plot of land in the dwelling settlement of Kabardinka, where the elite cottage village Mayak was built, was submitted for consideration to the Gelendjik City Court.

The PO has demanded to seize the land plot worth about a billion roubles in favour of the state; and to recognize the cottages themselves as unauthorized constructions and demolish them, the “Kommersant” outlet has written today, on June 23.

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The court has accepted for consideration the claim lodged by the Prosecutor's Office (PO) of the Krasnodar Territory, which has demanded to seize the land under the cottage village Mayak (Beacon) in the city of Gelendjik in favour of the state, and to recognize the houses built there as unauthorized...

23/06/2025

Conflict between Apti Alaudinov and Schema-Abbot Gavriil resolved by order “from above”

The conflict between Apti Alaudinov and Schema-Abbot Gavriil provoked wider public outcry than its participants could have imagined, and the rapid reconciliation has been connected with the influence “from above” on both the commander of the “Akhmat” special forces, on the other side, and the schema-abbot and Orthodox activists, on the other side, analysts believe.

Political analyst Sergey Boyko, an officer of the Adam Smith Research Centre, Olga Sibiryova, an activist of the “Sova”* Research Centre, and Sergey Chapnin, the director of communications at the Centre for Orthodox Studies at Fordham University, commented on the conflict between Apti Alaudinov and Father Gavriil to the “Caucasian Knot”.

The story with the Apti Alaudinov’s apologies to Schema-Abbot Gavriil is a reflection of the new balance of power, in which the weight of the Chechen security forces has significantly decreased, political analyst Sergey Boyko believes. “In addition, Chechen political consultants are trying to absorb figures like Father Gavriil. However, it’s too early to say that this is a single ideological project. Rather, it’s just additional processing of the information occasion,” the political analyst told a “Caucasian Knot” correspondent.

More: https://eng.kavkaz-uzel.eu/articles/66411

*Included by the Russian Ministry of Justice (MoJ) into the register of foreign agents.

The conflict between Apti Alaudinov and Schema-Abbot Gavriil provoked wider public outcry than its participants could have imagined, and the rapid reconciliation has been connected with the influence “from above” on both the commander of the “Akhmat” special forces, on the other side, and th...

23/06/2025

Mikhail Kavelashvili pardons 37 convicts

Georgian President Mikhail Kavelashvili pardoned 37 convicts. According to the authorities’ report, the decision was made in the public interest.

On June 21, Mikhail Kavelashvili pardoned 37 convicts, the “Georgia News” agency reports with reference to the press service for the President of Georgia.

Twenty-nine of the pardoned citizens were serving their sentences not involving imprisonment, and five more were kept in prisons. Three more had their convictions expunged. The names of those pardoned are not disclosed, and the decision was made, according to the press service for the President of Georgia, based on the principles of “humanism and in connection with the state interest.”

On January 19, Georgian President Mikhail Kavelashvili pardoned 613 convicts in connection with the Epiphany holiday. In April, Mikhail Kavelashvili pardoned other 33 people, and the decision was made in connection with the celebration of the Easter holyday.

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Georgian President Mikhail Kavelashvili pardoned 37 convicts. According to the authorities’ report, the decision was made in the public interest.