Supreme Court Upholds Mail Inspection Regulations

Russia's Supreme Court rejected a journalist's claim, supported by the General Prosecutor's Office, that recent Ministry of Communications regulations illegally permit law-enforcement bodies to inspect mail without a court order. The Ministry argued, with the support of the Federal Security Service, that the regulations assume the need for a court order, but that if necessary the court's approval can be obtained after the fact. The reasons for the Supreme Court's rejection of the journalist's challenge will be set forth in a subsequent opinion.


http://lenta.ru/news/2009/09/11/law/

http://10.vedomosti.ru/newspaper/print/2009/09/14/213773

UN Adopts Resolution on Abkhazia and South Ossetia

The UN General Assembly adopted a Georgia-sponsored resolution calling for the return of refugees and displaced persons to Abkhazia and South Ossetia, Georgian breakaway provinces (by a vote of 48-19, with 78 abstaining). Russia condemned the resolution as “politicized and confrontational.” General Assembly resolutions are not binding on UN members.

http://lenta.ru/news/2009/09/10/resolution/

Gulag Archipelago Made Compulsory

Russia's Minister of Education and Science ordered that Alexander Solzhenitsyn’s Gulag Archipelago be compulsory high school reading. The book was published abroad in 1973 and was banned in the Soviet Union until 1989.

http://www.kommersant.ru/doc.aspx?DocsID=1234932

Energy Tycoon Liable for $210 Million for Self-Dealing

London's High Court has awarded Sibir Energy a partial award of $130 million (after a prior $80 million award) in its $400 claim against insider Chalva Tchigirinski for misappropriating the company's money. He has not appeared in the litigation.

http://www.interfax.com/3/515908/news.aspx

http://10.vedomosti.ru/newspaper/print/2009/09/09/213509

Yukos Judge Fired

The Moscow Judges Qualification Board dismissed judge Elena Yarlykova from her position for gross negligence in releasing from prison, because of a mistake in identity, a fraud defendant who faced a possible 15-year sentence. Yarlykova presided in trials that resulted in the convictions of several Yukos-related defendants.

http://russian-law.livejournal.com/50517.html

Ukrainian President: Russia Shelters Poisoners

Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko accused Russian authorities of hiding several people who attempted to poison him during his 2004 election campaign, including the former deputy head of the Ukrainian Security Council. “The persons who directly organized my poisoning have been in Moscow for four years. I have addressed the Russian president three times and requested that Ukrainian investigators question them,” Yushchenko stated.

http://gazeta.ru/politics/2009/09/08_a_3256991.shtml

Georgia Releases Turkish Skipper

A court of appeals in Georgia reconsidered the case of Turkish sea captain Mehmet Öztürk, who was sentenced to 24 years of imprisonment for delivering oil products to the Georgian breakaway province Abkhazia. The sentence was reduced to a $18,000 fine and a suspended prison term of three years. Georgia's Foreign Minister stated that the decision was made by President Mikheil Saakashvili at his meeting with the Turkish Foreign Minister, which took place hours before the court decision.


http://lenta.ru/news/2009/09/08/captain/

Moldovan Constitutional Court Dismisses Communists’ Complaint

By a 3-3 split decision the Moldovan Constitutional Court dismissed a complaint by the Communist Party challenging the hasty election of the parliament speaker before the Communists could form their parliamentary faction. The decision effectively allows the newly formed anti-communist parliamentary majority to proceed with elections for President of Moldova.

http://www.kommersant.ru/doc.aspx?DocsID=1234467

Federal Anti-Monopoly Service Drops Case Against Microsoft

The Russian Federal Anti-Monopoly Service, which announced in June two investigations in the IT sector, stated on September 7 that it is dropping the investigation into whether Microsoft had illegally limited supplies or engaged in abusive pricing.

(in Russian) http://www.fas.gov.ru/news/n_26394.shtml