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The Karelian town of Kondopoga was consumed by ethnic violence over the weekend, with angry and often drunken bands of Slavs waging an uncoordinated series of attacks on natives of the Caucasus. The situation in Kondopoga remains strained and far from peaceful. Human rights activists appeal to the Russian authorities to do utmost to prevent the nationalist attacks and xenophobia that is spreading in the Russian society and thoroughly investigate events in Kondopoga.  (07-SEP-06)
 

On September, 3rd policemen and OMON soldiers brutally broke up the rally in Moscow held in memory of Beslan victims. The investigation of tragic events in Beslan in September 2004 is being continued. Human rights activists believe that during two years the authorities made a show of investigation and didn’t try to answer the main question: “Who decided that there would be an assault and no negotiations, who violently ordered to begin the school’s storm?” (05-SEP-06)
 

On August 21st there was an explosion at the Cherkizovski market in Moscow. As a result, 10 people, including two children, died and another 50 people were severely injured. According to the investigation, the explosion was a hate crime. (26-AUG-06)
 

The new version of the law “On Counteraction to Extremist Activities” continues to attract keen attention of the independent media and human right activists. According to the amendments, adopted on July, 8th by the Russian State Duma in the third reading, any criticism against representatives of authorities could be considered as extremism. Human rights activists believe that the definition of extremism in the law is too wide and the authorities could use this law to repress any kind of dissidence, freedom of speech and make it an instrument of manipulations. (17-AUG-06)

Having abolished all independent TV channels and big media outlets, the authorities launched a campaign to liquidate all independent radio stations who openly criticized the government and the President.  This year alone two of Russia’s very few objective sources of information “Radio Svoboda’s” and “Voice of America’s” broadcasts were severely curtailed. (30-JUL-06)
 

On July 11th, ahead of the G8 summit the main leaders of Russian opposition and human rights activists gathered in Moscow for a two-day conference, called Other the Russian Federation. The conference focused on what the real the Russian Federation looks like and on ways to combat the Kremlin´s tightening grip on civil society. Trying to disturb the conference, the police detained many delegates. However, the gathering has also underscored the rifts dividing the opposition. (14-JUL-06)
 

On July 5th, the conference of non-governmental organizations “Human rights in the Russian Federation in the year of its presidency in G8 and in the Council of Europe” took place in Moscow. The conference established a systemic human rights crisis and problems with democratic institutions.  The delegates to the conference adopted a petition to the leaders of G8 nations. (10-JUL-06)
 

On June 23rd, former General Prosecutor Vladimir Ustinov’s who recently was fired from his post was involved in a bizarre shuffle, in which President Putin interchanged Ustinov and Yury Chaika, who had prior been the Minister of Justice. The Upper Chamber of the Russian Parliament took kindly to the appointment of Vladimir Ustinov to the new post, while human rights activists were naturally puzzled. (4-JUL-06)
 

In spite of mass protests and numerous statements of human rights activists, the Russian State Duma, on June 14, adopted a package of “revolutionary” laws for the Russian army in the last third reading. These laws abolish a few draft deferments and curtail the mandatory military service to 12 months from January 1, 2008. Protest actions against the abolition of draft deferments were held all over the country. (23-JUN-06)