Watchdog

Student protests against the regime of Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinejad continue.

A protest was held today by students at the Islamic Azad University in southern Tehran. Reports say more than 1,000 students participated.

The students chanted “Allah Akbar,” “Death to the Dictator,” and “Ya Hossein, Mir Hossein," in support of opposition politician Mir Hossein Musavi, who lost to Ahmadinejad in a disputed election in June.

A number of protests against Ahmadinejad and his allies have been held at universities in Tehran and other cities since the beginning of the academic year in late September.

(by Golnaz Esfandiari)

The government in the Russian republic of Kabardino-Balkaria is offering a cash reward for information leading to the arrest of those who assassinated Ingush opposition leader Maksharip Aushev, RFE/RL's Russian Service reports.

The amount of the reward was not made public.

Aushev, a prominent opposition activist and editor in chief of ingushetia.ru, was shot dead in his car near Nalchik, the capital of Kabardino-Balkaria, on October 25. A passenger in the car was also injured.

Aushev was also a wealthy businessman and outspoken critic of former Ingushetian President Murat Zyazikov, though he was deemed a supporter of current President Yunus-Bek Yevkurov.

Yevkurov said in a statement that Aushev's killing is a "heinous crime intended to destablilize the region."

Aushev was buried in Ingushetia on October 26.

Roza Malsagova, the former editor in chief of ingushetia.ru, told RFE/RL that human rights activists are concerned about the safety of another Ingush opposition activist, Magomed Khazbiev.

She said the activists believe Aushev was killed for his social and political activities.

Aushev is the fourth activist to have been murdered in the volatile republics of Russia's North Caucasus this year.