rferl--2020-06-08--Stoltenberg Urges NATO Unity Amid Challenges From China, Russia

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg says the 30-member alliance must “ stay strong militarily , be more united politically , and take a broader approach globally ” in order to continue to “ protect our democracies ” in a “ more competitive world.
” In a speech laying out his vision of NATO for 2030 , Stoltenberg on June 8 called on the allies to continue to invest in their armed forces ; use the alliance as the forum to discuss , and where necessary to act , on issues affecting their shared security ; and work more closely with `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Japan , New Zealand , and South Korea to `` defend the global rules and institutions that have kept us safe for decades.
” “ Stand up for a world built on freedom and democracy .
Not on bullying and coercion , ” he said during an online event with the Atlantic Council and the German Marshall Fund of the United States .
Stoltenberg said that Russia “ continues its military activities unabated , ” while the Islamic State ( IS ) and other terrorist groups are “ emboldened ” and state and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” He said that the rise of China was “ fundamentally shifting the global balance of power , heating up the race for economic and technological supremacy , multiplying the threats to open societies and individual freedoms , and increasing the competition over our values and our way of life . ''
Stoltenberg ’ s speech comes as the the United States ’ allies in Europe expressed dismay over a reported plan to withdraw U.S. troops from Germany .
Asked about the plans , he refused to comment directly on `` leaks or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ United States ’ military commitment to Europe , saying : `` In the last few years we have actually seen an increase in the U.S. presence in Europe again . ''
`` And this is not only about Germany .
We have seen for instance a new U.S. brigade deployed to Europe , we have seen more rotational presence , we have seen the U.S. taking a lead function in the NATO battle group in Poland , '' Stoltenberg said .
The potential troop withdrawal from Germany was reported by The Wall Street @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It surprised some allies , who said the plan undermined NATO and boosted adversaries such as Russia , the Journal said on June 7 .
The newspaper reported on June 5 that U.S. President Donald Trump planned to move forward with the withdrawal of up to 9,500 U.S. personnel , while Der Spiegel said between 5,000 and 15,000 could be withdrawn later this year .
Around 34,000 U.S. troops in all are stationed in Germany .
The German government says it has yet to receive confirmation from Washington about the reports .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also the leader of Chancellor Angela Merkel 's Christian Democrats ( CDU ) , suggested that , if the United States goes ahead , it would do more harm to NATO as a whole than to Germany ’ s own defense .
`` I do n't want to speculate on something for which I have no confirmation , '' she told a news conference .
`` The fact is the presence of U.S. troops in Germany serves the entire security of the NATO alliance -- so American security too .
That is the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Trump has long complained that Germany hasn ’ t fulfilled its NATO commitment to spend 2 percent of economic output on its military .
Merkel 's government has pledged to increase military spending , but meeting the NATO target would likely not happen before 2030 .
Poland , which last year met the 2 percent guideline , has expressed hope that some U.S. troops could be shifted from Germany to Poland .
Stoltenberg ’ s speech also comes as two military exercises involving NATO partners are underway in Poland and the Baltic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ place exclusively in Poland .
U.S. commanders who planned the exercise say it is important for a number of reasons but chiefly because it shows that the NATO partners have the capability to train safely “ in this COVID environment.
” The exercise , which originally was scheduled to take place in May on a much larger scale , was postponed and scaled back because of the coronavirus pandemic .
It ’ s now taking place exclusively in Poland and involves about 6,000 troops .
In April , Stoltenberg said the alliance must @ @ @ @ @ @ @ security threat and warned that adversaries like Russia and terrorist groups could try to exploit the situation and conduct hostile activities .
Stoltenberg made the statement after Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov suggested putting military activities on pause during the outbreak .
But Stoltenberg said the exercises are defensive .
The other exercise is taking place in the Baltic Sea and began on June 7 .
It involves 3,000 military personnel , 29 ships , and 29 air assets of the alliance from 19 countries .
Known as Baltops , the exercise has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the flexibility of participating countries in conducting joint land , air , and sea operations in the Baltic Sea region .
This year , the exercises will be exclusively maritime in nature to reduce the number of contacts between military personnel during the coronavirus pandemic .
With reporting by AFP , The Wall Street Journal , Reuters , dpa , and Spiegel.de

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg says the 30-member alliance must “stay strong militarily, be more united politically, and take a broader approach globally” in order to continue to “protect our democracies” in a “more competitive world.”
In a speech laying out his vision of NATO for 2030, Stoltenberg on June 8 called on the allies to continue to invest in their armed forces; use the alliance as the forum to discuss, and where necessary to act, on issues affecting their shared security; and work more closely with "like-minded" partners such as Australia, Japan, New Zealand, and South Korea to "defend the global rules and institutions that have kept us safe for decades.”
“Stand up for a world built on freedom and democracy. Not on bullying and coercion,” he said during an online event with the Atlantic Council and the German Marshall Fund of the United States.
Stoltenberg said that Russia “continues its military activities unabated,” while the Islamic State (IS) and other terrorist groups are “emboldened” and state and non-state actors promote “disinformation and propaganda.”
'Threats To Open Societies'
He said that the rise of China was “fundamentally shifting the global balance of power, heating up the race for economic and technological supremacy, multiplying the threats to open societies and individual freedoms, and increasing the competition over our values and our way of life."
Stoltenberg’s speech comes as the the United States’ allies in Europe expressed dismay over a reported plan to withdraw U.S. troops from Germany.
Asked about the plans, he refused to comment directly on "leaks or media speculation" but he defended the United States’ military commitment to Europe, saying: "In the last few years we have actually seen an increase in the U.S. presence in Europe again."
"And this is not only about Germany. We have seen for instance a new U.S. brigade deployed to Europe, we have seen more rotational presence, we have seen the U.S. taking a lead function in the NATO battle group in Poland," Stoltenberg said.
The potential troop withdrawal from Germany was reported by The Wall Street Journal and Der Spiegel last week. It surprised some allies, who said the plan undermined NATO and boosted adversaries such as Russia, the Journal said on June 7.
The newspaper reported on June 5 that U.S. President Donald Trump planned to move forward with the withdrawal of up to 9,500 U.S. personnel, while Der Spiegel said between 5,000 and 15,000 could be withdrawn later this year. Around 34,000 U.S. troops in all are stationed in Germany.
The German government says it has yet to receive confirmation from Washington about the reports.
But Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, who is also the leader of Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democrats (CDU), suggested that, if the United States goes ahead, it would do more harm to NATO as a whole than to Germany’s own defense.
"I don't want to speculate on something for which I have no confirmation," she told a news conference. "The fact is the presence of U.S. troops in Germany serves the entire security of the NATO alliance -- so American security too. That is the basis on which we work together."
Trump has long complained that Germany hasn’t fulfilled its NATO commitment to spend 2 percent of economic output on its military.
Merkel's government has pledged to increase military spending, but meeting the NATO target would likely not happen before 2030.
Poland, which last year met the 2 percent guideline, has expressed hope that some U.S. troops could be shifted from Germany to Poland.
Military Exercises
Stoltenberg’s speech also comes as two military exercises involving NATO partners are underway in Poland and the Baltic Sea.
One of them is taking place exclusively in Poland.
U.S. commanders who planned the exercise say it is important for a number of reasons but chiefly because it shows that the NATO partners have the capability to train safely “in this COVID environment.”
The exercise, which originally was scheduled to take place in May on a much larger scale, was postponed and scaled back because of the coronavirus pandemic. It’s now taking place exclusively in Poland and involves about 6,000 troops.
In April, Stoltenberg said the alliance must not allow the coronavirus to become a security threat and warned that adversaries like Russia and terrorist groups could try to exploit the situation and conduct hostile activities.
Stoltenberg made the statement after Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov suggested putting military activities on pause during the outbreak. But Stoltenberg said the exercises are defensive.
The other exercise is taking place in the Baltic Sea and began on June 7. It involves 3,000 military personnel, 29 ships, and 29 air assets of the alliance from 19 countries.
Known as Baltops, the exercise has been held annually since 1972 to increase the flexibility of participating countries in conducting joint land, air, and sea operations in the Baltic Sea region.
This year, the exercises will be exclusively maritime in nature to reduce the number of contacts between military personnel during the coronavirus pandemic.
With reporting by AFP, The Wall Street Journal, Reuters, dpa, and Spiegel.de


rferl--2020-06-08--COVID-19: Russia Reports Nearly 9,000 New Cases

In Russia , almost 9,000 new cases were reported on June 8 , bringing the total to more than 476,000 @ @ @ @ @ count after the United States and Brazil .
Russia also reported 112 more deaths , @ @ @ @ @ 5,971 -- a relatively low number compared to the overall infections that has prompted critics @ @ @ @ @ officials .
Moscow on June 8 ended its general lockdown and cancelled a system of @ @ @ @ @ travel .
Residents of the Russian capital may now walk , use public transport , @ @ @ @ @ Many Russian regions are also relaxing restrictions introduced earlier to curb the spread of the @ @ @ @ @ AP and AFP

A former top FBI counterintelligence agent pleaded guilty to charges related to his work for notorious Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska, changing his plea after federal prosecutors filed new, reduced charges of conspiring to violate U.S. sanctions on Russia by working for the billionaire industrialist.
The move by Charles McGonigal, made on August 15 before a federal judge in New York City, ends a prosecution that had stunned the FBI, where McGonigal had investigated Russian influence operations for years while climbing the bureau’s ranks.
The 55-year-old also still faces a separate set of foreign agent charges in Washington, D.C., related to work he did for Albanian officials.
McGonigal, who retired as head counterintelligence in the FBI's New York bureau in 2018, was originally indicted in January by a grand jury on more serious charges of money laundering and violating U.S. sanctions.
Prosecutors alleged that McGonigal and a former Russian diplomat with whom he was associated, were paid more than $200,000 to do work for Deripaska, a wealthy Russian metals tycoon who has long been seen as a Kremlin insider. Deripaska was hit with sanctions by the U.S. Treasury Department in 2018.
U.S. authorities said McGonigal was hired to dig up negative information on Vladimir Potanin, a rival oligarch to Deripaska. McGonigal and the former diplomat, Sergei Shestakov, also worked to try and get Deripaska removed from U.S. sanctions lists.
Shestakov has pleaded not guilty to the more serious charges than had been originally filed against McGonigal.
They "attempted to conceal Deripaska's involvement by, among other means, not directly naming Deripaska in electronic communications, using shell companies as counterparties in the contract that outlined the services to be performed, using a forged signature on that contract, and using the same shell companies to send and receive payment from Deripaska," the Justice Department said in a press release after McGonigal entered his plea.
McGonigal could receive up to five years in prison when he is sentenced in December.
The separate case filed in Washington, D.C., by federal prosecutors centers on work McGonigal allegedly did on behalf of a former Albanian intelligence officer, for which he was paid $225,000.
McGonigal also allegedly lied to the FBI about his contacts with foreign nationals and foreign travel while he was still employed by the bureau.
Deripaska also faces charges of violating U.S. sanctions through real estate deals and a complicated scheme under which he allegedly arranged for his girlfriend to travel to the United States to give birth to two of their children.


rferl--2020-06-08--Armenian PM Replaces Top Security Officials

YEREVAN -- Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian has initiated an unexpected shake-up in the leadership of the country ’ s security services .
The presidential office said on June 8 that it had received suggestions from Pashinian to dismiss the chief of the general staff of the armed forces , Artak Davtian , the director of the National Security Service , Eduard Martirosian , and police chief Arman Sargsian .
Pashinian said that Lieutenant-General Onik Gasparian , Colonel Argishti Kyaramian , and Colonel Vahe Ghazarian will be appointed to the posts , respectively , after President Armen Sarkisian signs the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ constitution , the president shall sign the decrees regarding the appointments and dismissals of officials presented by the prime minister .
In a Facebook post , Pashinian thanked Davtian , Martirosian , and Sargsian for their “ work and efforts , ” without giving reasons for the shake-up .
Speaking at a cabinet meeting , Pashinian said that he did not think Martirosian and Sargsian had `` exhausted their potential to serve the Republic of Armenia , its people , the state . ''
The prime minister also appeared to refer to an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Davtian ’ s son , which was held during strict lockdown measures imposed to stem the spread of the coronavirus .
Pashinian said that the actions of a high-ranking official can not go against the public statements made by the prime minister , including those regarding social-distancing rules imposed during the coronavirus pandemic .
According to the Hraparak daily , the recent wedding was attended by high-ranking military officials .
Cars with license plates from the Defense Ministry were parked outside Davtian ’ s private house , the paper wrote .
`` Everyone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if I did something wrong , I will be held accountable , '' Davtian has told the state-run news agency Armenpress .
Deputy Prime Minister Tigran Avinian , who is in charge of coordinating the state of emergency regime , told RFE/RL on June 8 that his office will investigate possible violations of the restrictions .
Avinian said that if violations are revealed those responsible will be held accountable .
Pashinian has initiated a `` name-and-shame '' campaign on his Facebook account , soliciting photographs from members of the public about instances of @ @ @ @ @ @

YEREVAN -- Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian has initiated an unexpected shake-up in the leadership of the country’s security services.
The presidential office said on June 8 that it had received suggestions from Pashinian to dismiss the chief of the general staff of the armed forces, Artak Davtian, the director of the National Security Service, Eduard Martirosian, and police chief Arman Sargsian.
Pashinian said that Lieutenant-General Onik Gasparian, Colonel Argishti Kyaramian, and Colonel Vahe Ghazarian will be appointed to the posts, respectively, after President Armen Sarkisian signs the relevant decrees.
Under Armenia’s constitution, the president shall sign the decrees regarding the appointments and dismissals of officials presented by the prime minister.
In a Facebook post, Pashinian thanked Davtian, Martirosian, and Sargsian for their “work and efforts,” without giving reasons for the shake-up.
Speaking at a cabinet meeting, Pashinian said that he did not think Martirosian and Sargsian had "exhausted their potential to serve the Republic of Armenia, its people, the state."
The prime minister also appeared to refer to an ongoing scandal over the wedding party of Davtian’s son, which was held during strict lockdown measures imposed to stem the spread of the coronavirus.
Pashinian said that the actions of a high-ranking official cannot go against the public statements made by the prime minister, including those regarding social-distancing rules imposed during the coronavirus pandemic.
According to the Hraparak daily, the recent wedding was attended by high-ranking military officials.
Cars with license plates from the Defense Ministry were parked outside Davtian’s private house, the paper wrote.
"Everyone is equal before the law, and if I did something wrong, I will be held accountable," Davtian has told the state-run news agency Armenpress.
Deputy Prime Minister Tigran Avinian, who is in charge of coordinating the state of emergency regime, told RFE/RL on June 8 that his office will investigate possible violations of the restrictions.
Avinian said that if violations are revealed those responsible will be held accountable.
Pashinian has initiated a "name-and-shame" campaign on his Facebook account, soliciting photographs from members of the public about instances of flagrant violations of social-distancing rules.


rferl--2020-06-08--Defense Requests More Time In Dutch MH17 Trial After Virus Delays

Lawyers for a Russian suspect in the trial in absentia of four men accused of downing flight MH17 over eastern Ukraine in 2014 have requested more time to prepare their case saying that the coronavirus pandemic has severely impeded their efforts to defend their client .
As proceedings resumed on June 8 after a coronavirus lockdown was eased in the Netherlands , hearings restarted with extra social-distancing measures in place including plexiglass panels separating the judges and lawyers and family members spread out through the courtroom .
Flight MH17 was shot down July 17 , 2014 , by a Russian-made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ukraine controlled by pro-Russian separatists .
The civilian passenger plane was on a flight from Amsterdam to Malaysia when it was shot down .
All 298 passengers and crew were killed .
The victims included 193 Dutch citizens as well as 43 Malaysians and 38 Australians .
Four defendants went on trial on March 9 over the downing of flight MH17 after nearly six years of research by international investigators , accused of arranging the supply of the Russian missile system used to shoot down MH17 .
The four -- Russian citizens Igor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pulatov , and Ukrainian Leonid Kharchenko -- remain at large despite the issuance of international warrants for their arrests .
Only Pulatov has appointed defense lawyers to represent him at the trial in the Netherlands .
The second hearing , which was held amid the lockdown on March 23 , was immediately adjourned until June 8 in order to give Pulatov 's lawyers more time to prepare their case .
Pulatov 's defense said on June 8 that the travel restrictions imposed because of the pandemic made it impossible to meet their client @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said they had only spoken with Pulatov `` superficially through intermediaries '' since the lockdown in March .
Prosecutors said it was possible that Pulatov refused extensive contact with his lawyers , which should not impact the trial 's timetable .
`` The prosecution says Pulatov chose to limit contact , but that was not Pulatov , that was the coronavirus , '' said lawyer Sabine ten Doesschate .
The prosecution will spend the rest of June 8 detailing the investigation into the case so far .
Girkin , a former colonel in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) , was the top military commander of a separatist group in eastern Ukraine while Ukrainian Kharchenko was in charge of a combat unit in the region , according to the Dutch-led Joint Investigation Team ( JIT ) .
Dubinsky and Pulatov were connected with Russia 's Military Intelligence Service ( GRU ) , the investigators concluded .
Despite evidence that Russia 's military was directly involved in shooting down of Flight MH17 , the Kremlin has repeatedly denied any involvement .
The Kremlin also denies providing any military or financial support to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ assembled by the JIT and the Bellingcat open-source investigative group .
With reporting by AFP , AP , Reuters , and dpa

Lawyers for a Russian suspect in the trial in absentia of four men accused of downing flight MH17 over eastern Ukraine in 2014 have requested more time to prepare their case saying that the coronavirus pandemic has severely impeded their efforts to defend their client.
As proceedings resumed on June 8 after a coronavirus lockdown was eased in the Netherlands, hearings restarted with extra social-distancing measures in place including plexiglass panels separating the judges and lawyers and family members spread out through the courtroom.
Flight MH17 was shot down July 17, 2014, by a Russian-made Buk missile fired from territory in eastern Ukraine controlled by pro-Russian separatists.
The civilian passenger plane was on a flight from Amsterdam to Malaysia when it was shot down.
All 298 passengers and crew were killed.
The victims included 193 Dutch citizens as well as 43 Malaysians and 38 Australians.
Four defendants went on trial on March 9 over the downing of flight MH17 after nearly six years of research by international investigators, accused of arranging the supply of the Russian missile system used to shoot down MH17.
The four -- Russian citizens Igor Girkin, Sergei Dubinsky, and Oleg Pulatov, and Ukrainian Leonid Kharchenko -- remain at large despite the issuance of international warrants for their arrests.
Only Pulatov has appointed defense lawyers to represent him at the trial in the Netherlands.
The second hearing, which was held amid the lockdown on March 23, was immediately adjourned until June 8 in order to give Pulatov's lawyers more time to prepare their case.
Pulatov's defense said on June 8 that the travel restrictions imposed because of the pandemic made it impossible to meet their client and prepare a proper defense. They said they had only spoken with Pulatov "superficially through intermediaries" since the lockdown in March.
Prosecutors said it was possible that Pulatov refused extensive contact with his lawyers, which should not impact the trial's timetable.
"The prosecution says Pulatov chose to limit contact, but that was not Pulatov, that was the coronavirus," said lawyer Sabine ten Doesschate.
The prosecution will spend the rest of June 8 detailing the investigation into the case so far.
Girkin, a former colonel in Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB), was the top military commander of a separatist group in eastern Ukraine while Ukrainian Kharchenko was in charge of a combat unit in the region, according to the Dutch-led Joint Investigation Team (JIT).
Dubinsky and Pulatov were connected with Russia's Military Intelligence Service (GRU), the investigators concluded.
Despite evidence that Russia's military was directly involved in shooting down of Flight MH17, the Kremlin has repeatedly denied any involvement.
The Kremlin also denies providing any military or financial support to Ukraine's pro-Russia separatists, despite evidence assembled by the JIT and the Bellingcat open-source investigative group.
With reporting by AFP, AP, Reuters, and dpa


rferl--2020-06-08--Tajik City Mayor Arrested On Corruption Charges

DUSHANBE -- The Mayor of Tajikistan 's southern city of Kulob , Bahrom Inoyatzoda , has been arrested on corruption @ @ @ @ @ Committee for National Security ( KDAM ) said Inoyatzoda was arrested on June 8 , @ @ @ @ @ Khurramov and the head of his reception office , Firuz Qurbonov , were arrested days @ @ @ @ @ revealed that [ Khurramov and Qurbonov ] committed crimes of corruption on the orders of @ @ @ @ @ '' a KDAM statement said .
It did n't give any further details on which @ @ @ @ @ suspected of committing .
Inoyatzoda , who held different state positions for many years , @ @ @ @ @ of Kulob mayor in May last year .
In Tajikistan , mayors are appointed by @ @ @ @ @ their arrests are very rare .
Following the KDAM statement on June 8 , Rahmon @ @ @ @ @ Valizoda as acting mayor of Kulob .

DUSHANBE -- The Mayor of Tajikistan's southern city of Kulob, Bahrom Inoyatzoda, has been arrested on corruption charges.
Tajikistan's State Committee for National Security (KDAM) said Inoyatzoda was arrested on June 8, while his personal driver Khursandali Khurramov and the head of his reception office, Firuz Qurbonov, were arrested days earlier.
"Preliminary investigations revealed that [Khurramov and Qurbonov] committed crimes of corruption on the orders of the Mayor of Kulob," a KDAM statement said. It didn't give any further details on which crimes the three men are suspected of committing.
Inoyatzoda, who held different state positions for many years, was appointed to the post of Kulob mayor in May last year.
In Tajikistan, mayors are appointed by President Emomali Rahmon, and their arrests are very rare.
Following the KDAM statement on June 8, Rahmon issued a decree appointing Abduqodir Valizoda as acting mayor of Kulob.


rferl--2020-06-08--Berlin Police Arrest Russian DJ After Request From Washington

Police in Berlin have arrested Russian DJ Denis Kaznacheyev , who resides in the German capital , for alleged money laundering after they received a request from Washington .
Officials of the Russian Embassy in Berlin on June 8 confirmed reports that Kaznacheyev , who rejects the charges , had been arrested several days ago .
`` The Russian Embassy has been informed about what happened .
The embassy has not received any requests for consular or legal assistance from Denis Kaznacheyev .
We are currently in the process of reaching agreements on establishing contact with Kaznacheyev , his lawyer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the facility where he is being held to verify the situation , '' a Russian Embassy spokesman said .
A June 7 posting on Kaznacheyev 's Facebook page says he is currently in custody at Moabit prison in Berlin .
`` Seven days ago , he was arrested by German police on behalf of the U.S. Justice Department , with regard to his extradition to the USA on charges of money laundering and dark web activities , '' the post says , adding that Kaznacheyev is innocent and might have been a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ identity to commit cybercrimes .
Based on reporting by TASS and Interfax

Police in Berlin have arrested Russian DJ Denis Kaznacheyev, who resides in the German capital, for alleged money laundering after they received a request from Washington.
Officials of the Russian Embassy in Berlin on June 8 confirmed reports that Kaznacheyev, who rejects the charges, had been arrested several days ago.
"The Russian Embassy has been informed about what happened. The embassy has not received any requests for consular or legal assistance from Denis Kaznacheyev. We are currently in the process of reaching agreements on establishing contact with Kaznacheyev, his lawyer, as well as with the administration of the facility where he is being held to verify the situation," a Russian Embassy spokesman said.
A June 7 posting on Kaznacheyev's Facebook page says he is currently in custody at Moabit prison in Berlin.
"Seven days ago, he was arrested by German police on behalf of the U.S. Justice Department, with regard to his extradition to the USA on charges of money laundering and dark web activities," the post says, adding that Kaznacheyev is innocent and might have been a victim of some hackers who stole his identity to commit cybercrimes.
Based on reporting by TASS and Interfax


rferl--2020-06-08--Belarusian Opposition Politician Gets 15-Day Jail Term Over Minsk Rally

MINSK -- A co-chairman of the non-registered opposition Belarusian Christian Democratic Party , Paval Sevyarynets , has been sentenced to 15 days in jail over weekend rallies in Minsk in support of independent presidential candidates for an election scheduled for this summer .
The Frunze District Court in Minsk on June 8 found Sevyarynets guilty of taking part in an unsanctioned public event and sentenced him to 10 days in jail and gave the politician an additional five days for disobeying the police during the demonstrations .
Sevyarynets pleaded not guilty and called his incarceration illegal , stressing that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ June 7 was organized by initiative groups supporting eight potential presidential candidates , which is allowed by the constitution during the pre-election period .
Sevyarynets is one of dozens of activists and politicians who were detained in Minsk and several other cities across Belarus during the rallies at which hundreds of demonstrators were collecting signatures necessary to register alternative presidential candidates for the election , scheduled for August 9 .
Prospective candidates need to obtain 100,000 signatures to be considered for registration as a candidate .
Sevyarynets 's trial was just one of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ About 40 activists and politicians have faced administrative trials in Minsk and several other cities on June 8 , the Vyasna ( Spring ) human rights center said .
In Minsk , activists Aleh Babrouski , Volha Mikalaychyk , and Valyantsin Fralou were sentenced to jail terms of between 14 and 20 days after courts found them guilty of taking part in an unsanctioned public event .
In the eastern city of Vitsebsk , activist Aleh Paulau was sentenced to five days in jail and his colleague Alena Yanushkouskaya was fined 1,080 rubles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ charge .
Trials of others continue , Vyasna said .
Human Rights Watch ( HRW ) warned last month that authorities in Belarus have intensified their crackdown on protesters , opposition bloggers , journalists , and other government critics with a `` new wave of arbitrary arrests '' ahead of the election .
On May 24 , more than 1,000 demonstrators joined together in Minsk to oppose another term for Lukashenka in one of the biggest protests of the year in the country of around 9 million .
Critics of Lukashenka , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than 25 years , say his government has shown little tolerance for dissent and independent media .
The country has been the target of U.S. and EU sanctions over its poor rights record and lack of fair elections , but Belarus and the West have recently sought to mend ties to reduce Russia ’ s influence in the country .

MINSK -- A co-chairman of the non-registered opposition Belarusian Christian Democratic Party, Paval Sevyarynets, has been sentenced to 15 days in jail over weekend rallies in Minsk in support of independent presidential candidates for an election scheduled for this summer.
The Frunze District Court in Minsk on June 8 found Sevyarynets guilty of taking part in an unsanctioned public event and sentenced him to 10 days in jail and gave the politician an additional five days for disobeying the police during the demonstrations.
Sevyarynets pleaded not guilty and called his incarceration illegal, stressing that the rally near Minsk's Kamarouski market on June 7 was organized by initiative groups supporting eight potential presidential candidates, which is allowed by the constitution during the pre-election period.
Sevyarynets is one of dozens of activists and politicians who were detained in Minsk and several other cities across Belarus during the rallies at which hundreds of demonstrators were collecting signatures necessary to register alternative presidential candidates for the election, scheduled for August 9.
Prospective candidates need to obtain 100,000 signatures to be considered for registration as a candidate.
Sevyarynets's trial was just one of many resulting from the weekend protests.
About 40 activists and politicians have faced administrative trials in Minsk and several other cities on June 8, the Vyasna (Spring) human rights center said.
In Minsk, activists Aleh Babrouski, Volha Mikalaychyk, and Valyantsin Fralou were sentenced to jail terms of between 14 and 20 days after courts found them guilty of taking part in an unsanctioned public event.
In the eastern city of Vitsebsk, activist Aleh Paulau was sentenced to five days in jail and his colleague Alena Yanushkouskaya was fined 1,080 rubles ($450) on the same charge.
Trials of others continue, Vyasna said.
Human Rights Watch (HRW) warned last month that authorities in Belarus have intensified their crackdown on protesters, opposition bloggers, journalists, and other government critics with a "new wave of arbitrary arrests"ahead of the election.
On May 24, more than 1,000 demonstrators joined together in Minsk to oppose another term for Lukashenka in one of the biggest protests of the year in the country of around 9 million.
Critics of Lukashenka, who has been in power in Belarus for more than 25 years, say his government has shown little tolerance for dissent and independent media.
The country has been the target of U.S. and EU sanctions over its poor rights record and lack of fair elections, but Belarus and the West have recently sought to mend ties to reduce Russia’s influence in the country.


rferl--2020-06-09--Iran Passes Child-Protection Law Following Gruesome Murder Of Teenager By Her Father

Iran has passed a law aimed at protecting children from violence , days after the gruesome murder of a teenager by her father .
The legislation , which had been stalled for more than a decade , was ratified on June 7 by the hard-line watchdog Guardians Council , which must approve all bills passed by parliament to make sure they 're consistent with the country 's constitution and Islamic law .
The move comes following nationwide outrage over last month 's beheading of 14-year-old Romina Ashrafi by her father , the latest case of so-called `` honor '' killings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need for legal protection for children and women against violence and abuse , resulting in a call by President Hassan Rohani for the speedy passage of relevant legislation .
Some media suggested that if the child-protection law had passed earlier , it could have saved the life of Romina , who was detained by police and sent home to her father , considered to be her legal guardian , five days after running away with a 28-year-old man .
The young girl had expressed fear over her life due to her father 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` There is still hope that with the enforcement of this law such incidents can be largely prevented , '' the Aftabe Yazd daily said on June 8 .
The `` bill to support children and teenagers does not run contrary to religious law and the constitution and was approved , '' Guardians Council spokesman Abbas Ali Khadkhodayi was quoted as saying by the semiofficial ISNA news agency .
The powerful body had raised objections and prevented the bill from becoming law after it was forwarded in 2018 for approval by parliament .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and family affairs , Massoumeh Ebtekar , said on Twitter on June 8 that the approved legislation was `` one of the most progressive laws for child rights in the world . ''
But lawyer and child rights activist Monica Nadi said the law was far from offering `` comprehensive and complete '' protection for children , though adding that despite some shortcomings , the legislation does make significant progress .
`` It includes features that elevates our situation regarding child protection several degrees higher , '' Nadi was quoted as saying by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the legislation has not been made public .
A 2018 text called for punishments for violent and abusive behavior toward children under the age of 18 , including physical violence , sexual abuse and prostitution , as well as economic exploitation .
RFE/RL 's Radio Farda has reported that the new law also stipulates that issues such as `` communicating with children and adolescents on the Internet and social networks aimed at harassing them , '' `` selling tobacco to children , '' and employing children and `` exploiting '' them are considered @ @ @

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


rferl--2020-06-09--Russian Actor Known For Criticizing Kremlin Faces Prison For Deadly Drunk Driving

Mikhail Yefremov , a well-known Russian actor who in recent years has criticized Kremlin politics in his stand-up performances , faces up to 12 years in prison for killing a person in an accident while he was allegedly driving under the influence of alcohol .
Moscow police said on June 9 that Yefremov was drunk when he drove his Jeep Grand Cherokee at high speed into an oncoming lane in central Moscow , hitting another car .
Yefremov did not suffer any injuries in the accident , while the driver of the other vehicle , identified as 57-year-old Sergei Zakharov @ @ @ @ @ @ @ injuries .
A video clip from Moscow 's traffic regulation center showed Yefremov 's car failing to follow a bend in the road , instead crossing several lanes before heading directly into oncoming traffic and plowing into another car head on .
Yefremov was initially charged with causing an accident while driving under the influence , which carries a punishment of up to seven years in prison .
He was ordered not to leave Moscow while an investigation was carried out .
However , Zakharov died in hospital early on June 9 and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to `` causing a deadly traffic accident while driving under the influence . ''
Yefremov 's stand-ups challenging President Vladimir Putin and his politics have been very popular in recent years .
Based on reporting by RIA Novosti , TASS , and Interfax

Mikhail Yefremov, a well-known Russian actor who in recent years has criticized Kremlin politics in his stand-up performances, faces up to 12 years in prison for killing a person in an accident while he was allegedly driving under the influence of alcohol.
Moscow police said on June 9 that Yefremov was drunk when he drove his Jeep Grand Cherokee at high speed into an oncoming lane in central Moscow, hitting another car.
Yefremov did not suffer any injuries in the accident, while the driver of the other vehicle, identified as 57-year-old Sergei Zakharov, was rushed to hospital with multiple injuries.
A video clip from Moscow's traffic regulation center showed Yefremov's car failing to follow a bend in the road, instead crossing several lanes before heading directly into oncoming traffic and plowing into another car head on.
Yefremov was initially charged with causing an accident while driving under the influence, which carries a punishment of up to seven years in prison. He was ordered not to leave Moscow while an investigation was carried out.
However, Zakharov died in hospital early on June 9 and police said Yefremov's charge was changed to "causing a deadly traffic accident while driving under the influence."
Yefremov's stand-ups challenging President Vladimir Putin and his politics have been very popular in recent years.
Based on reporting by RIA Novosti, TASS, and Interfax


rferl--2020-06-09--COVID-19: Muscovites Can Return To Their 'Normal' Lives As Measures Eased; Kazakh Women Demand Finan

COVID-19: Muscovites Can Return To Their 'Normal' Lives As Measures Eased; Kazakh Women Demand Financial Support

The global death toll from the coronavirus is more than 393,000 with more than 6.7 million infections confirmed , causing mass disruptions as governments continue to try to slow the spread of the new respiratory illness .
Moscow has abandoned its self-isolation regime , electronic-pass system , and scheduled outdoor walks imposed among other measures to slow the spread of the coronavirus .
The Russian capital 's mayor , Sergei Sobyanin , said in a video statement that starting on June 9 , residents of Moscow will `` return to their normal lives . ''
Beauty salons , hairdressers , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ facilities , noncommercial organizations , employment agencies , theaters , concert halls , and film studios also resumed operations on June 9 .
Sobyanin also said that remaining restrictions will be lifted by the end of June , though he stressed that the threat of a second wave of the virus remained .
According to Sobyanin , dental clinics , libraries , rental services , real estate companies , museums , zoos , outdoor restaurants and cafes will resume operations as of June 16 .
As of June 23 , fitness clubs , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ operations as well , Sobyanin said .
Russian health authorities said on June 9 that 8,595 new cases of coronavirus had been registered in the country in the last 24 hours , bringing the total number of cases to more than 485,000 , including 6,142 deaths .
Earlier on June 9 , Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin announced that Russians were now allowed to travel abroad to care for ill relatives , for work , education , or medical treatment .
Foreigners can enter Russia to care for relatives or to receive medical treatment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Soviet era , Severodvinsk was a closed city because of its defense industries .
Now it 's been cut off again amid an outbreak of the coronavirus at nuclear submarine factories .
Women from lower-income families are continuing to demand government assistance as coronavirus restrictions in the Central Asian state are eased .
Some 20 women on June 9 resumed their so-called `` silent protest '' after spending the night in front of the Ministry of Labor and Social Support .
The women were wearing sanitary masks marked with an `` X @ @ @ @ @ @ @ symbolized `` the fact that we are not allowed to speak up . ''
They also held posters saying : `` Cheap mortgages for families in need , '' `` Financial support for each child , '' `` Amnesty for poor families ' bank credits , '' and `` We are on a hunger strike . ''
Rallies and pickets by poor women have been held regularly in Nur-Sultan and other Kazakh cities since February 2019 , after five children from a single family died in a fire at night when their parents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ across the country and demonstrations where protesters demanded increased government support for families that have several children .
The protests were held periodically until restrictions to slow the spread of the coronavirus were introduced in mid-March .
Dauren Babamuratov , an adviser to Nur-Sultan 's mayor , and Arman Qurbanov , a representative of the city 's health authorities , met with the women on June 9 and attempted to persuade them to leave the site , but the women refused .
Since the protests began last year , the government has announced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than three children .
Initially , such families were provided with an additional monthly allowance of 21,000 tenges ( $ 50 ) per child .
However , the sum has since been cut twice .
From January , the allowances were given only to families officially recognized as living in poverty .
The protesters are demanding a return of the benefits to initial levels , as well as for more benefits to be given to all families with more than three children .
With reporting by RFE/RL 's Kazakh Service , dpa @ @ @ @ @

The global death toll from the coronavirus is almost 408,000 with more than 7.16 million infections confirmed, causing mass disruptions as governments continue to try to slow the spread of the new respiratory illness.
Here's a roundup of COVID-19 developments in RFE/RL's broadcast regions.
Russia
Moscow has abandoned its self-isolation regime, electronic-pass system, and scheduled outdoor walks imposed among other measures to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
The Russian capital's mayor, Sergei Sobyanin, said in a video statement that starting on June 9, residents of Moscow will "return to their normal lives."
Beauty salons, hairdressers, veterinary clinics, car-sharing companies, research facilities, noncommercial organizations, employment agencies, theaters, concert halls, and film studios also resumed operations on June 9.
Sobyanin also said that remaining restrictions will be lifted by the end of June, though he stressed that the threat of a second wave of the virus remained.
According to Sobyanin, dental clinics, libraries, rental services, real estate companies, museums, zoos, outdoor restaurants and cafes will resume operations as of June 16.
As of June 23, fitness clubs, swimming pools, and kindergartens will restart operations as well, Sobyanin said.
Russian health authorities said on June 9 that 8,595 new cases of coronavirus had been registered in the country in the last 24 hours, bringing the total number of cases to more than 485,000, including 6,142 deaths.
Earlier on June 9, Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin announced that Russians were now allowed to travel abroad to care for ill relatives, for work, education, or medical treatment.
Foreigners can enter Russia to care for relatives or to receive medical treatment, he added.
WATCH: In the Soviet era, Severodvinsk was a closed city because of its defense industries. Now it's been cut off again amid an outbreak of the coronavirus at nuclear submarine factories.
Kazakhstan
Women from lower-income families are continuing to demand government assistance as coronavirus restrictions in the Central Asian state are eased.
Some 20 women on June 9 resumed their so-called "silent protest" after spending the night in front of the Ministry of Labor and Social Support.
The women were wearing sanitary masks marked with an "X" on them, which they said symbolized "the fact that we are not allowed to speak up."
They also held posters saying: "Cheap mortgages for families in need," "Financial support for each child," "Amnesty for poor families' bank credits," and "We are on a hunger strike."
Rallies and pickets by poor women have been held regularly in Nur-Sultan and other Kazakh cities since February 2019, after five children from a single family died in a fire at night when their parents were working.
The tragedy triggered anger across the country and demonstrations where protesters demanded increased government support for families that have several children.
The protests were held periodically until restrictions to slow the spread of the coronavirus were introduced in mid-March.
Dauren Babamuratov, an adviser to Nur-Sultan's mayor, and Arman Qurbanov, a representative of the city's health authorities, met with the women on June 9 and attempted to persuade them to leave the site, but the women refused.
Since the protests began last year, the government has announced a special program to support families with more than three children.
Initially, such families were provided with an additional monthly allowance of 21,000 tenges ($50) per child. However, the sum has since been cut twice. From January, the allowances were given only to families officially recognized as living in poverty.
The protesters are demanding a return of the benefits to initial levels, as well as for more benefits to be given to all families with more than three children.
Romania
President Klaus Iohannis says he will call on parliament to extend by one month Romania's current state of alert to fight the coronavirus.
Iohannis ordered a strict lockdown on March 16 to curb the spread of the outbreak, but replaced the state of emergency with a softer "state of alert" mode last month. To take full effect, the extension proposed on June 9 must be approved by parliament, where Iohannis's centrist government lacks a majority. The leftist Social Democrats that lead the opposition have threatened to block the extension.
After a large outbreak in the northeastern city of Suceava in early April, Romania has managed to bring the spread of the virus largely under control. A country of 19.5 million, Romania so far recorded 20,749 coronavirus cases and 1,345 fatalities. Over the past 24 hours it recorded 145 new cases.
In early June, the government eased movement restrictions, and allowed the opening of some schools and outside terraces under strict social-distancing rules.
Iohannis said further restrictions would be lifted on June 15 with shopping malls, kindergartens, after-school facilities, and swimming pools reopening after three months of closure. But restaurants with indoor seating would remain closed.
On June 9, new infections were reported in two schools in eastern Romania prompting concern that the easing of restrictions could lead to a resurgence in infections.
Bulgaria
Neighboring Bulgaria on June 9 also reported an abrupt growth in the number of COVID-19 cases with 83 new infections -- a five-fold increase compared to the previous day, and more than double the average number of infections for the past several days -- after a new outbreak of the disease was recorded in the southern town of Dospat.
Bulgaria now has 2,810 confirmed cases, with 164 deaths.
With reporting by RFE/RL's Kazakh, Romanian, and Bulgarian services, digi24.ro, hotnews.ro, dpa, AP, and Reuters


rferl--2020-06-09--Venezuela Receives COVID-19 Medical Aid From Iran

Venezuela has received an air cargo shipment of aid from Iran in another sign that ties between the Islamic republic and the South American country -- both targets of U.S. sanctions -- are strengthening .
The flight carried humanitarian aid for COVID-19 patients , including test kits and medical supplies , Planning Minister Ricardo Menendez said .
He also said President Nicolas Maduro will visit Iran as soon as possible to thank it for the humanitarian aid and for crude oil it has recently sent to Venezuela .
Maduro had already announced plans to travel to Iran to sign energy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ technology , and health deals .
Iran has become a crucial ally to Venezuela since Washington created a broad sanctions program against Maduro in efforts to force him from power .
Washington has long accused the Kremlin-backed Maduro of leading a corrupt and brutal regime , a charge the Venezuelan leader has rejected .
Menendez said Venezuela and Iran were establishing `` a broad development agenda '' against `` imperialism , '' which will include cooperation in the industrial , housing , and food sectors as well as scientific cooperation against the COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he was proud of the `` brotherhood '' with Venezuela `` while our enemies try to sanction us . ''
Venezuela has confirmed 2,377 coronavirus infections and 22 deaths , according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University , but the real figure is believed to be considerably higher .
Health experts say Venezuela is at high risk in the epidemic due to a broad economic collapse that has severely weakened public hospitals and undermined public services .
Iran has sent five tankers full of oil to the South American country , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reserves , but is suffering from supply problems after years of mismanagement , corruption , and lack of maintenance .
The South American country 's oil industry is now barely producing any gasoline at all and has struggled to import it because sanctions have left most companies unwilling to provide it .
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Musavi said last week that Tehran will continue to export fuel to Venezuela if the country requests more supplies .
The United States has warned governments , seaports , shippers , and insurers that they could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
With reporting by dpa and Reuters


rferl--2020-06-10--IMF Approves $5 Billion In Aid For Ukraine To Shore Up Economy Wracked By Coronavirus

The International Monetary Fund ( IMF ) says its executive board has approved an 18-month , $ 5 billion stand-by arrangement for Ukraine aimed at helping the country cope with the COVID-19 pandemic .
The approval means Ukraine can receive an immediate disbursement of about $ 2 billion , with the remaining amount disbursed in phases over four reviews during the 18-month period , the IMF said in a statement .
The deal provides balance of payments and budget support , while safeguarding the country ’ s achievements to date and advancing a small set of key structural reforms , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kristalina Georgieva said the new arrangement , which succeeds one approved in December 2018 focused on maintaining stability during the election year , will provide an `` anchor '' for authorities ' efforts to address the impact of the coronavirus crisis .
“ The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly worsened the outlook and has refocused government policies on containment and stabilization , ” the IMF said .
“ Uncertainty is large , and the economy is projected to contract sharply in 2020 as strict containment measures - in Ukraine and globally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and external demand.
” The country ’ s 2020 budget is expected to be hit hard , with a sharp decline in revenues and large emergency spending , the IMF said .
Two of the main policies the new arrangement will focus on are mitigating the economic impact of the crisis by supporting households and businesses among other measures and ensuring continued central bank independence and a flexible exchange rate .
Georgieva said sound monetary policies since the 2014–15 crisis have resulted in a sharp reduction in Ukraine ’ s external and internal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ record in stabilizing its economy since then has been strong , more reforms efforts are needed to ensure robust and inclusive growth , the statement said .
The current humanitarian and economic crisis has refocused policy priorities away from deep structural reforms , she said , adding that efforts aimed at tackling corruption and strengthening governance will be critical to ensure macroeconomic stability and achieve sustainable and inclusive growth .
With reporting by Reuters and AFP

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) says its executive board has approved an 18-month, $5 billion standby arrangement for Ukraine aimed at helping the country cope with the COVID-19 pandemic.
The approval means Ukraine can receive an immediate disbursement of about $2 billion, with the remaining amount disbursed in phases over four reviews during the 18-month period, the IMF said in a statement.
The amount is $200 million more than originally planned, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Twitter.
"The new program funding will help us to overcome the challenges caused by #COVID19. The #IMF has proven itself to be a reliable partner to a friend in need," Zelenskiy said.
The deal provides balance-of-payments and budget support, while safeguarding the country's achievements to date and advancing a small set of key structural reforms, the IMF said.
Zelenskiy's government has touted the agreement as a vote of confidence in its ability to deliver reforms, including a banking law that prevents the former owners of insolvent banks from regaining their assets.
Securing the IMF funds is also expected to unlock financing from the European Union and other institutions for the country, which is not financially powerful enough to pass major stimulus measures to keep its economy afloat amid measures put in place in March to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
Though the measures are being gradually lifted, the economic damage has been done. Ukraine's economy is projected to contract by about 5 percent this year.
IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said the new arrangement, which succeeds one approved in December 2018 focused on maintaining stability during the election year, will provide an "anchor" for the authorities' efforts to address the impact of the coronavirus crisis.
"The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly worsened the outlook and has refocused government policies on containment and stabilization," the IMF said. "Uncertainty is large, and the economy is projected to contract sharply in 2020 as strict containment measures -- in Ukraine and globally -- led to sizable falls in domestic and external demand."
The country's 2020 budget is expected to be hit hard, with a sharp decline in revenues and large emergency spending, the IMF said.
Two of the main policies the new arrangement will focus on are mitigating the economic impact of the crisis by supporting households and businesses among other measures and ensuring continued central-bank independence and a flexible exchange rate.
Georgieva said sound monetary policies since the 2014–15 crisis have resulted in a sharp reduction in Ukraine's external and internal imbalances. While Ukraine's track record in stabilizing its economy since then has been strong, more reforms efforts are needed to ensure robust and inclusive growth, the statement said.
The current humanitarian and economic crisis has refocused policy priorities away from deep structural reforms, she said, adding that efforts aimed at tackling corruption and strengthening governance will be critical to ensure macroeconomic stability and achieve sustainable and inclusive growth.
The country has recorded more than 28,000 confirmed coronavirus cases, with 818 deaths, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University.
With reporting by Reuters and AFP


rferl--2020-06-09--Iranian Medical Students To Be Required To Study Traditional Medicine

Iran ’ s Health Ministry has announced that students of medicine , dentistry , and pharmacology will be required to @ @ @ @ @ medicine , Iranian media reported on June 8 .
The decision comes amid an outbreak @ @ @ @ @ killed nearly 8,500 people and infected more than 175,000 , according to official figures .
@ @ @ @ @ be significantly higher .
In recent weeks , a number of self-proclaimed experts in Islamic @ @ @ @ @ unproven and potentially dangerous coronavirus treatments .
Health officials have warned about fake coronavirus remedies @ @ @ @ @ sold online .
Last month , authorities detained a man who had claimed in a @ @ @ @ @ camel urine prevents and cures COVID-19 .


rferl--2020-06-09--Jailed Belarusian Vlogger With Presidential Ambitions May Face Prison

MINSK -- Syarhey Tsikhanouski , a jailed Belarusian vlogger who is seeking to take part in an August presidential election , may face up to 3 years in prison for organizing pro-democracy rallies .
The Belarusian Investigative Committee said on June 9 on Telegram that Tsikhanouski and seven other persons had been charged `` with the organization and preparation of actions that severely violated public order '' in the western city of Hrodna , on May 29 , a reference to rallies held to collect signatures for potential independent presidential candidates , including himself .
According to the statement , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in pretrial detention , in accordance with a prosecutor 's arrest warrant .
If convicted , Tsikhanouski and the other detainees face up to 3 years in prison .
One of the individuals is also charged with assaulting two law enforcement officers and may face up to 6 years in prison if convicted .
Tsikhanouski was supposed to be released from jail on June 8 after finishing his 10-day incarceration for taking part in the unsanctioned rally on May 29 .
He was not released and city authorities have said they will explain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tsikhanouski is the owner of a popular YouTube channel called `` The Country for Life , '' which challenges Belarusian authorities .
Before his 10-day incarceration , Tsikhanouski was jailed in May for several days for organizing and taking part in other rallies .
On May 15 , the Central Election Commission rejected Tsikhanouski 's registration documents for his candidacy for the presidential election scheduled for August 9 .
Since Tsikhanouski ’ s candidacy was rejected , his wife Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya has been trying to get registered as a candidate herself , collecting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Human Rights Watch ( HRW ) warned last month that authorities in Belarus have intensified their crackdown on protesters , opposition bloggers , journalists , and other government critics with a “ new wave of arbitrary arrests ” ahead of the election .
On May 24 , more than 1,000 demonstrators joined together in Minsk to oppose another term for Lukashenka in one of the biggest protests of the year in the country of around 9 million .
Critics of Lukashenka , who has been in power in Belarus for more than 25 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ little tolerance for dissent and independent media .
The country has been the target of U.S. and EU sanctions over its poor rights record and lack of fair elections , but Belarus and the West have recently sought to mend ties to reduce Russia ’ s influence in the country .

MINSK -- Syarhey Tsikhanouski, a jailed Belarusian vlogger who is seeking to take part in an August presidential election, may face up to 3 years in prison for organizing pro-democracy rallies.
The Belarusian Investigative Committee said on June 9 on Telegram that Tsikhanouski and seven other persons had been charged "with the organization and preparation of actions that severely violated public order" in the western city of Hrodna, on May 29, a reference to rallies held to collect signatures for potential independent presidential candidates, including himself.
According to the statement, all of the suspects have been placed in pretrial detention, in accordance with a prosecutor's arrest warrant.
If convicted, Tsikhanouski and the other detainees face up to 3 years in prison. One of the individuals is also charged with assaulting two law enforcement officers and may face up to 6 years in prison if convicted.
Tsikhanouski was supposed to be released from jail on June 8 after finishing his 10-day incarceration for taking part in the unsanctioned rally on May 29.
He was not released and city authorities have said they will explain later why he remained in custody.
Tsikhanouski is the owner of a popular YouTube channel called "The Country for Life," which challenges Belarusian authorities.
Before his 10-day incarceration, Tsikhanouski was jailed in May for several days for organizing and taking part in other rallies.
On May 15, the Central Election Commission rejected Tsikhanouski's registration documents for his candidacy for the presidential election scheduled for August 9.
Since Tsikhanouski’s candidacy was rejected, his wife Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya has been trying to get registered as a candidate herself, collecting the necessary 100,000 signatures to qualify.
Human Rights Watch (HRW) warned last month that authorities in Belarus have intensified their crackdown on protesters, opposition bloggers, journalists, and other government critics with a “new wave of arbitrary arrests” ahead of the election.
On May 24, more than 1,000 demonstrators joined together in Minsk to oppose another term for Lukashenka in one of the biggest protests of the year in the country of around 9 million.
Critics of Lukashenka, who has been in power in Belarus for more than 25 years, say his government has shown little tolerance for dissent and independent media.
The country has been the target of U.S. and EU sanctions over its poor rights record and lack of fair elections, but Belarus and the West have recently sought to mend ties to reduce Russia’s influence in the country.


rferl--2020-06-09--Tajik Religious Cleric, Relatives Convicted Of Being Members Of Banned Religious Group

DUSHANBE -- A Muslim cleric and his relatives in Tajikistan 's southern region of Khatlon have been sentenced for being members of the banned Muslim Brotherhood group .
Bobojon Sherali , a judge at the Khatlon Regional Court , told RFE/RL on June 9 that an imam of the Central Mosque in the Vose district , Muhammadsaid Akramov , and his relatives were sentenced the previous day .
Akramov and three of his brothers received suspended prison terms , while 10 other defendants , including Akramov ’ s son , son-in-law , and nephews , were sentenced to prison terms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sherali said .
Relatives of those imprisoned said the sentences will be appealed .
The trial was held behind closed doors and the authorities did not give any details of the proceedings .
Akramov and several of his children studied at Islamic schools in Egypt and returned to Tajikistan in 2014 at the Tajik government 's request .
One of Akramov ’ s sons , Abdulaziz Akramov , used to host a television program that criticized terrorism .
Tajik Prosecutor-General Yusuf Rahmon said in January that Tajik police had arrested 113 people on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Muslim Brotherhood group .
`` The group 's goal is to forcibly overthrow the government and establish an Islamic state , and it has been banned as a terrorist and extremist organization in many countries , '' Rahmon said at the time .
The Muslim Brotherhood is a Sunni Islamist organization founded in Egypt in 1928 by the Islamic scholar Hassan al-Banna .
The group 's teachings have spread internationally and have influenced various Islamic groups , movements , and parties around the world -- some of which do not use the same @ @ @ @ @ @ @ peaceful but has been banned in many countries as an extremist organization .
Tajik authorities banned the Muslim Brotherhood as an extremist group in 2006 .

DUSHANBE -- A Muslim cleric and his relatives in Tajikistan's southern region of Khatlon have been sentenced for being members of the banned Muslim Brotherhood group.
Bobojon Sherali, a judge at the Khatlon Regional Court, told RFE/RL on June 9 that an imam of the Central Mosque in the Vose district, Muhammadsaid Akramov, and his relatives were sentenced the previous day.
Akramov and three of his brothers received suspended prison terms, while 10 other defendants, including Akramov’s son, son-in-law, and nephews, were sentenced to prison terms of between five and seven years, Sherali said.
Relatives of those imprisoned said the sentences will be appealed.
The trial was held behind closed doors and the authorities did not give any details of the proceedings.
Akramov and several of his children studied at Islamic schools in Egypt and returned to Tajikistan in 2014 at the Tajik government's request.
One of Akramov’s sons, Abdulaziz Akramov, used to host a television program that criticized terrorism.
Tajik Prosecutor-General Yusuf Rahmon said in January that Tajik police had arrested 113 people on suspicion of being members of the banned Muslim Brotherhood group.
"The group's goal is to forcibly overthrow the government and establish an Islamic state, and it has been banned as a terrorist and extremist organization in many countries," Rahmon said at the time.
The Muslim Brotherhood is a Sunni Islamist organization founded in Egypt in 1928 by the Islamic scholar Hassan al-Banna.
The group's teachings have spread internationally and have influenced various Islamic groups, movements, and parties around the world -- some of which do not use the same name.
The group claims to be peaceful but has been banned in many countries as an extremist organization.
Tajik authorities banned the Muslim Brotherhood as an extremist group in 2006.


rferl--2020-06-09--Kyrgyz Parliamentary Committee Approves Bill Increasing Russia's Military-Base Fee

BISHKEK -- A parliamentary committee in Kyrgyzstan has approved a bill that would increase Russia 's annual fee for renting land for its combined military base in the Central Asian nation .
The bill , approved by members of the Kyrgyz parliamentary committee on international affairs , defense , and security on June 9 , concerns the ratification of a Kyrgyz-Russian protocol on amendments to the agreement on the status and conditions of usage of the military base .
The bill was presented after a topographic survey of the land rented by the Russian military base had found that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is 58.32 hectares more than the area specified in the lease agreement .
After the amount of rented territory is amended , the current annual rental fee of $ 4,502,495 will be increased by $ 291,600 , according to the bill .
The bill stirred controversy in Kyrgyzstan after some Internet users questioned the lease agreement , according to which , the runway at Russia 's military air base in the northern Kyrgyz city of Kant would be owned by the Russian side after it is renovated .
Meanwhile , the bill says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kyrgyz Armed Forces has outlined amendments to ... the agreement that envisions return to the Kyrgyz side of the objects after the document ’ s expiration date . ''
`` Additionally , the runway 's buildings have been included to the list of joint [ Kyrgyz-Russian ] use , '' the bill says .
Russia 's air base at Kant was opened in 2003 under the auspices of the Collective Security Treaty Organization ( CSTO ) , which includes Russia , Kyrgyzstan , Armenia , Belarus , Kazakhstan , and Tajikistan .
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bishkek , began hosting U.S. troops in 2001 as part of the campaign in nearby Afghanistan , but Kyrgyzstan shut it in 2014 amid pressure from Moscow .
In 2017 , the Kant air base and three other Russian military facilities in Kyrgyzstan were consolidated into a single combined base .

BISHKEK -- A parliamentary committee in Kyrgyzstan has approved a bill that would increase Russia's annual fee for renting land for its combined military base in the Central Asian nation.
The bill, approved by members of the Kyrgyz parliamentary committee on international affairs, defense, and security on June 9, concerns the ratification of a Kyrgyz-Russian protocol on amendments to the agreement on the status and conditions of usage of the military base.
The bill was presented after a topographic survey of the land rented by the Russian military base had found that the combined base occupies 924.52 hectares, which is 58.32 hectares more than the area specified in the lease agreement.
After the amount of rented territory is amended, the current annual rental fee of $4,502,495 will be increased by $291,600, according to the bill.
The bill stirred controversy in Kyrgyzstan after some Internet users questioned the lease agreement, according to which, the runway at Russia's military air base in the northern Kyrgyz city of Kant would be owned by the Russian side after it is renovated.
Meanwhile, the bill says that "the General Staff of the Kyrgyz Armed Forces has outlined amendments to...the agreement that envisions return to the Kyrgyz side of the objects after the document’s expiration date."
"Additionally, the runway's buildings have been included to the list of joint [Kyrgyz-Russian] use," the bill says.
Russia's air base at Kant was opened in 2003 under the auspices of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), which includes Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Tajikistan.
A U.S. air base outside the capital, Bishkek, began hosting U.S. troops in 2001 as part of the campaign in nearby Afghanistan, but Kyrgyzstan shut it in 2014 amid pressure from Moscow.
In 2017, the Kant air base and three other Russian military facilities in Kyrgyzstan were consolidated into a single combined base.


rferl--2020-06-09--Iran To Execute Man Convicted Of Spying On Slain Top General Soleimani

According to Iranian authorities , a man they say passed on information about the whereabouts of a top Iranian general who was killed in a U.S. air strike in Iraq earlier this year has been sentenced to death .
Qasem Soleimani , commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps ' ( IRGC ) elite Qods Force , died in a U.S. drone strike near Baghdad 's airport in early January , ratcheting up tensions between Washington and Tehran .
Judiciary spokesman Gholamhussein Esmaili said on June 9 that the death sentence handed to Seyed Mahmud Musavi-Majd earlier has been upheld @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be carried out `` soon . ''
The spokesman said Musavi-Majd had received large sums of money from both the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency ( CIA ) and Israel 's Mossad .
He said the man had passed on information about the Iranian armed forces , including the Qods Force , and Soleimani 's whereabouts .
In retaliation for Soleimani 's killing in the early hours of January 3 , an Iranian ballistic-missile strike on an Iraqi air base left some 110 U.S. troops suffering from traumatic brain injuries .
Hours later @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ukrainian passenger airliner taking off from Tehran , killing all 176 people on board .
Iranian officials did not say whether Musavi-Majd 's case was linked to Iran 's announcement in the summer of 2019 that it had captured 17 spies working for the CIA .
It said some of them had been sentenced to death .
In February of this year , Iran handed down a death sentence for Amir Rahimpour , a man convicted of spying for the United States and attempting to pass on information about Tehran 's nuclear program @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and Reuters


rferl--2020-06-09--Bishkek Court Convicts Kyrgyz Ex-PM Of Graft In Second Case

BISHKEK -- A court in Bishkek has found former Prime Minister Sapar Isakov guilty of misusing state funds allocated for the renovation of Bishkek ’ s National History Museum and a hippodrome in the northern town of Cholpon-Ata while in office and sentenced him to serve 18 years in prison .
The Birinchi Mai District Court on June 9 sentenced Isakov , who is already serving a 15-year prison term for corruption , for mishandling each of the two cases .
The terms will run concurrently with his sentences for the previous convictons .
`` The court ruled to sentence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and recover 247 million som [ $ 3.3 million ] in fines from him , '' Judge Marat Sydykov said in handing down the judgment .
`` In aggregate , taking into account his earlier conviction and prison sentence of 15 years , Isakov shall be sentenced to 18 years in a high security penitentiary , '' Sydykov added .
Isakov was not present in the courtroom .
His lawyers said he officially refused to take part in the final stage of the high-profile trial .
In December , 2019 , a court @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prime minister , Jantoro Satybaldiev , to 15 and seven years in prison , respectively , on corruption charges stemming from their involvement in a 2013 project to modernize the Bishkek Thermal Power Station .
The high-profile corruption trials have implicated several former top Kyrgyz officials who allegedly are close associates of former President Almazbek Atambaev .
The probes were launched amid tensions between Atambaev and current incumbent Sooronbai Jeenbekov , a former prime minister who was tapped by Atambaev as his favored successor in Kyrgyzstan 's October 2017 presidential election .
Atambaev @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He was arrested in August last year after he surrendered to police following two days of violent resistance following his refusal to show up in police headquarters for questioning in an unrelated case .

BISHKEK -- A court in Bishkek has found former Prime Minister Sapar Isakov guilty of misusing state funds allocated for the renovation of Bishkek’s National History Museum and a hippodrome in the northern town of Cholpon-Ata while in office and sentenced him to serve 18 years in prison.
The Birinchi Mai District Court on June 9 sentenced Isakov, who is already serving a 15-year prison term for corruption, for mishandling each of the two cases. The terms will run concurrently with his sentences for the previous convictons.
"The court ruled to sentence Sapar Isakov to 12 years in prison and recover 247 million som [$3.3 million] in fines from him," Judge Marat Sydykov said in handing down the judgment.
"In aggregate, taking into account his earlier conviction and prison sentence of 15 years, Isakov shall be sentenced to 18 years in a high security penitentiary," Sydykov added.
Isakov was not present in the courtroom. His lawyers said he officially refused to take part in the final stage of the high-profile trial.
In December, 2019, a court in Bishkek sentenced Isakov and another former prime minister, Jantoro Satybaldiev, to 15 and seven years in prison, respectively, on corruption charges stemming from their involvement in a 2013 project to modernize the Bishkek Thermal Power Station.
The high-profile corruption trials have implicated several former top Kyrgyz officials who allegedly are close associates of former President Almazbek Atambaev.
The probes were launched amid tensions between Atambaev and current incumbent Sooronbai Jeenbekov, a former prime minister who was tapped by Atambaev as his favored successor in Kyrgyzstan's October 2017 presidential election.
Atambaev is currently on trial as well. He was arrested in August last year after he surrendered to police following two days of violent resistance following his refusal to show up in police headquarters for questioning in an unrelated case.


rferl--2020-06-09--Another Jehovah's Witness Gets Lengthy Prison Term In Russia

PSKOV , Russia -- A court in Russia 's northwestern city of Pskov has sentenced a Jehovah 's Witness , Gennady Shpakovsky , to 6 1/2 years in prison .
Judge Galina Belik on June 9 found Shpakovsky guilty of being a leading member of a banned extremist religious group and sentenced him the same day .
The 61-year-old Shpakovsky refused to accept any guilt , saying that he has the right to follow his religion and share his religious views with others .
He came to the trial 's last hearing with a bag filled with personal items , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into custody .
`` I consider myself not guilty ... .
I did not commit any crime against any person , the government , the country , or the existing system .
The charging files against me do not have a defined damage or a victim .
I am being persecuted for my faith , '' Shpakovsky told RFE/RL before the judge pronounced her ruling .
Russia officially banned the religious group in April 2017 and deemed it an `` extremist organization , '' a designation the U.S. State Department has characterized as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jehovah 's Witnesses have been viewed with suspicion in Russia , where the dominant Orthodox Church is championed by President Vladimir Putin .
The Christian group is known for door-to-door preaching , Bible study , rejection of military service , and not celebrating national and religious holidays or birthdays .
Since the faith was outlawed in Russia , several Jehovah 's Witnesses have been imprisoned in Russia and the Russia-annexed Ukrainian Black Sea peninsula of Crimea .
They include Danish citizen Dennis Christensen , who was sentenced in February 2019 to 6 years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Oryol .
The charges against Christensen have been condemned by rights groups in Russia and abroad .
In September 2019 , Washington banned two high-ranking regional officers from Russia 's Investigative Committee from entering the United States over alleged torture of seven detainees who are Jehovah 's Witnesses .
The Moscow-based Memorial Human Rights Center has recognized 29 Jehovah ’ s Witnesses who 've been charged with or convicted of extremism as political prisoners .
On January 9 , Human Rights Watch ( HRW ) said Russian law enforcement authorities had “ dramatically @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s Witnesses during the previous year .
HRW said Russian authorities have carried out at least 780 raids of houses owned by Jehovah 's Witnesses in dozens of Russian cities since 2017 .
More than half of those raids were conducted in 2019 .

PSKOV, Russia -- A court in Russia's northwestern city of Pskov has sentenced a Jehovah's Witness, Gennady Shpakovsky, to 6 1/2 years in prison.
Judge Galina Belik on June 9 found Shpakovsky guilty of being a leading member of a banned extremist religious group and sentenced him the same day.
The 61-year-old Shpakovsky refused to accept any guilt, saying that he has the right to follow his religion and share his religious views with others.
He came to the trial's last hearing with a bag filled with personal items, signalling he was ready to be taken into custody.
"I consider myself not guilty.... I did not commit any crime against any person, the government, the country, or the existing system. The charging files against me do not have a defined damage or a victim. I am being persecuted for my faith," Shpakovsky told RFE/RL before the judge pronounced her ruling.
Russia officially banned the religious group in April 2017 and deemed it an "extremist organization," a designation the U.S. State Department has characterized as "wrong."
For decades the Jehovah's Witnesses have been viewed with suspicion in Russia, where the dominant Orthodox Church is championed by President Vladimir Putin.
The Christian group is known for door-to-door preaching, Bible study, rejection of military service, and not celebrating national and religious holidays or birthdays.
Since the faith was outlawed in Russia, several Jehovah's Witnesses have been imprisoned in Russia and the Russia-annexed Ukrainian Black Sea peninsula of Crimea.
They include Danish citizen Dennis Christensen, who was sentenced in February 2019 to 6 years in prison in the western city of Oryol. The charges against Christensen have been condemned by rights groups in Russia and abroad.
In September 2019, Washington banned two high-ranking regional officers from Russia's Investigative Committee from entering the United States over alleged torture of seven detainees who are Jehovah's Witnesses.
The Moscow-based Memorial Human Rights Center has recognized 29 Jehovah’s Witnesses who've been charged with or convicted of extremism as political prisoners.
On January 9, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said Russian law enforcement authorities had “dramatically escalated the nationwide persecution” of Jehovah’s Witnesses during the previous year.
HRW said Russian authorities have carried out at least 780 raids of houses owned by Jehovah's Witnesses in dozens of Russian cities since 2017. More than half of those raids were conducted in 2019.


rferl--2020-06-09--Iran Passes Child-Protection Law Following Gruesome Killing Of Teenager

Iran has passed a law aimed at protecting children from violence days after the gruesome killing of a teenager allegedly by her father .
The legislation , which had been stalled for more than a decade , was ratified on June 7 by the hard-line watchdog Guardians Council , which must approve all bills passed by parliament to make sure they 're consistent with the country 's constitution and Islamic law .
The move comes following nationwide outrage over last month ’ s beheading of 14-year old Romina Ashrafi allegedly by her father , the latest apparent case of so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ killing renewed debate about the need for legal protection for children and women against violence and abuse , resulting in a call by President Hassan Rohani for the speedy passage of relevant legislation .
Some local media suggested that if the child-protection law had passed earlier , it could have saved the life of Romina , who was detained by police and sent home to her father , considered to be her legal guardian , five days after running away with a 28-year-old man .
Under Iran ’ s Islamic penal code , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ jail sentence of 10 years if convicted because fathers are considered guardians and , unlike mothers , are exempt from capital punishment for murdering their children .
The young girl had expressed fear over her life due to her father 's temperament , Iranian media have reported .
`` There is still hope that with the enforcement of this law such incidents can be largely prevented , '' the Aftabe Yazd daily said on June 8 .
The `` bill to support children and teenagers does not run contrary to religious law and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Guardians Council spokesman Abbas Ali Khadkhodayi was quoted as saying by the semiofficial ISNA news agency .
The powerful body had raised objections and prevented the bill from becoming law after it was forwarded in 2018 for approval by parliament .
Iran 's vice president for women 's and family affairs , Massoumeh Ebtekar , said on Twitter on June 8 that the approved legislation was `` one of the most progressive laws for child rights in the world . ''
But lawyer and child rights activist Monica Nadi said the law was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' protection for children , though adding that despite some shortcomings , the legislation does make significant progress .
`` It includes features that elevates our situation regarding child protection several degrees higher , '' Nadi was quoted as saying by Iranian media .
A full text of the legislation has not been made public .
A 2018 text called for punishments for violent and abusive behavior toward children under the age of 18 , including physical violence , sexual abuse and prostitution , as well as economic exploitation .
RFE/RL 's Radio @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also stipulates that issues such as `` communicating with children and adolescents on the Internet and social networks aimed at harassing them , '' `` selling tobacco to children , '' and employing children and `` exploiting '' them are considered punishable offenses .