The statement, signed by Russian human rights activists Lev Ponomarev, Yuri Samodurov, Ernst Cherny and Father Gleb Yakunin, notes that accusations of extremism by representatives of the human rights movement are far-fetched and speculative. Russian justice displays complete subjectivity, if not “tastefulness,” in the fight against extremism. Therefore, the warning issued to Memorial is not just another manifestation of political censorship.

The Russian “party in power” has been searching for a suitable ideology for the fifth year in a row. If at first this search was not too diligent - it was enough to speak out “for everything good and against everything bad” and support the current president - now it’s time to decide what exactly is considered good and what is bad. The President, at least according to the current Constitution, is serving out his last term. A successor has not yet been appointed - there is no one to follow.

The Foundation’s congratulatory statement specifically notes that as a lawyer, Yuri Schmidt has been tirelessly seeking compliance with legal standards in trials of his clients for many years. “He has been subjected to a lot of harassment recently because of his activities. Therefore, the award is a gesture of solidarity with Yuri Schmidt and many other people fighting for human rights in Russia, on the one hand, and an appeal to the Russian government, on the other,” the document says.

The composition and status of the advisory council of religious organizations of the CE has not yet been determined, but parity representation of the traditional faiths of Europe in it is being discussed. The powers of the council are limited: like other public chambers of the Council of Europe, it will only receive the right of a recommendatory vote.

The ex-head of YUKOS, who is serving a sentence in a colony in the Chita region, began a long visit with his mother and wife, which will end on March 3. According to the Khodorkovsky Press Center, leaving the colony the night before, Mikhail Khodorkovsky’s mother Marina Filippovna said that her son had become completely gray and “looks as if someone gave him this life, and he is now living it.” According to her, her son is very worried because he is not allowed to write and publish articles.

In the regions Ramzan I March 1, 2006 Julia Latynina The Prime Minister of Chechnya Sergei Abramov resigned, with the eastern modesty, wishing that his respected deputy Ramzan Kadyrov would become his successor. Russia was immediately in itself from the process: in Chechnya the world, and why in some republic to appoint some prime ministers? - They made it clear from the Kremlin. Let themselves be appointed in the republic.

Mikhail Trepashkin was transferred today from the colony in Nizhny Tagil to pre-trial detention center No. 1 in the city of Yekaterinburg. Lawyers still do not lose hope that their client’s next trip will take place home, to Moscow. On March 15, the Sverdlovsk Regional Court will consider a cassation appeal against the decision of the Tagilstroevsky District Court, which denied Trepashkin parole.

About 15-17 representatives of Islamic states, mostly former government officials, will take part in the group's work. From the Russian side, the group will be chaired by the head of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation, Evgeny Primakov.

Port special economic zones will soon appear in Russia. According to Vedomosti, a corresponding bill may be submitted to the government as early as April. New zones are planned to be created on the territory of international sea cargo ports and cargo terminals of international airports, and their status will be distributed on a competitive basis.

They hope to begin a productive dialogue on the Israeli problem with the leaders of the party that won the Palestinian elections in Moscow. The Kremlin believes that this will allow Hamas to be seen as a legitimate and useful part of the Middle East region. Meanwhile, as the head of the delegation, Khaled Mashal, noted in an interview with the Vremya Novostey newspaper, coming to Russia, as well as to other countries, is not associated with any conditions.

An explosion occurred in the building of the FSB Directorate in the Nizhny Novgorod Region on Wednesday morning. The incident reportedly occurred as a result of careless handling of a flash-and-sound grenade. Two department employees were injured. One received moderate injuries, the second - light. The military prosecutor's office of the Nizhny Novgorod garrison began an investigation into this fact.

The Arab communications satellite Arabsat 4A, launched on February 28 using the Russian Briz-M upper stage, will most likely be considered lost. As a representative of Roscosmos reported today, the problem with the launch of the satellite, carried out, according to the contract, by the Khrunichev Center, arose during the second activation of the Briz-M upper stage. The satellite, lost in space, was intended to provide television broadcasting services to the countries of the Middle East.

In the Kremlin Love us with black March 1, 2006 Alexander Golts Disappointed in its own regular propagandists, the Russian leadership decisively undertook to independently improve the image of the country abroad. A decisive battle for the slanderers of Russia is given to their, slanderers, territories. Namely, on the pages of the American newspaper Wall Street Journal, which, as a rule, publishes articles that sharply criticize the Kremlin’s policy.

Members of the delegation of the Palestinian group Hamas received Russian visas. It is reported that the delegation, accompanied by 10-15 security guards, will fly to Moscow from Damascus. Representatives of the Russian Foreign Ministry today once again confirmed that Vladimir Putin, who was the first to announce an invitation to Hamas to Moscow, will not meet with the leadership of the delegation.

The fluttering tricolors, white cheburashki, actors, directors, ministers and politicians who are advantageously promoting against the backdrop of the Olympiad, plus our athletes who win and do not give up, is a country that has been moving to Turin for a while. What except the Olympics? Kiriyenko in Iran, rich heiresses at the debutant’s ball in Vienna, popular-patriarchal villages with capital names and cute rural joys-this is the country on the air of federal television channels last week.