rferl--2020-07-20--Russian Arctic Mayor Charged With Negligence Over Fuel Spill Resigns

KRASNOYARSK , Russia -- The mayor of the Russian Arctic city of Norilsk , who was charged with negligence over his response to a spill that dumped thousands of tons of diesel fuel into local waterways in late May , has resigned .
Rinat Akhmetchin , who had been Norilsk 's mayor since September 2017 , announced his resignation on July 20 after the governor of the Krasnoyarsk region , Aleksandr Uss , criticized his handling of issues such as the spill and the coronavirus outbreak .
Russia 's Investigative Committee opened a probe against Akhmetchin , 55 , in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leaked from a tank at a power plant near Norilsk on May 29 .
Akhmetchin was accused of failing to coordinate and organize emergency measures to contain and control fallout from the leakage .
The power plant is owned by a subsidiary of Norilsk Nickel , the world 's leading nickel and palladium producer , which said the leak was caused when pillars supporting a storage tank sank due to thawing permafrost soil .
The Prosecutor-General 's Office has also issued preliminary findings revealing that sagging ground helped trigger the disaster .
Akhmetchin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if convicted .
Four managers at the power station were arrested on suspicion of violating environmental-protection rules .
They are suspected of having continued to use an unsafe fuel-storage tank that had needed repairs since 2018 .
President Vladimir Putin ordered a state of emergency after the extent of the spill became known and Norilsk Nickel has since promised to pay for the costs of the cleanup , estimated at 10 billion rubles ( $ 145 million ) .
Norilsk Nickel is owned by Russia 's richest man , Vladimir Potanin .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and downplayed the scale of the disaster for at least two days .

KRASNOYARSK, Russia -- The mayor of the Russian Arctic city of Norilsk, who was charged with negligence over his response to a spill that dumped thousands of tons of diesel fuel into local waterways in late May, has resigned.
Rinat Akhmetchin, who had been Norilsk's mayor since September 2017, announced his resignation on July 20 after the governor of the Krasnoyarsk region, Aleksandr Uss, criticized his handling of issues such as the spill and the coronavirus outbreak.
Russia's Investigative Committee opened a probe against Akhmetchin, 55, in June after 21,000 tons of diesel fuel leaked from a tank at a power plant near Norilsk on May 29.
Akhmetchin was accused of failing to coordinate and organize emergency measures to contain and control fallout from the leakage.
The power plant is owned by a subsidiary of Norilsk Nickel, the world's leading nickel and palladium producer, which said the leak was caused when pillars supporting a storage tank sank due to thawing permafrost soil.
The Prosecutor-General's Office has also issued preliminary findings revealing that sagging ground helped trigger the disaster.
Akhmetchin faces up to six months in prison if convicted.
Four managers at the power station were arrested on suspicion of violating environmental-protection rules.
They are suspected of having continued to use an unsafe fuel-storage tank that had needed repairs since 2018.
President Vladimir Putin ordered a state of emergency after the extent of the spill became known and Norilsk Nickel has since promised to pay for the costs of the cleanup, estimated at 10 billion rubles ($145 million).
Norilsk Nickel is owned by Russia's richest man, Vladimir Potanin. The company denies allegations that management hushed up and downplayed the scale of the disaster for at least two days.


rferl--2020-07-20--Putin Replaces Governor Of Restive Far East Region Amid Ongoing Protests

MOSCOW -- Russian President Vladimir Putin has fired the governor of the Far Eastern region of Khabarovsk , Sergei Furgal , who was arrested on murder charges , which sparked massive rallies in his support .
The Kremlin said on July 20 that Putin has appointed Mikhail Degtyaryov , who like Furgal is a member of the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia led by outspoken nationalist politician Vladimir Zhirinovsky , as acting governor of the Khabarovsk region .
Zhirinovsky said he accepted the move but added that his party will continue to insist that all charges against Furgal be dropped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hundreds of people marched across the city of Khabarovsk , the region 's capital , demanding Furgal 's release .
While marching through a heavy downpour , the protesters briefly stopped near the regional police headquarters and the regional radio and television corporation , demanding `` full coverage of the protests and transparent and detailed information about the investigations of Furgal 's case . ''
They also want any possible trial to be held in the region , and not Moscow .
The 50-year-old Furgal denies the charges , which his supporters say @ @ @ @ @ @ @ governor of Khabarovsk , which borders China , two years ago in an upset for the longtime incumbent , who represented the ruling United Russia party .
Over the weekend police briefly detained two protesters in Khabarovsk and jailed for five days one protester in Vladivostok as thousands of people took part in protests in several cities in Russia 's Far East to demand Furgal 's release .
Organizers said a July 18 protest was attended by some 50,000 people in Khabarovsk , a city of only 600,000 people .
Furgal , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and transferred to Moscow , is charged with attempted murder and ordering two murders in 2004-05 .
On July 16 , the Moscow City Court in a closed-door decision upheld Furgal 's pretrial detention .
The continuing protests , far from the Russian capital , are a rare public show of defiance of the Kremlin and come following a controversial nationwide vote that set the stage for Putin to remain in power until 2036 .
The authorities have been unnerved by the protests , with the regional capital 's mayor calling for calm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could spread the coronavirus .
Russia 's Federal Security Service ( FSB ) has also warned of an alleged terrorist threat involving explosives , which it claimed to have already foiled .
In addition , authorities in the Khabarovsk region said they were considering a return to strict quarantine and attributed this to the `` difficult situation with the spread of coronavirus infection . ''

MOSCOW -- Russian President Vladimir Putin has fired the governor of the Far Eastern region of Khabarovsk, Sergei Furgal, who was arrested on murder charges, which sparked massive rallies in his support.
The Kremlin said on July 20 that Putin has appointed Mikhail Degtyaryov, who like Furgal is a member of the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia led by outspoken nationalist politician Vladimir Zhirinovsky, as acting governor of the Khabarovsk region.
Zhirinovsky said he accepted the move but added that his party will continue to insist that all charges against Furgal be dropped.
As the change was announced, hundreds of people marched across the city of Khabarovsk, the region's capital, demanding Furgal's release.
While marching through a heavy downpour, the protesters briefly stopped near the regional police headquarters and the regional radio and television corporation, demanding "full coverage of the protests and transparent and detailed information about the investigations of Furgal's case."
They also want any possible trial to be held in the region, and not Moscow.
The 50-year-old Furgal denies the charges, which his supporters say are politically motivated.
Furgal was elected governor of Khabarovsk, which borders China, two years ago in an upset for the longtime incumbent, who represented the ruling United Russia party.
Over the weekend police briefly detained two protesters in Khabarovsk and jailed for five days one protester in Vladivostok as thousands of people took part in protests in several cities in Russia's Far East to demand Furgal's release.
Organizers said a July 18 protest was attended by some 50,000 people in Khabarovsk, a city of only 600,000 people.
Furgal, who was arrested in Khabarovsk on July 9 and transferred to Moscow, is charged with attempted murder and ordering two murders in 2004-05.
On July 16, the Moscow City Court in a closed-door decision upheld Furgal's pretrial detention.
The continuing protests, far from the Russian capital, are a rare public show of defiance of the Kremlin and come following a controversial nationwide vote that set the stage for Putin to remain in power until 2036.
The authorities have been unnerved by the protests, with the regional capital's mayor calling for calm and saying such rallies were illegal and could spread the coronavirus.
Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) has also warned of an alleged terrorist threat involving explosives, which it claimed to have already foiled.
In addition, authorities in the Khabarovsk region said they were considering a return to strict quarantine and attributed this to the "difficult situation with the spread of coronavirus infection."


rferl--2020-07-20--Under Threat, Belarusian Opposition Candidate Moves Children Out Of Country

The Belarusian opposition 's main presidential candidate has taken her two children to an EU country out of concern for their safety after receiving threats ahead of next month 's election .
Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya has emerged as the embattled opposition 's main candidate against strongman President Alyaksandr Lukashenka , after other top contenders in the August 9 election were disqualified amid a widening preelection crackdown on dissent .
Belarusian media reported on July 20 that Tsikhanouskaya had moved her two children to an undisclosed EU country with the help of Natallya Radzina , the editor in chief of Charter97 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Belarusian regime .
The children , aged 4 and 10 , were taken out of the country along with their grandmother .
Tsikhanouskaya previously said she and her family had received threats for participating in the presidential race .
Radzina told the news website Tut.by that the presidential candidate was concerned she could be arrested and that her children could be taken away from her .
Tsikhanouskaya became a presidential candidate because her husband , well-known vlogger Syarhey Tsikhanouski , was incarcerated again after he openly expressed his intention to run for president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ since thrust her to the center of the battle for Belarus 's future , even though she says she harbors no personal political ambitions .
Last week , the campaigns of three opposition figures unified around Tsikhanouskaya after two top opposition candidates -- former Belgazprombank head Viktar Babaryka and prominent businessman Valer Tsapkala -- were disqualified from running against Lukashenka .
The opposition 's campaign to unseat Lukashenka after 26 years in power is now heating up with less than three weeks before the August 9 vote .
It comes as Lukashenka has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his rule .
Hundreds of people , including activists and bloggers , have been arrested as the government cracks down on rallies and demonstrations despite calls for restraint from Western governments and international institutions .
After holding two mass rallies over the weekend , Tsikhanouskaya continued on July 20 to outline her plans for the country as campaigning moves into full swing .
In an interview with the First National Channel of Belarusian Radio , Tsikhanouskaya said that it was impossible for Lukashenka to make Belarusian citizens love him `` by force .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ expect that by beating people , throwing them to prison cells , fining them , he will force people to love him ? ''
Tsikhanouskaya said .
She also elaborated on the opposition 's program of releasing political prisoners , holding new free and fair elections , and organizing a referendum to bring back the 1994 constitution that limited presidential powers .
Tsikhanouskaya also pointed out several problems she will focus as president , including mass emigration , health care , education , reviving villages and small towns , and slowing down the @ @ @ @ @

The Belarusian opposition's main presidential candidate has taken her two children to an EU country out of concern for their safety after receiving threats ahead of next month's election.
Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya has emerged as the embattled opposition's main candidate against strongman President Alyaksandr Lukashenka, after other top contenders in the August 9 election were disqualified amid a widening preelection crackdown on dissent.
Belarusian media reported on July 20 that Tsikhanouskaya had moved her two children to an undisclosed EU country with the help of Natallya Radzina, the editor in chief of Charter97, a news website critical of the authoritarian Belarusian regime. The children, aged 4 and 10, were taken out of the country along with their grandmother.
Tsikhanouskaya previously said she and her family had received threats for participating in the presidential race.
Radzina told the news website Tut.by that the presidential candidate was concerned she could be arrested and that her children could be taken away from her.
Tsikhanouskaya became a presidential candidate because her husband, well-known vlogger Syarhey Tsikhanouski, was incarcerated again after he openly expressed his intention to run for president.
A series of unlikely events have since thrust her to the center of the battle for Belarus's future, even though she says she harbors no personal political ambitions.
Last week, the campaigns of three opposition figures unified around Tsikhanouskaya after two top opposition candidates -- former Belgazprombank head Viktar Babaryka and prominent businessman Valer Tsapkala -- were disqualified from running against Lukashenka.
The opposition's campaign to unseat Lukashenka after 26 years in power is now heating up with less than three weeks before the August 9 vote.
It comes as Lukashenka has harshly responded to mounting public opposition to his rule.
Hundreds of people, including activists and bloggers, have been arrested as the government cracks down on rallies and demonstrations despite calls for restraint from Western governments and international institutions.
After holding two mass rallies over the weekend, Tsikhanouskaya continued on July 20 to outline her plans for the country as campaigning moves into full swing.
In an interview with the First National Channel of Belarusian Radio, Tsikhanouskaya said that it was impossible for Lukashenka to make Belarusian citizens love him "by force."
"Does the incumbent president really expect that by beating people, throwing them to prison cells, fining them, he will force people to love him?" Tsikhanouskaya said.
She also elaborated on the opposition's program of releasing political prisoners, holding new free and fair elections, and organizing a referendum to bring back the 1994 constitution that limited presidential powers.
Tsikhanouskaya also pointed out several problems she will focus as president, including mass emigration, health care, education, reviving villages and small towns, and slowing down the spread of the coronavirus.


rferl--2020-07-20--Kremlin Critic Navalny Announces Closure Of His Anti-Corruption Foundation

MOSCOW -- Russian opposition politician and outspoken Kremlin critic Aleksei Navalny has announced the closure of his Anti-Corruption Foundation ( FBK ) after using it for almost a decade to reveal wrongdoing by the Russian authorities .
Navalny wrote on his website on July 20 that he had been forced to shut down the organization due to a lawsuit filed by the Moscow Schoolchild food company , which is associated with businessman Yevgeny Prigozhin , a close associate of Russian President Vladimir Putin .
`` We will move to another legal entity , let Putin and Prigozhin choke on this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ -- we need to take with us , '' Navalny wrote .
In October 2019 , a Moscow court ordered Navalny , opposition activist Lyubov Sobol , and the FBK to pay 88 million rubles ( $ 1.2 million ) over a lawsuit filed by the company , which supplies Moscow schools and kindergartens with food .
At issue was a video containing allegations that the company did not comply with sanitary standards , forged documents , and supplied poor-quality food to kindergartens and schools .
The court ruled that the video discredited @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prompted a client to drop the Moscow Schoolchild company .
It ordered Navalny , Sobol , and the FBK to pay the crippling fine .
`` There is nothing you can do about me and Sobol .
The amount [ of the penalty ] is huge , and I do n't even see a reason to try and collect it .
Until the end of Putin 's power , we will have to live with blocked accounts and bailiffs confiscating our property in favor of Putin 's Chef , '' he added .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ nickname `` Putin 's Chef , '' because his firms have catered high-profile Kremlin events .

MOSCOW -- Russian opposition politician and outspoken Kremlin critic Aleksei Navalny has announced the closure of his Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK) after using it for almost a decade to reveal wrongdoing by the Russian authorities.
Navalny wrote on his website on July 20 that he had been forced to shut down the organization due to a lawsuit filed by the Moscow Schoolchild food company, which is associated with businessman Yevgeny Prigozhin, a close associate of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
"We will move to another legal entity, let Putin and Prigozhin choke on this. But the greatest value -- you -- we need to take with us," Navalny wrote.
In October 2019, a Moscow court ordered Navalny, opposition activist Lyubov Sobol, and the FBK to pay 88 million rubles ($1.2 million) over a lawsuit filed by the company, which supplies Moscow schools and kindergartens with food.
At issue was a video containing allegations that the company did not comply with sanitary standards, forged documents, and supplied poor-quality food to kindergartens and schools.
The court ruled that the video discredited the company's business reputation, and prompted a client to drop the Moscow Schoolchild company. It ordered Navalny, Sobol, and the FBK to pay the crippling fine.
"There is nothing you can do about me and Sobol. The amount [of the penalty] is huge, and I don't even see a reason to try and collect it. Until the end of Putin's power, we will have to live with blocked accounts and bailiffs confiscating our property in favor of Putin's Chef," he added.
Prigozhin is often referred to by the nickname "Putin's Chef," because his firms have catered high-profile Kremlin events.


rferl--2020-07-20--Whelan's Lawyers Say He Might Be Exchanged In September For Russians Held In U.S.

Lawyers for the former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan , who was sentenced in Moscow to 16 years in prison on espionage charges in mid-June , say their client may be exchanged in September for Russian nationals held in the United States .
Vladimir Zherebenkov told the TASS news agency on June 20 that Whelan , who denies any wrongdoing , remains at the Lefortovo detention center in Moscow as talks proceed .
Whelan 's other lawyer , Olga Karlova , told Interfax that `` certain sources '' informed Whelan 's defense team that he may be exchanged in September , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ confirmed . ''
Karlova added that although the Moscow City Court formally informed the Lefortovo detention center 's administration last week that Whelan 's sentence had come into force , thus starting the process of defining in which correctional facility Whelan would start serving his term , her client will most likely stay in the detention center depending on `` how successful the exchange talks are . ''
Reports in June said that Russian and U.S. officials were in talks on a possible swap of Whelan for two Russians -- Viktor Bout and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sentences in U.S. prisons .
The Moscow City Court convicted and sentenced Whelan to 16 years on June 15 after a trial that was held behind closed doors because the evidence included classified material , as well as due to measures 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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and expressed “ serious reservations about the legal process . ''
Russia 's Foreign Ministry has rejected “ claims about the unfairness and excessive harshness ” of the sentence .
The 50-year-old Whelan was arrested in Moscow in December 2018 .
Whelan says he was framed when he took the memory stick 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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 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 TASS

Lawyers for the former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan, who was sentenced in Moscow to 16 years in prison on espionage charges in mid-June, say their client may be exchanged in September for Russian nationals held in the United States.
Vladimir Zherebenkov told the TASS news agency on June 20 that Whelan, who denies any wrongdoing, remains at the Lefortovo detention center in Moscow as talks proceed.
Whelan's other lawyer, Olga Karlova, told Interfax that "certain sources" informed Whelan's defense team that he may be exchanged in September, though "the information has not been confirmed."
Karlova added that although the Moscow City Court formally informed the Lefortovo detention center's administration last week that Whelan's sentence had come into force, thus starting the process of defining in which correctional facility Whelan would start serving his term, her client will most likely stay in the detention center depending on "how successful the exchange talks are."
Reports in June said that Russian and U.S. officials were in talks on 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 convicted and sentenced Whelan to 16 years on June 15 after a trial that was held behind closed doors because the evidence included classified material, as well as due to measures 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.
The 50-year-old Whelan was arrested in Moscow in December 2018.
Russian prosecutors claimed that a flash memory stick found in Whelan's possession contained classified information.
Whelan says he was framed when he took the memory stick 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 TASS


rferl--2020-07-21--On Eve Of Verdict, Concerns Over Russian Gulag Historian's Fate

Human Rights Watch ( HRW ) has expressed concerns over the fate of Yury Dmitriyev , a Russian historian and human rights activist whose trial on charges of sexually assaulting his adopted daughter -- an allegation he and his supporters deny -- nears its end .
In a July 21 statement , HRW said that the `` circumstances surrounding criminal charges '' against Dmitriyev `` strongly suggest that they are spurious and target him for his human rights work . ''
On July 7 , prosecutors asked a court in Russia 's northwestern Karelia region to sentence Dmitriyev to 15 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sentence are expected to be pronounced on July 22 .
`` Allegations of child abuse should always be taken very seriously , while also protecting the due-process rights of the accused , '' said Hugh Williamson , Europe and Central Asia director at HRW .
`` We are concerned that perfectly appropriate measures to protect the child during the trial may have been misused by the authorities to pursue a prosecution of a human rights defender to smear his reputation . ''
Dmitriyev was arrested in 2016 on child-pornography charges based on photographs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on his computer .
He has proclaimed his innocence , contending that the images were not pornographic and were made at the request of social workers concerned about the child 's development .
Supporters of the 64-year-old , who is also the head of the Karelia branch of the Moscow-based human rights group Memorial , have said the charges were brought against him because of his research into a side of history that complicates the Kremlin 's glorification of the Soviet past .
Dmitriyev 's decades-long efforts to expose the extent of Soviet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ viewed with hostility by the government of President Vladimir Putin .
In May , dozens of Russian scholars , historians , writers , poets , opposition politicians , artists , and actors signed an open letter asking the Karelia Supreme Court to release Dmitriyev , expressing concerns over the researcher 's health as coronavirus infections have been found in the detention center where he is being held .
The European Union has called on the Russian authorities to release Dmitriyev and reconsider the charges against him .
A local court acquitted Dmitriyev in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Court subsequently upheld an appeal by prosecutors and ordered a new trial .
The historian was rearrested in June 2018 and is currently on trial on the more severe charge of `` violent acts of a sexual nature committed against a person under 14 years of age . ''

Human Rights Watch (HRW) has expressed concerns over the fate of Yury Dmitriyev, a Russian historian and human rights activist whose trial on charges of sexually assaulting his adopted daughter -- an allegation he and his supporters deny -- nears its end.
In a July 21 statement, HRW said that the "circumstances surrounding criminal charges" against Dmitriyev "strongly suggest that they are spurious and target him for his human rights work."
On July 7, prosecutors asked a court in Russia's northwestern Karelia region to sentence Dmitriyev to 15 years in prison. A verdict and sentence are expected to be pronounced on July 22.
"Allegations of child abuse should always be taken very seriously, while also protecting the due-process rights of the accused," said Hugh Williamson, Europe and Central Asia director at HRW.
"We are concerned that perfectly appropriate measures to protect the child during the trial may have been misused by the authorities to pursue a prosecution of a human rights defender to smear his reputation."
Dmitriyev was arrested in 2016 on child-pornography charges based on photographs of his adopted daughter that authorities found on his computer.
He has proclaimed his innocence, contending that the images were not pornographic and were made at the request of social workers concerned about the child's development.
Supporters of the 64-year-old, who is also the head of the Karelia branch of the Moscow-based human rights group Memorial, have said the charges were brought against him because of his research into a side of history that complicates the Kremlin's glorification of the Soviet past.
Dmitriyev's decades-long efforts to expose the extent of Soviet dictator Josef Stalin's crimes have been viewed with hostility by the government of President Vladimir Putin.
In May, dozens of Russian scholars, historians, writers, poets, opposition politicians, artists, and actors signed an open letter asking the Karelia Supreme Court to release Dmitriyev, expressing concerns over the researcher's health as coronavirus infections have been found in the detention center where he is being held.
The European Union has called on the Russian authorities to release Dmitriyev and reconsider the charges against him.
A local court acquitted Dmitriyev in April 2018, but the Karelia Supreme Court subsequently upheld an appeal by prosecutors and ordered a new trial.
The historian was rearrested in June 2018 and is currently on trial on the more severe charge of "violent acts of a sexual nature committed against a person under 14 years of age."


rferl--2020-07-21--U.K. Report Calls For Further Study Of Russian Interference, Claims Meddling In Scottish Vote

A report by the British Parliament 's Intelligence and Security Committee says the government should investigate whether Russia meddled in a 2016 referendum on leaving the European Union , though it will be `` difficult -- if not impossible -- to prove '' the allegations of interference , which the Kremlin denies .
The report , which was leaked by the political website Guido Fawkes just ahead of its official release on July 21 , says Russia considers Britain one of its `` top Western intelligence targets , '' likely because of its close relationship with the United States .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Prime Minister Boris Johnson in October , the report will be released amid criticism that the government delayed its release to shield Johnson and his Conservative Party from embarrassment .
The government initially said the report could n't be published until it was reviewed for national security leaks , which postponed release until after the December general elections .
Further holdups were caused by delays in appointing new members to the Intelligence and Security Committee .
The opposition Labour Party has accused the government of failing to publish the report because it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ between Russia and the pro-Brexit campaign in the 2016 referendum on European Union membership , which Johnson helped lead .
The heavily redacted report made little mention of the 2016 referendum , saying the British intelligence community should produce an analogous assessment of potential Russian interference in the EU referendum and that an unclassified summary of it be published .
`` In response to our request for written evidence at the outset of the inquiry , MI5 initially provided just six lines of text .
It stated that *** , before referring to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reads , adding that `` the government was slow to recognize the existence of the threat . ''
The report did , however , say Russia attempted to interfere in a 2014 independence referendum in Scotland .
`` There has been credible open-source commentary suggesting that Russia undertook influence campaigns in relation to the Scottish independence referendum in 2014 , '' the report says .
The Scottish referendum , a closely fought contest that divided the country and drew attention worldwide , narrowly failed , with 55.3 percent voting against independence while 44.7 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ denied meddling in the affairs of any other sovereign nation , often meeting accusations of interfering with claims of anti-Russian sentiment .
Analysts say Russia apparently saw a `` yes '' vote in the Scottish plebiscite as a way of justifying its own annexation of Crimea earlier in 2014 , after a hastily arranged `` referendum '' condemned by the West .
`` Russia has never interfered in the electoral process in the United States , the United Kingdom , or any other country .
We do n't do such things and we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to interfere in our political affairs , '' Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov said on July 21 .
With reporting by AP , Reuters , and TASS

A British parliamentary committee has criticized the government for failing to investigate Russian interference during the 2016 Brexit referendum despite “credible” commentary that Moscow had tried to meddle in the Scottish independence referendum two years earlier.
In a much-anticipated report published on July 21, the Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC) described Russian interference in Britain as “the new normal” and called for a “full assessment” of Moscow’s actions during the referendum to decide whether Britain should leave the EU.
ISC committee member Stewart Hosie said no one in the government wanted to touch the issue of Russian interference with a "10-foot pole" and that its members “did not want to know” because it was too hot a topic.
"There should have been an assessment of Russian interference in the EU referendum and there must now be one, and the public must be told the results of that assessment," Hosie said.
The report was completed in March 2019 and was originally submitted to Prime Minister Boris Johnson in October. Critics said his government delayed its release to shield Johnson and his Conservative Party from embarrassment.
The government initially said the report couldn't be published until it was reviewed for national security leaks, enabling 10 Downing Street to postpone its release until after the December general elections. Further holdups were caused by delays in appointing new members to the Intelligence and Security Committee.
The opposition Labour Party has accused the government of failing to publish the report because it would lead to further questions about links between Russia and the pro-Brexit campaign in the 2016 referendum on European Union membership, which Johnson helped lead.
The heavily redacted report made little mention of the 2016 referendum, saying the British intelligence community should produce an assessment of potential Russian interference in the EU referendum analogous to that produced by the United States following allegations that Moscow meddled in its 2016 presidential election.
The intelligence and security committee recommended that an unclassified summary of it be published.
"In response to our request for written evidence at the outset of the inquiry, MI5 initially provided just six lines of text. It stated that ***, before referring to academic studies," the redacted version reads, adding that "the government was slow to recognize the existence of the threat."
The report did, however, say Russia attempted to interfere in a 2014 independence referendum in Scotland.
"There has been credible open-source commentary suggesting that Russia undertook influence campaigns in relation to the Scottish independence referendum in 2014," the report says.
The Scottish referendum, a closely fought contest that divided the country and drew attention worldwide, narrowly failed, with 55.3 percent voting against independence while 44.7 percent backed it.
Russia has constantly denied meddling in the affairs of any other sovereign nation, often meeting accusations of interfering with claims of anti-Russian sentiment.
Analysts say Russia apparently saw a "yes" vote in the Scottish plebiscite as a way of justifying its own annexation of Crimea earlier in 2014, after a hastily arranged "referendum" condemned by the West.
"Russia has never interfered in the electoral process in the United States, the United Kingdom, or any other country. We don't do such things and we won't tolerate other countries' attempts to interfere in our political affairs," Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov said on July 21.
With reporting by AP, Reuters, and TASS


rferl--2020-07-21--Bulgarian Government Survives Fifth No-Confidence Vote Over Corruption

Bulgaria 's center-right government has survived a no-confidence vote initiated by the opposition Socialists , who accuse it of failing to fight endemic corruption .
The July 21 vote was the fifth no-confidence motion against the coalition government since it took office in 2017 .
Thousands of Bulgarians have been rallying for almost two weeks against third-term Prime Minister Boyko Borisov 's cabinet and Prosecutor-General Ivan Geshev , and several hundred protesters gathered outside parliament ahead of the vote on July 21 , shouting `` Mafia '' , `` Resign '' and `` Borisov is a disgrace . ''
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ motion , while 102 were in favor -- well short of a majority in the 240-seat parliament .
Eleven lawmakers abstained .
Borisov , 61 , was widely expected to survive the motion .
He was n't present during the vote , as he has not returned from marathon negotiations in Brussels that ended early on July 21 with agreement on a 750 billion-euro ( $ 860 billion ) coronavirus recovery package and the EU 's seven-year budget .
The government coalition council , made up of Borisov 's conservative GERB party and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expected to discuss a way out of the current political crisis later in the week , senior member Valeri Simeonov told public BNT television .
Bulgaria is the poorest and most corrupt of the European Union 's 27 member states , according to Transparency International .
Borisov last week announced that three key ministers -- of finance , economy , and the interior -- had declared their willingness to resign in an apparent bid to appease public anger .
However , Borisov put off the cabinet reshuffle until after the no-confidence vote .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ends in March .
Thousands of mostly young people demonstrated for 13 days in a row in the capital against the government 's perceived favoritism of powerful behind-the-scenes oligarchs .
Rallies were also held in Lovech , Haskovo , Plovdiv , Vratsa , Montana , Varna , Burgas , Kyustendil , and other cities .
The anti-corruption protests were sparked by a raid on July 9 by the Prosecutor-General 's Office on the presidential office .
President Rumen Radev 's legal-affairs and anti-corruption secretary and his security and defense adviser were detained for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of two separate probes into influence-peddling and disclosure of state secrets .
The demonstrators have condemned the raids as an attack by the government and the Prosecutor-General 's Office on Radev .
However , the daily street protests and traffic blockades were beginning to lose steam , with only 3,000 participants on July 20 compared to more than 10,000 a week ago .
With reporting by Reuters and AFP

Bulgaria's center-right government has survived a no-confidence vote initiated by the opposition Socialists, who accuse it of failing to fight endemic corruption.
The July 21 vote was the fifth no-confidence motion against the coalition government since it took office in 2017.
Thousands of Bulgarians have been rallying for almost two weeks against third-term Prime Minister Boyko Borisov's cabinet and Prosecutor-General Ivan Geshev, and several hundred protesters gathered outside parliament ahead of the vote on July 21, shouting "Mafia", "Resign" and "Borisov is a disgrace."
A total of 124 lawmakers voted against the motion, while 102 were in favor -- well short of a majority in the 240-seat parliament. Eleven lawmakers abstained.
Borisov, 61, was widely expected to survive the motion. He wasn't present during the vote, as he has not returned from marathon negotiations in Brussels that ended early on July 21 with agreement on a 750 billion-euro ($860 billion) coronavirus recovery package and the EU's seven-year budget.
The government coalition council, made up of Borisov's conservative GERB party and his two small nationalist partners, is expected to discuss a way out of the current political crisis later in the week, senior member Valeri Simeonov told public BNT television.
Bulgaria is the poorest and most corrupt of the European Union's 27 member states, according to Transparency International.
Borisov last week announced that three key ministers -- of finance, economy, and the interior -- had declared their willingness to resign in an apparent bid to appease public anger.
However, Borisov put off the cabinet reshuffle until after the no-confidence vote.
Borisov's third four-year term in office ends in March.
Thousands of mostly young people demonstrated for 13 days in a row in the capital against the government's perceived favoritism of powerful behind-the-scenes oligarchs.
Rallies were also held in Lovech, Haskovo, Plovdiv, Vratsa, Montana, Varna, Burgas, Kyustendil, and other cities.
The anti-corruption protests were sparked by a raid on July 9 by the Prosecutor-General's Office on the presidential office.
President Rumen Radev's legal-affairs and anti-corruption secretary and his security and defense adviser were detained for questioning and their offices searched as part of two separate probes into influence-peddling and disclosure of state secrets.
The demonstrators have condemned the raids as an attack by the government and the Prosecutor-General's Office on Radev.
However, the daily street protests and traffic blockades were beginning to lose steam, with only 3,000 participants on July 20 compared to more than 10,000 a week ago.
With reporting by Reuters and AFP


rferl--2020-07-21--Armed Man In Ukrainian City Of Lutsk Takes Bus Passengers Hostage

LUTSK , Ukraine -- A man armed with firearms and explosives has taken control of a crowded passenger bus and is holding hostages in the northwestern Ukrainian city of Lutsk , periodically spraying the area with bullets .
The bus , pockmarked with bullet holes through its windows , was still parked near the city 's central square around noon local time on July 21 , with the man and the hostages inside .
It was not clear if there are casualties among the passengers .
Olha Buzuluk , a spokeswoman for the National Police in the Volyn region , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 20 hostages and that law enforcement were at the scene .
The Ukrainian Security Service ( SBU ) put the number of the hostages at 10 .
Regional police chief Yuriy Kroshko said the man told police via telephone that he was armed and had a large amount of explosives with him .
He also said that the man claimed to have placed a bomb at another site in the city and that he could detonate it remotely .
Deputy Interior Minister Anton Herashchenko said the hostage-taker had been in touch with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Maksym Plokhoi ( Bad Max ) .
His demands remain unclear , but he told police that the `` existing situation in Ukraine '' was behind the hostage taking .
Local media identified the man as Maksym Kryvosh from the western city of Dubno , saying he had a criminal record and was once treated in a psychiatric clinic .
According to Buzuluk , Interior Minister Arsen Avakov has arrived at the scene in Lutsk to lead the operation .
Ukraine has been in turmoil since Russia took control of Crimea in March @ @ @ @ @ @ @ key facilities , and staging a referendum dismissed as illegal by at least 100 countries .
Moscow also backs separatists in a war against government forces that has killed some 13,200 people in eastern Ukraine since April 2014 .
With reporting by Suspilne , UNIAN , Volynski Novyny , and Ukrayinska Pravda

LUTSK, Ukraine -- A tense hostage situation on a bus in western Ukraine has ended without casualties after a standoff with police and after President Volodymyr Zelenskiy spoke with the hostage-taker by phone and agreed to one of his demands.
Police arrested the suspected hostage taker, whom the Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) identified as 44-year-old Maksym Kryvosh and said he had propagated "extremist views."
Interior Minister Arsen Avakov said Kryvosh was armed with guns and a grenade, adding to the concerns of security forces during the 12-hour standoff.
The hostages were freed after an armored personnel carrier with special forces pulled up alongside the bus around 9:30 p.m., seconds after an explosion created a bright flash near the vehicle, a video posted by an onlooker showed:
Officials said Kryvosh was a two-time convict who also went by the last name "Plokhoy," which means "bad" in Russian.
Police said Kryvosh ranted against "the system" in his negotiations, called the country's oligarchs and officials "terrorists," and demanded that people watch the 2005 documentary film Earthlings about the suffering endured by animals at farms, research labs, and other locations.
In response, Zelenskiy posted a short video on Facebook recommending that people watch the documentary. Local media said Kryvosh was following the news about his hostage-taking on his smartphone.
Zelenskiy deleted the video after Kryvosh's capture. He said he had spoken to Kryvosh for around seven to 10 minutes and persuaded him to release three of the hostages, including a pregnant woman. Zelenskiy then agreed to publish the short video.
"We agreed that he would release three people and after that I will record a video," Zelenskiy said.
"I congratulate all those who fought all day for the release of the people in Lutsk and, in fact, for their lives," Zelenskiy said in a statement after the hostages were freed.
Regional police chief Yuriy Kroshko said earlier in the day that Kryvosh had told police that he was armed and had a large amount of explosives with him.
He also claimed to have placed a bomb at another site in the city and said he could detonate it remotely.
The SBU published a picture of Kryvosh lying face down with security personnel standing over him after his arrest. Avakov said an accomplice was detained in the eastern city of Kharkiv.
With reporting by Suspilne, UNIAN, Volynski Novyny, Ukrayinska Pravda, and the Kyiv Post


rferl--2020-07-21--COVID-19: Uzbek Medics Accuse Government Of Breaking Promises; Romanians Now Stopped From Leaving Ho

COVID-19: Uzbek Medics Accuse Government Of Breaking Promises; Romanians Now Stopped From Leaving Hospital

The global death toll from the coronavirus is more than 610,000 , with nearly 15 million infections confirmed , causing mass disruptions as governments continue to try to slow the spread of the respiratory illness .
A group of medical personnel working at the ambulance service center in Tashkent have complained to President Shavkat Mirziyoev about what they called the government 's `` failure '' to increase their salaries during the coronavirus pandemic , a move promised by the president since March .
In an open letter addressed to Mirziyoev posted on Telegram , the medical workers said that `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fight against the coronavirus , we are not tested for COVID-19 ourselves , and not fully equipped with protective garments . ''
The letter also says that compensation promised by Mirziyoev to medical personnel infected with the virus have not been paid , while the number of physicians and nurses not receiving the increased funds is on the rise .
`` We have been working [ with COVID-19 patients ] for four months , but our salaries have not been increased and there were cases when our wages were delayed , '' the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the medical personnel , had to be tested for coronavirus once in every 14 days , but in the last four months we were tested only once .
We may have contracted the virus and passed it on other people while walking around , as our bodies may have developed immunity to it , but we do not know , '' it adds .
`` After all , we are human beings and we must be with our families .
For how long shall we live in fear , anxiety , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mirziyoev ordered mayors of cities and districts to personally monitor the situation in each hospital around the clock , adding that they were responsible for creating conditions for the nonstop operation of hospitals .
Mirziyoev also said that 80 percent of lethal COVID-19 cases had been registered in Tashkent , the capital .
As of July 21 , the number of coronavirus cases in Central Asia 's most populous country of 32 million was 17,590 , including 91 deaths .
In neighboring Kazakhstan , Health Minister Aleksei Tsoi said on July 21 that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ started stabilizing after a spike in cases .
According to Tsoi , the number of people who recovered from the coronavirus in the last two weeks increased 60 percent , while the number of new coronavirus patients per day decreased from 4 percent to 2.5 percent .
Tsoi asked the government to allocate an additional 47 billion tenges ( $ 113 million ) for coronavirus testing .
As of July 21 , the number of cases in Kazakhstan was reported at 73,468 , including 585 deaths .
In Kyrgyzstan , Prime Minister Kubatbek @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on two new hospitals , each with a capacity of 100 patients , will start in Bishkek and the second-largest city , Osh , this week .
Boronov also said that all buildings in the regions that are n't in use must be turned into hospitals to treat COVID-19 patients .
The Health Ministry said on July 21 that the number of coronavirus cases in the country reached 28,251 , of whom 14,776 patients recovered and 1,079 people died .
In Tajikistan , as of July 20 the number of coronavirus cases was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deaths .
However , an investigative report by RFE/RL last month revealed that the real number of lethal cases of COVID-19 in the country might be several hundred .
Turkmenistan is the only country in the region that has not officially registered any coronavirus cases , but RFE/RL correspondents have reported that local hospitals have been overwhelmed with patients with pneumonia symptoms , some of whom , including medical personnel , have died .
In some parts of the country , so-called quarantine zones have been established and some industrial facilities are being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A new law has come into effect to enforce the mandatory quarantine or hospitalization for those infected with the coronavirus , after thousands of sick patients were allowed to walk out of hospitals or not be treated at all .
EU-member Romania had stemmed the spread of COVID-19 under a strict two-month lockdown , but cases have jumped since it was lifted in mid-May and reached record-high levels this month , with a peak of 994 new infections and 36 fatalities on July 21 .
The new law was fast-tracked in parliament after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2 ruled that authorities could no longer enforce mandatory quarantine or hospitalized care based on government decrees , and that such containment measures could only be taken through a parliamentary legislation .
Following the ruling , almost 1,000 people who had tested positive were released from hospital at their own request -- even against medical advice -- between July 2-20 , while almost 3,700 infected people were not hospitalized at all , data released late on July 20 showed .
At least one patient released from hospital at his own request subsequently died @ @ @ @ @ @ @ others were readmitted to intensive-care units .
`` We need to remind Romanians that , as a result of the court 's decision , more than 900 patients were let go at their own request and more than 3,000 of those registered as infected were not even admitted to hospital , '' Prime Minister Ludovic Orban , who has repeatedly criticized the ruling , told a cabinet meeting on July 21 .
The government has yet to estimate the impact of the legislative void on the growing number of infections , Orban said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 20 warned that Romania could see a spike to more than 1,000 new daily cases in the following days and that the government could decide to quarantine specific outbreaks in companies or neighborhoods .
The caseload spike also came against a backdrop of multiplying conspiracy theories peddled online and in the streets .
In Bucharest , a few hundred so called `` coronaskeptics '' -- holding religious icons , the national flag , and signs that read `` I believe in GOD , not in COVID '' -- frequently protest against what they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Romania , with a population of almost 20 million , has to date reported more than 39,000 coronavirus infections and more than 2,100 deaths .
With reporting by RFE/RL 's Kazakh , Kyrgyz , Romanian , Tajik , Turkmen , and Uzbek services , Digi24.ro , Hotnews.ro , AFP , and Reuters

The global death toll from the coronavirus is more than 610,000, with nearly 15 million infections confirmed, causing mass disruptions as governments continue to try to slow the spread of the respiratory illness.
Here's a roundup of COVID-19 developments in RFE/RL's broadcast regions.
Central Asia
A group of medical personnel working at the ambulance service center in Tashkent have complained to President Shavkat Mirziyoev about what they called the government's "failure" to increase their salaries during the coronavirus pandemic, a move promised by the president since March.
In an open letter addressed to Mirziyoev posted on Telegram, the medical workers said that "despite being on the frontline in the fight against the coronavirus, we are not tested for COVID-19 ourselves, and not fully equipped with protective garments."
The letter also says that compensation promised by Mirziyoev to medical personnel infected with the virus have not been paid, while the number of physicians and nurses not receiving the increased funds is on the rise.
"We have been working [with COVID-19 patients] for four months, but our salaries have not been increased and there were cases when our wages were delayed," the letter says.
"Also, we, the medical personnel, had to be tested for coronavirus once in every 14 days, but in the last four months we were tested only once. We may have contracted the virus and passed it on other people while walking around, as our bodies may have developed immunity to it, but we do not know," it adds. "After all, we are human beings and we must be with our families. For how long shall we live in fear, anxiety, and suspicion?"
On July 20, Mirziyoev ordered mayors of cities and districts to personally monitor the situation in each hospital around the clock, adding that they were responsible for creating conditions for the nonstop operation of hospitals.
Mirziyoev also said that 80 percent of lethal COVID-19 cases had been registered in Tashkent, the capital.
As of July 21, the number of coronavirus cases in Central Asia's most populous country of 32 million was 17,590, including 91 deaths.
In neighboring Kazakhstan, Health Minister Aleksei Tsoi said on July 21 that the coronavirus situation in the country had started stabilizing after a spike in cases.
According to Tsoi, the number of people who recovered from the coronavirus in the last two weeks increased 60 percent, while the number of new coronavirus patients per day decreased from 4 percent to 2.5 percent.
Tsoi asked the government to allocate an additional 47 billion tenges ($113 million) for coronavirus testing.
As of July 21, the number of cases in Kazakhstan was reported at 73,468, including 585 deaths.
In Kyrgyzstan, Prime Minister Kubatbek Boronov said on July 21 that construction on two new hospitals, each with a capacity of 100 patients, will start in Bishkek and the second-largest city, Osh, this week.
Boronov also said that all buildings in the regions that aren't in use must be turned into hospitals to treat COVID-19 patients.
The Health Ministry said on July 21 that the number of coronavirus cases in the country reached 28,251, of whom 14,776 patients recovered and 1,079 people died.
In Tajikistan, as of July 20 the number of coronavirus cases was officially reported as 6,921, including 57 deaths.
However, an investigative report by RFE/RL last month revealed that the real number of lethal cases of COVID-19 in the country might be several hundred.
Turkmenistan is the only country in the region that has not officially registered any coronavirus cases, but RFE/RL correspondents have reported that local hospitals have been overwhelmed with patients with pneumonia symptoms, some of whom, including medical personnel, have died.
In some parts of the country, so-called quarantine zones have been established and some industrial facilities are being shut down, RFE/RL correspondents report.
Romania
A new law has come into effect to enforce the mandatory quarantine or hospitalization for those infected with the coronavirus, after thousands of sick patients were allowed to walk out of hospitals or not be treated at all.
EU-member Romania had stemmed the spread of COVID-19 under a strict two-month lockdown, but cases have jumped since it was lifted in mid-May and reached record-high levels this month, with a peak of 994 new infections and 36 fatalities on July 21.
The new law was fast-tracked in parliament after the country's Constitutional Court on July 2 ruled that authorities could no longer enforce mandatory quarantine or hospitalized care based on government decrees, and that such containment measures could only be taken through a parliamentary legislation.
Following the ruling, almost 1,000 people who had tested positive were released from hospital at their own request -- even against medical advice -- between July 2-20, while almost 3,700 infected people were not hospitalized at all, data released late on July 20 showed.
At least one patient released from hospital at his own request subsequently died of COVID-19 at home, while several others were readmitted to intensive-care units.
"We need to remind Romanians that, as a result of the court's decision, more than 900 patients were let go at their own request and more than 3,000 of those registered as infected were not even admitted to hospital," Prime Minister Ludovic Orban, who has repeatedly criticized the ruling, told a cabinet meeting on July 21.
The government has yet to estimate the impact of the legislative void on the growing number of infections, Orban said.
Health Minister Nelu Tataru on July 20 warned that Romania could see a spike to more than 1,000 new daily cases in the following days and that the government could decide to quarantine specific outbreaks in companies or neighborhoods.
The caseload spike also came against a backdrop of multiplying conspiracy theories peddled online and in the streets.
In Bucharest, a few hundred so called "coronaskeptics" -- holding religious icons, the national flag, and signs that read "I believe in GOD, not in COVID" -- frequently protest against what they call a "sanitary dictatorship."
Romania, with a population of almost 20 million, has to date reported more than 39,000 coronavirus infections and more than 2,100 deaths.
With reporting by RFE/RL's Kazakh, Kyrgyz, Romanian, Tajik, Turkmen, and Uzbek services, Digi24.ro, Hotnews.ro, AFP, and Reuters


rferl--2020-07-21--U.S. House Approves More Sanctions Related To Nord Stream 2

The U.S. House of Representatives has passed an amendment that would impose new sanctions on companies helping Russia complete a controversial natural-gas pipeline to Germany .
The Democratic-controlled House passed the amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act ( NDAA ) on July 20 .
The NDAA must be approved by the Senate and signed by the president before the new sanctions would become law .
Russia is seeking to complete the construction of the Nord Stream 2 project , which would transport gas to Europe under the Baltic Sea .
European vessels laying the pipeline halted work in December @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that specifically targeted their activity .
Russia is hoping to complete it using its own ships , prompting the United States to include the amendment in the NDAA to widen the sanctions beyond vessels to any company .
The project is more than 90 percent built .
It consists of two parallel lines running under the Baltic Sea , each 1,230 kilometers in length .
The nearly $ 11 billion Nord Stream 2 pipeline , which would have an annual capacity of 55 billion cubic meters a year , would largely reroute gas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of billions of dollars in annual fees .
The United States opposes the project on the grounds that it strengthens the Kremlin 's grip on the European energy market and punishes Ukraine , which is battling Russian-backed separatists in its eastern provinces .
`` Russia is trying to develop the Nord Stream 2 pipeline to exert undue control on our European allies and their energy supplies .
We must stop [ President Vladimir ] Putin 's hostile influence strategy , '' Representative Steve Womack ( Republican-Arkansas ) said in a tweet after the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ States of using sanctions as a weapon to boost its energy exports .
The United States is seeking to increase liquefied-natural-gas exports to Europe .
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo , who warned companies last week against helping Russia finish the pipeline , is scheduled to travel to Denmark this week .
The portion of the pipeline that remains to be build lies in Denmark 's economic waters .

The U.S. House of Representatives has passed an amendment that would impose new sanctions on companies helping Russia complete a controversial natural-gas pipeline to Germany.
The Democratic-controlled House passed the amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) on July 20.
The NDAA must be approved by the Senate and signed by the president before the new sanctions would become law.
Russia is seeking to complete the construction of the Nord Stream 2 project, which would transport gas to Europe under the Baltic Sea.
European vessels laying the pipeline halted work in December following the first round of U.S. sanctions that specifically targeted their activity.
Russia is hoping to complete it using its own ships, prompting the United States to include the amendment in the NDAA to widen the sanctions beyond vessels to any company.
The project is more than 90 percent built. It consists of two parallel lines running under the Baltic Sea, each 1,230 kilometers in length.
The nearly $11 billion Nord Stream 2 pipeline, which would have an annual capacity of 55 billion cubic meters a year, would largely reroute gas to Europe around Ukraine, depriving Kyiv of billions of dollars in annual fees.
The United States opposes the project on the grounds that it strengthens the Kremlin's grip on the European energy market and punishes Ukraine, which is battling Russian-backed separatists in its eastern provinces.
"Russia is trying to develop the Nord Stream 2 pipeline to exert undue control on our European allies and their energy supplies. We must stop [President Vladimir] Putin's hostile influence strategy," Representative Steve Womack (Republican-Arkansas) said in a tweet after the vote.
Russia has accused the United States of using sanctions as a weapon to boost its energy exports. The United States is seeking to increase liquefied-natural-gas exports to Europe.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who warned companies last week against helping Russia finish the pipeline, is scheduled to travel to Denmark this week. The portion of the pipeline that remains to be build lies in Denmark's economic waters.


rferl--2020-07-21--U.S. Democrats Demand FBI Briefing On Foreign Election Interference

Top Democrats in the U.S. Congress have demanded an urgent intelligence briefing over what they say is a concerted foreign campaign to spread disinformation to interfere in the November 3 election .
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ( Democrat-California ) , Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer ( Democrat-New York ) , and two other Democrats made the demand in a letter to the FBI released on July 20 .
`` We are gravely concerned ... that Congress appears to be the target of a concerted foreign-interference campaign , which seeks to launder and amplify disinformation in order to influence congressional activity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ election , '' they said .
The letter cited serious and specific threats to the upcoming presidential and congressional elections and said due to the nature of the threats , the FBI should conduct a classified briefing to all members of Congress by the end of July .
The FBI acknowledged that it had received the letter but had no other comment .
The nature of the disinformation campaign was not made clear and the letter did not attribute the alleged interference campaign to a country .
Intelligence officials already have warned about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Iran , China , and Russia .
Following the 2016 election U.S. intelligence and law enforcement officials determined that Russia interfered by mounting a computer-hacking and social-media-manipulation campaign with the goal of boosting Republican Donald Trump over Democrat Hillary Clinton .
U.S. officials have also said there were multiple foreign hacker efforts to penetrate voting systems in the 2018 congressional elections in what appeared to be a test run for 2020 .
In February , an FBI official said Russia was again interfering , seeking to exacerbate divisions and sow distrust in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , FBI Director Christopher Wray said that China was pushing its preferences in the 2020 race in a constant effort to influence the American public .
`` It 's not an election-specific threat ; it 's really more of an all-year , all-the-time threat , '' Wray said .
`` But certainly that has implications for elections and they certainly have preferences that go along with that . ''
Former Vice President Joe Biden , the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee , vowed in a statement that if any foreign power interfered in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not hesitate to respond as president to impose substantial and lasting costs . ''
With reporting by AP and AFP

Top Democrats in the U.S. Congress have demanded an urgent intelligence briefing over what they say is a concerted foreign campaign to spread disinformation to interfere in the November 3 election.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (Democrat-California), Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (Democrat-New York), and two other Democrats made the demand in a letter to the FBI released on July 20.
"We are gravely concerned...that Congress appears to be the target of a concerted foreign-interference campaign, which seeks to launder and amplify disinformation in order to influence congressional activity, public debate, and the presidential election," they said.
The letter cited serious and specific threats to the upcoming presidential and congressional elections and said due to the nature of the threats, the FBI should conduct a classified briefing to all members of Congress by the end of July.
The FBI acknowledged that it had received the letter but had no other comment.
The nature of the disinformation campaign was not made clear and the letter did not attribute the alleged interference campaign to a country.
Intelligence officials already have warned about disinformation campaigns over social media operated by Iran, China, and Russia.
Following the 2016 election U.S. intelligence and law enforcement officials determined that Russia interfered by mounting a computer-hacking and social-media-manipulation campaign with the goal of boosting Republican Donald Trump over Democrat Hillary Clinton.
U.S. officials have also said there were multiple foreign hacker efforts to penetrate voting systems in the 2018 congressional elections in what appeared to be a test run for 2020.
In February, an FBI official said Russia was again interfering, seeking to exacerbate divisions and sow distrust in the U.S. election system.
Earlier this month, FBI Director Christopher Wray said that China was pushing its preferences in the 2020 race in a constant effort to influence the American public.
"It's not an election-specific threat; it's really more of an all-year, all-the-time threat," Wray said. "But certainly that has implications for elections and they certainly have preferences that go along with that."
Former Vice President Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, vowed in a statement that if any foreign power interfered in the election, he would as president "not hesitate to respond as president to impose substantial and lasting costs."
With reporting by AP and AFP


rferl--2020-07-22--Pakistani Journalist Home Safe After Abduction That Lasted 12 Hours

A prominent Pakistani journalist known for his criticism of the military has returned home after being kidnapped in Islamabad one day before he was scheduled to appear in court over a tweet critical of Pakistan 's judges and military .
Matiullah Jan , who was found safe 12 hours after being abducted on July 21 , told Pakistan ’ s private TV channel Geo News he was blindfolded and taken to an unknown location after being shoved into the assailants ’ car .
He said he was then driven around the city before being released in Fateh Jang , about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ close friend and fellow journalist , Azaz Syed , published a photo of Jan after his release .
Jan , a freelancer who has worked for local and international news outlets , was due to appear in the Supreme Court this week after the court took notice of the alleged contemptuous tweet , the newspaper Dawn reported .
Khawaja Asif , a former foreign minister and senior leader in the opposition Pakistan Muslim League ( PML-N ) , held a news conference to condemn Jan ’ s disappearance .
Jan “ has talked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said , noting his court hearing on July 22 .
“ To take him into custody now is an attempt to silence him and his journalism , ” Asif said , according to Dawn .
He said the PML-N would support people who are targeted after speaking against the government , adding that the manner in which journalists have been silenced in Pakistan “ does not happen in civilized societies.
” Jan was abducted by several unidentified men after they intercepted his car , his colleague Asad Toor said .
Footage from surveillance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a vehicle and pushing him into another car before driving away .
“ There were more than five people – some in civilian clothes , others in black uniforms – who forcibly picked up my husband , ” Jan 's wife , Kaneez Sughra , told AFP .
She said her husband had been followed by unknown men in recent weeks .
Information Minister Shibli Faraz also confirmed the journalist ’ s abduction , according to Dawn .
Leading politicians , activists and journalists had called for the journalist 's release on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trending in the country .
Jan , who has worked as a print and broadcast journalist for the past three decades , has been intimidated , harassed , and attacked in the past , his friend Azaz Syed said .
He was fired by Pakistan 's Waqt TV station , allegedly under pressure from the military , which has been a frequent target of his criticism .
A spokesperson for the military declined to comment on Jan ’ s case .
Pakistan ’ s military plays an outsized role in the domestic and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of around 220 million and critical reporting of the institution is not tolerated .
Journalists and bloggers inside Pakistan have complained of intimidation tactics including kidnappings , beatings , and even killings if they cross a red line in their reporting on the military .
Several Pakistani journalists were briefly detained in recent months , allegedly by the military 's spy agency , in what is thought to be an attempt to silence criticism of the powerful military .
The military has denied the accusations .
With reporting by AFP , dpa , @ @ @ @

A prominent Pakistani journalist known for his criticism of the military has returned home after being kidnapped in Islamabad one day before he was scheduled to appear in court over a tweet critical of Pakistan's judges and military.
Matiullah Jan, who was found safe 12 hours after being abducted on July 21, told Pakistan's private TV channel Geo News he was blindfolded and taken to an unknown location after being shoved into the assailants' car.
He said he was then driven around the city before being released in Fateh Jang, about 45 kilometers outside the capital. A close friend and fellow journalist, Azaz Syed, published a photo of Jan after his release.
Jan, a freelancer who has worked for local and international news outlets, was due to appear in the Supreme Court this week after the court took notice of the alleged contemptuous tweet, the newspaper Dawn reported.
Khawaja Asif, a former foreign minister and senior leader in the opposition Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N), held a news conference to condemn Jan's disappearance.
Jan "has talked about media and journalism," Asif said, noting the court hearing on July 22. "To take him into custody now is an attempt to silence him and his journalism," Asif said, according to Dawn.
He said the PML-N would support people who are targeted after speaking against the government, adding that the manner in which journalists have been silenced in Pakistan "does not happen in civilized societies."
Jan was abducted by several unidentified men after they intercepted his car, his colleague Asad Toor said. Footage from surveillance cameras showed men dragging a driver out of a vehicle and pushing him into another car before driving away.
"There were more than five people -- some in civilian clothes, others in black uniforms -- who forcibly picked up my husband," Jan's wife, Kaneez Sughra, told AFP. She said her husband had been followed by unknown men in recent weeks.
Information Minister Shibli Faraz also confirmed the journalist's abduction, according to Dawn.
Leading politicians, activists, and journalists had called for the journalist's release on Twitter, with the hashtag #BringBackMatiullah trending in the country.
Jan, who has worked as a print and broadcast journalist for the past three decades, has been intimidated, harassed, and attacked in the past, his friend Azaz Syed said.
He was fired by Pakistan's Waqt TV station, allegedly under pressure from the military, which has been a frequent target of his criticism.
A spokesperson for the military declined to comment on Jan’s case.
Pakistan’s military plays an outsized role in the domestic and foreign affairs of the South Asian country of around 220 million and critical reporting of the institution is not tolerated.
Journalists and bloggers inside Pakistan have complained of intimidation tactics including kidnappings, beatings, and even killings if they cross a red line in their reporting on the military.
Several Pakistani journalists were briefly detained in recent months, allegedly by the military's spy agency, in what is thought to be an attempt to silence criticism of the powerful military.
The military has denied the accusations.
With reporting by AFP, dpa, Dawn, and AP


rferl--2020-07-21--Russian Lawmakers Approve Bill On Multiday Voting In Elections

MOSCOW -- The lower chamber of Russia 's parliament , the State Duma , has approved the final reading of a bill that would allow voting over as many as three days during elections .
In the vote on July 21 , 344 lawmakers supported the legislation while 51 were against .
According to the bill , the decision on whether to hold a multiday voting procedure will be made by electoral officials .
Human rights organizations in Russia have harshly criticized the bill on multiday voting , saying that it would give power holders more control over elections and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Multiday voting was used for the first time between June 25 and July 1 in a national vote on constitutional amendments that among other things allowed President Vladimir Putin the possibility to seek further presidential terms after his current term expires in 2024 .
After the vote , the chairwoman of the Central Election Commission , Ella Pamfilova , said in a discussion with Putin that the possibility of a multiday voting system in elections in general was under discussion , stressing that citizens `` liked '' the new system .
The bill @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chamber , the Federation Council , before Putin could sign it into law .
If the bill is endorsed by the president , upcoming general elections in September may be held under the new format .
With reporting by TASS and Interfax

MOSCOW -- The lower chamber of Russia's parliament, the State Duma, has approved the final reading of a bill that would allow voting over as many as three days during elections.
In the vote on July 21, 344 lawmakers supported the legislation while 51 were against.
According to the bill, the decision on whether to hold a multiday voting procedure will be made by electoral officials.
Human rights organizations in Russia have harshly criticized the bill on multiday voting, saying that it would give power holders more control over elections and more opportunities to rig their results.
Multiday voting was used for the first time between June 25 and July 1 in a national vote on constitutional amendments that among other things allowed President Vladimir Putin the possibility to seek further presidential terms after his current term expires in 2024.
After the vote, the chairwoman of the Central Election Commission, Ella Pamfilova, said in a discussion with Putin that the possibility of a multiday voting system in elections in general was under discussion, stressing that citizens "liked" the new system.
The bill must be approved by parliament's upper chamber, the Federation Council, before Putin could sign it into law.
If the bill is endorsed by the president, upcoming general elections in September may be held under the new format.
With reporting by TASS and Interfax


rferl--2020-07-21--Rallies In Russia's Khabarovsk Continue As Protesters Target Anger At Newly Appointed Governor

KHABAROVSK , Russia -- Hundreds of supporters of the arrested ex-governor of Russia 's Far Eastern Khabarovsk region , Sergei Furgal , rallied for an 11th day in the regional capital , denouncing newly appointed acting Governor Mikhail Degtyaryov .
The protesters gathered on July 21 in Khabarovsk in front of the regional government building and then marched across the city , chanting , `` Degtyaryov , come out ! ''
Degtyaryov , was appointed to the post by President Vladimir Putin a day earlier .
He arrived in Khabarovsk on the morning of July 21 but did not show @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the day , Degtyaryov met with the region 's officials for the first time and said that his main priority is to increase efforts to slow down the spread of the coronavirus in the region and become familiar with local social and economic issues .
Putin fired Furgal on July 20 before appointing Degtyaryov to the post .
Both are members of the nationalist Liberal Democratic Party of Russia ( LDPR ) .
Protesters also expressed their anger over the new appointment online with more than 1,300 comments under Degtyaryov 's latest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appeared to criticize the acting governor .
Also on July 21 , two local lawmakers , Pyotr Yemelyanov and Aleksandr Kayan , quit the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia to protest Furgal ’ s firing .
Furgal , who was arrested in Khabarovsk on July 9 and transferred to Moscow , is charged with attempted murder and ordering two murders in 2004-05 .
He denies the allegations .
Furgal was elected governor of the Khabarovsk region , which borders China , almost two years ago in an upset for the longtime incumbent who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Khabarovsk rallies have attracted thousands of people on the weekends and are the largest protests in the city since the fall of the Soviet Union .
Such sizable demonstrations far from the Russian capital are a rare public show of defiance against the Kremlin and come following a controversial nationwide vote that set the stage for Putin to remain in power until 2036 .
Authorities are said to be unnerved by the protests , with the regional capital 's mayor calling for calm and saying such rallies were illegal and could help @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Russia 's Federal Security Service ( FSB ) had also warned of an alleged terrorist threat involving explosives , which it claimed to have already foiled .
In addition , the authorities in the Khabarovsk region said they were considering a return to strict quarantine measures and attributed this to the “ difficult situation with the spread of the coronavirus infection .
”

KHABAROVSK, Russia -- Hundreds of supporters of the arrested ex-governor of Russia's Far Eastern Khabarovsk region, Sergei Furgal, rallied for an 11th day in the regional capital, denouncing newly appointed acting Governor Mikhail Degtyaryov.
The protesters gathered on July 21 in Khabarovsk in front of the regional government building and then marched across the city, chanting, "Degtyaryov, come out!"
Degtyaryov, was appointed to the post by President Vladimir Putin a day earlier. He arrived in Khabarovsk on the morning of July 21 but did not show up to meet the protesters.
Earlier in the day, Degtyaryov met with the region's officials for the first time and said that his main priority is to increase efforts to slow down the spread of the coronavirus in the region and become familiar with local social and economic issues.
Putin fired Furgal on July 20 before appointing Degtyaryov to the post. Both are members of the nationalist Liberal Democratic Party of Russia (LDPR).
Protesters also expressed their anger over the new appointment online with more than 1,300 comments under Degtyaryov's latest Instagram post, the majority of which appeared to criticize the acting governor.
Also on July 21, two local lawmakers, Pyotr Yemelyanov and Aleksandr Kayan, quit the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia to protest Furgal’s firing.
Furgal, who was arrested in Khabarovsk on July 9 and transferred to Moscow, is charged with attempted murder and ordering two murders in 2004-05. He denies the allegations.
Furgal was elected governor of the Khabarovsk region, which borders China, almost two years ago in an upset for the longtime incumbent who represented the ruling United Russia party.
The Khabarovsk rallies have attracted thousands of people on the weekends and are the largest protests in the city since the fall of the Soviet Union.
Such sizable demonstrations far from the Russian capital are a rare public show of defiance against the Kremlin and come following a controversial nationwide vote that set the stage for Putin to remain in power until 2036.
WATCH: Weeklong Khabarovsk Protests Culminate In Thousands-Strong Demonstration (from July 18)
Authorities are said to be unnerved by the protests, with the regional capital's mayor calling for calm and saying such rallies were illegal and could help accelerate the spread of the coronavirus.
Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) had also warned of an alleged terrorist threat involving explosives, which it claimed to have already foiled.
In addition, the authorities in the Khabarovsk region said they were considering a return to strict quarantine measures and attributed this to the “difficult situation with the spread of the coronavirus infection.”


rferl--2020-07-21--Prominent Pakistani Journalist Kidnapped, Was Critical Of Country's Powerful Army

A prominent Pakistani journalist known for his criticism of the country's powerful military has been kidnapped, raising concerns his life may be in danger.
Matiullah Jan, one of the country's leading journalists, was abducted on July 21 in the capital, Islamabad, by several men after they intercepted his car, his colleague Asad Toor said.
Footage from surveillance cameras showed men dragging a driver out of his vehicle and pushing him into another car before driving away. Jan's wife said the first car in the video belonged to her husband.
Information Minister Shibli Faraz would only confirm that Jan had been kidnapped.
Leading politicians, activists, and journalists took to Twitter to call for the journalist's release, with the hashtag #BringBackMatiullah trending in the country, while the Austrian-based International Press Institute (IPI) demanded that Jan be freed.
“We fear that Matiullah Jan’s life is in danger, and immediate steps must be taken to locate him and ensure his release from his apparent kidnappers,” IPP Deputy Director Scott Griffen said in a statement. “Given the history of violence against journalists in Pakistan, the authorities cannot delay in seeking to protect Jan’s safety.”
Jan, who has worked as a print and broadcast journalist for the past three decades, has previously been intimidated, harassed, and attacked, his friend Azaz Syed said.
After being fired by Pakistan's Waqt TV station, allegedly under pressure from the military -- a frequent target of his criticism -- he continued to maintain a voice via social media, including on YouTube and Twitter, even receiving a contempt of court notice earlier this month for a tweet.
Criticism of the army has long been seen as a red line for the media, with journalists and bloggers inside Pakistan complaining of intimidation tactics including kidnappings, beatings, and even killings if they cross that line.
The military has an oversized role in the domestic and foreign affairs of the South Asian country of around 220 million.
A spokesperson for the military declined to comment on Jan’s case.
Several Pakistani journalists were briefly detained in recent months, allegedly by the military's spy agency, in what is thought to be an attempt to silence criticism of the powerful military.
The military has denied the accusations.
With reporting by dpa and AP


rferl--2020-07-21--On Eve Of Verdict, Concerns Over Fate Of Russian Gulag Historian


rferl--2020-07-21--Hostage-Taking On Ukrainian Bus Ends, All Passengers Safe, After 12-Hour Ordeal

LUTSK , Ukraine -- Ukrainian forces have captured an armed man who was holding 13 people hostage inside a bus in the northwestern town of Lutsk , ending a 12-hour ordeal .
No one was injured .
An armored personnel carrier with Ukrainian special forces pulled up alongside the bus around 9:30 p.m. seconds after an explosion created a bright flash near the vehicle , a video posted by an onlooker showed : Maksym Kryvosh , a 44-year-old resident of Lutsk who has a criminal record and was once treated at a psychiatric center , was arrested .
Kryvosh also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which means `` bad '' in Russian .
Police said Kryvosh ranted against `` the system '' in his negotiations , called the nation 's oligarchs and officials `` terrorists , '' and demanded that people watch the 2005 documentary film Earthlings about the suffering endured by animals at farms , research labs , and other locations .
In response , Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy posted a short video on Facebook recommending that people watch the documentary .
Local media said Kryvosh was following the news about his hostage-taking on his smartphone .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ capture .
Regional police chief Yuriy Kroshko said earlier in the day that Kryvosh had told police that he was armed and had a large amount of explosives with him .
He also claimed to have placed a bomb at another site in the city and said he could detonate it remotely .
With reporting by Suspilne , UNIAN , Volynski Novyny , Ukrayinska Pravda , and the Kyiv Post


rferl--2020-07-22--COVID-19: Turkmenistan Imposes Restrictions 'To Prevent' Outbreak

The global death toll from the coronavirus is more than 615,000 , with nearly 15 million infections confirmed , causing mass disruptions as governments continue to try to slow the spread of the respiratory illness .
Turkmenistan , the only country in Central Asia that has not confirmed a single coronavirus case within its borders , has imposed restrictions to `` prevent '' an outbreak of the deadly virus .
The restrictions were imposed for the period between July 2 and August 1 , during which large shopping malls , marketplaces , theaters , parks , and sports venues will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and fast food businesses are also temporarily closed and can only offer food delivery services .
RFE/RL correspondents report from the country that in recent days , the Health Ministry has been sending text messages to the tightly controlled country ’ s residents , urging them to wear masks outdoors to `` thwart the adverse effect of weather '' .
Although Turkmen officials have not formally registered coronavirus cases , RFE/RL correspondents have reported that local hospitals have been overwhelmed with patients with pneumonia symptoms , some of whom , including medical personnel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the country , so-called quarantine zones have been established , while some industrial facilities are being shut down , RFE/RL correspondents report .
Sources in Turkmenistan told RFE/RL on July 20 that the mayor of the country 's eastern Farap district , Hasan Metkuliyev , had died of COVID-19 .
The leader of a World Health Organization mission , Catherine Smallwood , told a press conference in Ashgabat on July 15 that the mission had concerns about reports of pneumonia in the energy-rich country .
She advised the Turkmen government to activate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Turkmenistan , as if COVID-19 was circulating . ''
In neighboring Uzbekistan , 74 hospitals in the capital , Tashkent , have been ordered to remain open 24 hours a day .
A member of the state commission on efforts to slow the spread of the coronavirus , Barno Odilova , said on July 21 that medical personnel at the hospitals had started working 12-hour shifts to handle the patient load .
Odilova added that each hospital now had a mobile team involved in outpatient treatment and delivering medicines to patients ' homes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hospitals in Tashkent have been provided with 750 mobile phones to increase the capacity of call-centers operating around the clock .
As of July 22 , the number of coronavirus cases in Central Asia 's most-populous country of 32 million was 18,171 , including 96 deaths .
In Tajikistan , as of July 21 the number of coronavirus cases was officially reported as 6,967 , including 57 deaths .
However , an investigative report by RFE/RL 's Tajik Service last month revealed that the real number of lethal cases of COVID-19 in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kyrgyzstan , health officials said on July 22 that 12,563 COVID-19 patients were currently being treated in hospitals .
In general , since mid-March , the number of registered coronavirus cases in the country was reported as 29,359 , of whom 15,851 recovered and 1,123 died .
In Kazakhstan , as of July 22 , the number of coronavirus case was reported as 75,153 , including 610 deaths .
With reporting by RFE/RL 's Kazakh , Kyrgyz , Tajik , Turkmen , and Uzbek services

The global death toll from the coronavirus is more than 615,000, with nearly 15 million infections confirmed, causing mass disruptions as governments continue to try to slow the spread of the respiratory illness.
Here's a roundup of COVID-19 developments in RFE/RL's broadcast regions.
Central Asia
Turkmenistan, the only country in Central Asia that has not confirmed a single coronavirus case within its borders, has imposed restrictions to "prevent" an outbreak of the deadly virus.
The restrictions were imposed for the period between July 2 and August 1, during which large shopping malls, marketplaces, theaters, parks, and sports venues will be closed.
Restaurants, cafeterias, and fast food businesses are also temporarily closed and can only offer food delivery services.
RFE/RL correspondents report from the country that in recent days, the Health Ministry has been sending text messages to the tightly controlled country’s residents, urging them to wear masks outdoors to "thwart the adverse effect of weather".
Although Turkmen officials have not formally registered coronavirus cases, RFE/RL correspondents have reported that local hospitals have been overwhelmed with patients with pneumonia symptoms, some of whom, including medical personnel, have died.
In some parts of the country, so-called quarantine zones have been established, while some industrial facilities are being shut down, RFE/RL correspondents report.
Sources in Turkmenistan told RFE/RL on July 20 that the mayor of the country's eastern Farap district, Hasan Metkuliyev, had died of COVID-19.
The leader of a World Health Organization mission, Catherine Smallwood, told a press conference in Ashgabat on July 15 that the mission had concerns about reports of pneumonia in the energy-rich country.
She advised the Turkmen government to activate "the critical public health measures in Turkmenistan, as if COVID-19 was circulating."
In neighboring Uzbekistan, 74 hospitals in the capital, Tashkent, have been ordered to remain open 24 hours a day.
A member of the state commission on efforts to slow the spread of the coronavirus, Barno Odilova, said on July 21 that medical personnel at the hospitals had started working 12-hour shifts to handle the patient load.
Odilova added that each hospital now had a mobile team involved in outpatient treatment and delivering medicines to patients' homes for free.
According to Odilova, hospitals in Tashkent have been provided with 750 mobile phones to increase the capacity of call-centers operating around the clock.
As of July 22, the number of coronavirus cases in Central Asia's most-populous country of 32 million was 18,171, including 96 deaths.
In Tajikistan, as of July 21 the number of coronavirus cases was officially reported as 6,967, including 57 deaths.
However, an investigative report by RFE/RL's Tajik Service last month revealed that the real number of lethal cases of COVID-19 in the country might be several hundreds.
In Kyrgyzstan, health officials said on July 22 that 12,563 COVID-19 patients were currently being treated in hospitals.
In general, since mid-March, the number of registered coronavirus cases in the country was reported as 29,359, of whom 15,851 recovered and 1,123 died.
In Kazakhstan, as of July 22, the number of coronavirus case was reported as 75,153, including 610 deaths.
With reporting by RFE/RL's Kazakh, Kyrgyz, Tajik, Turkmen, and Uzbek services


rferl--2020-07-22--Ukraine Cancels Visa Requirement For Australia, New Zealand, Several Arab States

Ukraine says it has canceled visa requirements for citizens of Australia , New Zealand , Bahrain , Kuwait , Oman @ @ @ @ @ As of August 1 , tourists from the six countries will no longer need a @ @ @ @ @ their visits do not exceed 90 days .
Last month , Zelenskiy said Ukraine was @ @ @ @ @ of visa requirements for visitors from several countries , including China , in order to @ @ @ @ @ to slow the spread of the coronavirus are lifted .
Last year , Ukraine introduced @ @ @ @ @ 52 countries , including China and Australia .
Citizens of all former Soviet republics , @ @ @ @ @ , the European Union , and several countries in South America can enter Ukraine for @ @ @ @ @ a visa .
Citizens of five former Soviet republics -- Armenia , Azerbaijan , Georgia @ @ @ @ @ -- can enter Ukraine without a visa for an indefinite stay .

Ukraine says it has canceled visa requirements for citizens of Australia, New Zealand, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, and Saudi Arabia.
As of August 1, tourists from the six countries will no longer need a visa to visit Ukraine if their visits do not exceed 90 days.
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy signed the decree on July 21.
Last month, Zelenskiy said Ukraine was looking into the possible cancellation of visa requirements for visitors from several countries, including China, in order to attract more tourists after restrictions to slow the spread of the coronavirus are lifted.
Last year, Ukraine introduced electronic visas for citizens of 52 countries, including China and Australia.
Citizens of all former Soviet republics, the United States, Canada, the European Union,and several countries in South America can enter Ukraine for up to 90 days without a visa.
Citizens of five former Soviet republics -- Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova, and Uzbekistan -- can enter Ukraine without a visa for an indefinite stay.
With reporting by Reuters