More than 3 billion rubles have been paid out to residents of Dagestan affected by spring floods. Fyodor Shchukin announced this on October 15 while speaking at a session of the republic’s People’s Assembly. On the same day, deputies elected him as the head of the region, following which he took the oath of office and assumed his duties.
Crimean Tatar activist Memet Belyalov, sentenced to 18 years, was transferred to IK-9 in Petrozavodsk (Karelia) and immediately placed in a strict regime barracks (SUS).
The man's relatives report that they have no contact with him and are unable to receive letters from him. Belyalov was previously transferred from a colony in the Novgorod region. There, he was sent to a punishment cell many times, including for not having time to change into a long-sleeved shirt before the colony staff arrived.
Memet Belyalov was convicted on charges of participating in the Islamic party Hizb ut-Tahrir, which is recognized as terrorist in the Russian Federation. Human rights activists noted that members of Hizb ut-Tahrir have not been known to prepare attacks or terrorist acts, and persecution in Russia is based solely on the fact that members of the group held meetings and read religious literature.