rferl--2020-06-23--U.S. Pushes For Broadening Of New START Treaty, Pushes For China To Join Accord

The United States has pushed for a broadening of the main agreement to control nuclear arms with Russia as it pushes for China to join the talks .
Speaking after talks in Vienna on June 23 , U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Arms Control Marshall Billingslea told a news conference that he and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov had made enough progress that they agreed to set up `` multiple '' technical working groups , with a second meeting depending on their progress as they look to replace the 2010 New Strategic Arms Treaty ( New START ) before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the United States , intend and believe ... that the next arms control agreement must cover all nuclear weapons , not just so-called strategic nuclear weapons , '' Billingslea said .
The last remaining nuclear arms control agreement , the New START treaty caps the number of deployed long-range nuclear warheads each can have .
Ryabkov called the agreement to continue negotiations `` a significant step forward . ''
Russia has called for an extension of the accord limiting Russian and U.S. nuclear arsenals to 1,550 deployed long-range nuclear warheads each .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ bilateral arms control agreements with Moscow are outdated .
Moreover , it wants China to be included in any future agreements on nuclear weapons even though Beijing has repeatedly rejected attempts to get it to join the talks .
While the country has been expanding its nuclear arsenal , it is still far smaller than the U.S. and Russian programs .
Ryabkov told Interfax that while Russia considers that arms control talks should be multilateral , `` we can not 'force ' or 'persuade ' anyone to join such talks , '' adding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was `` unrealistic . ''
U.S. President Donald Trump has pulled out of or let expire a number of international agreements , including the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty and the Iran nuclear deal .
But his administration has voiced a general interest in preserving New START .
Russia , whose nuclear arsenal is a key element of power and is vastly outspent on defense by the United States , says it wants to ensure parity with Washington .
It also wants a broader discussion with Washington on arms control , including on U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suspension of nearly three decades .
Last month , Billingslea accused Moscow of modernizing thousands of `` nonstrategic '' nuclear weapons that fall outside of the New START treaty .
`` They have adopted a highly provocative nuclear doctrine that embraces early escalation and use of nuclear weapons , '' he said , calling for any successor treaty to put more Russian arms under monitoring .
With reporting by AFP , Interfax , and dpa

The United States has pushed for a broadening of the main agreement to control nuclear arms with Russia as it pushes for China to join the talks.
Speaking after talks in Vienna on June 23, U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Arms Control Marshall Billingslea told a news conference that he and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov had made enough progress that they agreed to set up "multiple" technical working groups, with a second meeting depending on their progress as they look to replace the 2010 New Strategic Arms Treaty (New START) before it expires in February.
"We, the United States, intend and believe...that the next arms control agreement must cover all nuclear weapons, not just so-called strategic nuclear weapons," Billingslea said.
The last remaining nuclear arms control agreement, the New START treaty caps the number of deployed long-range nuclear warheads each can have.
'Significant Step'
Ryabkov called the agreement to continue negotiations "a significant step forward."
Russia has called for an extension of the accord limiting Russian and U.S. nuclear arsenals to 1,550 deployed long-range nuclear warheads each.
However, Washington has said that its bilateral arms control agreements with Moscow are outdated. Moreover, it wants China to be included in any future agreements on nuclear weapons even though Beijing has repeatedly rejected attempts to get it to join the talks. While the country has been expanding its nuclear arsenal, it is still far smaller than the U.S. and Russian programs.
Ryabkov told Interfax that while Russia considers that arms control talks should be multilateral, "we cannot 'force' or 'persuade' anyone to join such talks," adding that the U.S. insistence on including China was "unrealistic."
U.S. President Donald Trump has pulled out of or let expire a number of international agreements, including the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty and the Iran nuclear deal. But his administration has voiced a general interest in preserving New START.
Russia, whose nuclear arsenal is a key element of power and is vastly outspent on defense by the United States, says it wants to ensure parity with Washington.
It also wants a broader discussion with Washington on arms control, including on U.S. threats to resume nuclear tests after a suspension of nearly three decades.
Last month, Billingslea accused Moscow of modernizing thousands of "nonstrategic" nuclear weapons that fall outside of the New START treaty.
"They have adopted a highly provocative nuclear doctrine that embraces early escalation and use of nuclear weapons," he said, calling for any successor treaty to put more Russian arms under monitoring.
With reporting by AFP, Interfax, and dpa


rferl--2020-06-23--World No. 1 Novak Djokovic Tests Positive For COVID-19 Following Controversial Tournament

Serbia 's Novak Djokovic , the world 's top-ranked men 's tennis player , says he has tested positive for the coronavirus .
Djokovic said in a statement on June 23 that was distributed through local media that his wife had also tested positive , while his children tested negative .
`` We organized the tournament at the moment when the virus had weakened , believing that the conditions for hosting the Tour had been met , '' he said in the statement .
`` Everything we did in the past month , we did with a pure heart and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unite and share a message of solidarity and compassion throughout the region , '' he added .
The announcement comes after Croatia 's Borna Coric , Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria , and Serbia 's Viktor Troicki tested positive after playing in Djokovic 's Adria Tour exhibition tournament in the Balkan region last week .
Troicki said late on June 22 that both he and his pregnant wife were infected .
Djokovic 's fitness trainer and Dimitrov 's coach , Italian Marko Paniki and German Christian Groh respectively , also tested positive .
All @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which Djokovic initiated .
The final , scheduled for June 21 , was called off after Dmitrov 's positive test .
Djokovic came under fire for organizing the tournament with few health precautions and publicly partying after the Belgrade round of the event , even as the tennis world remains in lockdown .
However , they did not break any local laws in either Serbia or Croatia , as those countries had relaxed restrictions implemented because of the pandemic .
Based on reporting by dpa and Reuters

Serbia's Novak Djokovic, the world's top-ranked men's tennis player, says he has tested positive for the coronavirus.
Djokovic said in a statement on June 23 that was distributed through local media that his wife had also tested positive, while his children tested negative.
"We organized the tournament at the moment when the virus had weakened, believing that the conditions for hosting the Tour had been met," he said in the statement.
"Everything we did in the past month, we did with a pure heart and sincere intentions. Our tournament meant to unite and share a message of solidarity and compassion throughout the region," he added.
The announcement comes after Croatia's Borna Coric, Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria, and Serbia's Viktor Troicki tested positive after playing in Djokovic's Adria Tour exhibition tournament in the Balkan region last week.
Troicki said late on June 22 that both he and his pregnant wife were infected.
Djokovic's fitness trainer and Dimitrov's coach, Italian Marko Paniki and German Christian Groh respectively, also tested positive.
All were at the so-called Adria Tour, which Djokovic initiated. The final, scheduled for June 21, was called off after Dmitrov's positive test.
Djokovic came under fire for organizing the tournament with few health precautions and publicly partying after the Belgrade round of the event, even as the tennis world remains in lockdown.
However, they did not break any local laws in either Serbia or Croatia, as those countries had relaxed restrictions implemented because of the pandemic.
Based on reporting by dpa and Reuters


rferl--2020-06-23--COVID-19: Bishkek City Mayor Temporarily Steps Down After Testing Positive

The global death toll from the coronavirus is almost 473,000 , with more than 9.1 million infections confirmed , causing mass disruptions as governments continue to try to slow the spread of the respiratory illness .
The mayor of the Kyrgyz capital , Bishkek , Aziz Surakmatov , has temporarily stepped down after being diagnosed with the coronavirus .
The city administration 's press service said on June 22 that during Surakmatov 's absence , his deputy , Almaz Baketaev , will serve as acting mayor .
Surakmatov was n't the only official to test positive .
The chief of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nation 's parliament , Ibraim Nurakun-Uulu , and several lawmakers said on June 22 that their COVID-19 tests also came back positive .
Meanwhile , Bishkek airport remains closed for flights except for charter planes bringing Kyrgyz citizens home from abroad .
The Kyrgyz Foreign Ministry said on June 23 that 19 Kyrgyz nationals returned to Bishkek from South Korea , Japan , and the Philippines via Seoul , aboard a charter plane belonging to Kazakhstan 's Air Astana .
Kyrgyz Health Ministry officials said on June 23 that the number of coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including 41 deaths .
With reporting by RFE/RL 's Kyrgyz Service and Kaktus

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken reiterated that there can be no advancement in the relationship between the United States and Afghanistan's Taliban rulers unless there is an improvement in the treatment of women in the country.
Speaking to reporters on August 15, the two-year anniversary of the Taliban’s seizure of power in Kabul, Blinken said the United States continues to work to hold the Taliban accountable for the commitments that it's made, particularly when it comes to the rights of women and girls.
"We've been very clear with the Taliban -- and dozens of countries around the world have been very clear -- that the path to any more normal relationship between the Taliban and other countries will be blocked unless and until the rights of women and girls among other things are actually supported," Blinken said.
No country has recognized the Taliban-led government, and the United States has avoided direct economic engagement in part over the treatment of women and girls, who have seen their rights drastically curbed by the hard-line Islamists. This includes a ban on women working in local and international nongovernmental organizations and a ban on education beyond the sixth grade.
The Taliban stormed back to power in August 2021 after President Joe Biden withdrew U.S. troops under the terms of an agreement reached in February 2020 between the Taliban and the administration of then-U.S. President Donald Trump.
Blinken defended the pullout and said the United States was not focused on other priorities.
"The decision to withdraw from Afghanistan was an incredibly difficult one, but also the right one," Blinken said. "We ended America's longest war. For the first time in 20 years, we don't have another generation of young Americans going to fight and die."
A number of international human rights organizations earlier on August 15 called the Taliban's two years of rule shameful and worrying.
Amnesty International and several other international human rights organizations demanded in a statement an effective response to the situation, noting the Taliban's strict decrees against human rights in Afghanistan, especially against women and girls.
The organizations said in a statement that in the past two years, the Taliban has increasingly imposed harmful policies against women and girls and religious and ethnic minorities that clearly violate Afghanistan's obligations under international human rights law.
The Taliban has previously rejected reports on the treatment of women as propaganda of international organizations. The militant group's leaders have said they have strengthened all the rights of women in Afghanistan in light of Islamic principles.
Zabihullah Mujahid, the chief spokesman for the Taliban, said in an interview with the AP marking the second anniversary of the Taliban takeover of the country that the Taliban views its rule of Afghanistan as open-ended and as drawing legitimacy from Islamic law. He also suggested a ban on female education will remain in place.
Female activist Soheila Yousefi calls the situation alarming and wants the world to pay attention.
"The international community should take serious action in this regard because the world chose to be silent in these two years and did not take any practical steps. Our request is that they should look at the current situation in Afghanistan, then take a serious and comprehensive review."
The Taliban did not respond to Radio Azadi's questions before the release of the report, but the rulers have spoken of strengthening human rights in Afghanistan, especially the rights of women and girls, according to Islamic principles.
With reporting by AP and AFP


rferl--2020-06-23--Whelan's Lawyer Says Client Won't Appeal Sentence, Hopes For U.S.-Russia Prisoner Swap

A lawyer for the former U.S. Marine convicted of espionage in Russia last week says his client will not appeal the decision because he doesn ’ t trust the country ’ s judicial system .
The Interfax news agency quoted Vladimir Zherebenkov as saying on June 23 that Whelan hopes Washington and Moscow will instead agree on an exchange of prisoners .
“ Today , we met [ Whelan ] in the detention facility and after a discussion it was decided not to appeal the verdict because he does n't believe in Russian justice , '' Zherebenkov was quoted as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be swapped in the near future for Russians who have been convicted in the United States , '' he added .
News reports have said Russian and U.S. officials are negotiating a possible swap of Whelan for two Russians -- Viktor Bout and Konstantin Yaroshenko -- who are serving lengthy sentences in U.S. prisons .
The Moscow City Court announced the conviction and handed Whelan a 16-year prison sentence on June 15 after a trial that was held behind closed doors because the evidence included classified materials and because of measures taken @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The United States has called the proceedings a “ mockery of justice ” and demanded Whelan ’ s immediate release .
Britain 's Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab has said he was deeply disappointed by the verdict and sentence against Whelan , who also holds British , Canadian , and Irish citizenships , and expressed “ serious reservations about the legal process . ''
Russia 's Foreign Ministry has rejected “ claims about the unfairness and excessive harshness ” of the sentence .
President Vladimir Putin ’ s spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Whelan 's decision not to appeal his conviction but declined to comment further .
The 50-year-old former U.S. Marine was arrested in Moscow in December 2018 and went on trial in March of this year .
He had denied all charges .
Whelan says he was framed when he took the drive from an acquaintance , thinking it contained holiday photos .
He has also accused his prison guards of mistreatment .
Whelan was head of global security at a U.S. auto-parts supplier at the time of his arrest .
He and his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a wedding .
Before the verdict , U.S. officials had urged Moscow to release Whelan following their criticism of Russian authorities for their `` shameful treatment '' of him .
With reporting by Interfax and Reuters

A lawyer for the former U.S. Marine convicted of espionage in Russia last week says his client will not appeal the decision because he doesn’t trust the country’s judicial system.
The Interfax news agency quoted Vladimir Zherebenkov as saying on June 23 that Whelan hopes Washington and Moscow will instead agree on an exchange of prisoners.
“Today, we met [Whelan] in the detention facility and after a discussion it was decided not to appeal the verdict because he doesn't believe in Russian justice," Zherebenkov was quoted as saying.
"He hopes that he will be swapped in the near future for Russians who have been convicted in the United States," he added.
News reports have said Russian and U.S. officials are negotiating a possible swap of Whelan for two Russians -- Viktor Bout and Konstantin Yaroshenko -- who are serving lengthy sentences in U.S. prisons.
The Moscow City Court announced the conviction and handed Whelan a 16-year prison sentence on June 15 after a trial that was held behind closed doors because the evidence included classified materials and because of measures taken to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
The United States has called the proceedings a “mockery of justice” and demanded Whelan’s immediate release.
Britain's Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab has said he was deeply disappointed by the verdict and sentence against Whelan, who also holds British, Canadian, and Irish citizenships, and expressed “serious reservations about the legal process."
Russia's Foreign Ministry has rejected “claims about the unfairness and excessive harshness” of the sentence.
President Vladimir Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on June 23 that the Kremlin had noted Whelan's decision not to appeal his conviction but declined to comment further.
The 50-year-old former U.S. Marine was arrested in Moscow in December 2018 and went on trial in March of this year. He had denied all charges.
Russian prosecutors claimed that a flash drive found in Whelan's possession contained classified information.
Whelan says he was framed when he took the drive from an acquaintance, thinking it contained holiday photos. He has also accused his prison guards of mistreatment.
Whelan was head of global security at a U.S. auto-parts supplier at the time of his arrest. He and his relatives insist he visited Russia to attend a wedding.
Before the verdict, U.S. officials had urged Moscow to release Whelan following their criticism of Russian authorities for their "shameful treatment" of him.
With reporting by Interfax and Reuters


rferl--2020-06-23--Taliban Kills At Least 14 Afghan Forces In Raids On Checkpoints

Afghan officials say dozens of Taliban fighters staged overnight raids and stormed several checkpoints in the northern part of the country , killing at least 14 security personnel .
The violence early on June 23 comes after authorities this week accused the Taliban of increasing attacks on Afghan forces at a time when both sides say they are preparing to start delayed peace negotiations .
Officials said simultaneous raids on one army and two police checkpoints in Kunduz Province led to fierce gunbattles that lasted for hours .
Eight members of the Afghan security forces were killed and seven more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chief Nasruddin Saadi said .
The Kunduz provincial governor 's spokesman , Esmatullah Muradi , confirmed the attacks but said nine security personnel were killed in the nighttime battle .
The Taliban has so far not commented .
Militants also raided an army post in Balkh Province and another in Ghazni Province during the night , the Defense Ministry said , adding that several insurgents had been killed in ensuing clashes .
At least six Afghan police officers were killed and one wounded in another attack in the Chahar Bolak area of Ghazni @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dropped across much of Afghanistan after the Taliban announced a three-day cease-fire on May 24 to mark the Eid al-Fitr holiday , but officials now accuse the insurgents of stepping up attacks .
The National Security Council said on June 22 that the Taliban had killed at least 291 Afghan security personnel over the past week , saying it was the `` deadliest '' week in the 19-year conflict .
President Ashraf Ghani told a government meeting on June 22 that the violence unleashed by the Taliban was `` running against the spirit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has vowed to go on with a Taliban prisoner release as agreed in a deal between the militants and Washington in February .
Afghan authorities have already freed about 3,000 Taliban inmates and plan to further release 2,000 as stipulated in the deal as a condition for talks .
The militants have released 500 prisoners they were holding .
With reporting by AFP and TOLOnews.com

The education of girls and women is universally accepted in more than 200 countries and territories, including nearly 50 Muslim-majority nations.
But Afghanistan’s hard-line Islamist Taliban rulers have banned teenage girls from attending school after the sixth grade since they returned to power two years ago. The ban was extended in December to women in universities.
Countless protests by Afghans inside the country, pressure from the international community, and lobbying by Muslim scholars and clerics have failed to convince the fundamentalist Taliban leaders to reopen schools.
Experts are divided over whether the ban is rooted in how the Taliban’s interpretation of Islam is shaped by conservative Pashtun tribal customs and cultural practices or if it is prompted by how senior Taliban ideologues interpret Islamic teachings.
Most Taliban leaders are ethnic Pashtun, Sunni Muslim clerics. Many were educated in Deobandi madrasahs in neighboring Pakistan. Deobandism emerged as a puritanical Islamic revivalist movement in 19-century British Colonial India. Based on the Sunni Hanafi school of jurisprudence, it is a prominent strain among Islamists in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Tribal Influences
Sami Yousafzai, a veteran Afghan journalist and commentator, argues that the Taliban restrictions against women are linked to social customs and cultural practices in eastern and southern Afghanistan.
Most Taliban leaders come from various Pashtun rural tribal communities in these regions bordering Pakistan.
"They believe that a woman's place is either inside a house or in a grave," Yousafzai said of the basic Taliban belief influenced by the status of women in the families of clerics and religious leaders in these Pashtun regions.
“Women living in the households of the current Taliban policymakers were never educated and never left their homes,” said Yousafzai, who has tracked the Islamist group since it emerged as a ragtag militia in the southern Afghan province of Kandahar in late 1994. “These women never performed any government or nongovernmental jobs.”
Yousafzai says the Taliban backs policies shaped by this worldview by leaning on Islamic teachings supporting such ideas. He says Taliban leaders rely on sayings attributed to the Prophet Muhammad that discourage women from leaving their homes.
“Their primary belief is that pubescent girls should not leave home under any circumstance,” he said. “This is why they view women leaving home for education or work as engaging in moral corruption.”
In Afghanistan, a Muslim nation of some 40 million people, activists and rights advocates accuse the Taliban of implementing "gender apartheid" by denying women education, work, freedom of movement, and deciding how they can appear in public.
Most Muslims agree that Islam allows women to get an education. Yet the Taliban publicly says that it will allow girls access to education only after ensuring complete gender segregation and other unspecified conditions.
Almost all Afghan secondary schools were gender segregated and universities imposed a strict separation between men and women after the Taliban takeover.
Yousafzai says in conservative and traditional Muslim societies around the world, some clerics also favor restrictions on women's education, work, and their role in public life. But the governments in those countries usually oppose or limit such ideas.
In recent years, Saudi Arabia -- one of the most conservative Sunni Muslim nations -- has allowed women to drive and granted them freedom of movement without a male guardian. These steps are part of a reform and modernity drive by Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman.
The Taliban ban on education has invited universal condemnation from Muslims globally.
“The Taliban's ban on women's education is not rooted in [the Islamic] Shari’a law but rather reflects cultural biases that contradict the teachings of Islam,” said Salam al-Marayati, president of the Muslim Public Affairs Council in the United States.
He said that contrary to Taliban practices, “Islam emphasizes the importance of seeking knowledge and encourages all individuals, regardless of gender, to acquire an education.”
Historical Conflict
But Islamic scholars and those who have attempted to convince the Taliban about reopening girls schools offer a different explanation.
John Mohammad Butt, an Islamic scholar and former BBC broadcaster who is the only Westerner to graduate from India’s Darul Uloom Deoband, argues that the Taliban's policy on girls' education is not tribal but shaped by the century-old conflict over modern education.
“The problem is that girls' education in Afghanistan -- indeed, contemporary education in general -- has generally been introduced in Afghanistan in line with a secular agenda,” he said.
In the 1920s, a coalition of conservative clerics and tribal and community leaders deposed reformist King Amanullah Khan. He wanted to modernize Afghanistan along Turkish leader Kamal Ataturk's secular lines and championed modern education and rights for women.
This opposition to modernity and secularism continued, and conservative clerics opposed women's education and work. It became a key part of the Islamist opposition to the pro-Soviet Afghan communist governments after the April 1978 military coup that ended the Afghan monarchy. The mujahedin accused the communists of spreading immorality by promoting women’s education and empowerment.
“This has led to particular wariness on the part of conservative circles in Afghanistan with regard to girls' education,” Butt said.
'Deep Ideological Conviction'
Obaidullah Baheer, a political science lecturer at the American University of Afghanistan, became part of an effort to rescind the ban by talking to the Taliban last year.
But he says the effort failed because “the ban is a matter of deep ideological conviction” for the current supreme leader of the Taliban, Mullah Haibatullah Akhundzada.
Baheer says that the most prominent Taliban leaders have studied in Pakistani madrasahs and were thus disconnected from village and tribal life.
“They have been indoctrinated by the Deobandi school of thought so that they now enforce the strictest version of Islam on the Afghan population,” he said.
He argues that the ban on girls’ schools is a deliberate policy championed by Akhundzada, who he says has endorsed Taliban Chief Justice Abdul Hakim Haqqani's Arabic language book The Islamic Emirate And Its System. In this book, Haqqani supports a fringe Islamic opinion of preferring the choice of one of the Prophet Muhammad's wives, Sawdah Bint Zam'ah, who chose to stay at home until her death.
Baheer says Haqqani ignores his other wives and other female companions that played an active role in many sectors of society and how they served as students and teachers for men.
“This fringe opinion is not held by all Taliban leaders but is one that the current absolute sovereign, the Taliban emir, seems to be convinced of,” he said.
Butt says that even Haqqani has acknowledged the principle that if there is something that women need to act upon, then that is also something that women need to learn about.
“I hope the Taliban authorities will come to realize in the not-too-distant future that education for women will make Afghan women into better Muslims,” he says. “It will enable them to make a stronger contribution to the well-being of their country.”
Two years after grappling with the issue, Western diplomats appear to be encouraging Afghan conservative and clerical circles to find ways to end the ban.
Tom West, the U.S. special representative for Afghanistan, recently tweeted that Afghan women must be educated and contribute to the economy to help their country stand on its own two feet.
“If change to policies is made, it will be because Afghans have asked for it, not a result of foreign requests,” he wrote.


rferl--2020-06-23--Former Kyrgyz President Atambaev Sentenced To 11 Years In Prison For Release Of Crime Boss

BISHKEK -- A Kyrgyz court has sentenced former President Almazbek Atambaev to 11 years and two months in prison for the illegal release of notorious crime boss Aziz Batukaev in 2013 .
On June 23 , judge Emilbek Kaipov of the Birinchi Mai District Court in Bishkek found Atambaev guilty of the organization of corruption and sentenced him the same day .
The 63-year-old Atambaev refused to make a final statement in the courtroom .
Throughout the case he has denied any wrongdoing .
The judge also ruled that Atambaev be deprived of all state awards and ranks , while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ members is to be confiscated .
The property to be taken from the Atambaev family includes five vehicles , houses in the northern regions of Chui and Issyk-Kul , 10 parcels of land , and several companies , including a television channel .
Atambaev ’ s co-defendants , former Prosecutor-General Indira Joldubaeva , former chief of the Hematology Center , Abdukhalim Raimjanov , and Kalybek Kachkynaliev , a former adviser to the State Penitentiary Service chief , were also found guilty in the case .
Joldubaeva was ordered to pay a fine of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Kachkynaliev was sentenced to two years in prison , but the judge freed him from custody because of time served in pretrial detention .
Raimjanov was not sentenced due to the statute of limitations .
Aziz Batukaev , who suddenly was released from prison and immediately left the Central Asian nation for Russia in 2013 , was convicted of several infamous crimes -- including the murders of a Kyrgyz lawmaker and an Interior Ministry official .
Atambaev is the first Kyrgyz president who was tried while physically present in the country in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In 2014 , another former president , Kurmanbek Bakiev , was sentenced in absentia to life for involvement in the 2010 killing of protesters during the uprising that ousted him .
Bakiev and members of his family have been living in Belarus since then .
Kyrgyzstan 's first President Askar Akaev , who fled the country amid anti-government protests in 2005 and currently resides in Moscow , is wanted in Kyrgyzstan on corruption charges and his alleged involvement in the deadly dispersal of protesters in the southern town of Aksy in March 2002 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Atambaev was arrested in early August last year after he surrendered to police following a deadly two-day standoff between security forces and his supporters .
The move to detain Atambaev was sparked by his refusal to obey three subpoenas calling him to the Interior Ministry for questioning in the case of Batukaev 's illegal release .
The standoff between security forces and his supporters resulted in the death of a top security officer and injuries to more than 170 others -- including 79 law enforcement officers .
The violence underscored a power @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Sooronbai Jeenbekov , which has raised fears of instability in the Central Asian nation .
The former president is currently also on trial in another case linked to last year 's violence , in which he and 13 others were charged with murder , attempted murder , threatening or assaulting representatives of authorities , hostage taking , and the forcible seizure of power .
Kyrgyzstan saw a smooth and peaceful transfer of power in 2017 from Atambaev , a northerner , to southerner Jeenbekov , which was welcomed by the international community @ @ @ @ @ @ @ came after revolts that ousted Akaev and Bakiev .

BISHKEK -- A Kyrgyz court has sentenced former President Almazbek Atambaev to 11 years and two months in prison for the illegal release of notorious crime boss Aziz Batukaev in 2013.
On June 23, judge Emilbek Kaipov of the Birinchi Mai District Court in Bishkek found Atambaev guilty of the organization of corruption and sentenced him the same day.
The 63-year-old Atambaev refused to make a final statement in the courtroom.
Throughout the case he has denied any wrongdoing.
The judge also ruled that Atambaev be deprived of all state awards and ranks, while property belonging to him and his family members is to be confiscated.
The property to be taken from the Atambaev family includes five vehicles, houses in the northern regions of Chui and Issyk-Kul, 10 parcels of land, and several companies, including a television channel.
Atambaev’s co-defendants, former Prosecutor-General Indira Joldubaeva, former chief of the Hematology Center, Abdukhalim Raimjanov, and Kalybek Kachkynaliev, a former adviser to the State Penitentiary Service chief, were also found guilty in the case.
Joldubaeva was ordered to pay a fine of 5 million soms ($66,000). Kachkynaliev was sentenced to two years in prison, but the judge freed him from custody because of time served in pretrial detention. Raimjanov was not sentenced due to the statute of limitations.
Aziz Batukaev, who suddenly was released from prison and immediately left the Central Asian nation for Russia in 2013, was convicted of several infamous crimes -- including the murders of a Kyrgyz lawmaker and an Interior Ministry official.
Atambaev is the first Kyrgyz president who was tried while physically present in the country in the Central Asian nation's history,
In 2014, another former president, Kurmanbek Bakiev, was sentenced in absentia to life for involvement in the 2010 killing of protesters during the uprising that ousted him.
Bakiev and members of his family have been living in Belarus since then.
Kyrgyzstan's first President Askar Akaev, who fled the country amid anti-government protests in 2005 and currently resides in Moscow, is wanted in Kyrgyzstan on corruption charges and his alleged involvement in the deadly dispersal of protesters in the southern town of Aksy in March 2002. He has not been tried yet.
Atambaev was arrested in early August last year after he surrendered to police following a deadly two-day standoff between security forces and his supporters.
The move to detain Atambaev was sparked by his refusal to obey three subpoenas calling him to the Interior Ministry for questioning in the case of Batukaev's illegal release.
The standoff between security forces and his supporters resulted in the death of a top security officer and injuries to more than 170 others -- including 79 law enforcement officers.
The violence underscored a power struggle between Atambaev and his handpicked successor, Sooronbai Jeenbekov, which has raised fears of instability in the Central Asian nation.
The former president is currently also on trial in another case linked to last year's violence, in which he and 13 others were charged with murder, attempted murder, threatening or assaulting representatives of authorities, hostage taking, and the forcible seizure of power.
Kyrgyzstan saw a smooth and peaceful transfer of power in 2017 from Atambaev, a northerner, to southerner Jeenbekov, which was welcomed by the international community after presidential changes in 2005 and 2010 came after revolts that ousted Akaev and Bakiev.
.


rferl--2020-06-23--Kazakh Activist Convicted Of Criticizing Government's Coronavirus Response

An activist who criticized Kazakhstan ’ s ruling party on social media has been convicted of spreading “ false information ” about the coronavirus and banned from social or political activism for five years , even as the government itself warns of a worsening outbreak .
An Almaty court on June 22 convicted Alnur Ilyashev of the “ dissemination of knowingly false information that threatens public order during the state of emergency ” implemented because of the coronavirus pandemic .
The court sentenced him to three years of restricted freedom and banned him from political activities for five years .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ he will likely face imprisonment .
Ilyashev was detained on April 17 after he wrote on Facebook that authorities in Kazakhstan , including the ruling Nur Otan party , are corrupt and have been incompetent in their response to the coronavirus .
The 43-year-old activist spent more than two months in custody until being released after the verdict .
During the court hearing , held online because of the coronavirus , prosecutors brought in witnesses who claimed Ilyashev ’ s social-media posts would “ alarm ” the public .
Rights group Amnesty International @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and as a sign that the government will continue to not allow criticism of the government .
“ The Kazakhstani authorities have shamelessly exploited the state of emergency that was called to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic to clamp down on voices of dissent .
Alnur Ilyashev has committed no crime .
He has only expressed his opinions peacefully , which the authorities and their ‘ experts ’ have portrayed as a criminal act and severely penalized , ” Heather McGill , Amnesty International ’ s Central Asia researcher , said .
RFE/RL @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Azattyq , reported in May that Kazakh authorities have hired firms to keep track of what is being said on social networks accessible in Kazakhstan .
These firms are contracted to search for posts that could create a `` threat '' to sociopolitical stability and also , as part of the fight against the spread of the coronavirus , the dissemination of false information about the virus or government measures to battle it .
But in the process they also find people 's messages criticizing the government .
Ilyashev had been helping to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and took the Almaty mayor 's office to court , unsuccessfully , after his requests to hold peaceful public meetings were rejected some 35 times .
In May , Kazakhstan reformed laws on protests that define how many people can attend a demonstration , what venues are available for rallies , and what permission is needed to conduct such public events .
Critics say the law falls short of international human rights and is replete with numerous restrictions and bureaucratic hurdles to prevent protests .
Kazakh President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev came to power in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Asian country following three decades of rule by his predecessor , Nursultan Nazarbaev .
Nazarbaev still maintains key positions of power , including head of the country ’ s Security Council and ruling Nur Otan party .
On June 18 , Nazarbaev 's press service said that the former president had tested positive for the coronavirus , becoming the latest top official -- including the health minister and speaker of the lower house of parliament -- to become infected .
Kazakhstan imposed a state of emergency over the pandemic on March 16 and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government slowly removed restrictions to help stop the spread of the virus , but health authorities tightened coronavirus restrictions last week in response to a worsening situation .
Kazakhstan has reported nearly 23,000 cases , including more than 100 deaths from the coronavirus , although total fatalities are believed to be higher .

An activist who criticized Kazakhstan’s ruling party on social media has been convicted of spreading “false information” about the coronavirus and banned from social or political activism for five years, even as the government itself warns of a worsening outbreak.
An Almaty court on June 22 convicted Alnur Ilyashev of the “dissemination of knowingly false information that threatens public order during the state of emergency” implemented because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The court sentenced him to three years of restricted freedom and banned him from political activities for five years. Any violation of the court terms means he will likely face imprisonment.
Ilyashev was detained on April 17 after he wrote on Facebook that authorities in Kazakhstan, including the ruling Nur Otan party, are corrupt and have been incompetent in their response to the coronavirus.
The 43-year-old activist spent more than two months in custody until being released after the verdict.
During the court hearing, held online because of the coronavirus, prosecutors brought in witnesses who claimed Ilyashev’s social-media posts would “alarm” the public.
Rights group Amnesty International slammed the sentence as “absurd” and as a sign that the government will continue to not allow criticism of the government.
“The Kazakhstani authorities have shamelessly exploited the state of emergency that was called to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic to clamp down on voices of dissent. Alnur Ilyashev has committed no crime. He has only expressed his opinions peacefully, which the authorities and their ‘experts’ have portrayed as a criminal act and severely penalized,” Heather McGill, Amnesty International’s Central Asia researcher, said.
RFE/RL's Kazakh Service, known locally as Azattyq, reported in May that Kazakh authorities have hired firms to keep track of what is being said on social networks accessible in Kazakhstan.
These firms are contracted to search for posts that could create a "threat" to sociopolitical stability and also, as part of the fight against the spread of the coronavirus, the dissemination of false information about the virus or government measures to battle it. But in the process they also find people's messages criticizing the government.
Ilyashev had been helping to organize protests against the government since 2019 and took the Almaty mayor's office to court, unsuccessfully, after his requests to hold peaceful public meetings were rejected some 35 times.
In May, Kazakhstan reformed laws on protests that define how many people can attend a demonstration, what venues are available for rallies, and what permission is needed to conduct such public events.
Critics say the law falls short of international human rights and is replete with numerous restrictions and bureaucratic hurdles to prevent protests.
Kazakh President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev came to power in 2019 pledging reforms in the energy-rich Central Asian country following three decades of rule by his predecessor, Nursultan Nazarbaev.
Nazarbaev still maintains key positions of power, including head of the country’s Security Council and ruling Nur Otan party.
On June 18, Nazarbaev's press service said that the former president had tested positive for the coronavirus, becoming the latest top official -- including the health minister and speaker of the lower house of parliament -- to become infected.
Kazakhstan imposed a state of emergency over the pandemic on March 16 and lifted it on May 11. The government slowly removed restrictions to help stop the spread of the virus, but health authorities tightened coronavirus restrictions last week in response to a worsening situation.
Kazakhstan has reported nearly 23,000 cases, including more than 100 deaths from the coronavirus, although total fatalities are believed to be higher.


rferl--2020-06-23--International Pressure Mounts On Minsk To Stop Press Crackdown Ahead Of Election

Belarus has come under international pressure for a crackdown on media in which at least 14 journalists were detained and three convicted for their coverage of protests against President Alyaksandr Lukashenka last week .
Dozens of trials , including around 50 in the capital , Minsk , were held on June 22 for participants of the so-called “ chains of solidarity ” protests .
Most were charged with participating in an “ unauthorized event ” or “ disobeying the police.
” Some of those who faced trials were journalists who were covering protests on June 19-20 supporting potential independent and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to RFE/RL , the U.S. State Department called on the government of Belarus to improve its record with respect to human rights and democracy and meet its human rights obligations and OSCE commitments , including those related to free and fair elections .
`` Free and fair elections are about more than what happens on election day .
We call on the government of Belarus to ensure a level playing field for all who wish to take part in the election , including in regards to candidate registration , access to media , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' the State Department said , adding that `` respecting fundamental freedoms , including the freedoms of peaceful assembly , expression , and association is crucial to strengthening the U.S.-Belarus bilateral relationship . ''
People turned out on June 19 , the last day to sign ballot petitions for those seeking to run in the Belarusian presidential election on August 9 , when Lukashenka , 65 , will be seeking a sixth term in office .
The harassment of media comes as Lukashenka widens a crackdown on opposition leaders and activists , including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ candidate , in what experts say is the biggest challenge yet to Lukashenka 's rule .
The Belarusian Association of Journalists and 40 media outlets in the country issued a joint statement on June 23 demanding from the government stop the `` persecution of journalists '' and accused authorities of violence against media members .
`` Some of the detained reporters , namely Alyaksandr Paznyak and Syarhey Bahrou in [ the southwestern city of ] Hantsavichy , were beaten during detention .
And often police attacked journalists even during live broadcasts , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were obvious , '' the statement said , adding that Belarusian laws guarantee journalists the right to carry out their professional duties .
Meanwhile , Reporters Without Borders ( RSF ) accused the Belarusian authorities of “ trying to gag the media and keep suppressing all forms of pluralism , both political and journalistic.
” In a statement , the head of the Paris-based media freedom watchdog ’ s Eastern Europe and Central Asia desk , Jeanne Cavelier , urged the European Union to press the Belarusian government to end the harassment of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ behind bars .
A day earlier , the Committee to Protect Journalist ( CPJ ) decried Minsk 's crackdown on the media ahead of the election .
“ Belarusian authorities should stop the detentions , arrests , and prosecutions of journalists covering protests in the run-up to Belarus ’ presidential election , and ensure their safety , ” said Gulnoza Said , CPJ ’ s Europe and Central Asia program coordinator .
“ Journalists should be allowed to freely report on important public events without fear of arrest or harassment.
” The CPJ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the independent news website Hantsavitski Chas ( Hantsavichy Time ) were convicted .
Paznyak was fined $ 340 and Bahrou was sentenced to 15 days in detention .
A court in Babruysk , in eastern Belarus , convicted Syarhey Latsinski , a journalist for the human rights news outlet Viasna , and sentenced him to 10 days in jail for allegedly participating in the protests .
The CPJ said it had learned of the convictions from Barys Haretski , the head of the Belarusian Association of Journalists .
Haretski said police beat both @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Among those detained on June 19 were RFE/RL reporter Alyaksandra Dynko and her cameraman , Andrey Rabchyk .
`` These are direct attacks on the independent press and the rights of Belarus citizens to be informed about important developments in their country , '' she said on June 20 .
Belarus is ranked 153rd out of 180 countries in RSF 's 2020 World Press Freedom Index .

Belarus has come under international pressure for a crackdown on media in which at least 14 journalists were detained and three convicted for their coverage of protests against President Alyaksandr Lukashenka last week.
Dozens of trials, including around 50 in the capital, Minsk, were held on June 22 for participants of the so-called “chains of solidarity” protests. Most were charged with participating in an “unauthorized event” or “disobeying the police.”
Some of those who faced trials were journalists who were covering protests on June 19-20 supporting potential independent and opposition presidential candidates.
In an e-mail to RFE/RL, the U.S. State Department called on the government of Belarus to improve its record with respect to human rights and democracy and meet its human rights obligations and OSCE commitments, including those related to free and fair elections.
"Free and fair elections are about more than what happens on election day. We call on the government of Belarus to ensure a level playing field for all who wish to take part in the election, including in regards to candidate registration, access to media, and other aspects of the campaign," the State Department said, adding that "respecting fundamental freedoms, including the freedoms of peaceful assembly, expression, and association is crucial to strengthening the U.S.-Belarus bilateral relationship."
People turned out on June 19, the last day to sign ballot petitions for those seeking to run in the Belarusian presidential election on August 9, when Lukashenka, 65, will be seeking a sixth term in office.
The harassment of media comes as Lukashenka widens a crackdown on opposition leaders and activists, including the arrest of a top potential presidential candidate, in what experts say is the biggest challenge yet to Lukashenka's rule.
The Belarusian Association of Journalists and 40 media outlets in the country issued a joint statement on June 23 demanding from the government stop the "persecution of journalists" and accused authorities of violence against media members.
"Some of the detained reporters, namely Alyaksandr Paznyak and Syarhey Bahrou in [the southwestern city of] Hantsavichy, were beaten during detention. And often police attacked journalists even during live broadcasts, and the violations of the journalists' rights were obvious," the statement said, adding that Belarusian laws guarantee journalists the right to carry out their professional duties.
Meanwhile, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) accused the Belarusian authorities of “trying to gag the media and keep suppressing all forms of pluralism, both political and journalistic.”
In a statement, the head of the Paris-based media freedom watchdog’s Eastern Europe and Central Asia desk, Jeanne Cavelier, urged the European Union to press the Belarusian government to end the harassment of journalists and release of all those held behind bars.
A day earlier, the Committee to Protect Journalist (CPJ) decried Minsk's crackdown on the media ahead of the election.
“Belarusian authorities should stop the detentions, arrests, and prosecutions of journalists covering protests in the run-up to Belarus’ presidential election, and ensure their safety,” said Gulnoza Said, CPJ’s Europe and Central Asia program coordinator. “Journalists should be allowed to freely report on important public events without fear of arrest or harassment.”
The CPJ said Paznyak and Bahrou, journalists for the independent news website Hantsavitski Chas (Hantsavichy Time) were convicted. Paznyak was fined $340 and Bahrou was sentenced to 15 days in detention.
A court in Babruysk, in eastern Belarus, convicted Syarhey Latsinski, a journalist for the human rights news outlet Viasna, and sentenced him to 10 days in jail for allegedly participating in the protests.
The CPJ said it had learned of the convictions from Barys Haretski, the head of the Belarusian Association of Journalists.
Haretski said police beat both Bahrou and Paznyak while in detention.
Among those detained on June 19 were RFE/RL reporter Alyaksandra Dynko and her cameraman, Andrey Rabchyk.
Acting RFE/RL President Daisy Sindelar condemned the journalists' detention.
"These are direct attacks on the independent press and the rights of Belarus citizens to be informed about important developments in their country," she said on June 20.
Belarus is ranked 153rd out of 180 countries in RSF's 2020 World Press Freedom Index.


rferl--2020-06-22--Iran Says It Will Soon Send Black Boxes Of Downed Ukrainian Airliner To France

Iran says it will send the black boxes of a downed Ukrainian airliner to France for analysis in the `` next few days '' and expressed readiness to resolve the issue of compensations to the families of the victims .
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif made the remarks in a phone call with his Canadian counterpart , Francois-Philippe Champagne , his ministry said in a statement on June 22 .
Champagne said that Zarif had committed to sending the flight recorders to France without further delay .
The Canadian minister , who has consistently pressed Iran to compensate the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had `` agreed to enter into negotiations for reparations . ''
According to the Iranian Foreign Ministry , Tehran has told Kyiv it was ready to `` resolve legal issues and discuss how to compensate the families '' of victims , but was yet to receive a delegation from the other party .
Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 was shot down by Iran ’ s air defenses after taking off from Tehran 's main airport on January 8 .
All 176 people on board the Kyiv-bound aircraft were killed in what Tehran later @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Iranian forces had been on high alert at the time of the tragedy , which came hours after Iran had launched missile strikes on an Iraqi military base housing U.S. troops .
The Iranian strikes were carried out in response to the killing of a top Iranian general , Qasem Soleimani , in a U.S. drone strike near Baghdad airport .
The Ukrainian airliner 's cockpit voice and data `` black box '' recorders were the subject of an international standoff after the plane was shot down .
They are expected to contain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aircraft was struck and crashed .
The 176 victims included 82 Iranian citizens and 63 Canadians , many of them of Iranian origin .
France 's BEA air accident investigation agency is known as one of the world 's leading organizations for reading flight recorders .
With reporting by AFP and Reuters

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--2020-06-22--Armenian Parliament Adopts Contentious Amendments That Would Shake Up Constitutional Court

The Armenian parliament has adopted proposed changes to the constitution that would lead to the removal of Constitutional Court judges , potentially opening the door for Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian to exert more influence over the South Caucasian nation .
A total of 89 members of the National Assembly -- all affiliated with the ruling My Step bloc -- backed the draft constitutional amendments in the first and second readings on June 22 .
The votes were boycotted by the two opposition parties represented in the 132-seat legislature -- the Prosperous Armenia Party ( BHK ) and the Bright Armenia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ changes , unveiled last week by the My Step bloc of Pashinian , would lead to the immediate dismissal of three of the nine Constitutional Court members .
It would also require the court to elect a new chairman .
The current court chairman , Hrayr Tovmasian , and six other judges have been under strong government pressure to step down over the past year .
Pashinian has accused them of maintaining close ties to the country ’ s former government and impeding his judicial reforms .
The seven judges have refused to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pashinian ’ s claims and in turn accused the prime minister of seeking to take control of the Constitutional Court .
Under the proposed amendments , the current and future Constitutional Court judges would be barred from serving more than 12 years .
The 12-year term limit was already included in the constitution which took effect in April 2018 , but it didn ’ t apply to the judges already serving .
WATCH : Fight Breaks Out In Armenian Parliament The draft changes approved by parliament would eliminate a clause in the amended @ @ @ @ @ @ @ positions until reaching retirement age .
The move would trigger the immediate resignation of three judges who had taken the bench in the mid-1990s .
Two other Constitutional Court members would have to resign in 2022 .
Tovmasian would have to quit as court chairman but would remain one of the nine justices .
In an opinion made public on June 22 , the Venice Commission largely backed the proposed changes to the constitution , but said it “ regrets ” that the proposed amendments do not provide for a transitional period that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the composition of the court in order to avoid any abrupt and immediate change endangering the independence of this institution.
” The Strasbourg-based Venice Commission also said that My Step should not rush to have Tovmasian replaced by another Constitutional Court chairman .

The Armenian parliament has adopted proposed changes to the constitution that would lead to the removal of Constitutional Court judges, potentially opening the door for Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian to exert more influence over the South Caucasian nation.
A total of 89 members of the National Assembly -- all affiliated with the ruling My Step bloc -- backed the draft constitutional amendments in the first and second readings on June 22.
The votes were boycotted by the two opposition parties represented in the 132-seat legislature -- the Prosperous Armenia Party (BHK) and the Bright Armenia Party (LHK).
The draft changes, unveiled last week by the My Step bloc of Pashinian, would lead to the immediate dismissal of three of the nine Constitutional Court members.
It would also require the court to elect a new chairman.
The current court chairman, Hrayr Tovmasian, and six other judges have been under strong government pressure to step down over the past year.
Pashinian has accused them of maintaining close ties to the country’s former government and impeding his judicial reforms. The seven judges have refused to quit.
12-Year Term Limit
Tovmasian and opposition figures dismissed Pashinian’s claims and in turn accused the prime minister of seeking to take control of the Constitutional Court.
Under the proposed amendments, the current and future Constitutional Court judges would be barred from serving more than 12 years.
The 12-year term limit was already included in the constitution which took effect in April 2018, but it didn’t apply to the judges already serving.
WATCH: Fight Breaks Out In Armenian Parliament
The draft changes approved by parliament would eliminate a clause in the amended constitution allowing these judges to retain their positions until reaching retirement age.
The move would trigger the immediate resignation of three judges who had taken the bench in the mid-1990s. Two other Constitutional Court members would have to resign in 2022. Tovmasian would have to quit as court chairman but would remain one of the nine justices.
In an opinion made public on June 22, the Venice Commission largely backed the proposed changes to the constitution, but said it “regrets” that the proposed amendments do not provide for a transitional period that would “allow for a gradual change in the composition of the court in order to avoid any abrupt and immediate change endangering the independence of this institution.”
The Strasbourg-based Venice Commission also said that My Step should not rush to have Tovmasian replaced by another Constitutional Court chairman.


rferl--2020-06-23--Two Pakistani Journalists Allegedly Tortured By Paramilitary Force For Coronavirus Coverage

Media rights groups are calling for accountability after two Pakistani journalists accused paramilitary forces of torturing them for their reporting on poor conditions at a coronavirus quarantine center on the Afghan border .
Saeed Ali Achakzai , a reporter for the Urdu-language Samaa News TV , and Abdul Mateen Achakzai , a reporter for the Pashtun-language Khyber News TV , said they were beaten while under detention for three days in Pakistan 's Balochistan province .
Photos released on June 23 by the men , who are not related , show red marks on their backs .
Saeed Ali told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two were reporting on the lack of food , water , and other basic facilities at a coronavirus quarantine center near the border city of Chaman .
They were then allegedly called to the paramilitary Frontier Corps command center on June 20 and handed over to the an anti-terrorism force that took them to a jail and beat them .
Bashir Barechi , deputy commissioner of Qala-e-Abdullah district in Chaman , accused the journalists of spreading fake news and insulting him on social media .
He said the journalists were detained for disrupting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Journalists called on the Balochistan government to conduct a judicial inquiry into the incident and demanded the arrest of any government official involved .
In a statement , press freedom group Reporters Without Borders ( RSF ) said : “ It is absolutely unacceptable that representatives of the security forces should commit acts of torture simply because they didn ’ t like what these two journalists reported.
” RSF says that journalists working in the Chaman area are constantly harassed for their work covering corruption and “ every kind of trafficking ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pakistan 145th out of 180 countries in its 2020 World Press Freedom Index .

Media rights groups are calling for accountability after two Pakistani journalists accused paramilitary forces of torturing them for their reporting on poor conditions at a coronavirus quarantine center on the Afghan border.
Saeed Ali Achakzai, a reporter for the Urdu-language Samaa News TV, and Abdul Mateen Achakzai, a reporter for the Pashtun-language Khyber News TV, said they were beaten while under detention for three days in Pakistan's Balochistan province.
Photos released on June 23 by the men, who are not related, show red marks on their backs.
Saeed Ali told RFE/RL’s Radio Mashaal that the two were reporting on the lack of food, water, and other basic facilities at a coronavirus quarantine center near the border city of Chaman.
They were then allegedly called to the paramilitary Frontier Corps command center on June 20 and handed over to an anti-terrorism force that took them to a jail and beat them.
Bashir Barechi, deputy commissioner of Qala-e-Abdullah district in Chaman, accused the journalists of spreading fake news and insulting him on social media. He said the journalists were detained for disrupting public order.
The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists called on the Balochistan government to conduct a judicial inquiry into the incident and demanded the arrest of any government official involved.
In a statement, press freedom group Reporters Without Borders (RSF) said: “It is absolutely unacceptable that representatives of the security forces should commit acts of torture simply because they didn’t like what these two journalists reported.”
RSF says that journalists working in the Chaman area are constantly harassed for their work covering corruption and “every kind of trafficking” between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
RSF ranks Pakistan 145th out of 180 countries in its 2020 World Press Freedom Index.


rferl--2020-06-23--Fugitive Iranian Judge Died Of Fall, Romanian Autopsy Indicates

A fugitive Iranian judge facing possible extradition to his homeland on charges of corruption died at a hotel in Romania from a fall , a preliminary autopsy has concluded .
Gholamreza Mansouri was found dead June 18 in the lobby of the Duke Hotel in the center of the Romanian capital , Bucharest .
The autopsy said the 52-year-old judge and cleric died after hitting a hard surface , an indication he may have fallen from one of the hotel ’ s six floors that look out onto the lobby , the Bucharest prosecutor 's office said in a June @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they heard a bang , the prosecutor ’ s office said .
The police have taken possession of the hotel ’ s video surveillance to see if the cause of Mansouri ’ s death was captured on tape and whether any foul play was involved , the prosecutor ’ s statement said .
Mansouri was “ under judicial control ” after being arrested in Bucharest on June 12 following a request by Tehran .
His extradition hearing on charges he received a 500,000 bribe from an Iranian businessman was set for July 10 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rights groups and Reporters Without Borders were seeking to have Mansouri prosecuted for his role in the “ arrest and torture ” of at least 20 journalists .


rferl--2020-06-23--Danish Jehovah's Witness Jailed In Russia Granted Early Release

A court in southwestern Russia has granted early release to a Danish member of the Jehovah 's Witnesses who had been imprisoned since 2017 , the religious denomination says .
It said a judge in the Lgovskiy District Court on June 23 released Dennis Christensen from prison , three years into a six-year sentence .
A spokesman for the denomination 's world headquarters in the United States said Christensen was ordered to pay a fine of 400,000 rubles ( $ 5,800 ) in place of serving out the rest of his sentence .
“ We are pleased that Dennis may @ @ @ @ @ @ @ family , and friends in the coming weeks , ” said the spokesman , Jarrod Lopes .
`` However , it is unconscionable , after Dennis ’ s harrowing experiences in prison , that he should have to pay a fine , '' Lopes added .
Russia banned the Jehovah ’ s Witnesses in 2017 and declared the religious group an extremist organization .
According to the denomination , 353 adherents are facing criminal cases in Russia , 34 are imprisoned , and 24 are under house arrest .
Christensen was arrested in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to six years in prison on extremism charges that have been condemned by rights groups in Russia and abroad .
In September , the United States banned two high-ranking regional officers from Russia 's Investigative Committee from entering the United States over the alleged torture of seven detainees who are Jehovah 's Witnesses .
Based on reporting by AP and The Washington Times

A court in southwestern Russia has granted early release to a Danish member of the Jehovah's Witnesses who had been imprisoned since 2017, the religious denomination says.
It said a judge in the Lgovskiy District Court on June 23 released Dennis Christensen from prison, three years into a six-year sentence.
A spokesman for the denomination's world headquarters in the United States said Christensen was ordered to pay a fine of 400,000 rubles ($5,800) in place of serving out the rest of his sentence.
“We are pleased that Dennis may be going home to his wife, family, and friends in the coming weeks,” said the spokesman, Jarrod Lopes.
"However, it is unconscionable, after Dennis’s harrowing experiences in prison, that he should have to pay a fine," Lopes added.
Russia banned the Jehovah’s Witnesses in 2017 and declared the religious group an extremist organization.
According to the denomination, 353 adherents are facing criminal cases in Russia, 34 are imprisoned, and 24 are under house arrest.
Christensen was arrested in May 2017 and sentenced in February 2019 to six years in prison on extremism charges that have been condemned by rights groups in Russia and abroad.
In September, the United States banned two high-ranking regional officers from Russia's Investigative Committee from entering the United States over the alleged torture of seven detainees who are Jehovah's Witnesses.
Based on reporting by AP and The Washington Times


rferl--2020-06-23--Romanian State-Run Company Boss Faces Graft Charges Over Coronavirus Mask Deal

Romanian prosecutors have charged the head of a Romanian state-owned company with corruption over a contract to acquire medical equipment aimed at fighting the coronavirus outbreak in the country .
The Anti-Corruption Directorate ( DNA ) said in a statement on June 23 that Adrian Ionel demanded a 760,000-euro ( $ 860,000 ) bribe to help a company secure the contract for three million surgical masks and 250,000 medical gowns .
Ionel is the director-general of Unifarm , a firm responsible for procuring equipment and drugs for Romania ’ s public health-care facilities .
The suspect , who claimed his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for 60 days , during which he was banned from leaving Bucharest and from performing his role at Unifarm .
He faces charges including abuse of office , bribe taking , and complicity in trafficking influence after the DNA said he struck a deal in a meeting in a Bucharest restaurant with a middleman for the private company that was awarded the contract in March .
The prosecutors alleged that only one million masks were delivered .
And even those were not surgical masks , as stipulated in the contract , but protective @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Prosecutors added that , after the shipment , Ionel cancelled the contract when the bribe he demanded was not forthcoming .
Romania 's health-care system has long suffered from corruption and under-investment .
Over the past few months , medical staff have complained of a shortage of equipment in the EU member state and some of them have resigned in protest .
Romania has so far reported more than 24,500 cases of the novel coronavirus and over 1,500 deaths .

Romanian prosecutors have charged the head of a Romanian state-owned company with corruption over a contract to acquire medical equipment aimed at fighting the coronavirus outbreak in the country.
The Anti-Corruption Directorate (DNA) said in a statement on June 23 that Adrian Ionel demanded a 760,000-euro ($860,000) bribe to help a company secure the contract for three million surgical masks and 250,000 medical gowns.
Ionel is the director-general of Unifarm, a firm responsible for procuring equipment and drugs for Romania’s public health-care facilities.
The suspect, who claimed his innocence, was placed under judicial control for 60 days, during which he was banned from leaving Bucharest and from performing his role at Unifarm.
He faces charges including abuse of office, bribe taking, and complicity in trafficking influence after the DNA said he struck a deal in a meeting in a Bucharest restaurant with a middleman for the private company that was awarded the contract in March.
The prosecutors alleged that only one million masks were delivered. And even those were not surgical masks, as stipulated in the contract, but protective masks that did not meet safety standards.
Prosecutors added that, after the shipment, Ionel cancelled the contract when the bribe he demanded was not forthcoming.
Romania's health-care system has long suffered from corruption and under-investment.
Over the past few months, medical staff have complained of a shortage of equipment in the EU member state and some of them have resigned in protest.
Romania has so far reported more than 24,500 cases of the novel coronavirus and over 1,500 deaths.
With reporting by AFP


rferl--2020-06-23--World Tennis No. 1 Novak Djokovic Tests Positive For COVID-19 Following Controversial Tournament


rferl--2020-06-24--Turkey Says Soldier Killed After Coming Under Fire From Across Iranian Border

Turkey 's Defense Ministry says one Turkish soldier has been killed and two others wounded in the southeastern part of @ @ @ @ @ under fire from the Iranian side of the border .
The June 24 statement from @ @ @ @ @ say who had shot at its soldiers .
It said the Turkish soldiers were conducting @ @ @ @ @ in a mountainous border area near the town of Yuksekova in the southeastern province of @ @ @ @ @ attack .
Turkish forces have been fighting for decades against the militant Kurdistan Workers Party @ @ @ @ @ borders with Syria and Iraq , and in southeastern Turkey .
Interior Ministry Suleyman Soylu @ @ @ @ @ a wall Turkey has been building along its border with Iran is nearly complete .
@ @ @ @ @ is aimed at improving security by halting the infiltration of PKK militants and illegal smugglers @ @ @ @ @ .
Based on reporting by Reuters , Anadolu Agency , and Tasnim


rferl--2020-06-24--Three Arrested In Iran For Trying To Sell Babies Via Instagram

Police in Tehran say three people have been arrested for attempting to sell newborn babies via the social-media site Instagram @ @ @ @ @ Rahimi said on June 23 that a 20-day-old and a 2-month-old baby were found with @ @ @ @ @ claimed that they had taken them from poor families for a “ small fee.
” @ @ @ @ @ been placed in the care of a state welfare organization and that their parents had @ @ @ @ @ police in recent days had received several complaints from citizens calling for action against those @ @ @ @ @ of babies .
Earlier this year , police said members of a gang that sold @ @ @ @ @ of Gorgan had been arrested .
Four women and a man in that case are @ @ @ @ @ and paying their hospital expenses , then taking away their babies after they gave birth @


rferl--2020-06-24--Supreme Lama Of Russia's Siberian Region Of Tyva Dies Of Coronavirus

The Supreme Lama Dzhampel Lodoi of Russia 's Siberian region of Tyva -- a remote area of 330,000 people near the Russia-Mongolia border -- has died from COVID-19 , the disease caused by the coronavirus .
The region 's leader , Sholban Kara-Ool , said on June 23 that Lama Dzhampel Lodoi died at the age of 44 while in the hospital , where he had been treated since June 10 after testing positive for the virus .
`` I once more want to remind our youth that this illness could be lethal for anyone .
We see that this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even for young people , '' Kara-Ool said .
Dzhampel Lodoi , legally known as Apysh Sat , was elected as Tyva 's supreme lama on November 29 , 2019 .
The Turkic-speaking indigenous Tuvan people are mostly Buddhists .
Dzhampel Lodoi 's death has highlighted the worsening of the coronavirus situation in the region .
On June 23 , Tyva 's capital , Kyzyl , suspended the operations of the entire public transportation system .
In all , the number of coronavirus cases in Tyva is more than 3,700 .
Some 1,819 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , while at least 39 people diagnosed with COVID-19 have died .
Russia 's federal health officials said on June 24 that the total number of coronavirus cases across the country was 606,881 , including 8,513 deaths .
With Reporting by Taiga.Info and TuvaOnline

The Supreme Lama Dzhampel Lodoi of Russia's Siberian region of Tyva -- a remote area of 330,000 people near the Russia-Mongolia border -- has died from COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus.
The region's leader, Sholban Kara-Ool, said on June 23 that Lama Dzhampel Lodoi died at the age of 44 while in the hospital, where he had been treated since June 10 after testing positive for the virus.
"I once more want to remind our youth that this illness could be lethal for anyone. We see that this disease can be dangerous for anyone, even for young people," Kara-Ool said.
Dzhampel Lodoi, legally known as Apysh Sat, was elected as Tyva's supreme lama on November 29, 2019. The Turkic-speaking indigenous Tuvan people are mostly Buddhists.
Dzhampel Lodoi's death has highlighted the worsening of the coronavirus situation in the region. On June 23, Tyva's capital, Kyzyl, suspended the operations of the entire public transportation system.
In all, the number of coronavirus cases in Tyva is more than 3,700. Some 1,819 people have been cured of the illness, while at least 39 people diagnosed with COVID-19 have died.
Russia's federal health officials said on June 24 that the total number of coronavirus cases across the country was 606,881, including 8,513 deaths.
With Reporting by Taiga.Info and TuvaOnline


rferl--2020-06-24--Three Dead, Hundreds Evacuated After Flooding In Western Ukraine

Rainstorms in western Ukraine have killed three people and forced hundreds of others to evacuate their homes .
The flooding @ @ @ @ @ regions of Ivano-Frankivsk , Chernivtsi , Zakarpattya , and Lviv .
The three deaths occurred @ @ @ @ @ the Ivano-Frankivsk region , an area that has been cut off by flooded roads .
@ @ @ @ @ and Interior Minister Arsen Avakov have visited the disaster zone -- an area where one @ @ @ @ @ 5,000 houses in 187 villages remained flooded early on June 24 .
While many residents @ @ @ @ @ property , Avakov said about 800 people had been evacuated since the rains began on @ @ @ @ @ regional authorities and on social media showed raging mountain rivers , a partially submerged village @ @ @ @ @ that are covered by water .
An Interior Ministry statement called it the most powerful @ @ @ @ @ It said four helicopters , one airplane , and 150 soldiers have been deployed in @ @ @ @ @ on reporting by Reuters and Floodlist.com

Rainstorms in western Ukraine have killed three people and forced hundreds of others to evacuate their homes.
The flooding has affected Ukraine's western regions of Ivano-Frankivsk, Chernivtsi, Zakarpattya, and Lviv.
The three deaths occurred in the Verkhovyna district of the Ivano-Frankivsk region, an area that has been cut off by flooded roads.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal and Interior Minister Arsen Avakov have visited the disaster zone -- an area where one emergency service report said about 5,000 houses in 187 villages remained flooded early on June 24.
While many residents stayed behind to guard their property, Avakov said about 800 people had been evacuated since the rains began on June 22.
Footage from regional authorities and on social media showed raging mountain rivers, a partially submerged village, and fields and roads that are covered by water.
An Interior Ministry statement called it the most powerful flooding in many years. It said four helicopters, one airplane, and 150 soldiers have been deployed in the disaster zone.
Based on reporting by Reuters and Floodlist.com


rferl--2020-06-24--Russia Stages Massive 'Victory Day' Parade Amid Pandemic

Russia staged a postponed Victory Day military parade in Moscow on June 24 with President Vladimir Putin seeking to solidify support ahead of a referendum that could pave the way for his extended rule .
The parade commemorating the 1945 defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II is traditionally held on May 9 .
Putin reluctantly postponed the event until June 24 because of the coronavirus pandemic .
The date coincides with the 75th anniversary of the first Soviet Victory Day parade in 1945 .
For Putin , the event is particularly significant this year as it falls ahead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ controversial amendments to the constitution that would open the door for the Russian leader staying in power until 2036 .
That vote had been scheduled for April 22 but was also postponed because of the pandemic .
Since coming to power two decades ago , Putin has sought either as president or prime minister to restore symbols of the Soviet and Russian past to boost patriotism .
On June 14 , a new Cathedral of the Russian Armed Forces was consecrated outside Moscow to mark the 75th anniversary of the end of what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ War , ” a conflict in which more than 20 million Soviet soldiers and citizens perished .
But the spectacle of military might in Moscow ’ s Red Square – involving some 14,000 troops from 13 countries , more than 200 historic and modern military vehicles , and 75 aircraft – was overshadowed by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic .
Most of the troops in the parade were from Russia .
Also taking part were forces from Azerbaijan , Armenia , Belarus , China , India , Kazakhstan , Kyrgyzstan , Moldova , Mongolia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Uzbekistan .
Russia has reported 600,000 coronavirus infections , giving it the third-highest number in the world .
Deaths stand at more than 8,000 , but real numbers are believed to be much higher .
Russia began lifting mass coronavirus restrictions in recent weeks , but new cases remain stubbornly high at above 7,000 a day .
Putin has spent much of the pandemic conducting affairs of state remotely from his residence outside Moscow .
On June 24 , the Kremlin limited access in Red Square to the area where Putin sat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ II veterans of Soviet forces .
Those veterans had been placed under quarantine ahead of the parade .
Soldiers taking part in the parade also had been tested and placed in quarantine ahead of the parade .
Speaking from a podium on Red Square , Putin told the gathering : `` It ’ s impossible to imagine what would have happened to the world if the Red Army had n't defended it . ''
Putin said Soviet soldiers `` did not need war , nor other countries , nor glory , nor honor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enemy , win , and return home .
And they paid an irreplaceable price for the freedom of Europe . ''
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin had urged spectators to stay at home and watch the parade on television .
Meanwhile , several cities that would normally hold smaller parades canceled them or went forward without crowds .
Many foreign leaders also stayed away .
The presidents of France , the Czech Republic , Croatia , and China had planned to attend the parade on May 9 .
But they all canceled their plans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was rescheduled for June 24 .
Kyrgyz President Sooronbai Jeenbekov traveled to Moscow for the event but missed the parade after two people aboard his flight to the Russian capital tested positive for COVID-19 upon their arrival .
Jeenbeekov 's office told RFE/RL 's Kyrgyz Service that the head of the presidential office 's foreign policy unit , Daniyar Sydykov , and a bodyguard had tested positive for the coronavirus .
The presidents of Belarus , Kazakhstan , Moldova , Serbia , Tajikistan , and Uzbekistan all attended the gathering -- sitting together @ @ @ @ @ @ @ World War II veterans .
The de facto leaders of Georgia 's breakaway regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia , which Russia recognizes as independent states , also attended , along with the Bosnian Serb member of Bosnia ’ s multiethnic presidency , Milorad Dodik .
After the parade , Putin laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the Kremlin Wall to honor the memory of those killed in World War II .
Later , at a ceremony in the Kremlin , Putin handed the 2019 State Prizes to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , literature and the arts , and for humanitarian activities , charity , and human rights .
The ceremony for awarding the State Prizes is usually held on Russia Day -- marked each year on June 12 .
But this year , Putin presented Gold Star of Labor Hero medals to several laureates instead .
The State Prize is Russia 's highest award for scientific and cultural contributions to society and the state .
In 1992 , the award replaced the Soviet-era State Prize of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic .
With @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Services , AFP , and dpa

Russia staged a postponed Victory Day military parade in Moscow on June 24 with President Vladimir Putin seeking to solidify support ahead of a referendum that could pave the way for his extended rule.
The parade commemorating the 1945 defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II is traditionally held on May 9.
Putin reluctantly postponed the event until June 24 because of the coronavirus pandemic. The date coincides with the 75th anniversary of the first Soviet Victory Day parade in 1945.
For Putin, the event is particularly significant this year as it falls ahead of a July 1 national vote on controversial amendments to the constitution that would open the door for the Russian leader staying in power until 2036. That vote had been scheduled for April 22 but was also postponed because of the pandemic.
Since coming to power two decades ago, Putin has sought either as president or prime minister to restore symbols of the Soviet and Russian past to boost patriotism.
On June 14, a new Cathedral of the Russian Armed Forces was consecrated outside Moscow to mark the 75th anniversary of the end of what the Kremlin calls the “Great Patriotic War,” a conflict in which more than 20 million Soviet soldiers and citizens perished.
But the spectacle of military might in Moscow’s Red Square – involving some 14,000 troops from 13 countries, more than 200 historic and modern military vehicles, and 75 aircraft – was overshadowed by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Most of the troops in the parade were from Russia. Also taking part were forces from Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Mongolia, Serbia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.
Russia has reported 600,000 coronavirus infections, giving it the third-highest number in the world. Deaths stand at more than 8,000, but real numbers are believed to be much higher.
Russia began lifting mass coronavirus restrictions in recent weeks, but new cases remain stubbornly high at above 7,000 a day.
Putin has spent much of the pandemic conducting affairs of state remotely from his residence outside Moscow.
On June 24, the Kremlin limited access in Red Square to the area where Putin sat along with foreign leaders and World War II veterans of Soviet forces.
Those veterans had been placed under quarantine ahead of the parade.
Soldiers taking part in the parade also had been tested and placed in quarantine ahead of the parade.
Speaking from a podium on Red Square, Putin told the gathering: "It’s impossible to imagine what would have happened to the world if the Red Army hadn't defended it."
Putin said Soviet soldiers "did not need war, nor other countries, nor glory, nor honor. They sought to finish off the enemy, win, and return home. And they paid an irreplaceable price for the freedom of Europe."
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin had urged spectators to stay at home and watch the parade on television. Meanwhile, several cities that would normally hold smaller parades canceled them or went forward without crowds.
Many foreign leaders also stayed away. The presidents of France, the Czech Republic, Croatia, and China had planned to attend the parade on May 9. But they all canceled their plans to travel to Moscow after the event was rescheduled for June 24.
Kyrgyz President Sooronbai Jeenbekov traveled to Moscow for the event but missed the parade after two people aboard his flight to the Russian capital tested positive for COVID-19 upon their arrival.
Jeenbeekov's office told RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service that the head of the presidential office's foreign policy unit, Daniyar Sydykov, and a bodyguard had tested positive for the coronavirus.
The presidents of Belarus, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Serbia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan all attended the gathering -- sitting together in a section with Putin and the World War II veterans.
The de facto leaders of Georgia's breakaway regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, which Russia recognizes as independent states, also attended, along with the Bosnian Serb member of Bosnia’s multiethnic presidency, Milorad Dodik.
After the parade, Putin laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the Kremlin Wall to honor the memory of those killed in World War II.
Later, at a ceremony in the Kremlin, Putin handed the 2019 State Prizes to laureates for achievements in science and technology, literature and the arts, and for humanitarian activities, charity, and human rights.
The ceremony for awarding the State Prizes is usually held on Russia Day -- marked each year on June 12.
But this year, Putin presented Gold Star of Labor Hero medals to several laureates instead.
The State Prize is Russia's highest award for scientific and cultural contributions to society and the state. In 1992, the award replaced the Soviet-era State Prize of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic.
With reporting by RFE/RL's Russian and Kyrgyz Services, AFP, and dpa