Persoverzicht Tjsetsjenië - oktober 2011
3 oktober 2011
Two policemen killed in Dagestan blast: (i) Two police officers were killed in a car explosion on Sunday night in Dagestan. The media report that the car might have been blown up by a suicide bomber. (ii) According to a report released by the US-based Centre for Strategic and International Studies, al-Qaeda is providing support to militants in the North Caucasus. (MT, RIAN)
6 oktober 2011
City Day festivities in Grozny as Kadyrov turns 35: City Day festivities were held yesterday in Grozny with the participation of actor Jean-Claude Van Damme, violinist Vanessa Mae and other celebrities. The festivities coincided with Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov's 35th birthday. Answering a question on sources of funding for Chechnya, Kadyrov replied: "Allah gives it to us." (Lenta.ru, MN, Vedomosti)
11 oktober 2011
Attempt on the life of former head of Chechen/Ichkerian sharia court prevented in Turkey: The press reports on the prevention by Turkish police of an attempt of the life of Shamsuddin Batukayev, former head of the Chechen/Ichkerian sharia court. Two suspects have reportedly been detained in Istanbul, including former Chechen field commander Uvais Akhmadov. (Kommersant, Lenta.ru)
13 oktober 2011
Two 'Russian marches' may be held in Moscow: Moskovskie Novostireports on a split among Russian nationalist groups since some of them are dissatisfied with the activity of leaders of the Russkiye ('Russians') movement Dmitry Dyomushkin and Alexander Belov (Potkin) and their recent visit to Chechnya. The daily cites plans by some nationalist groups to stage an alternative 'Russian march' in Moscow on 4 November. Organisers of an alternative march plan to bring up to 3,000 people to the streets. (MN)
Spartak football fan murder case:The Moscow City Court will hold hearings behind closed doors of the case over the murder of Spartak football fan Yury Volkov, who was killed in a brawl in July 2010 in Moscow. Two natives of Chechnya have been charged in the case. (Kommersant, Novye Izvestia)
14 oktober 2011
VEB may finance construction of ski resort in Chechnya: According to Vedomosti, Vnesheconombank (VEB) may provide a RUR10.2 billion loan to 'Veduchi' company for the construction of a ski resort in Chechnya. (Vedomosti)
18 oktober 2011
Chechen leader praises Commission on Reconciliation: Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov praised the work of Chechnya's Commission on Reconciliation for blood feud which was set up in August 2010 and announced that "there are no blood feud conflicts in Chechnya anymore." The Commission on Reconciliation has fulfilled its task and will be abolished. (MN, NG)
20 oktober 2011
Russian officer, his mother convicted of spying for Georgia: The North Caucasus District Military Court yesterday found Russian army officer David Aliyev and his mother, Irina Aliyeva, guilty of spying for Georgia and sentenced them to ten and eight years imprisonment, respectively. (Izvestia, Kommersant)
21 oktober 2011
Several students detained as Medvedev holds meeting at MGU: Several Moscow State University (MGU) students were temporarily detained by officers of the Federal Guard Service (FSO) on Thursday after appearing with posters bearing tough questions (e.g. about Khodorkovsky) as President Medvedev arrived at MGU's Journalism Faculty for a meeting with students. Kommersant writes that 60 out of 279 participants of the meeting represented the pro-Kremlin youth group Nashi ('Ours'). An activist of the Mestnye ('Locals') youth group told the daily that he was invited by head of the Federal Agency for Youth Affairs Vasily Yakemenko. During the meeting, Medvedev paid special attention to interethnic relations. He said inter alia that people who put forward slogans such as 'Stop feeding the Caucasus' are "either not very smart or provocateurs." (Gazeta.ru, Kommersant, MN, MT, Novye Izvestia, RG)
Jury delivers guilty verdict in football fan murder case: A jury at the Moscow City Court yesterday handed down guilty verdicts on the six defendants in the murder case of Spartak Moscow football fan Yegor Sviridov, who was killed in a brawl with natives of the Northern Caucasus in December 2010. Aslan Cherkesov, a resident of Kabardino-Balkaria, was found guilty of intentionally murdering Sviridov. The investigators' handling of the case sparked ethnically motivated riots on Moscow's Manezhnaya square on 11 December. (Izvestia, Kommersant, RG)
24 oktober 2011
Nationalist rally held in Moscow: Up to 400 people participated in an authorised rally under the slogan 'Stop feeding the Caucasus' on Saturday in Moscow. Alongside nationalist activists, prominent anti-corruption blogger Alexei Navalny and opposition politician Vladimir Milov took part in the rally. Kommersant highlights the participation of former leader of the DPNI Alexander Belov (Potkin). Nezavisimaya Gazeta calls the action a "general rehearsal" of a 'Russian march' planned for 4 November in Moscow. Also on Saturday in Moscow, activists of the unregistered Party of People's Freedom (PARNAS), the unregistered party Other Russia, the Solidarity movement and Left Front took part in an authorised opposition rally. According to co-leader of the PARNAS party Boris Nemtsov, up to 1,500 people participated in the action. (Gazeta.ru, Kommersant, NG, Novye Izvestia)
26 oktober 2011
Medvedev, Putin meet United Russia activists in Stavropol: President Medvedev and PM Putin jointly visited the Stavropol territory (the Northern Caucasus) on Tuesday for meeting with farmers and United Russia activists ahead of December's Duma elections. Medvedev stressed that any attempts to fuel ethnic tensions must be cut short. (Kommersant, KP, NG, RG; Ekho Moskvy)
27 oktober 2011
Two Chechens killed in Turkey involved in Domodedovo airport bombing?: The Investigative Committee announced that Russian investigators were probing the murders of two Chechens last month in Turkey as part of an investigation into the 24 January 2011 suicide bombing at Moscow's Domodedovo airport. Kommersant reports that the Russian authorities have requested legal assistance from Turkey in connection with the Domodedovo attack. The press recalls that three former Chechen militants were killed in Istanbul in September. Turkish media speculated that Russian special services might have been involved in the murders. (Gazeta.ru, Izvestia, Kommersant, MT, RG)
Jury delivers guilty verdict in football fan Volkov murder case: A jury at the Moscow City Court yesterday delivered a guilty verdict to two natives of Chechnya - Akhmedpasha Aidayev and Bekkhan Ibragimov – in the murder case of FC Spartak Moscow fan Yury Volkov, who was killed in a brawl in July 2010. Volkov's death has provoked public rallies. (Gazeta.ru, Kommersant, MT, Novye Izvestia, RG)
28 oktober 2011
Prosecutor seeks 20 years imprisonment in football fan murder case: The prosecutor has asked the Moscow City Court to sentence to 20 years imprisonment native of Chechnya Akhmedpasha Aidayev, who had been found guilty by a jury of murdering FC Spartak Moscow fan Yury Volkov in July 2010 in Moscow. The prosecutor has asked the court to sentence to eight years imprisonment the second defendant in the case, Bekkhan Ibragimov. (ITAR-TASS)
31 oktober 2011
Two indicted in Politkovskaya murder case: Investigators have brought charges against native of Chechnya Lom-Ali Gaitukayev and his nephew, Ibragim Makhmudov, in the murder case of Novaya Gazeta reporter Anna Politkovskaya. Earlier, brothers Rustam and Dzhabrail Makhmudov and former police officer Sergey Khadzhikurbanov were indicted in the case. (Interfax, Kommersant)