The Russian nationalist movement Russkaya Obshchina (Russian Community) has publicly backed Moscow police officers who forcibly removed the hijab of Fatima Aliyeva, a doctor from Dagestan. In a post on its Telegram channel, the group accused the woman of deliberately provoking the incident and attempting to discredit law enforcement. It also pledged to defend the officers if, in its view, they faced persecution or threats against their relatives.
Eleven Ukrainian citizens held in the basement of the Georgian border checkpoint "Dariali" on the border with Russia have begun an indefinite hunger strike. More than 90 Ukrainian citizens deported from Russia are there with them, many for more than a month. It is reported that among them are people with HIV and tuberculosis.
According to media reports, the detainees are not being provided with food and medical care. Georgian authorities claim that many of them have criminal records for serious crimes and do not have the necessary documents, thereby posing a threat to the country.
The detainees are demanding a meeting with a representative of the Ukrainian consulate, an explanation of the reasons for their detention, the opportunity to leave Georgia or apply for international protection, as well as a medical examination and an end to their illegal detention.