rferl--2020-02-02--Bulgaria's Fugitive Gaming Czar Arrested In U.A.E.

SOFIA -- Bulgarian gambling czar Vasil Bozhkov has been arrested in the United Arab Emirates ( U.A.E . )
on charges he is facing at home of tax fraud , attempted bribery , and organized crime , the chief prosecutor said on February 2 .
He was arrested with two other suspects , Bulgarian Prosecutor-General Ivan Geshev said from the seaside city of Varna while attending an anti-crime rally .
One of Bulgaria 's richest men , the 63-year-old Bozhkov has dominated the country 's gaming business since the early 1990s after the fall of communism .
He is believed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and owns the country 's biggest lottery among other assets that include a stake in Georgia 's national lottery , a minority stake in the Levski Sofia soccer team , and a collection of antiques and paintings .
Last week , Bozhkov was indicted in absentia on seven counts , including being a leader of an organized crime group , incitement to commit criminal offenses , and extortion .
Authorities say Bozhkov avoided paying about $ 317 million in taxes and fees related to his private lottery companies dating to 2014 .
Bozhkov @ @ @ @ @ @ @ everything is paid for in adherence with the law . ''
He added that if anything was underpaid in taxes or fees , the state could charge him retroactively to recover the shortfall .
Among the more than a dozen suspects detained in the tax-shortfall case are the current and former heads of the state gambling commission .
They are accused of providing protection to Bozhkov by shielding his companies from competition and ensuring the financial wrongdoing went unnoticed .
U.S. diplomats in 2005 alleged Bozhkov has been involved in a series of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fraud , extortion , intimidation , and racketeering , and also has close ties to organized crime groups .
The co-founder with whom Bozhkov established a gambling and casino company in 1993 , Ilya Pavlov , was shot dead a decade later , one day after he testified in the murder trial of former Bulgarian Prime Minister Andrey Lukanov , according to the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project .
Bulgaria is one of the EU 's poorest and most corrupt countries and has been criticized by the European Commission for not doing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officials and for not revamping its judiciary .
The U.A.E .
and Bulgaria do n't have a bilateral extradition agreement .
Georgi Popov , the majority owner of the Levski Sofia soccer team and business associate of Bozhkov , was also arrested in the U.A.E .
together with a third suspect .
Meanwhile , the authorities have begun preparing to confiscate more than 3,000 items in Bozhkov 's antique collection , including what local media say is a vast array of golden , silver , and bronze ancient Greek drinking horns or rhytons @

SOFIA -- Bulgarian gambling czar Vasil Bozhkov has been arrested in the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.) on charges he is facing at home of tax fraud, attempted bribery, and organized crime, the chief prosecutor said on February 2.
He was arrested with two other suspects, Bulgarian Prosecutor-General Ivan Geshev said from the seaside city of Varna while attending an anti-crime rally.
One of Bulgaria's richest men, the 63-year-old Bozhkov has dominated the country's gaming business since the early 1990s after the fall of communism.
He is believed to be worth about $1.35 billion and owns the country's biggest lottery among other assets that include a stake in Georgia's national lottery, a minority stake in the Levski Sofia soccer team, and a collection of antiques and paintings.
Last week, Bozhkov was indicted in absentia on seven counts, including being a leader of an organized crime group, incitement to commit criminal offenses, and extortion.
Authorities say Bozhkov avoided paying about $317 million in taxes and fees related to his private lottery companies dating to 2014.
Bozhkov has told RFE/RL that he believed "everything is paid for in adherence with the law."
He added that if anything was underpaid in taxes or fees, the state could charge him retroactively to recover the shortfall.
Among the more than a dozen suspects detained in the tax-shortfall case are the current and former heads of the state gambling commission. They are accused of providing protection to Bozhkov by shielding his companies from competition and ensuring the financial wrongdoing went unnoticed.
U.S. diplomats in 2005 alleged Bozhkov has been involved in a series of crimes, including money laundering, privatization fraud, extortion, intimidation, and racketeering, and also has close ties to organized crime groups.
The co-founder with whom Bozhkov established a gambling and casino company in 1993, Ilya Pavlov, was shot dead a decade later, one day after he testified in the murder trial of former Bulgarian Prime Minister Andrey Lukanov, according to the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project.
Bulgaria is one of the EU's poorest and most corrupt countries and has been criticized by the European Commission for not doing enough to prosecute and sentence allegedly corrupt officials and for not revamping its judiciary.
The U.A.E. and Bulgaria don't have a bilateral extradition agreement.
Georgi Popov, the majority owner of the Levski Sofia soccer team and business associate of Bozhkov, was also arrested in the U.A.E. together with a third suspect.
Meanwhile, the authorities have begun preparing to confiscate more than 3,000 items in Bozhkov's antique collection, including what local media say is a vast array of golden, silver, and bronze ancient Greek drinking horns or rhytons.
With reporting by AFP


rferl--2020-02-02--Ukrainian President Says Compensation Offered By Iran For Shooting Down Airliner Not Enough

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has said in televised remarks that Iran offered $ 80,000 per victim after it shot down a Ukrainian passenger jet on January 8 , but that Ukraine did not accept the offer because `` it was too little . ''
Zelenskiy added in comments made on Ukrainian 1+1 television that `` of course , human life is not measured by money , but we will push for more '' compensation for families of the victims .
Air-defense forces of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps ( IRGC ) shot down Ukrainian Airlines Flight 752 shortly after takeoff @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all 176 people on board .
Iran has said the downing was an accident , and in mid-January said it would send the black-box flight recorders to Kyiv for analysis .
However , Zelenskiy said that Ukraine had yet to receive the recorders , and that Tehran had instead suggested that Ukrainian specialists fly to Iran on February 3 to examine the black boxes .
`` I 'm afraid that the Iranians might attract our specialists and then say , 'Let 's decipher [ the recorders ] on the spot , ' and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the black boxes now ? '
'' Zelenskiy said .
`` No , we want to take these boxes [ to Ukraine ] , '' he added .
Based on reporting by TASS and Reuters

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has said in televised remarks that Iran offered $80,000 per victim after it shot down a Ukrainian passenger jet on January 8, but that Ukraine did not accept the offer because "it was too little."
Zelenskiy added in comments made on Ukrainian 1+1 television that "of course, human life is not measured by money, but we will push for more" compensation for families of the victims.
Air-defense forces of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) shot down Ukrainian Airlines Flight 752 shortly after takeoff in Tehran on January 8, killing all 176 people on board.
Iran has said the downing was an accident, and in mid-January said it would send the black-box flight recorders to Kyiv for analysis.
However, Zelenskiy said that Ukraine had yet to receive the recorders, and that Tehran had instead suggested that Ukrainian specialists fly to Iran on February 3 to examine the black boxes.
"I'm afraid that the Iranians might attract our specialists and then say, 'Let's decipher [the recorders] on the spot,' and then say, 'Why do you need the black boxes now?'" Zelenskiy said.
"No, we want to take these boxes [to Ukraine]," he added.
Based on reporting by TASS and Reuters


rferl--2020-02-02--Tajik Prosecutor's Office Confirms Independent Journalist Detained On Extremism Charges

Tajikistan 's state prosecutor has confirmed that it detained independent journalist Daler Sharifov on extremism charges .
The Dushanbe-based journalist , who often writes about domestic politics and is known for his criticism of Tajik authorities , has been in custody since January 28 , relatives told RFE/RL .
Sharifov 's lawyer , Abdurahmon Sharifov , who is no relation , told RFE/RL earlier that a court had ruled on January 30 to place the 32-year-old journalist in pretrial detention for two months , saying he was suspected of `` inciting ethnic , racial , and religious discord . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ press statement that Sharifov was detained over his publication of `` more than 200 articles and commentaries containing extremist content '' between 2013 and 2019 , AFP reported on February 2 .
The statement issued late on February 1 also said that Sharifov had published 100 copies of an unidentified text allegedly affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood movement , which was banned in Tajikistan in 2006 .
Sharifov could face five years in prison if found guilty of the charges .
Sharifov 's wife , Saida Kurbonova , told RFE/RL on January 31 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the authorities for questioning several times in the past , but had been released .
She said she was not aware of the nature of the conversations .
This time , she said , he did not receive a summons and was duped into an interrogation on January 28 at the State Security Committee .
On January 27 , police searched Sharifov 's apartment in Dushanbe and confiscated a computer and several books .
Kurbonova said all his Arabic-language books were taken .
Some in the Tajik media have suggested that Sharifov @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of speech in the country , where journalists often face pressure from the authorities .
Tajikistan , whose government controls all things religious in the mostly Muslim country , is preparing to hold parliamentary elections in March and presidential elections in November .

Tajikistan's state prosecutor has confirmed that it detained independent journalist Daler Sharifov on extremism charges.
The Dushanbe-based journalist, who often writes about domestic politics and is known for his criticism of Tajik authorities, has been in custody since January 28, relatives told RFE/RL.
Sharifov's lawyer, Abdurahmon Sharifov, who is no relation, told RFE/RL earlier that a court had ruled on January 30 to place the 32-year-old journalist in pretrial detention for two months, saying he was suspected of "inciting ethnic, racial, and religious discord."
The Prosecutor-General's Office said in a press statement that Sharifov was detained over his publication of "more than 200 articles and commentaries containing extremist content" between 2013 and 2019, AFP reported on February 2.
The statement issued late on February 1 also said that Sharifov had published 100 copies of an unidentified text allegedly affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood movement, which was banned in Tajikistan in 2006.
Sharifov could face five years in prison if found guilty of the charges.
Sharifov's wife, Saida Kurbonova, told RFE/RL on January 31 that her husband had been called in by the authorities for questioning several times in the past, but had been released. She said she was not aware of the nature of the conversations.
This time, she said, he did not receive a summons and was duped into an interrogation on January 28 at the State Security Committee.
On January 27, police searched Sharifov's apartment in Dushanbe and confiscated a computer and several books.
Kurbonova said all his Arabic-language books were taken.
Some in the Tajik media have suggested that Sharifov's detention is a blow to freedom of speech in the country, where journalists often face pressure from the authorities.
Tajikistan, whose government controls all things religious in the mostly Muslim country, is preparing to hold parliamentary elections in March and presidential elections in November.
With reporting by AFP


rferl--2020-02-02--Kosovo Parties Sign Deal To Form New Government

Kosovo 's two biggest parties have signed a deal to form a new government , nearly four months after the Balkan country held snap general elections .
The deal was signed on February 2 by Albin Kurti , the leader of the leftist-nationalist Vetevendosje ( Self-Determination ) party , and Isa Mustafa , the head of the center-right Democratic League of Kosovo ( LDK ) .
The coalition will have a narrow majority of at least 61 mandates in parliament as lawmakers from minority groupings will provide the extra amount of votes needed following the October 6 elections , where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
According to Kosovo 's constitution , a coalition government needs to include a representative of an ethnic minority .
The new coalition includes groups representing Serbs , Turks , Bosnians , and other ethnic minorities .
`` We have signed the deal , '' Kurti told a joint press conference with Mustafa .
`` We consider that it is a good deal , it is in the interest of the changes that must necessarily take place in our country , '' Mustafa said .
Coalition talks had stalled for months over government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the government will be made up of 15 ministries , with Vetevendosje and the LDK appointing six ministers each .
The remaining three posts will be filled by representatives from ethnic minorities .
The early elections were triggered by Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj ’ s resignation in July after war crimes prosecutors at The Hague summoned him for questioning over his wartime role as a commander of the Kosovo Liberation Army ( UCK ) .
The election campaign was dominated by issues of corruption , high unemployment , and a possible peace deal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its former province 's independence .
Kosovo has been recognized by more than 110 states since declaring independence from Serbia in 2008 , but continues to face diplomatic and institutional hurdles stemming from nonrecognition by Serbia , Russia , and a handful of European Union states .
Talks on normalizing diplomatic relations with Serbia were derailed in 2018 by Pristina 's imposition of 100 percent tariffs on Serbian goods in response to Belgrade 's continued lobbying for countries to reverse their recognition of Kosovo .
International hopes on restarting those talks -- potentially @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clearing other obstacles -- appear pinned on the next government .
With reporting by Reuters and dpa

Kosovo's two biggest parties have signed a deal to form a new government, nearly four months after the Balkan country held snap general elections.
The deal was signed on February 2 by Albin Kurti, the leader of the leftist-nationalist Vetevendosje (Self-Determination) party, and Isa Mustafa, the head of the center-right Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK).
The coalition will have a narrow majority of at least 61 mandates in parliament as lawmakers from minority groupings will provide the extra amount of votes needed following the October 6 elections, where Self-Determination received 29 seats and LDK 28.
According to Kosovo's constitution, a coalition government needs to include a representative of an ethnic minority.
The new coalition includes groups representing Serbs, Turks, Bosnians, and other ethnic minorities.
"We have signed the deal," Kurti told a joint press conference with Mustafa.
"We consider that it is a good deal, it is in the interest of the changes that must necessarily take place in our country," Mustafa said.
Coalition talks had stalled for months over government posts.
Under the deal reached, the government will be made up of 15 ministries, with Vetevendosje and the LDK appointing six ministers each. The remaining three posts will be filled by representatives from ethnic minorities.
The early elections were triggered by Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj’s resignation in July after war crimes prosecutors at The Hague summoned him for questioning over his wartime role as a commander of the Kosovo Liberation Army (UCK).
The election campaign was dominated by issues of corruption, high unemployment, and a possible peace deal with Serbia, which has not recognized its former province's independence.
Kosovo has been recognized by more than 110 states since declaring independence from Serbia in 2008, but continues to face diplomatic and institutional hurdles stemming from nonrecognition by Serbia, Russia, and a handful of European Union states.
Talks on normalizing diplomatic relations with Serbia were derailed in 2018 by Pristina's imposition of 100 percent tariffs on Serbian goods in response to Belgrade's continued lobbying for countries to reverse their recognition of Kosovo.
International hopes on restarting those talks -- potentially leading to UN recognition for Kosovo and clearing other obstacles -- appear pinned on the next government.
With reporting by Reuters and dpa


rferl--2020-02-02--Kazakhstan Evacuates 83 Citizens From China

Kazakhstan says it has evacuated 83 of its citizens from the Chinese city of Wuhan , considered the epicenter of the coronavirus epidemic , as a number of countries worked to extract their citizens .
The death toll from the coronavirus outbreak in China has surged past 300 people , with a growing number of countries reporting their first cases and many imposing Chinese travel bans in an effort to slow the spread .
In a statement on February 2 , the Kazakh government said 80 of the 83 citizens flown out of the country were students .
The Kazakh @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it was halting passenger train service to China until further notice .
A French-chartered airliner with 300 evacuees landed in southern France on February , carrying citizens of France , Belgium , Denmark , the Netherlands , Slovakia , Czech Republic , and some African countries .
Passengers from an earlier French airlift are in quarantine .
Italian officials said on February 2 that an air-force plane would be returning 67 Italian nationals from Wuhan .
The Kazakh statement said an undisclosed number of Kyrgyz , Belarusian , and Armenian citizens were also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ added that those evacuated would be quarantined and tested for 14 days .
The Kazakh Health Ministry said on January 31 that 41 people in the country were being tested for the coronavirus .
Meanwhile , a death has been confirmed in the Philippines -- the first fatality reported outside of China .
The victim , a 44-year-old Chinese man from Wuhan , appears to have been infected before arriving in the island state .
Russia , Britain , and Sweden were among the most-recent countries confirming their first infections as the virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two dozen countries .
The United States and Australia are among countries putting sweeping , albeit temporary , travel restrictions on Chinese nationals or those who have traveled to China within the past two weeks .
U.S. Health Secretary Alex Azar said that `` foreign nationals , other than immediate family of U.S. citizens and permanent residents ... will be denied entry into the United States '' if they have recently traveled to China .
Meanwhile , Defense Secretary Mark Esper on February 1 approved a request from the Department of Health and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ military bases to handle 1,000 people who may have to be quarantined upon arrival from overseas due to the virus .
U.S. authorities also took the `` unprecedented '' action of putting 195 U.S. citizens who recently returned from Wuhan in quarantine for 14 days .
The moves came as U.S. health officials on February 1 confirmed an eighth case of the virus in the United States .
The United States , Japan , Britain , Germany , and other nations have advised their citizens not to travel to China .
China 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ restrict entry of Chinese nationals because of the outbreak , which has been declared a global health emergency by the World Health Organization ( WHO ) and a public health emergency by U.S. authorities .
`` While the WHO has only just specifically advised against any travel restrictions , the U.S. has decided to act in the opposite way .
This has set a bad example .
It is certainly not a gesture of goodwill , '' ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said .
Beijing has insisted it can contain the virus and called @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` unkind . ''
China 's central bank said it would offer financial support to businesses in the country damaged by the health emergency .
Nevertheless , public anger in China has continued to boil over as Wuhan 's top official acknowledged that authorities there had acted too slowly .
`` If strict control measures had been taken earlier , the result would have been better than now , '' said Ma Guoqiang , the Communist Party chief for Wuhan .
Wuhan officials have been criticized online for withholding information about the outbreak @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weeks earlier .
China has since been quarantining whole cities in Hubei , affecting tens of millions of people .
The virus broke out at a seafood market in Wuhan that reportedly sold exotic animals for consumption .
It spreads between people in droplets from coughs and sneezes , and the incubation period is between one and 14 days .
There are some indications it might be able to spread before any symptoms are apparent .
With reporting by AFP , AP , Reuters , and dpa

Kazakhstan says it has evacuated 83 of its citizens from the Chinese city of Wuhan, considered the epicenter of the coronavirus epidemic, as a number of countries worked to extract their citizens.
The death toll from the coronavirus outbreak in China has surged past 300 people, with a growing number of countries reporting their first cases and many imposing Chinese travel bans in an effort to slow the spread.
In a statement on February 2, the Kazakh government said 80 of the 83 citizens flown out of the country were students.
The Kazakh evacuation came as Russian Railways announced that it was halting passenger train service to China until further notice.
A French-chartered airliner with 300 evacuees landed in southern France on February, carrying citizens of France, Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands, Slovakia, Czech Republic, and some African countries.
Passengers from an earlier French airlift are in quarantine.
Italian officials said on February 2 that an air-force plane would be returning 67 Italian nationals from Wuhan.
The Kazakh statement said an undisclosed number of Kyrgyz, Belarusian, and Armenian citizens were also transported in the same airplane.
It added that those evacuated would be quarantined and tested for 14 days.
The Kazakh Health Ministry said on January 31 that 41 people in the country were being tested for the coronavirus.
Meanwhile, a death has been confirmed in the Philippines -- the first fatality reported outside of China. The victim, a 44-year-old Chinese man from Wuhan, appears to have been infected before arriving in the island state.
Russia, Britain, and Sweden were among the most-recent countries confirming their first infections as the virus has now been reported in more than two dozen countries.
The United States and Australia are among countries putting sweeping, albeit temporary, travel restrictions on Chinese nationals or those who have traveled to China within the past two weeks.
U.S. Health Secretary Alex Azar said that "foreign nationals, other than immediate family of U.S. citizens and permanent residents...will be denied entry into the United States" if they have recently traveled to China.
Meanwhile, Defense Secretary Mark Esper on February 1 approved a request from the Department of Health and Human Services for the potential use of military bases to handle 1,000 people who may have to be quarantined upon arrival from overseas due to the virus.
U.S. authorities also took the "unprecedented" action of putting 195 U.S. citizens who recently returned from Wuhan in quarantine for 14 days.
The moves came as U.S. health officials on February 1 confirmed an eighth case of the virus in the United States.
The United States, Japan, Britain, Germany, and other nations have advised their citizens not to travel to China.
China's Foreign Ministry blasted the U.S. decision to restrict entry of Chinese nationals because of the outbreak, which has been declared a global health emergency by the World Health Organization (WHO) and a public health emergency by U.S. authorities.
"While the WHO has only just specifically advised against any travel restrictions, the U.S. has decided to act in the opposite way. This has set a bad example. It is certainly not a gesture of goodwill," ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said.
Beijing has insisted it can contain the virus and called Washington's advice against travel to China "unkind."
China's central bank said it would offer financial support to businesses in the country damaged by the health emergency.
Nevertheless, public anger in China has continued to boil over as Wuhan's top official acknowledged that authorities there had acted too slowly.
"If strict control measures had been taken earlier, the result would have been better than now," said Ma Guoqiang, the Communist Party chief for Wuhan.
Wuhan officials have been criticized online for withholding information about the outbreak until late December despite knowing of it weeks earlier.
China has since been quarantining whole cities in Hubei, affecting tens of millions of people.
The virus broke out at a seafood market in Wuhan that reportedly sold exotic animals for consumption.
It spreads between people in droplets from coughs and sneezes, and the incubation period is between one and 14 days. There are some indications it might be able to spread before any symptoms are apparent.
With reporting by AFP, AP, Reuters, and dpa


rferl--2020-02-02--EU Foreign-Policy Chief To Visit Iran

EU Foreign-Policy Chief To Visit Iran

The European Union 's top diplomat is expected to visit Tehran on February 3 , Iran 's Foreign Ministry has said .
EU foreign-policy chief Josep Borrell will meet Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and other Iranian officials , the ministry said .
Borrell 's trip is seen as the latest attempt by the EU to save the 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers .
U.S. President Donald Trump in May 2018 unilaterally withdrew from the deal and reimposed sanctions on Iran .
The five remaining parties to the accord -- Britain , France , and Germany , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to keep the accord alive .
Tehran has gradually scaled back its commitments under the agreement .
After the U.S. killing of top Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani in January , Iran announced that it would no longer respect limits set on how many centrifuges it can use to enrich uranium .
Borrell met with Zarif on the sidelines of a conference in India on January 16 to press Tehran to `` preserve '' the increasingly fragile nuclear agreement , according to a statement released in Brussels .
Borrell told Zarif that the deal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' given rising tensions in the Middle East , the statement said .
Based on reporting by AP and AFP

A polytechnic school in Russia’s Tatarstan, a region some 900 kilometers east of Moscow, is using manufacturing facilities that are part of a nearby special economic zone to assemble Iranian attack drones and are increasingly turning to underage students as laborers, many of whom often work in exploitative conditions.
The revelations at Alabuga Polytechnic University raise troubling implications about the lengths that Russian authorities are going to in order to boost the war effort and how the advanced Iranian weaponry -- which is increasingly used to bombard Ukrainian cities and has only recently begun to be manufactured inside Russia -- could contribute to escalating tensions and rising civilian casualties.
The use of underage students as drone factory workers and the details of the manufacturing facilities were first reported by Russian independent media outlets Protokol and Razvorot, which published a series of investigations in July.
Since then, RFE/RL’s Idel.Realities has spoken with students who describe grueling working conditions and interviewed dozens of parents whose children have been enrolled at Alabuga Polytechnic University -- some as young at 15 -- who say that their children were forced to work exceedingly long hours, often without proper breaks or meals, and under hostile conditions that have deeply affected their mental health.
“My son enrolled and 2 1/2 months later he called for me to take him away,” Zhanna, who asked to be identified only by her first name to protect against reprisals for speaking about the operation, told RFE/RL. “He said to me on the phone, ‘Come and get me or I’ll die,’ so I picked him up immediately.”
Zhanna, who asked that her underage son’s name also not be used, says that she sent him from Nizhny Novgorod to study at Alabuga Polytechnic University in 2022 because of its reputation as a leading technical institution inside Russia.
The school offered students -- often between the ages of 15-18 -- an opportunity to get vocational training as part of a dual program that combines a classroom education with practical work experience. Students were also promised an opportunity to work and earn a locally competitive salary of up to 70,000 rubles ($700) a month as part of the work experience program that could further their career growth.
Live Briefing: Russia's Invasion Of Ukraine RFE/RL's Live Briefing gives you all of the latest developments on Russia's full-scale invasion, Kyiv's counteroffensive, Western military aid, global reaction, and the plight of civilians. For all of RFE/RL's coverage of the war in Ukraine, click here.
But, instead, those enrolled were encouraged and in some cases pressured into working at the drone facility, where the salaries of the mostly underage laborers are contingent on meeting tough production quotas.
“This is a textbook definition of what constitutes exploitation,” Sergei Podsytnik, an investigative journalist at Protokol who worked on the series of reports, told RFE/RL. “[Students] assemble drones, with the work taking priority over their studies.”
The pressure to fulfill these quotas has allegedly led to strenuous back-to-back days -- with some shifts lasting up to 15 hours -- with little time for sleep or adequate sustenance. Overtime work is often unpaid, further highlighting potential labor violations. Exhausted students also reported not always meeting their quotas, which led to them not earning the salary initially promised by the school. Many students came from disadvantaged backgrounds and relied on their earnings to cover costs for tuition, room, and board and would send the remainder home.
Other parents, such as Marina, said she decided to take her daughter out of the program when she discovered that she was working in apparent unsafe conditions and that staff from the school had instructed students not to tell their parents about the drone assembly work.
“This was the last straw for me,” Marina, who also asked for her identity to be concealed, told RFE/RL. “This is a dangerous production process that involves dangerous chemicals. They also forbid the kids from telling everything to their parents.”
RFE/RL sent multiple requests for comment to various staff and administrators at Alabuga Polytechnic University but received no replies.
Making Iranian Drones In Russia
The complicated and concerning dynamic at Alabuga Polytechnic University stems from growing military cooperation between Iran and Russia that has accelerated since Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Iran has said it provided drones to Russia before the start of the war, but not since. However, U.S. intelligence officials have warned for months of continued deliveries and deepening cooperation between Moscow and Tehran, saying the two sides were exploring how to set up a manufacturing plant for Iranian drones inside Russia.
According to The Wall Street Journal, an Iranian delegation visited Yelabuga in Tatarstan on January 5, touring a potential site for such a factory at the Alabuga special economic zone close to Alabuga Polytechnic University. U.S. officials released satellite images in April of the plant being built.
Russia already possesses an array of unarmed aerial vehicles, or UAVs, which are used mainly for surveillance and artillery spotting, but has turned increasingly to Tehran for attack drones.
After being forced to abandon Ukrainian territory that its troops captured in the early stretches of the war, Moscow shifted to a strategy of relentless air assaults on Ukrainian cities. These attacks often rely on a combination of cruise missiles and self-detonating drones packed with explosives to knock out electricity and running water for the civilian population in Ukraine.
So far, Iran has provided Russia mostly with so-called "suicide" drones, known as the Shahed-136, that contain a modest amount of explosives that can detonate when the drones crash into targets, military experts say.
In acquiring its own domestic assembly line, Russia could dramatically increase its stockpile of the relatively inexpensive but highly destructive weapons systems.
WATCH: Russia has resorted to using Shahed-136 drones from Iran in its war on Ukraine. Ukraine says it's already downed many of the drones, which work by slamming into their intended target, laden with explosives. Ordinary Ukrainians say they can already recognize the sound of the drones, which use two-stroke engines like lawnmowers or motorbikes. Iran has denied supplying the drones to Russia.
The arrangement also offers substantial economic and political benefits for Iran, which has sought to portray itself as neutral in the Ukraine war. The appearance of Iranian-made drones over Ukrainian cities, however, has triggered threats of new economic sanctions from the West. The United States, the European Union, and the United Kingdom have also all issued rules in recent months designed to cut off the flow of drone components to Russia and Iran.
The Washington Post reported in November 2022, citing unnamed U.S. intelligence officials, that the agreement to deliver Iranian drone schematics and materials for manufacture in Russia resulted from Iranian leaders believing that the arrangement would allow Tehran to avert new sanctions.
Foreign Recruitment And Patriotic Education
Alabuga Polytechnic University is formally not a college. All of its students are officially enrolled at nearby Yelabuga Polytechnic College, with the Alabuga institution existing on paper as a specialized program for students looking to break into high-tech industries.
Currently, about 1,000 students are studying at Alabuga Polytechnic University, with several hundred of them -- most of whom are between the ages of 15 and 17 -- involved in assembling the Iranian drones.
In addition to the work on the drones, there are other signs that point to blurred lines in Russia between the education system and the country’s military amid the war in Ukraine.
According to current and former Alabuga Polytechnic University students, team-building and organized extracurricular activities through the school often take on a “patriotic” character that may be designed to expose students to official government narratives of international events or echo talking points from state television.
Organized paintball games have become a mainstay for students, especially first-year arrivals, in which they are encouraged to compete against one another and then play together against more experienced outside players. Teachers and administration officials regularly refer to paintball as being part of a “patriotic” education needed to complement the technical aspect of their studies.
In one instance, a group of new students competed in paintball as Soviet soldiers against outside players who were dressed as troops from Nazi Germany in a capture-the-flag competition meant to simulate the World War II battle of Stalingrad. According to one student, the Nazi flag contained the compass symbol used by the NATO military alliance instead of the swastika used by Nazi Germany.
Other instances of political teachings from staff are more direct. In a recording obtained by RFE/RL from June 16, a senior administrator can be heard telling the teenagers that NATO launched a hybrid war against Russia back in 2011 and that it has slowly become more overt. The man then goes on to tell students that their hard work and exceeding long days at the drone factory are part of a nationwide struggle against the West and that their patriotism will be rewarded.
Several students and parents identified the man in the recording as Timur Shagivaleev, the director-general of the special economic zone where Alabuga Polytechnic University and the drone factory operate.
Shagivaleev did not respond to RFE/RL’s request for comment.
The man in the recording then goes on to tell students not to take holidays and to continue working “even if it's mom's birthday,” before ending his speech with, “Long live our great country.”
WATCH: Amid a new wave of Russian drone attacks on Ukraine, analysts in Kyiv are gaining useful intelligence from a collection of downed Russian aerial weapons. They have been studying the remains of Iranian Shahed drones and Russian Kinzhal missiles, among others.
Multiple current and former students told RFE/RL that students who work in the drone factory are often praised by staff, while those who have refused or asked to be reassigned due to the high workload are often publicly shamed. In some instances -- according to recordings heard by RFE/RL -- staff even encourage students to bully others who are not deemed “patriotic” enough.
According to Protokol and Razvorot’s investigations, Alabuga Polytechnic University has also turned toward recruiting foreign students to enroll. The majority of them come from African countries, but also from Central Asia and Azerbaijan, where they are promised “world class” salaries as part of the dual-track world experience program.
However, these foreign students are then given low-skill and menial tasks around the campus and the special economic zone, such as janitorial work, and are also paid lower salaries than initially promised.
Written by Reid Standish based on reporting by RFE/RL’s Idel.Realities


rferl--2020-02-02--Japanese Warship Heads For Gulf Of Oman To Help Ensure Energy Supplies

Japan has dispatched a warship to help safeguard the country 's oil supplies through the tense-but-vital waterways in the Middle East .
The helicopter destroyer Takanami on February 2 left its port near Tokyo on an assignment to protect merchant ships and oil tankers passing through the Gulf of Oman , through which flows some 90 percent of Japan 's oil .
The destroyer and its 200-member crew will operate with two P-3C maritime patrol aircraft to guard ships heading for Japanese ports , officials said .
The government of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said it was prepared to authorize @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The action remains controversial given Japan 's war-renouncing constitution written after World War II that forbids the use of military force to settle international disputes .
The mission will remain independent of other international deployments in the region , including one led by the United States and another by European countries .
Japan and other U.S. allies are attempting to balance efforts to show support for U.S. President Donald Trump while looking to minimizing risks of getting drawn into a larger conflict with Iran as tensions flare between Tehran and Washington .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ join a U.S.-led coalition to protect shipping in vital commerce lanes in the Middle East but would send its own vessels to ensure safe delivery of oil to Japan .
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga at the time said Tokyo would still cooperate closely with Washington in efforts to protect oil tankers amid a series of attacks the West and Arab allies blamed on Iran .
`` We wo n't join the United States , but will cooperate closely with them , '' Suga told a news conference .
`` Self-Defense Force assets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Japan . ''
`` Peace and stability in the Middle East is extremely important for the international society , including Japan , '' he added .
`` After we studied comprehensively what measures can be most effective , we have decided to pursue our own measures separately . ''
Several incidents in and around the Gulf of Oman , which sees around one-fifth of international oil shipments , raised tensions last year .
Tehran denied any involvement in attacks on tankers .
Trump accused Iran of carrying out June 13 attacks against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Oman , including a Japanese vessel .
No one was hurt in the attack , but the ships suffered damages .
Japan , which is heavily reliant on the import of oil products , has maintained relatively good relations with Tehran and expressed reluctance to join the U.S.-led force .
With reporting by Reuters , Bloomberg , AP , and Asahi


rferl--2020-02-02--Pompeo Praises Kazakhstan's 'Real Reforms,' Urges Pressure On China Over Xinjiang

NUR-SULTAN -- U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has lauded what he said were `` real reforms '' in Kazakhstan , saying Washington was `` here to help '' in the oil-rich country 's `` transformation . ''
Speaking to RFE/RL in the Kazakh capital Nur-Sultan on February 2 , Pompeo urged the former Soviet republic to join Washington in pressing China over its treatment of Muslim minorities in the Xinjiang region and said the United States wanted to see Central Asia `` prosper . ''
The secretary of state also commented on the message Washington was sending about press @ @ @ @ @ @ @ removal of a journalist from the pool of reporters covering Pompeo 's trip .
Pompeo was meeting with top officials in Nur-Sultan to express U.S. support as Washington competes with Moscow and Beijing for influence in the region .
Washington has seen energy-rich Kazakhstan as a counterweight to Russia in Central Asia , and U.S. oil companies have invested billions in joint ventures to develop Caspian Sea fields .
`` We want each of the nations in Central Asia to be independent and sovereign , not a supplicant or a vassal state of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' said Pompeo .
Pompeo , who arrived late on February 1 , met with President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev and his predecessor , Nursultan Nazarbaev , before heading to Uzbekistan for the final stop of a tour of five countries .
He was scheduled to meet on February 3 with Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoev , and jointly with the foreign ministers of all five Central Asian states .
In Nur-Sultan , Pompeo lauded what he said was a `` real improvement here in Kazakhstan , '' adding that there had been `` real changes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the resignation in March 2019 of Nazarbaev , who ruled the country for nearly 30 years .
`` You can see that when more American businesses come , '' Pompeo said .
`` They come as a result of the fact that conditions here are improving , that the real reforms are being made . ''
Toqaev was inaugurated as Kazakhstan 's president in June after a weakly contested election that was marred by what international observers called `` widespread voting irregularities . ''
Nazarbaev , 79 , continues to control social , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the ruling Nur-Otan party and the influential Security Council .
Opponents , critics , and rights groups say Nazarbaev , who tolerated little dissent , denied many citizens basic rights and prolonged his hold on power in the country of 18.7 million people by manipulating the democratic process .
The capital , formerly called Astana , was renamed in his honor after his sudden resignation last year .
Protests over poor living conditions and financial shortcomings have been held across Kazakhstan for almost a year after five children from one family died when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in early February 2019 .
When pressed on human rights issues in Kazakhstan , Pompeo said that `` every nation has to get this right for itself . ''
`` The Kazakhstani people must demand it , they must require it , and they need to continue to talk about it .
We hope these improvements will continue , '' he said .
WATCH : Pompeo urged countries of the world to `` provide safe refuge and asylum to those seeking to flee China . ''
Pompeo also urged Kazakh officials to join @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Muslim minorities in Xinjiang .
Human rights groups say Chinese authorities have subjected Uyghurs , Kazakhs , and other mostly Muslim ethnic groups in the northwestern region of Xinjiang to intense surveillance , arbitrary detentions , and forced indoctrination .
China is a major trading partner for the Central Asian country and the Kazakh state-controlled media have generally avoided reporting about the internment centers in Xinjiang .
Pompeo said the plight of Muslims in Xinjiang was `` a problem that 's got to be taken care of , '' as he praised @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from China who have sought refuge in the Central Asian country .
`` The United States urges all countries to join us in pressing for an immediate end to this repression , '' Pompeo said earlier on February 2 in a joint press conference with Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tileuberdi .
`` We ask simply for them to provide safe refuge and asylum to those seeking to flee China .
Protect human dignity , just do what 's right . ''
Tleuberdi , whose government has so far refused to criticize China over Xinjiang @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and focused instead on economic and security cooperation .
In August 2018 , the United Nations said an estimated 1 million Uyghurs and members of other indigenous ethnic groups in the region were being held in `` counterextremism centers . ''
The UN said millions more had been forced into so-called `` reeducation camps . ''
China denies that the facilities are internment camps .
Pompeo 's trip came days after the U.S. State Department removed a reporter from National Public Radio ( NPR ) from the traveling press pool for his five-country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ former Soviet states of Ukraine , Belarus , Kazakhstan , and Uzbekistan .
The removal of the NPR reporter from the pool accompanying Pompeo came after NPR journalist Mary Louise Kelly had pressed him about Ukraine and the dismissal of U.S .
Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch in a January 24 interview .
Kelly alleged that Pompeo yelled and swore at her during a post-interview discussion in a private room , and has said that she was never told that the conversation was off the record , which the secretary of state disputes .
Asked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ came in retaliation to his confrontational interview with Kelly , Pompeo denied that the interview was confrontational in the first place .
`` I did n't have a confrontational interview with an NPR reporter any more than I have confrontational interviews all the time in America , '' he said .
`` That is the greatness of our nation .
Reporters like yourself get to ask me any question , all questions .
We take hundreds and hundreds of questions .
We talk openly ; we express our view ; they ask their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in America . ''
Regarding the removal of the NPR journalist from the reporters ' pool , Pompeo said that `` with respect to who travels with me , I always bring a big press contingent , but we ask for certain sets of behaviors -- and that is simply telling the truth and being honest . ''
`` And when they 'll do that they get to participate and if they do n't it 's just not appropriate , '' he added .
When asked what kind of message the NPR reporter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ countries with a poor record when it comes to press freedoms , Pompeo replied : `` It is a perfect message about press freedoms . ''
`` They are free to ask questions , '' he said of journalists .
`` A reporter from that very business [ NPR ] was at a press conference just yesterday .
It is wide open in America .
I love it .
I hope the rest of the world will follow our press freedoms and the great things we do in the United States . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' meeting in Tashkent with his counterparts from Kazakhstan , Kyrgyzstan , Tajikistan , Turkmenistan , and Uzbekistan .
`` We 'll talk about security matters for sure , we 'll talk about economic integration amongst those countries , and we 'll talk about how each of these nations can transform their own countries '' in terms of political freedoms , economic conditions , and human rights , Pompeo said .
Pompeo will meet separately with Uzbek President Mirziyoev and Foreign Minister Abdulaziz Kamilov .
Mirziyoev , a former prime minister , became @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was announced in September 2016 .
Karimov had ruled Central Asia 's most populous country with an iron fist since before the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 .
Mirziyoev has taken steps to bolster the country 's struggling economy and to implement reforms in Uzbekistan -- where rights abuses had been widespread under Karimov .
Still , rights watchdogs have expressed concerns about conditions in Uzbekistan .
Freedom House , for instance , ranked Uzbekistan `` not free '' in its Freedom On The Net 2018 assessment and said the Internet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Uzbekistan also has sizable oil and gas reserves , and it has also been seen as a counterweight to Russian influence in the region .
It has allied with Washington in the war in Afghanistan and the fight against radical Islamist fighters .
During his stay in Tashkent , the top U.S. diplomat will also participate in a C5+1 ministerial summit with his counterparts from Kazakhstan , Kyrgyzstan , Tajikistan , Turkmenistan , and Uzbekistan `` to stress U.S. support for a better-connected , more prosperous , and more secure Central Asia , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Central Asia strategy , '' the State Department said .
With reporting by AFP and Reuters

NUR-SULTAN -- U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has lauded what he said were "real reforms" in Kazakhstan, saying Washington was "here to help" in the oil-rich country's "transformation."
Speaking to RFE/RL in the Kazakh capital Nur-Sultan on February 2, Pompeo urged the former Soviet republic to join Washington in pressing China over its treatment of Muslim minorities in the Xinjiang region and said the United States wanted to see Central Asia "prosper."
The secretary of state also commented on the message Washington was sending about press freedoms following the U.S. State Department's removal of a journalist from the pool of reporters covering Pompeo's trip.
Pompeo was meeting with top officials in Nur-Sultan to express U.S. support as Washington competes with Moscow and Beijing for influence in the region.
Washington has seen energy-rich Kazakhstan as a counterweight to Russia in Central Asia, and U.S. oil companies have invested billions in joint ventures to develop Caspian Sea fields.
"We want each of the nations in Central Asia to be independent and sovereign, not a supplicant or a vassal state of any other country in the region," said Pompeo.
Pompeo, who arrived late on February 1, met with President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev and his predecessor, Nursultan Nazarbaev, before heading to Uzbekistan for the final stop of a tour of five countries.
He was scheduled to meet on February 3 with Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoev, and jointly with the foreign ministers of all five Central Asian states.
In Nur-Sultan, Pompeo lauded what he said was a "real improvement here in Kazakhstan," adding that there had been "real changes" since Toqaev came to power following the resignation in March 2019 of Nazarbaev, who ruled the country for nearly 30 years.
"You can see that when more American businesses come," Pompeo said. "They come as a result of the fact that conditions here are improving, that the real reforms are being made."
Toqaev was inaugurated as Kazakhstan's president in June after a weakly contested election that was marred by what international observers called "widespread voting irregularities."
Nazarbaev, 79, continues to control social, economic, and political spheres by leading the ruling Nur-Otan party and the influential Security Council.
Opponents, critics, and rights groups say Nazarbaev, who tolerated little dissent, denied many citizens basic rights and prolonged his hold on power in the country of 18.7 million people by manipulating the democratic process.
The capital, formerly called Astana, was renamed in his honor after his sudden resignation last year.
Protests over poor living conditions and financial shortcomings have been held across Kazakhstan for almost a year after five children from one family died when their home in the capital burned down in early February 2019.
When pressed on human rights issues in Kazakhstan, Pompeo said that "every nation has to get this right for itself."
"The Kazakhstani people must demand it, they must require it, and they need to continue to talk about it. We hope these improvements will continue," he said.
WATCH: Pompeo urged countries of the world to "provide safe refuge and asylum to those seeking to flee China."
Xinjiang 'A Problem'
Pompeo also urged Kazakh officials to join Washington in pressing China over its treatment of Muslim minorities in Xinjiang.
Human rights groups say Chinese authorities have subjected Uyghurs, Kazakhs, and other mostly Muslim ethnic groups in the northwestern region of Xinjiang to intense surveillance, arbitrary detentions, and forced indoctrination.
China is a major trading partner for the Central Asian country and the Kazakh state-controlled media have generally avoided reporting about the internment centers in Xinjiang.
Pompeo said the plight of Muslims in Xinjiang was "a problem that's got to be taken care of," as he praised Kazakh authorities for not repatriating ethnic Kazakhs from China who have sought refuge in the Central Asian country.
"The United States urges all countries to join us in pressing for an immediate end to this repression," Pompeo said earlier on February 2 in a joint press conference with Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tileuberdi.
"We ask simply for them to provide safe refuge and asylum to those seeking to flee China. Protect human dignity, just do what's right."
Tleuberdi, whose government has so far refused to criticize China over Xinjiang, made no comment on the issue and focused instead on economic and security cooperation.
In August 2018, the United Nations said an estimated 1 million Uyghurs and members of other indigenous ethnic groups in the region were being held in "counterextremism centers."
The UN said millions more had been forced into so-called "reeducation camps." China denies that the facilities are internment camps.
Pompeo's trip came days after the U.S. State Department removed a reporter from National Public Radio (NPR) from the traveling press pool for his five-country trip, including Great Britain and the former Soviet states of Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan.
The removal of the NPR reporter from the pool accompanying Pompeo came after NPR journalist Mary Louise Kelly had pressed him about Ukraine and the dismissal of U.S. Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch in a January 24 interview.
Kelly alleged that Pompeo yelled and swore at her during a post-interview discussion in a private room, and has said that she was never told that the conversation was off the record, which the secretary of state disputes.
Asked whether the removal of the NPR journalist came in retaliation to his confrontational interview with Kelly, Pompeo denied that the interview was confrontational in the first place.
"I didn't have a confrontational interview with an NPR reporter any more than I have confrontational interviews all the time in America," he said. "That is the greatness of our nation. Reporters like yourself get to ask me any question, all questions. We take hundreds and hundreds of questions. We talk openly; we express our view; they ask their questions. That's how we proceed in America."
Regarding the removal of the NPR journalist from the reporters' pool, Pompeo said that "with respect to who travels with me, I always bring a big press contingent, but we ask for certain sets of behaviors -- and that is simply telling the truth and being honest."
"And when they'll do that they get to participate and if they don't it's just not appropriate," he added.
When asked what kind of message the NPR reporter's removal from the pool sends to countries with a poor record when it comes to press freedoms, Pompeo replied: "It is a perfect message about press freedoms."
"They are free to ask questions," he said of journalists. "A reporter from that very business [NPR] was at a press conference just yesterday. It is wide open in America. I love it. I hope the rest of the world will follow our press freedoms and the great things we do in the United States."
Uzbekistan
Pompeo also discussed his upcoming "C5+1" meeting in Tashkent with his counterparts from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.
"We'll talk about security matters for sure, we'll talk about economic integration amongst those countries, and we'll talk about how each of these nations can transform their own countries" in terms of political freedoms, economic conditions, and human rights, Pompeo said.
Pompeo will meet separately with Uzbek President Mirziyoev and Foreign Minister Abdulaziz Kamilov.
Mirziyoev, a former prime minister, became president after predecessor Islam Karimov's death was announced in September 2016. Karimov had ruled Central Asia's most populous country with an iron fist since before the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.
Mirziyoev has taken steps to bolster the country's struggling economy and to implement reforms in Uzbekistan -- where rights abuses had been widespread under Karimov.
Still, rights watchdogs have expressed concerns about conditions in Uzbekistan. Freedom House, for instance, ranked Uzbekistan "not free" in its Freedom On The Net 2018 assessment and said the Internet environment there remained "repressive."
Uzbekistan also has sizable oil and gas reserves, and it has also been seen as a counterweight to Russian influence in the region. It has allied with Washington in the war in Afghanistan and the fight against radical Islamist fighters.
During his stay in Tashkent, the top U.S. diplomat will also participate in a C5+1 ministerial summit with his counterparts from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan "to stress U.S. support for a better-connected, more prosperous, and more secure Central Asia, consistent with the U.S.’s new Central Asia strategy," the State Department said.
With reporting by AFP and Reuters


rferl--2020-02-01--Iran To Launch Satellite In ‘Coming Days,’ Space Agency Head Says

Iran has confirmed that it plans to launch a new scientific observation satellite in the `` coming days , '' the head of the country 's national space agency said in an interview with AFP .
Morteza Barari on February 1 did not give a specific date for the launch of the Zafar ( `` Victory '' in Persian ) satellite , but he said the 113-kilogram satellite will be launched by a Simorgh rocket 530 kilometers above the Earth , and that it will make 15 orbits a day .
His remarks came five days after satellite images suggested @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a satellite into space after three recent failed rocket launches .
Some Western leaders , including those in the United States , have complained that Iran is using technology involved in the launch of satellites that could also be used to develop ballistic missiles .
Barari told AFP that Iran advocated for the `` peaceful use of outer space .
All our activities in the domain of outer space are transparent . ''
The preparations for a rocket launch follow two failed launches of the Payam and Doosti satellites in January and February @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in August .
The U.S. pullout from Iran 's 2015 nuclear deal with world powers last year and its reimposition of sanctions against the country has heightened tensions between Tehran and Washington .
The United States has placed crippling sanctions on the Iranian economy , while Iran has gradually reduced its commitments under the deal .
Barari , who is chief of the Iranian Space Agency , said manufacturing of the Zafar satellite `` began three years ago with the participation of 80 Iranian scientists , '' adding that it was designed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ months . ''
He said the primary mission will be to collect imagery to study earthquakes , prevent natural disasters , and develop agricultural resources .
`` It will be a new step for our country , '' Barari said , adding that Iran previously had been able to put a satellite into orbit 250 kilometers above the Earth .
The agency hopes to construct five more satellites by March 2021 , Barari added .
In January 2019 , Tehran acknowledged that its Payam satellite -- which it said was designed to collect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ orbit .
Washington called the launch a `` provocation '' and a violation of a 2015 UN Security Council resolution that had endorsed the international accord on curbing Tehran 's nuclear program .
Iran has insisted it has no intention of acquiring nuclear weapons and that its aerospace activities are for peaceful purposes .
With reporting by AFP , NPR , Reuters , and AP


rferl--2020-02-01--Demonstrators Protesting Constitutional Changes Detained In St. Petersburg

At least eight people demonstrating against proposed changes to Russia ’ s constitution were briefly detained by police in St. @ @ @ @ @ Police in riot gear targeted a few dozen activists accused of violating public order .
@ @ @ @ @ signs , had rallied against constitutional changes put forward by President Vladimir Putin on January @ @ @ @ @ are seen by many as laying the groundwork for Putin 's future political role after @ @ @ @ @ in 2024 .
The proposed changes would redistribute national executive powers , allowing Russian lawmakers @ @ @ @ @ cabinet members and giving a greater role to an obscure consultative body of regional governors @ @ @ @ @ State Council .
A working group has been formed by Putin to study the proposed @ @ @ @ @ leader has promised a popular vote on the amendments .
Shortly after he proposed the @ @ @ @ @ , Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev resigned and Putin replaced him with Mikhail Mishustin , a @ @ @ @ @

At least eight people demonstrating against proposed changes to Russia’s constitution were briefly detained by police in St. Petersburg on February 1.
Police in riot gear targeted a few dozen activists accused of violating public order. Protesters, some holding handwritten signs, had rallied against constitutional changes put forward by President Vladimir Putin on January 15.
The draft proposals are seen by many as laying the groundwork for Putin's future political role after his current presidential term ends in 2024.
The proposed changes would redistribute national executive powers, allowing Russian lawmakers to name prime ministers and cabinet members and giving a greater role to an obscure consultative body of regional governors and federal officials called the State Council.
A working group has been formed by Putin to study the proposed changes, and the Russian leader has promised a popular vote on the amendments.
Shortly after he proposed the changes in his state-of-the-nation address, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev resigned and Putin replaced him with Mikhail Mishustin, a little-known tax service chief.


rferl--2020-02-03--Embattled Lion Park Owner Arrested In Crimea

A district court in Russia-controlled Crimea has jailed an embattled safari park owner in connection with his failure to appear for a court proceeding related to a lion biting a park visitor .
The Belohorsk District Court ordered on February 3 that Oleh Zubkov , the owner of the Taigan lion park , should be jailed for two months .
The decision came in part due to concerns that Zubkov would flee abroad , the Crimean press service told the Crimea Desk of RFE/RL 's Ukrainian Service .
The Crimea Desk reported that Zubkov -- who supported Moscow 's illegal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but has since been in conflict with the Russia-installed authorities -- was handcuffed and taken to a police station .
His lawyers have said they are seeking his prompt release .
Zubkov has said he has been called for hundreds of court hearings related to his operation of the park since Russia 's occupation of the peninsula .
He has claimed in the past that he has not been able to draw up documents for his properties , resulting in the closure of the 32-hectare park to visitors in 2015 .
The Taigon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Belohorsk on an abandoned Soviet military base that Zubkov purchased in 2006 , and is touted as the largest breeding ground for lions and other predator animals in Europe .
It boasts approximately 80 lions and 50 tigers , among other animals .
WATCH : Crimean Safari Park Fights For Survival His latest run-in with the courts resulted from a lawsuit stemming from a July 2018 incident in which a lion bit a visitor who was getting a picture taken while on the park 's Walk With The Lions trail .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the trail , which allowed guests to `` chat with lions without barriers . ''
The victim , Olha Solimina , told Crimea 24 television at the time that the lion `` dragged me like a doll '' and that she had said `` goodbye to life . ''
The next thing she remembered , she was standing and Zubkov was bandaging a bleeding wound , after which she was urgently taken to the park medical station .
`` I asked that the ambulance or police not be called , '' she told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said that Zubkov was nearby , but `` could n't calm his animals down right away . ''
Zubkov has acknowledged that a lion bit Solimina , claiming that she was drunk and had ruffled the animal 's mane .
He said he immediately stopped the lion and she was treated by a park doctor for a deep puncture wound to her hand .
An investigation by the consumer-protection agency Rospotrebnadzor did not find any violations , Zubkov told RFE/RL in August .
The Taigon park once attracted 500,000 visitors a year , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ annexation .
In a 2016 video shot by RFE/RL , Zubkov said that he looked back fondly on the days when he -- a Russian -- could live in Crimea under Ukraine and build safari parks .
`` Unfortunately , those days have passed , '' he said .
Zubkov 's jail sentence comes after a public spat with Sergei Aksyonov , the Russia-imposed head of Crimea , that ended in a compromise .
On his VK page on February 3 , Aksyonov said he had `` no right to interfere '' in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` to personally guarantee '' that Zubkov would appear for future court appearance if he were released from jail .

A district court in Russia-controlled Crimea has jailed an embattled safari park owner in connection with his failure to appear for a court proceeding related to a lion biting a park visitor.
The Belohorsk District Court ordered on February 3 that Oleh Zubkov, the owner of the Taigan lion park, should be jailed for two months.
The decision came in part due to concerns that Zubkov would flee abroad, the Crimean press service told the Crimea Desk of RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service.
The Crimea Desk reported that Zubkov -- who supported Moscow's illegal annexation of Crimea from Ukraine in 2014 but has since been in conflict with the Russia-installed authorities -- was handcuffed and taken to a police station.
His lawyers have said they are seeking his prompt release.
Zubkov has said he has been called for hundreds of court hearings related to his operation of the park since Russia's occupation of the peninsula. He has claimed in the past that he has not been able to draw up documents for his properties, resulting in the closure of the 32-hectare park to visitors in 2015.
The Taigon lion park is situated in the city of Belohorsk on an abandoned Soviet military base that Zubkov purchased in 2006, and is touted as the largest breeding ground for lions and other predator animals in Europe.
It boasts approximately 80 lions and 50 tigers, among other animals.
WATCH: Crimean Safari Park Fights For Survival
His latest run-in with the courts resulted from a lawsuit stemming from a July 2018 incident in which a lion bit a visitor who was getting a picture taken while on the park's Walk With The Lions trail. In April, the Belohorsk District Court banned the trail, which allowed guests to "chat with lions without barriers."
The victim, Olha Solimina, told Crimea 24 television at the time that the lion "dragged me like a doll" and that she had said "goodbye to life." The next thing she remembered, she was standing and Zubkov was bandaging a bleeding wound, after which she was urgently taken to the park medical station.
"I asked that the ambulance or police not be called," she told the television outlet.
She has since said that Zubkov was nearby, but "couldn't calm his animals down right away."
Zubkov has acknowledged that a lion bit Solimina, claiming that she was drunk and had ruffled the animal's mane. He said he immediately stopped the lion and she was treated by a park doctor for a deep puncture wound to her hand.
An investigation by the consumer-protection agency Rospotrebnadzor did not find any violations, Zubkov told RFE/RL in August.
The Taigon park once attracted 500,000 visitors a year, but has struggled since Russia's 2014 annexation. In a 2016 video shot by RFE/RL, Zubkov said that he looked back fondly on the days when he -- a Russian -- could live in Crimea under Ukraine and build safari parks.
"Unfortunately, those days have passed," he said.
Zubkov's jail sentence comes after a public spat with Sergei Aksyonov, the Russia-imposed head of Crimea, that ended in a compromise.
On his VK page on February 3, Aksyonov said he had "no right to interfere" in the court's activities, but offered "to personally guarantee" that Zubkov would appear for future court appearance if he were released from jail.


rferl--2020-02-03--Kosovo Gets New Government Four Months After Polls

PRISTINA -- Kosovo 's parliament has voted to support a new government under Albin Kurti following four months of coalition talks between the Balkan country 's two main parties .
A total of 66 lawmakers in the 120-seat parliament approved the new government on February 3 , a day after his leftist-nationalist Vetevendosje ( Self-Determination ) party and the center-right Democratic League of Kosovo ( LDK ) signed a coalition deal .
Ten deputies abstained and none voted against .
Opposition lawmakers left the chamber shortly before the vote .
Later in the day , Vjosa Osmani of the LDK @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as part of the power-sharing agreement with Vetevendosje .
Vetevendosje topped the October 6 snap general elections but fell short of a majority .
The party received 29 seats in parliament and LDK one fewer .
Addressing lawmakers before the vote , Kurti said his proposed cabinet included five women .
He also said his government would strive to cut unneeded expenses and save public funds .
“ We will have 15 ministries , not 21 like there were before .
We will have 33 deputy ministers and not more than 80 like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expenses on posts and privileges in order to spend more in development projects , ” he said .
The early elections were triggered by Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj ’ s resignation in July after prosecutors at a Netherlands-based international court summoned him for questioning over his wartime role as a commander of the Kosovo Liberation Army .
The election campaign was dominated by issues of corruption , high unemployment , and a possible deal with Serbia , which continues to consider its former province part of its territory .
Kosovo ’ s independence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recognized by about 100 countries , including the United States .

PRISTINA -- Kosovo's parliament has voted to support a new government under Albin Kurti following four months of coalition talks between the Balkan country's two main parties.
A total of 66 lawmakers in the 120-seat parliament approved the new government on February 3, a day after his leftist-nationalist Vetevendosje (Self-Determination) party and the center-right Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) signed a coalition deal.
Ten deputies abstained and none voted against. Opposition lawmakers left the chamber shortly before the vote.
Later in the day, Vjosa Osmani of the LDK was elected the new speaker of parliament as part of the power-sharing agreement with Vetevendosje .
Vetevendosje topped the October 6 snap general elections but fell short of a majority. The party received 29 seats in parliament and LDK one fewer.
Addressing lawmakers before the vote, Kurti said his proposed cabinet included five women. He also said his government would strive to cut unneeded expenses and save public funds.
“We will have 15 ministries, not 21 like there were before. We will have 33 deputy ministers and not more than 80 like we had before. So, fewer expenses on posts and privileges in order to spend more in development projects,” he said.
The early elections were triggered by Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj’s resignation in July after prosecutors at a Netherlands-based international court summoned him for questioning over his wartime role as a commander of the Kosovo Liberation Army.
The election campaign was dominated by issues of corruption, high unemployment, and a possible deal with Serbia, which continues to consider its former province part of its territory.
Kosovo’s independence, declared in 2008, has been recognized by about 100 countries, including the United States.


rferl--2020-02-03--Romanian Bakery Breaks With Village Over Asian Employees

A bakery in a small Romanian village says it will continue to allow a pair of Sri Lankan employees to make bread at its shop in the face of protests from local residents fearing an influx of immigrants .
Katalin Kollo , one of the bakery owners , said on February 3 that she would allow the workers to continue in their positions after initially apologizing to the local residents of Ditrau and pledging to move the two Sri Lankans to other sections of the company which did not involve direct contact with the dough or the final product .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ bakery owners ' hiring of the two Sri Lankans sparked outrage among the mainly ethnic-Hungarian community of some 5,500 , with a couple of thousand residents signing a petition calling for measures to stop what they called the “ immigrant inflow . ''
At a town hall meeting over the weekend , the villagers complained about the bakery owners ' treatment of local workers , who they said were forced to work long hours for low wages .
Villagers accused the owner of choosing to bring in cheaper laborers from abroad rather than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ local workers .
They also voiced fears that the two qualified Sri Lankan bakers were the start of a much larger influx of Asian migrants who would alter the local culture and religion .
One of the two Sri Lankans is a Catholic , as are most of the villagers .
Labor Minister Violeta Alexandru on February 2 told reporters she was deploying labor inspectors to clarify the situation of the two foreign laborers .
Alexandru told Romanian media that she was surprised by the intolerant stance of the locals , `` who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in large numbers abroad and deserve respect . ''
Millions of Romanians work in European Union countries to help their families at home make ends meet .
An estimated 1,000 residents of Ditrau have also left to find work abroad , mostly in Hungary .
`` We need to be balanced in assessing this situation , '' Alexandru said .
Before Kollo reversed her decision and allowed the two Sri Lankans to continue to make bread , several Romanian companies offered to relocate the employees to their bakeries in other parts of the @ @

A bakery in a small Romanian village says it will continue to allow a pair of Sri Lankan employees to make bread at its shop in the face of protests from local residents fearing an influx of immigrants.
Katalin Kollo, one of the bakery owners, said on February 3 that she would allow the workers to continue in their positions after initially apologizing to the local residents of Ditrau and pledging to move the two Sri Lankans to other sections of the company which did not involve direct contact with the dough or the final product.
Despite possessing the proper paperwork, the bakery owners' hiring of the two Sri Lankans sparked outrage among the mainly ethnic Hungarian community of some 5,500, with a couple of thousand residents signing a petition calling for measures to stop what they called the “immigrant inflow."
At a town hall meeting over the weekend, the villagers complained about the bakery owners' treatment of local workers, who they said were forced to work long hours for low wages. Villagers accused the owner of choosing to bring in cheaper laborers from abroad rather than providing better conditions and higher pay for local workers.
They also voiced fears that the two qualified Sri Lankan bakers were the start of a much larger influx of Asian migrants who would alter the local culture and religion. One of the two Sri Lankans is a Catholic, as are most of the villagers.
Labor Minister Violeta Alexandru on February 2 told reporters she was deploying labor inspectors to clarify the situation of the two foreign laborers. Alexandru told Romanian media that she was surprised by the intolerant stance of the locals, "who forget that our fellow Romanians also work in large numbers abroad and deserve respect."
Millions of Romanians work in European Union countries to help their families at home make ends meet. An estimated 1,000 residents of Ditrau have also left to find work abroad, mostly in Hungary.
"We need to be balanced in assessing this situation," Alexandru said.
Before Kollo reversed her decision and allowed the two Sri Lankans to continue to make bread, several Romanian companies offered to relocate the employees to their bakeries in other parts of the country.


rferl--2020-02-03--Denmark Arrests Three Iranians Accused Of Spying For Saudi Arabia

The Danish Security and Intelligence Service ( PET ) says it has arrested and charged three members of an Iranian secessionist movement on suspicion of spying for Saudi Arabia in Denmark .
Three members of the Arab Struggle Movement for the Liberation of Ahwaz ( ASMLA ) , a group seeking a separate state for ethnic Arabs in Iran ’ s southwestern province of Khuzestan , carried out espionage activities from 2012 to 2018 , PET said in a statement on February 3 .
It said the three individuals “ collected information about individuals in Denmark and abroad and passed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ service , '' among other things .
A pretrial detention hearing is due on February 4 .
`` This is a very serious case , where Saudi Arabia and Iran have brought their rivalry to Denmark , '' PET head Finn Borch Andersen said .
Danish Foreign Minister Jeppe Kofod said he had summoned the Saudi ambassador for talks earlier in the day , and instructed Danish diplomats in Riyadh to deliver his objections to Saudi authorities .
`` We have reacted firmly .
We wish to make clarify that this is completely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Andersen said the case is linked to a 2018 police operation over an alleged Iranian plot to kill one or more opponents of the Iranian government .
PET requested the arrest in absentia of an Iranian intelligence officer linked to the plot , he said .
An Iranian-born Norwegian national remains in Danish custody over the 2018 plot , with which Tehran has denied any connection .
ASMLA seeks a separate state for ethnic Arabs in oil-producing Khuzestan Province .
Iran considers the group to be a terrorist organization and blames it for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ parade that killed at least 25 people in Khuzestan ’ s capital , Ahvaz .
With reporting by AFP , AP , Reuters , and dpa


rferl--2020-02-03--OSCE Hopes Crimean Journalist Semena's Work Will Now Be 'Unhindered'

OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Desir welcomes a decision by the authorities in Ukraine ’ s Russian-controlled Crimea region to expunge the criminal record of RFE/RL contributor Mykola Semena , insisting that the Crimean journalist shouldn ’ t have been “ persecuted ” in the first place for expressing his views .
Semena , who had been convicted of separatism on the peninsula , last week received documents from a court in Crimea ’ s capital , Simferopol , confirming that his suspended sentence had been lifted and his criminal record expunged .
“ I am glad @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Desir said in a statement on February 3 , expressing hope that the move means “ he will now be able to resume his journalistic work unhindered , and travel freely.
” Semena , who has contributed to the Crimea Desk of RFE/RL 's Ukrainian Service , was arrested by Crimea ’ s Russia-imposed authorities in 2016 and charged with acting against the `` territorial integrity of the Russian Federation . ''
In 2017 , a court convicted Semena , handed him a 2 1/2-year suspended sentence , and banned him from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Another court in Crimea upheld his conviction three months later , but a court in Simferopol on January 14 this year ruled to prematurely terminate the probation period and expunge his criminal record .
Semena says the accusation against him was politically motivated and that Russian authorities based their case on an inaccurate translation of one of his stories from Ukrainian into Russian .
The United States , the European Union , and international media watchdogs all condemned the trial and verdict .
“ Semena ’ s case reminds us of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ covering the conflict in and around Ukraine , ” Desir said .
“ It is paramount to ensure safe working conditions for the journalists , ” the OSCE representative added .
Russia seized Crimea in 2014 after Moscow-friendly Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych abandoned office amid a popular pro-democracy uprising .

OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Desir welcomes a decision by the authorities in Ukraine’s Russian-controlled Crimea region to expunge the criminal record of RFE/RL contributor Mykola Semena, insisting that the Crimean journalist shouldn’t have been “persecuted” in the first place for expressing his views.
Semena, who had been convicted of separatism on the peninsula, last week received documents from a court in Crimea’s capital, Simferopol, confirming that his suspended sentence had been lifted and his criminal record expunged.
“I am glad that Mykola Semena is finally free,” Desir said in a statement on February 3, expressing hope that the move means “he will now be able to resume his journalistic work unhindered, and travel freely.”
Semena, who has contributed to the Crimea Desk of RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service, was arrested by Crimea’s Russia-imposed authorities in 2016 and charged with acting against the "territorial integrity of the Russian Federation."
In 2017, a court convicted Semena, handed him a 2 1/2-year suspended sentence, and banned him from “public activity” for 3 years.
Another court in Crimea upheld his conviction three months later, but a court in Simferopol on January 14 this year ruled to prematurely terminate the probation period and expunge his criminal record.
Semena says the accusation against him was politically motivated and that Russian authorities based their case on an inaccurate translation of one of his stories from Ukrainian into Russian.
The United States, the European Union, and international media watchdogs all condemned the trial and verdict.
“Semena’s case reminds us of the harsh conditions in which journalists work when covering the conflict in and around Ukraine,” Desir said.
“It is paramount to ensure safe working conditions for the journalists,” the OSCE representative added.
Russia seized Crimea in 2014 after Moscow-friendly Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych abandoned office amid a popular pro-democracy uprising.


rferl--2020-02-03--In Kyiv, Turkey's Erdogan Denounces Russia’s 'Illegitimate' Annexation Of Crimea

KYIV -- On a visit to Kyiv , President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reiterated Turkey ’ s support for Ukraine 's territorial integrity , emphasizing that Ankara does n't recognize Russia ’ s “ illegitimate ” takeover of Crimea .
Erdogan was speaking at a news conference in the Ukrainian capital on February 3 following talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy .
The Turkish leader said that Turkey will help build housing for “ nearly 500 families ” of Crimean Tatars who have relocated to other parts of Ukraine following the annexation of the Black Sea peninsula in March 2014 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ what they describe as a campaign of repression by the Russian-imposed authorities against Crimean Tatars -- an Turkic ethnic group -- and others who have spoken out against Moscow 's military seizure and occupation of Crimea .
Erdogan , who has been strengthening ties with Russia in recent years , has adamantly opposed Russia 's moves in Crimea , particularly speaking up for the rights of the Crimean Tatars .
Ukraine is also battling Moscow-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine which has claimed more than 13,000 lives since April 2014 .
Speaking alongside Erdogan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to help win the release of dozens of Ukrainians , particularly Crimean Tatars , being “ illegally ” held behind bars in Russia or Crimea .
Zelenskiy also said a military-financial cooperation agreement was signed that foresees Ankara giving Kyiv $ 36 million to purchase military and dual-purpose goods from Turkey .
Both sides also discussed possible natural-gas supplies to Ukraine via Turkey from the Caspian Sea .
The two leaders , who last met in Ankara in August , also chaired the eighth meeting of the High-Level Strategic Council .
The sides @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including a memorandum of understanding regarding negotiations on a free-trade area agreement , according to Zelenskiy ’ s office .
Zelenskiy , a former comedian , swept to a landslide victory in an April 2019 presidential election on promises to root out entrenched corruption and improve Ukraine 's struggling economy .

KYIV -- On a visit to Kyiv, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reiterated Turkey’s support for Ukraine's territorial integrity, emphasizing that Ankara doesn't recognize Russia’s “illegitimate” takeover of Crimea.
Erdogan was speaking at a news conference in the Ukrainian capital on February 3 following talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.
The Turkish leader said that Turkey will help build housing for “nearly 500 families” of Crimean Tatars who have relocated to other parts of Ukraine following the annexation of the Black Sea peninsula in March 2014.
Rights groups and Western governments have denounced what they describe as a campaign of repression by the Russian-imposed authorities against Crimean Tatars -- an Turkic ethnic group -- and others who have spoken out against Moscow's military seizure and occupation of Crimea.
Erdogan, who has been strengthening ties with Russia in recent years, has adamantly opposed Russia's moves in Crimea, particularly speaking up for the rights of the Crimean Tatars.
Ukraine is also battling Moscow-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine which has claimed more than 13,000 lives since April 2014.
Speaking alongside Erdogan, Zelenskiy said Kyiv counted on Ankara to help win the release of dozens of Ukrainians, particularly Crimean Tatars, being “illegally” held behind bars in Russia or Crimea.
Zelenskiy also said a military-financial cooperation agreement was signed that foresees Ankara giving Kyiv $36 million to purchase military and dual-purpose goods from Turkey.
Both sides also discussed possible natural-gas supplies to Ukraine via Turkey from the Caspian Sea.
The two leaders, who last met in Ankara in August, also chaired the eighth meeting of the High-Level Strategic Council.
The sides signed a number of intergovernmental documents, including a memorandum of understanding regarding negotiations on a free-trade area agreement, according to Zelenskiy’s office.
Zelenskiy, a former comedian, swept to a landslide victory in an April 2019 presidential election on promises to root out entrenched corruption and improve Ukraine's struggling economy.


rferl--2020-02-03--Pompeo Hails Uzbekistan's 'Progress' On Human Rights

TASHKENT -- U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has hailed the “ wonderful , rapidly growing ” partnership between the United States and Uzbekistan , which he said “ deserves praise for its progress on human rights issues.
” Pompeo made the comments on February 3 after talks with Uzbek Foreign Minister Abdulaziz Kamilov in Uzbekistan ’ s capital , Tashkent , the last leg of his tour to Eastern Europe and Central Asia .
During his visit , he also met with Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoev , whom he thanked for his `` leadership in forging the strategic partnership @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` I commend Uzbekistan for its reform efforts aimed at a more free and open society with a more accountable government , '' he tweeted .
Mirziyoev has taken steps to bolster the country 's struggling economy and to implement reforms since coming to power in 2016 .
Still , rights watchdogs have expressed concerns about conditions in Uzbekistan , where rights abuses had been widespread under his predecessor , Islam Karimov , who had ruled Central Asia 's most populous country with an iron fist since before the collapse of the Soviet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for instance , ranked Uzbekistan `` not free '' in its Freedom On The Net 2018 assessment and said the Internet environment there remained `` repressive . ''
Speaking alongside Kamilov , Pompeo said Uzbekistan “ is expanding space for civil society , addressing forced labor issues , and loosening restrictions on the media , just to name a few.
” The state secretary also called for “ further progress in these areas and others , especially in aggressively investigating and prosecuting human trafficking.
” Kamilov said his country will continue to coordinate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Afghanistan , as well as looking to grow ties in other areas .
Pompeo and Kamilov also took part in a meeting with their counterparts from Kazakhstan , Kyrgyzstan , Tajikistan , and Turkmenistan .
The agenda of the talks included regional security , regional cooperation , and the situation in Afghanistan , according to the Uzbek Foreign Ministry .
The so-called C5+1 forum was established in November 2015 “ to address common security and environmental challenges , improve regional trade flows , and enhance prospects for U.S. trade and investment with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he met with President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev and his predecessor , Nursultan Nazarbaev .
He also met with Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka in Minsk on February 1 and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in Kyiv on January 31 .
He began his trip in Britain on January 29 and had meetings with Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab and Prime Minister Boris Johnson .

TASHKENT -- U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has hailed the “wonderful, rapidly growing” partnership between the United States and Uzbekistan, which he said “deserves praise for its progress on human rights issues.”
Pompeo made the comments on February 3 after talks with Uzbek Foreign Minister Abdulaziz Kamilov in Uzbekistan’s capital, Tashkent, the last leg of his tour to Eastern Europe and Central Asia.
During his visit, he also met with Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoev, whom he thanked for his "leadership in forging the strategic partnership between the U.S. and Uzbekistan."
"I commend Uzbekistan for its reform efforts aimed at a more free and open society with a more accountable government," he tweeted.
Mirziyoev has taken steps to bolster the country's struggling economy and to implement reforms since coming to power in 2016. Still, rights watchdogs have expressed concerns about conditions in Uzbekistan, where rights abuses had been widespread under his predecessor, Islam Karimov, who had ruled Central Asia's most populous country with an iron fist since before the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.
Freedom House, for instance, ranked Uzbekistan "not free" in its Freedom On The Net 2018 assessment and said the Internet environment there remained "repressive."
Speaking alongside Kamilov, Pompeo said Uzbekistan “is expanding space for civil society, addressing forced labor issues, and loosening restrictions on the media, just to name a few.”
The state secretary also called for “further progress in these areas and others, especially in aggressively investigating and prosecuting human trafficking.”
Kamilov said his country will continue to coordinate its activities regarding the situation in neighboring Afghanistan, as well as looking to grow ties in other areas.
Pompeo and Kamilov also took part in a meeting with their counterparts from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan.
The agenda of the talks included regional security, regional cooperation, and the situation in Afghanistan, according to the Uzbek Foreign Ministry.
The so-called C5+1 forum was established in November 2015 “to address common security and environmental challenges, improve regional trade flows, and enhance prospects for U.S. trade and investment with the region.”
Pompeo arrived from Kazakhstan where he met with President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev and his predecessor, Nursultan Nazarbaev. He also met with Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka in Minsk on February 1 and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in Kyiv on January 31.
He began his trip in Britain on January 29 and had meetings with Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab and Prime Minister Boris Johnson.


rferl--2020-02-04--Popular Iranian Rapper Tataloo Released From Detention In Turkey

Popular Iranian rapper Tataloo has been released from detention in Turkey a week after being arrested by police amid concerns that he could be deported to Iran .
Tataloo , whose real name is Amir Hossein Maghsoodloo , posted a video on February 3 on his Instagram page , which has nearly 3 million followers , in which he is seen leaving what appears to be a detention center in Istanbul , where he had been held in recent days .
Iranian police officials have said Tataloo was arrested on January 28 after Interpol issued a “ red alert ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was quoted by Iranian news agencies on January 28 as saying that Iran ’ s judicial authorities had made the request for Tataloo ’ s arrest “ for encouraging citizens , especially young people , to use drugs , especially psychotropic drugs , and for spreading corruption.
” But Turkish police told the BBC that Tataloo , who had been living in Turkey recently , was arrested for “ visa violations , ” while also confirming that a red alert had been issued for the rapper on drug-related issues .
Ahead of his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been detained in Iran several times -- including in 2013 for alleged cooperation with satellite channels -- was due to travel to Britain to play a concert .
Many of Tataloo ’ s fans had called for his release from detention in Turkey while expressing concern that he would be handed over to Iran , where he could face an unfair trial and torture .
An online petition calling for his release had garnered nearly 500,000 signatures .
In a recent music video titled Hell , Tataloo was seen in an Iranian court @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he was being interrogated and then taken to the gallows : The controversial , heavily tattooed rapper supported hard-line candidate Ebrahim Raisi during the country ’ s 2017 presidential vote .
In a video clip posted online , Raisi , who was defeated by President Hassan Rohani and was later appointed as the head of the judiciary , was seen talking to Tataloo and praising his work .
In 2015 , Tataloo praised Iran ’ s peaceful nuclear activities in a nationalistic music video where the singer was seen on the deck of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Persian Gulf : In recent months , Tataloo was critical of Iranian authorities .
He had been also accused of insulting Islamic sanctities .