The former head of the Nagorno-Karabakh government, former Russian citizen, and billionaire Ruben Vardanyan has been sentenced to 20 years in prison. The sentence was handed down by the Baku Military Court.

The Southern Federal Military Court has extended the pretrial detention of Rustem Aybazov, an activist from Karachay-Cherkessia and a father of five, for six months. He is accused of financing terrorism based on testimony from law enforcement and a secret witness.

According to the newspaper "Hraparak," Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II refused to testify to investigators in the criminal case brought against him. Earlier, the Mother See of Etchmiadzin (the spiritual and administrative center of the Armenian Apostolic Church) called the actions of the Investigative Committee a gross and unlawful interference in church affairs with political overtones.

The head of the Chechen Republic, Ramzan Kadyrov, announced his readiness to participate in the upcoming elections for the head of the region, subject to the support of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The Supreme Court of Chechnya overturned the sentence of Zarema Musayeva, who was sentenced to four years in a penal colony on charges of disrupting the colony's operations. The decision was made following an appeal by lawyer Alexander Savin, according to the "Team Against Torture."

On the eve of Ramadan, Russia's Chief Mufti, Ravil Gainutdin, praised the reconciliation between Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov and billionaire Senator Suleiman Kerimov of Dagestan, which took place in the Kremlin at the invitation of Vladimir Putin.

A group of 67 State Duma deputies, including leaders of all factions, has introduced a bill proposing to ban religious services and prayer meetings in non-residential premises of apartment buildings.

Georgian Interior Minister Gela Geladze stated that the banned chemical "kamit," known since World War I, has not only never been used but was also never purchased by the ministry. According to him, the Ministry of Internal Affairs uses only the same special means used in other developed countries.

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze commented on the latest amendments to the Law "On Grants," which tighten the rules governing the operation of non-governmental organizations and media outlets.

A RIA Novosti study based on Central Bank data revealed that the republics of the North Caucasus have the highest proportion of problem mortgages in Russia. The delinquency rate in Ingushetia reached 10.4% of all issued loans, in Dagestan 4.4%, and in Tyva 4.2%. Chechnya and North Ossetia were also among the regions with high delinquency rates (3.6% each).