rferl--2020-10-10--Kyrgyzstan Lawmakers Approve Japarov As New Prime Minister Days After He Was Sprung From Jail

BISHKEK -- Kyrgyzstan ’ s divided parliament controversially appointed Sadyr Japarov as new prime minister , just days after the convicted kidnaper was sprung from prison during turmoil over the Central Asian country ’ s disputed parliamentary elections .
Political unrest has gripped Kyrgyzstan since a parliamentary election on October 4 was tainted by allegations of vote-buying and fraud , sparking angry street protests that led the Central Elections Commission to cancel the results and rival political forces vying for control .
The October 10 vote to approve Japarov came a day after embattled President Sooronbai Jeenbekov declared a state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ streets of the capital in response to unrest and violence during a week of whipsaw political developments .
The state of emergency did little to stop clashes on the streets of Bishkek on October 9 as supporters of Japarov hurled stones and bottles at rival parties backing former president Almazbek Atambaev and another prime minister candidate , Omurbek Babanov .
As he was leaving the unrest , shots were fired at Atambaev ’ s car .
But on October 10 , Kyrgyz security forces arrested Atambaev on charges of organizing riots .
Just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ buildings after the election had released Atambaev from a detention center where he was serving an 11-year sentence after being convicted on corruption charges in June .
Jeenbekov came to power in 2017 with support from Atambayev but the two fell out soon afterwards .
As Atambaev was jailed again , less than half of parliament ’ s 120 members gathered for an extraordinary session at Jeenbekov ’ s official residence outside of Bishkek after parliament was ransacked by protesters earlier in the week .
Only 51 members of parliament were present , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a quorum of 62 deputies had been reached after including individuals who obtained power-of-attorney documents from absent lawmakers .
It was not immediately clear if the vote was legal or would be accepted by rival parties .
Japarov said after the vote that he would retain all government ministers who have been serving in an acting capacity since the previous prime minister , Kubatbek Boronov , was forced to resign on October 6 amid angry street demonstrations .
Japarov said he expected Jeenbekov to honor a pledge to resign once a government had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as clashes between rival groups escalated earlier in the week .
`` I met with [ President ] Sooronbai [ Jeenbekov ] .
He said he would resign and leave .
If you [ lawmakers ] .
approve the government 's program and makeup , then he said he would submit his [ resignation ] letter and leave , '' Japarov said at his confirmation .
There was no immediate comment from the president .
But on October 10 he sacked top security officials who had either supported his opponents or failed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week claimed it was seizing power .
In another twist in developments , Japarov could become acting president as well .
Under the law , if the president steps down his responsibilities go to the speaker of parliament , but in the absence of a speaker of parliament , the next in line is the prime minister .
Myktybek Abdyldayev of the Bir Bol ( Unity ) party , who was elected parliamentary speaker on October 6 , resigned on October 10 and only a deputy speaker , Mirlan Bakirov , was approved @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s resignation , the parliamentary speaker should perform their duties in conformity with the constitution , but as he has stepped down too , they are assumed by the prime minister , '' Bakirov told TASS news agency .
A populist politician , Japarov has a checkered history .
He previously was a senior member of the Kyrgyz government and had been an adviser to former President Kurmanbek Bakiev , who has been living in exile in Belarus since being overthrown in 2010 .
Until supporters broke him out of jail on October @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sentence after being convicted in 2017 of taking a government official hostage and other crimes .
A court struck down the verdict this week during the unrest .
The turmoil marks a third time in 15 years that protesters have moved to topple a government in Kyrgyzstan , a nation of 6.5 million people that is one of the poorest former Soviet republics .
With reporting by AP , AFP , dpa , Reuters , TASS , and Interfax


rferl--2020-10-10--New Cease-Fire In Nagorno-Karabakh Off To Shaky Start

Azerbaijan and Armenia have agreed to a cease-fire aimed at ending the worst fighting over Nagorno-Karabakh in years .
The deal was in danger of collapsing within hours of coming into effect amid reports of ongoing artillery and drone strikes .
But Armenian Defense Ministry spokesman Artsrun Hovhannisian told reporters in the evening that the truce in the conflict zone , for the most part , had held .
`` The truce mainly holds despite Azerbaijani military provocations in some areas , '' Hovhannisian said late on October 10 .
`` All provocations were given a commensurate response . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ early on October 10 after talks in Moscow brokered by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov .
The cease-fire was supposed to come into effect at 12 noon local time .
In addition to a cessation of hostilities , it also calls for the International Committee of the Red Cross to take part in the exchange of prisoners and other aspects of the cease-fire .
The agreement also calls for the return of the bodies of those killed in and around Nagorno-Karabakh since the latest fighting broke out on September 27 .
Hundreds of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been killed since then .
According to the cease-fire agreement , relaunched peace talks are to be mediated by the co-chairs of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe 's ( OSCE ) Minsk Group -- Russia , France , and the United States .
The agreement says the existing format of negotiations will remain in place and will not be changed over time .
Overnight and in the hours before the cease-fire was due to come into force , there were scattered reports of fighting and accusations from both sides @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to take effect , Azerbaijan accused Armenia of violating the deal in two separate locations along the front lines .
Meanwhile , an Armenian defense spokeswoman said Azerbaijani forces attacked a town on the eastern side of the breakaway region .
Earlier , Armenia and Azerbaijan both confirmed the outlines of the deal , saying it called for `` substantive negotiations with the aim of reaching a peaceful settlement as soon as possible . ''
Nagorno-Karabakh is recognized internationally as part of Azerbaijan .
But it has been under the control of Yerevan-backed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ brought an end to a separatist war that broke out as the Soviet Union collapsed .
Since then , Nagorno-Karabakh has been populated and governed by ethnic Armenians , leaving hundreds of thousands of Azerbaijanis from the region as internally displaced war refugees in Baku and other parts of Azerbaijan for more than a quarter century .
On October 9 , as the foreign ministers from Yerevan and Baku began their talks in Moscow , Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said he was giving Armenia a `` last chance '' to resolve the conflict @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being settled by military means and political means will come next , '' he warned , saying nearly three decades of international talks `` have n't yielded an inch of progress , we have n't been given back an inch of the occupied lands . ''
Zaur Shiriyev , a South Caucasus analyst for the International Crisis Group , said there was a `` very visible lack of support '' from the Azerbaijani population for going back to peace talks in the hope of returning the internally displaced people to their homes in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Twitter , Shiriyev said Azerbaijanis `` demand '' from Aliyev that he `` not to return to 'fruitless ' talks , but to continue the war , which finally promises real results . ''
`` Therefore , the international calls for cease-fire are broadly seen as an attempt to disrupt Baku 's success and do not find support in the Azerbaijani public , '' Shiriyev says .
The latest fighting is the biggest escalation in the conflict since the shaky 1994 cease-fire .
The violence has increased concern that a wider conflict @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which is Azerbaijan 's closest ally , and Russia , which has a defense pact with Armenia .
The defense forces of Nagorno-Karabakh 's de facto government said on October 9 that there was intense fighting to the south of Stepanakert , the region ’ s largest city .
The previous day , Armenia accused Azerbaijan of shelling a historic cathedral perched on a strategic clifftop in Shushi ( known as Susa in Azeri ) , just a few kilometers south of Stepanakert .
Residents of the town said the Holy Savior Cathedral @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hit twice within several hours .
Also known as the Ghazanchetsots Cathedral , the 19th century building is part of the Armenian Apostolic Church .
Russia 's Health Ministry said two Russians wounded in shelling were airlifted to Moscow on October 9 and were in satisfactory condition .
With reporting by RFE/RL ’ s Azerbaijani and Armenian services

Azerbaijan and Armenia have agreed to a cease-fire aimed at ending the worst fighting over Nagorno-Karabakh in years.
The deal was in danger of collapsing within hours of coming into effect amid reports of ongoing artillery and drone strikes.
But Armenian Defense Ministry spokesman Artsrun Hovhannisian told reporters in the evening that the truce in the conflict zone, for the most part, had held.
"The truce mainly holds despite Azerbaijani military provocations in some areas," Hovhannisian said late on October 10. "All provocations were given a commensurate response."
The two sides agreed to the cease-fire early on October 10 after talks in Moscow brokered by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
The cease-fire was supposed to come into effect at 12 noon local time. In addition to a cessation of hostilities, it also calls for the International Committee of the Red Cross to take part in the exchange of prisoners and other aspects of the cease-fire.
The agreement also calls for the return of the bodies of those killed in and around Nagorno-Karabakh since the latest fighting broke out on September 27. Hundreds of soldiers and an unknown number of civilians have been killed since then.
According to the cease-fire agreement, relaunched peace talks are to be mediated by the co-chairs of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe's (OSCE) Minsk Group -- Russia, France, and the United States.
The agreement says the existing format of negotiations will remain in place and will not be changed over time.
Overnight and in the hours before the cease-fire was due to come into force, there were scattered reports of fighting and accusations from both sides.
Immediately after the cease-fire was supposed to take effect, Azerbaijan accused Armenia of violating the deal in two separate locations along the front lines.
Meanwhile, an Armenian defense spokeswoman said Azerbaijani forces attacked a town on the eastern side of the breakaway region.
Earlier, Armenia and Azerbaijan both confirmed the outlines of the deal, saying it called for "substantive negotiations with the aim of reaching a peaceful settlement as soon as possible."
Nagorno-Karabakh is recognized internationally as part of Azerbaijan. But it has been under the control of Yerevan-backed ethnic Armenian forces since a 1994 cease-fire brought an end to a separatist war that broke out as the Soviet Union collapsed.
Since then, Nagorno-Karabakh has been populated and governed by ethnic Armenians, leaving hundreds of thousands of Azerbaijanis from the region as internally displaced war refugees in Baku and other parts of Azerbaijan for more than a quarter century.
On October 9, as the foreign ministers from Yerevan and Baku began their talks in Moscow, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said he was giving Armenia a "last chance" to resolve the conflict peacefully.
"The conflict is now being settled by military means and political means will come next," he warned, saying nearly three decades of international talks "haven't yielded an inch of progress, we haven't been given back an inch of the occupied lands."
Zaur Shiriyev, a South Caucasus analyst for the International Crisis Group, said there was a "very visible lack of support" from the Azerbaijani population for going back to peace talks in the hope of returning the internally displaced people to their homes in and around Nagorno-Karabakh.
In a post to Twitter, Shiriyev said Azerbaijanis "demand" from Aliyev that he "not to return to 'fruitless' talks, but to continue the war, which finally promises real results."
"Therefore, the international calls for cease-fire are broadly seen as an attempt to disrupt Baku's success and do not find support in the Azerbaijani public," Shiriyev says.
The latest fighting is the biggest escalation in the conflict since the shaky 1994 cease-fire. The violence has increased concern that a wider conflict could drag in regional power Turkey, which is Azerbaijan's closest ally, and Russia, which has a defense pact with Armenia.
The defense forces of Nagorno-Karabakh's de facto government said on October 9 that there was intense fighting to the south of Stepanakert, the region’s largest city.
The previous day, Armenia accused Azerbaijan of shelling a historic cathedral perched on a strategic clifftop in Shushi (known as Susa in Azeri), just a few kilometers south of Stepanakert.
Residents of the town said the Holy Savior Cathedral sustained exterior and interior damage after being hit twice within several hours.
Also known as the Ghazanchetsots Cathedral, the 19th century building is part of the Armenian Apostolic Church.
Russia's Health Ministry said two Russians wounded in shelling were airlifted to Moscow on October 9 and were in satisfactory condition.
With reporting by RFE/RL’s Azerbaijani and Armenian services


rferl--2020-10-11--Kyrgyz Lawmakers Dispute New Prime Minister's Election As Political Crisis Continues

BISHKEK -- Kyrgyzstan 's divided parliament has controversially appointed Sadyr Japarov as prime minister , just days after the convicted kidnapper was sprung from prison during turmoil over the Central Asian country 's disputed parliamentary elections .
However , members of parliament and other political activists on October 11 questioned the legitimacy of the rump parliament session that selected Japarov , the latest twist in a sometimes violent , week-old power struggle .
Political unrest has gripped Kyrgyzstan since a parliamentary election on October 4 was tainted by allegations of vote-buying and fraud that benefited status quo parties , sparking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Central Elections Commission canceling the results and rival political forces vying for control .
The October 10 vote to approve Japarov came a day after embattled President Sooronbai Jeenbekov declared a state of emergency and put troops on the streets of the capital in response to unrest and violence during a week of whipsaw political developments .
The state of emergency began shortly after clashes on October 9 between Japarov supporters and backers of rival parties supporting former President Almazbek Atambaev and another prime minister candidate , Omurbek Babanov .
As he was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at Atambaev ’ s car .
Just like Japarov , demonstrators who seized government buildings after the election released Atambaev from a prison where he was serving an 11-year sentence after being convicted of corruption in June .
But on October 10 , security forces again arrested Atambaev on charges of organizing riots .
Jeenbekov came to power in 2017 with support from Atambaev but the two fell out soon afterward .
Hours after Atambaev ’ s detention , Jeenbekov 's allies in parliament gathered for an extraordinary session at his official residence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by protesters earlier in the week .
Only around 50 members in the 120-seat parliament were present , but the deputy speaker of parliament said a quorum of 61 deputies had been reached after including individuals who obtained power-of-attorney documents from absent lawmakers .
Parliament Deputy Aida Kasymalieva said on October 11 that she left the session on the previous day in order to prevent a quorum and forestall a vote on Japarov ’ s candidacy , but that her vote had been cast illegally .
“ We are preparing documents now to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told RFE/RL , adding that parliament staff had not responded to her request for a list of lawmakers who voted for Japarov ’ s appointment .
Former Prime Minister Feliks Kulov asserted that the constitution requires the physical presence of a majority of deputies in order to form a quorum .
Japarov is a former nationalist member of parliament who says his 2017 conviction on charges of kidnapping a regional governor was politically motivated .
He previously was a senior member of the Kyrgyz government and an adviser to former President Kurmanbek Bakiev @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Until supporters broke him out of prison on October 6 , he was serving an 11 1/2-year sentence .
A court struck down the verdict this week during the unrest .
Japarov said on October 10 that he would retain all government ministers who have been serving in an acting capacity since the previous prime minister , Kubatbek Boronov , was forced to resign on October 6 amid the demonstrations .
Japarov announced a 10-point program aimed at restoring stability , including protecting investors , ensuring food security , and “ bringing to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' He also said he expected Jeenbekov to honor a pledge to resign once a government had been formed , which the president made as clashes between rival groups escalated earlier in the week .
`` I met with [ President ] Sooronbai [ Jeenbekov ] , '' Japarov told the parliament session .
`` He said he would resign and leave .
If you [ lawmakers ] approve the government 's program and makeup , then he said he would submit his [ resignation ] letter and leave . ''
If Jeenbekov @ @ @ @ @ @ @ third time in 15 years that public protests have brought down a Kyrgyz president .
Kyrgyzstan is the only Central Asian country with elements of democracy , but it has been destabilized by poverty , corruption , clan rivalries , and deep divisions between its northern and southern regions .
There was no immediate comment from the president .
Lawmaker Kasymailieva told RFE/RL that Jeenbekov should remain at his post until a `` legitimate '' government is in place .
Earlier on October 10 , Jeenbekov sacked top security officials who had either @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when the opposition earlier in the week claimed it was seizing power .
Erica Marat , an associate professor at the National Defense University in Washington , said Jeenbekov and Japarov will continue to face political headwinds .
`` The grassroots mobilization is n't going anywhere .
There will continue to be protests and attempts to at least hold another round of elections , now free of voter buying , '' she told RFE/RL .
`` There is a critical mass of pro-reform politicians that will continue to challenge the status quo again @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in developments , Japarov could become acting president as well .
Under the law , if the president steps down his responsibilities go to the speaker of parliament , but in the absence of a speaker of parliament , the next in line is the prime minister .
Myktybek Abdyldayev of the Bir Bol ( Unity ) party , who was elected parliament speaker on October 6 , resigned on October 10 and only a deputy speaker , Mirlan Bakirov , was approved .
`` In case of the president ’ s resignation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ duties in conformity with the constitution , but as he has stepped down too , they are assumed by the prime minister , '' Bakirov told the TASS news agency .
With reporting by AFP , AP , dpa , TASS , and Reuters

BISHKEK -- Kyrgyzstan's divided parliament has controversially appointed Sadyr Japarov as prime minister, just days after the convicted kidnapper was sprung from prison during turmoil over the Central Asian country's disputed parliamentary elections.
However, members of parliament and other political activists on October 11 questioned the legitimacy of the rump parliament session that selected Japarov, the latest twist in a sometimes violent, week-old power struggle.
Political unrest has gripped Kyrgyzstan since parliamentary elections on October 4 were tainted by allegations of vote-buying and fraud that benefited status quo parties, sparking angry street protests that resulted in the Central Elections Commission canceling the results and rival political forces vying for control.
The October 10 vote to approve Japarov came a day after embattled President Sooronbai Jeenbekov declared a state of emergency and put troops on the streets of the capital in response to unrest and violence during a week of whipsaw political developments.
The state of emergency began shortly after clashes on October 9 between Japarov supporters and backers of rival parties supporting former President Almazbek Atambaev and another prime minister candidate, Omurbek Babanov.
As he was leaving the unrest, shots were fired at Atambaev’s car.
Just like Japarov, demonstrators who seized government buildings after the election released Atambaev from a prison where he was serving an 11-year sentence after being convicted of corruption in June.
But on October 10, security forces again arrested Atambaev on charges of organizing riots.
Jeenbekov came to power in 2017 with support from Atambaev but the two fell out soon afterward.
Hours after Atambaev’s detention, Jeenbekov's allies in parliament gathered for an extraordinary session at his official residence outside of Bishkek after parliament was ransacked by protesters earlier in the week.
Only around 50 members in the 120-seat parliament were present, but the deputy speaker of parliament said a quorum of 61 deputies had been reached after including individuals who obtained power-of-attorney documents from absent lawmakers.
Parliament Deputy Aida Kasymalieva said on October 11 that she left the session on the previous day in order to prevent a quorum and forestall a vote on Japarov’s candidacy, but that her vote had been cast illegally.
“We are preparing documents now to appeal to the courts,” she told RFE/RL, adding that parliament staff had not responded to her request for a list of lawmakers who voted for Japarov’s appointment.
In a later Facebook post, Kasymalieva said all decisions reached during the session were "illegal."
Former Prime Minister Feliks Kulov asserted that the constitution requires the physical presence of a majority of deputies in order to form a quorum.
Japarov is a former nationalist member of parliament who says his 2017 conviction on charges of kidnapping a regional governor was politically motivated.
He previously was a senior member of the Kyrgyz government and an adviser to former President Kurmanbek Bakiev, who was overthrown in 2010.
Until supporters broke him out of prison on October 6, he was serving an 11 1/2-year sentence. A court struck down the verdict this week during the unrest.
Japarov said on October 10 that he would retain all government ministers who were still serving in an acting capacity after the previous prime minister, Kubatbek Boronov, was forced to resign on October 6 amid the demonstrations.
Japarov announced a 10-point program aimed at restoring stability, including protecting investors, ensuring food security, and “bringing to justice all officials involved in corruption."
He also said he expected Jeenbekov to honor a pledge to resign once a government had been formed, which the president made as clashes between rival groups escalated earlier in the week.
"I met with [President] Sooronbai [Jeenbekov]," Japarov told the parliament session. "He said he would resign and leave. If you [lawmakers] approve the government's program and makeup, then he said he would submit his [resignation] letter and leave."
If Jeenbekov steps down, it would be the third time in 15 years that public protests have brought down a Kyrgyz president.
Kyrgyzstan is the only Central Asian country with elements of democracy, but it has been destabilized by poverty, corruption, clan rivalries, and deep divisions between its northern and southern regions.
There was no immediate comment from the president.
Lawmaker Kasymailieva told RFE/RL that Jeenbekov should remain at his post until a "legitimate" government is in place.
Earlier on October 10, Jeenbekov sacked top security officials who had either supported his opponents or failed to intervene when the opposition earlier in the week claimed it was seizing power.
Erica Marat, an associate professor at the National Defense University in Washington, said Jeenbekov and Japarov will continue to face political headwinds.
"The grassroots mobilization isn't going anywhere. There will continue to be protests and attempts to at least hold another round of elections, now free of voter buying," she told RFE/RL. "There is a critical mass of pro-reform politicians that will continue to challenge the status quo again and again."
In another twist in developments, Japarov could become acting president as well. Under the law, if the president steps down his responsibilities go to the speaker of parliament, but in the absence of a speaker of parliament, the next in line is the prime minister.
Myktybek Abdyldayev of the Bir Bol (Unity) party, who was elected parliament speaker during the tumultuous events on October 6,resigned during the meeting of lawmakers who approved Japarov as prime minister on October 10. Only a deputy speaker, Mirlan Bakirov, was approved to replace him.
"In case of the president’s resignation, the parliamentary speaker should perform their duties in conformity with the constitution, but as he has stepped down too, they are assumed by the prime minister," Bakirov told the TASS news agency.
On October 9, self-appointed provisional heads of the Interior Ministry and the state security service left their respective buildings and handed over the leadership to their deputies. The two state bodies said the move was meant to ensure security forces remained apolitical.
The State National Security Committee said on October 9 that neighboring Uzbekistan had handed over to it three people who illegally crossed the border on October 6, including a district mayor, Tilek Matraimov, from a politically influential family.
Raiymbek Matraimov, along with his powerful clan, was the target of large protests in November and December last year, with demonstrators demanding a probe into allegations of corruption and massive outflows of cash from the country.
The powerful tycoon, whom many in Kyrgyzstan consider to be an associate of Jeenbekov, has been at the center of a high-profile corruption scandal exposed by a joint investigation by RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service, known locally as Radio Azattyk, the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), and the Kyrgyz news site Kloop..
With reporting by AFP, AP, dpa, TASS, and Reuters


rferl--2020-10-11--Nagorno-Karabakh Cease-Fire Strained As Azerbaijan, Armenia Trade Accusations

A day-old cease-fire between Armenia and Azerbaijan has come under strain as both sides have accused the other of violations .
Azerbaijan on October 11 accused Armenia of shelling a residential district in Ganja , Azerbaijan ’ s second-largest city , in the early morning hours .
Officials said eight civilians were killed and 33 wounded in the incident .
Reuters reported that one of its correspondents saw at least one dead body being removed from a shelled apartment building in Ganja early on October 11 .
Armenia 's Defense Ministry called the claim `` an absolute lie '' and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including the region 's largest city , Stepanakert .
Baku also accused Armenia of attempting an unsuccessful rocket or drone attack on the hydroelectric station at Mingchevi .
Arayik Haratyunyan , leader of the ethnic Armenian forces in Nagorno-Karabakh , said the Russia-brokered cease-fire was holding but that the situation remained tense .
He added that the process of exchanging prisoners was expected to begin on October 11 , but that it was in doubt .
The two sides agreed to the cease-fire early on October 10 after talks in Moscow brokered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In addition to a cessation of hostilities , the agreement calls for the International Committee of the Red Cross to take part in the exchange of prisoners and other aspects of the cease-fire .
The agreement also calls for the return of the bodies of those killed in and around Nagorno-Karabakh since the latest fighting broke out on September 27 .
Hundreds of soldiers and an unknown number of civilians have been killed since then .
According to the cease-fire agreement , relaunched peace talks are to be mediated by the co-chairs of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Europe 's Minsk Group -- Russia , France , and the United States .
The agreement says the existing format of negotiations will remain in place and will not be changed over time .
Nagorno-Karabakh is recognized internationally as part of Azerbaijan .
But it has been under the control of Yerevan-backed ethnic Armenian forces since a 1994 cease-fire brought an end to the separatist war that broke out as the Soviet Union collapsed .
Since then , Nagorno-Karabakh has been populated and governed by ethnic Armenians , leaving hundreds of thousands of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ war refugees in Baku and other parts of Azerbaijan for more than a quarter century .
On October 9 , as the foreign ministers from Yerevan and Baku began their talks in Moscow , Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said he was giving Armenia a `` last chance '' to resolve the conflict peacefully .
`` The conflict is now being settled by military means and political means will come next , '' he warned , saying that nearly three decades of international talks `` have n't yielded an inch of progress , we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the occupied lands . ''
Zaur Shiriyev , a South Caucasus analyst for the International Crisis Group , said there was a `` very visible lack of support '' from the Azerbaijani population for going back to peace talks in the hope of returning the internally displaced people to their homes .
In a post to Twitter , Shiryiev said Azerbaijanis `` demand '' from Aliyev `` not to return to 'fruitless ' talks , but to continue the war , which finally promises real results . ''
`` Therefore , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as an attempt to disrupt Baku 's success and do not find support in the Azerbaijani public , ” Shiriyev said .
The latest fighting is the biggest escalation in the conflict since the shaky 1994 cease-fire .
The violence has increased concern that a wider conflict could drag in regional power Turkey , which is Azerbaijan 's closest ally , and Russia , which has a defense pact with Armenia .
With reporting by RFE/RL ’ s Azerbaijani and Armenian Services

A day-old cease-fire between Armenia and Azerbaijan has come under strain as both sides have accused the other of violations, as the EU’s top diplomat expressed "extreme concern."
Azerbaijan on October 11 accused Armenia of shelling a residential district in Ganca, Azerbaijan’s second-largest city, in the early morning hours. The Azerbaijani Prosecutor-General's Office said nine people had been killed and 34 wounded in the attack.
Reuters reported that one of its correspondents saw at least one dead body being removed from a shelled apartment building in Ganca early on October 11.
Armenia's Defense Ministry called the claim "an absolute lie" and accused Azerbaijan of shelling parts of Nagorno-Karabakh, including the breakaway region's largest city, Stepanakert.
Baku also accused Armenia of attempting an unsuccessful rocket or drone attack on the hydroelectric station at Mingechevir.
Later on October 11, Azerbaijan said it had carried out air strikes against ethnic Armenian forces, inflicting heavy losses. Reuters could not independently verify that claim.
Earlier in the day, Arayik Haratiunian, leader of the ethnic Armenian forces in Nagorno-Karabakh, said the Russia-brokered cease-fire was holding but that the situation remained tense.
He added that the process of exchanging prisoners was expected to begin on October 11, but that it was in doubt.
EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell urged the sides to abide by the agreement and called on "all actors, including external parties, to refrain from any actions that may lead to further casualties."
"In this respect, we note with extreme concern the reports of continued military activities, including against civilian targets, as well as civilian casualties and urge the sides to ensure full respect of the agreement on the ground," Borrell said in a statement.
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu asked his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, in a phone call on October 11 to press Armenia to abide by the terms of the truce, Turkey's Foreign Ministry said.
Armenia's foreign minister was due in Moscow on October 12 for talks with officials the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe's (OSCE) Minsk Group, led by France, Russia, and the United States.
The two sides agreed to the cease-fire early on October 10 after talks in Moscow brokered by Lavrov.
In addition to a cessation of hostilities, the agreement calls for the International Committee of the Red Cross to take part in the exchange of prisoners and other aspects of the cease-fire.
The agreement also calls for the return of the bodies of those killed in and around Nagorno-Karabakh since the latest fighting broke out on September 27. Hundreds of soldiers and an unknown number of civilians have been killed since then.
According to the cease-fire agreement, relaunched peace talks are to be mediated by the co-chairs of the OSCE's Minsk Group.
The agreement says the existing format of negotiations will remain in place and will not be changed over time.
Nagorno-Karabakh is recognized internationally as part of Azerbaijan. But it has been under the control of Yerevan-backed ethnic Armenian forces since a 1994 cease-fire brought an end to the separatist war that broke out as the Soviet Union collapsed.
Since then, Nagorno-Karabakh has been populated and governed by ethnic Armenians, leaving hundreds of thousands of Azerbaijanis from the region as internally displaced war refugees in Baku and other parts of Azerbaijan for more than a quarter century.
On October 9, as the foreign ministers from Yerevan and Baku began their talks in Moscow, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said he was giving Armenia a "last chance" to resolve the conflict peacefully.
"The conflict is now being settled by military means and political means will come next," he warned, saying that nearly three decades of international talks "haven't yielded an inch of progress, we haven't been given back an inch of the occupied lands."
Zaur Shiriyev, a South Caucasus analyst for the International Crisis Group, said there was a "very visible lack of support" from the Azerbaijani population for going back to peace talks in the hope of returning the internally displaced people to their homes.
In a post to Twitter, Shiryiev said Azerbaijanis "demand" from Aliyev "not to return to 'fruitless' talks, but to continue the war, which finally promises real results."
"Therefore, the international calls for ceasefire are broadly seen as an attempt to disrupt Baku's success and do not find support in the Azerbaijani public,” Shiriyev said.
The latest fighting is the biggest escalation in the conflict since the shaky 1994 cease-fire. The violence has increased concern that a wider conflict could drag in regional power Turkey, which is Azerbaijan's closest ally, and Russia, which has a defense pact with Armenia.
With reporting by RFE/RL’s Azerbaijani and Armenian Services


rferl--2020-10-12--Tajikistan's Emomali Rahmon Poised To Extend Authoritarian Rule In Ceremonial Election

Tajikistan ’ s authoritarian President Emomali Rahmon is expected to extend his nearly three-decade-long rule over the impoverished Central Asian nation when preliminary election results are announced .
The Central Election Commission ( CEC ) declared the October 11 election valid and was expected to announce preliminary results on October 12 .
Few are expecting any hurdles for Rahmon to serve another seven years in the tightly-controlled and largely ceremonial vote .
In power since 1992 , Rahmon has won four consecutive presidential elections , none of which were deemed free or fair by Western monitors .
He holds the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ autocrat in power longer than Belarus 's Alyaksandr Lukashenka .
The election comes as Tajikistan ’ s economic woes deepen amid the COVID-19 pandemic as hundreds of thousands of migrant workers are unable to travel to Russia for jobs not available at home , halting a flow of remittances needed to prop up the local economy .
The 68-year-old Rahmon was running against four little-known candidates that represent pro-government parties in the country ’ s rubber-stamp parliament .
They are widely seen as little more than a facade to give the vote the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tajik Service reported instances of irregularities .
In the capital , Dushanbe , RFE/RL video appeared to show two men stuffing ballots into voting urns at a polling station .
A correspondent in the northern city of Khujand spoke to two voters who openly said that they had cast more than one ballot .
Both women claimed to have voted on behalf of other family members , a practice that is unlawful in Tajikistan .
The election was the first since Rahmon 's most-influential political rival , the Islamic Renaissance Party ( IRPT @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's Supreme Court banned the IRPT as a `` terrorist '' organization in 2015 .
Many of the party leaders and officials have been imprisoned , while others fled the country amid a clampdown .
The Social Democratic Party , the only genuine political opposition group inside the country , boycotted the election .
Party leader Rahmatullo Zoirov told RFE/RL that there was no point in voting because `` even if one votes against all the candidates , the CEC will pronounce its own numbers and results . ''
With a suppressed opposition @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the country , the vote is unlikely to result in the turmoil currently engulfing neighboring Kyrgyzstan and fellow former Soviet republic Belarus after disputed elections in those countries .
Rakhmon is portrayed by state media and his supporters as a figure who has brought stability to the country following a civil war during the 1990s .
How The Tajik President Has Managed To Stay In Power For Nearly Three Decades Rahmon ’ s nomination in late August ended speculation that he may step aside to allow his eldest son , Rustam Emomali , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Emomali , 32 , was made the speaker of the upper house of parliament , a role that positions him to take over for his father if he is unable to fulfill his duties .
Emomali also continues to hold the lucrative position of Dushanbe mayor .
Speculation about Emomali ’ s succession initially began in 2016 , when Tajikistan amended its constitution to lower the age threshold for presidential candidates from 35 years to 30 years .
The move was seen as being aimed at paving the way for Emomali to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gave Rahmon the exclusive right to run for office an unlimited number of times .
Further securing his dominant position in the country , parliament gave Rahmon the title of Leader of the Nation in December 2015 , a status that grants him lifelong immunity from prosecution .
The October 11 vote marks the second nationwide vote in Tajikistan this year .
In March , the country held parliamentary polls that produced another rubber-stamp legislature dominated by Rahmon 's People ’ s Democratic Party .
With reporting by AFP and dpa

DUSHANBE -- Tajikistan's authoritarian President Emomali Rahmon has been reelected for a fifth term with nearly 91 percent of the vote, according to preliminary official results, following a tightly controlled and largely ceremonial election.
The Central Asian nation's Central Election Commission said on October 12 that 90.92 percent of voters had cast their ballot for Rahmon, the only post-Soviet autocrat in power longer than Alyaksandr Lukashenka of Belarus.
CEC chairman Bakhtiyor Khudoyorzoda said that 85.4 percent of the electorate had cast their ballots in the October 11 polls, during which RFE/RL’s Tajik Service reported several instances of irregularities.
European Council spokesman Peter Stano said in a statement that the election was apparently carried out in a “peaceful and orderly manner,” but he noted that several of the recommendations made earlier this year by monitors from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe's Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (OSCE ODIHR) “remain valid and unimplemented, such as the independence of the media environment and political plurality.”
In power since 1992, Rahmon has won four consecutive presidential elections, none of which was deemed free or fair by Western monitors. He holds the dubious distinction of being the only post-Soviet autocrat in power longer than Belarus's Alyaksandr Lukashenka.
The election comes as Tajikistan’s economic woes deepen amid the COVID-19 pandemic as hundreds of thousands of migrant workers are unable to travel to Russia for jobs not available at home, halting a flow of remittances needed to prop up the local economy.
The 68-year-old Rahmon was running against four little-known candidates that represent pro-government parties in the country's rubber-stamp parliament. They are widely seen as little more than a facade to give the vote the appearance of competition.
According to the preliminary results, Rustam Latifzoda from the Agrarian Party received 3.03 percent of the vote; Rustam Rahmatzoda from the Party of Economic Reforms got 2.15 percent; Miroj Abdulloev from the Communist Party received 1.17 percent; and Abduhalim Ghafforzoda from the Socialist Party got 1.49 percent.
CEC officials said that the final results will be officially announced within a week.
On election day, RFE/RL video appeared to show two men stuffing ballots into voting urns at a polling station in the capital, Dushanbe.
A correspondent in the northern city of Khujand spoke to two voters who openly said that they had cast more than one ballot. Both women claimed to have voted on behalf of other family members, a practice that is unlawful in Tajikistan.
The election was the first since Rahmon's most influential political rival, the Islamic Renaissance Party (IRPT), was outlawed.
The country's Supreme Court banned the IRPT as a "terrorist" organization in 2015. Many of the party leaders and officials have been imprisoned, while others fled the country amid a clampdown.
The Social Democratic Party, the only genuine political opposition group inside the country, boycotted the election.
'No Point In Voting'
Party leader Rahmatillo Zoirov told RFE/RL that there was no point in voting because "even if one votes against all the candidates, the CEC will pronounce its own numbers and results."
With a suppressed opposition and Rahmon’s tight grip on the country, the vote is unlikely to result in the turmoil currently engulfing neighboring Kyrgyzstan and fellow former Soviet republic Belarus after disputed elections in those countries.
Rakhmon is portrayed by state media and his supporters as a figure who has brought stability to the country following a civil war during the 1990s.
How The Tajik President Has Managed To Stay In Power For Nearly Three Decades:
Rahmon’s nomination in late August ended speculation that he may step aside to allow his eldest son, Rustam Emomali, to run for office.
In April, Emomali, 32, was made the speaker of the upper house of parliament, a role that positions him to take over for his father if he is unable to fulfill his duties.
Emomali also continues to hold the lucrative position of Dushanbe mayor.
Speculation about Emomali’s succession initially began in 2016, when Tajikistan amended its constitution to lower the age threshold for presidential candidates from 35 years to 30 years.
The move was seen as being aimed at paving the way for Emomali to run for president.
The amendments also gave Rahmon the exclusive right to run for office an unlimited number of times.
Further securing his dominant position in the country, parliament gave Rahmon the title of Leader of the Nation in December 2015, a status that grants him lifelong immunity from prosecution.
The October 11 vote marks the second nationwide vote in Tajikistan this year.
In March, the country held parliamentary polls that produced another rubber-stamp legislature dominated by Rahmon's People’s Democratic Party.
With reporting by AFP and dpa


rferl--2020-10-11--Belarusian Protesters Brave Water Cannons

An anti-government protest in the Belarusian capital , Minsk , was forcibly broken up on October 11 by a massive @ @ @ @ @ Police used water cannons to disperse the crowds .
Belarusians have been protesting every day @ @ @ @ @ .
The protests were triggered by irregularities during the August 9 presidential election and a @ @ @ @ @ demonstrators .

An anti-government protest in the Belarusian capital, Minsk, was forcibly broken up on October 11 by a massive deployment of security forces. Police used water cannons to disperse the crowds. Belarusians have been protesting every day for more than two months. The protests were triggered by irregularities during the August 9 presidential election and a brutal crackdown on the first demonstrators.


rferl--2020-10-11--Apparent Ballot Stuffing Filmed During Tajik Polls

Instances of what appears to be ballot stuffing were filmed during the presidential election in Tajikistan on October 11 .
@ @ @ @ @ papers in the ballot box are shown at the beginning of this RFE/RL video from @ @ @ @ @ .
The Central Asian country has been ruled by the autocratic Emomali Rahmon since 1992 @

Instances of what appears to be ballot stuffing were filmed during the presidential election in Tajikistan on October 11. Two men throwing multiple ballot papers in the ballot box are shown at the beginning of this RFE/RL video from the Tajik capital, Dushanbe. The Central Asian country has been ruled by the autocratic Emomali Rahmon since 1992.


rferl--2020-10-11--Tajik President Votes To Extend Rule

Tajik President Votes To Extend Rule

The URL has been copied to your clipboard The code has been copied to your clipboard .
Autocratic Tajik leader @ @ @ @ @ ballot in the country 's presidential election .
Rahmon voted in the capital , Dushanbe @ @ @ @ @ He has ruled the Central Asian country since 1992 .

The URL has been copied to your clipboard
The code has been copied to your clipboard.
Autocratic Tajik leader Emomali Rahmon has cast his ballot in the country's presidential election. Rahmon voted in the capital, Dushanbe, on October 11. He has ruled the Central Asian country since 1992.


rferl--2020-10-11--Two Tajik Voters Tell RFE/RL They Cast Multiple Ballots

Irregularities have been reported from the October 11 presidential election in Tajikistan .
Talking to an RFE/RL correspondent in the @ @ @ @ @ two voters openly said that they had cast more than one ballot .
Both women @ @ @ @ @ behalf of other family members , a practice that is unlawful in Tajikistan .

Irregularities have been reported from the October 11 presidential election in Tajikistan. Talking to an RFE/RL correspondent in the northern city of Khujand, two voters openly said that they had cast more than one ballot. Both women claimed to have voted on behalf of other family members, a practice that is unlawful in Tajikistan.


rferl--2020-10-11--More Than 400 Detained In Brutal Protest Crackdown In Belarus

MINSK -- Hundreds of people were detained by Belarusian security forces in Minsk on October 11 in what observers said was the most violent crackdown in weeks against protesters demanding an end to the authoritarian rule of Alyaksandr Lukashenka .
Police used water cannons , stun grenades , and tear gas to disperse crowds in central Minsk after blocking central streets and closing metro stations .
More than 400 people , including at least 40 journalists , were detained , most in Minsk , but in other cities in Belarus as well , according to the human rights organization Vyasna @ @ @ @ @ @ @ since Lukashenka , in power since 1994 , was declared the winner of the country ’ s August 9 presidential election amid allegations of widespread vote rigging .
His top rival , Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya , was forced to flee to Lithuania after the vote , which supporters and others say she won .
The EU and United States have refused to recognize Lukashenka as the legitimate ruler of Belarus .
In Minsk on October 11 , peaceful protesters were beaten by police and dragged into minibuses right at the outset of the demonstration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ carried them to small buses .
Some were pinned to the ground by masked police , while others , injured with bandaged heads , could be seen sitting on the ground .
The demonstration comes a day after the 66-year-old Lukashenka met with opposition leaders imprisoned at a detention facility run by the country ’ s KGB security service , ostensibly to discuss plans for constitutional reforms .
A photo posted by Lukashenka 's press service on the Telegram messenger app showed him sitting at an oval table with prisoners who included Viktar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lukashenka ’ s toughest rival in the August elections but who was prevented from running and jailed .
Others in the picture include Lilia Vlasova , a lawyer who is a member of the opposition 's Coordination Council , and the Belarusian-American political analyst Vitali Shkliarov .
Belarusian opposition figures described the visit as a sign of weakness from Lukashenka .
Tsikhanouskaya said on October 10 that Lukashenka had `` acknowledged the existence of political prisoners whom he used to call criminals . ''
But she said `` you ca n't have dialogue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also said she was allowed on October 10 to have her first phone call in four months with her jailed husband , video blogger Syarhey Tsikhanouski .
Tsikhanouskaya only stood as a presidential candidate against Lukashenka after the jailing of her husband by Belarusian authorities eliminated his possibility of running in the election .
With reporting by Current Time , Interfax , and TASS

MINSK -- Hundreds of people were detained by Belarusian security forces in Minsk on October 11 in what observers said was the most violent crackdown in weeks against protesters demanding an end to the authoritarian rule of Alyaksandr Lukashenka.
Police used water cannons, stun grenades, and tear gas to disperse crowds in central Minsk after blocking streets and closing metro stations.
Some 586 people, including at least 40 journalists, were detained, mostly in Minsk, but in other cities as well, according to the human rights organization Vyasna.
Belarus has been rocked by protests since Lukashenka, in power since 1994, was declared the winner of the country’s August 9 presidential election amid allegations of widespread vote rigging.
His top rival, Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya, was forced to flee to Lithuania after the vote, which supporters and others say she won. She left Belarus for Lithuania after the election amid reports that she and her family were threatened by authorities.
The EU and United States have refused to recognize Lukashenka as the legitimate ruler of Belarus.
In Minsk on October 11, peaceful protesters were beaten by police and dragged into minibuses at the outset of the demonstration.
Black-clad security forces hit demonstrators and carried them to small buses. Some were pinned to the ground by masked police, while others, injured with bandaged heads, could be seen sitting on the ground.
The demonstration comes a day after the 66-year-old Lukashenka met with opposition leaders imprisoned at a detention facility run by the country’s KGB security service, ostensibly to discuss plans for constitutional reforms.
A photo posted by Lukashenka's press service on the Telegram messenger app showed him sitting at an oval table with prisoners who included Viktar Babaryka, a banker once seen as Lukashenka’s toughest rival in the August election but who was prevented from running and jailed.
Others in the picture include Lilia Vlasova, a lawyer who is a member of the opposition's Coordination Council, and the Belarusian-American political analyst Vitali Shkliarov.
Belarusian opposition figures described the visit as a sign of weakness from Lukashenka.
Tsikhanouskaya said on October 10 that Lukashenka had "acknowledged the existence of political prisoners whom he used to call criminals." But she said, "You can't have dialogue in a prison cell."
Tsikhanouskaya also said she was allowed on October 10 to have her first phone call in four months with her jailed husband, video blogger Syarhey Tsikhanouski.
Tsikhanouskaya only stood as a presidential candidate against Lukashenka after the jailing of her husband by Belarusian authorities eliminated his possibility of running in the election.
With reporting by Current Time, Interfax, and TASS


rferl--2020-10-10--Tajik Election Sees Autocratic Leader Rahmon Set To Extend Rule

Voters in Tajikistan cast ballots in a presidential election on October 11 that is expected to extend authoritarian President Emomali Rahmon ’ s rule over the impoverished Central Asian nation for another seven years .
The Central Election Commission ( CEC ) reported that more than 70 percent of eligible voters had participated in the election by midafternoon , more than the 50 percent needed to validate the election .
Authorities organized concerts , food giveaways , and other enticements aimed at getting out the vote .
Some voters were brought to polling stations by bus .
Instances of ballot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are expected on October 12 .
In power since 1992 , Rahmon has won four consecutive presidential elections , none of which were deemed free or fair by Western monitors , and is the only post-Soviet autocrat in power longer than Belarus 's Alyaksandr Lukashenka .
The election comes as Tajikistan ’ s economic woes deepen amid the COVID-19 pandemic as hundreds of thousands of migrant workers are unable to travel to Russia for jobs not available at home , halting a flow of remittances needed to fuel the local economy .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ candidates that represent pro-government parties in the country ’ s rubber-stamp parliament .
They are widely seen as little more than a facade to give the vote the appearance of competition .
Rahmon cast his ballot in the morning in Dushanbe and declined to speak with journalists .
Elsewhere in Dushanbe , ballot fraud was reported .
RFE/RL video appeared to show two men stuffing ballots into voting urns at a polling station in the Tajik capital .
The election was the first since Rahmon 's most-influential political rival , the Islamic Renaissance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The country 's Supreme Court banned the IRPT as a `` terrorist '' organization in 2015 .
Many of the party leaders and officials have been imprisoned , while others fled the country amid a clampdown .
The Social Democratic Party , the only genuine political opposition group inside the country , boycotted the election .
Party leader Rahmatullo Zoirov told RFE/RL that there was no point in voting because `` even if one votes against all the candidates , the CEC will pronounce its own numbers and results . ''
With @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tight grip on the country , the vote is unlikely to result in the turmoil currently engulfing neighboring Kyrgyzstan , which is lurching through its third political upheaval in under two decades after disputed parliamentary elections earlier this month .
Rahmon ’ s nomination in late August ended speculation that he may step aside to allow his eldest son , Rustam Emomali , to run for office .
In April , Emomali , 32 , was made the speaker of the upper house of parliament , a role that positions him to take @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unable to fulfill his duties .
Emomali also continues to hold the lucrative position of mayor of the capital , Dushanbe .
Speculation about Emomali ’ s succession initially began in 2016 , when Tajikistan amended its constitution to lower the age threshold for presidential candidates from 35 years to 30 years .
The move was seen as being aimed at paving the way for Emomali to run for president .
The amendments also gave Rahmon the exclusive right to run for office an unlimited number of times .
How The Tajik President @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nearly Three Decades Further securing his dominant position in the country , parliament gave Rahmon the title of the Leader of the Nation in December 2015 , a status that grants him lifelong immunity from prosecution .
The October 11 vote marks the second nationwide vote in Tajikistan this year .
In March , the country held parliamentary polls that produced another rubber-stamp legislature dominated by Rahmon 's People ’ s Democratic Party .
Voting opened at 6 a.m. local time in 3,375 polling stations across the country , with nearly 5 million @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

Voters in Tajikistan cast ballots in a presidential election on October 11 that is expected to extend authoritarian President Emomali Rahmon’s rule over the impoverished Central Asian nation for another seven years.
The Central Election Commission (CEC) reported that more than 70 percent of eligible voters had participated in the election by midafternoon, more than the 50 percent needed to validate the election.
Authorities organized concerts, food giveaways, and other enticements aimed at getting out the vote. Some voters were brought to polling stations by bus. Instances of ballot stuffing were reported.
First official results are expected on October 12.
In power since 1992, Rahmon has won four consecutive presidential elections, none of which were deemed free or fair by Western monitors, and is the only post-Soviet autocrat in power longer than Belarus's Alyaksandr Lukashenka.
The election comes as Tajikistan’s economic woes deepen amid the COVID-19 pandemic as hundreds of thousands of migrant workers are unable to travel to Russia for jobs not available at home, halting a flow of remittances needed to fuel the local economy.
The 68-year-old Rahmon was running against four little-known candidates that represent pro-government parties in the country’s rubber-stamp parliament. They are widely seen as little more than a facade to give the vote the appearance of competition.
Rahmon cast his ballot in the morning in Dushanbe and declined to speak with journalists.
'No Point In Voting'
Elsewhere in Dushanbe, ballot fraud was reported. RFE/RL video appeared to show two men stuffing ballots into voting urns at a polling station in the Tajik capital.
The election was the first since Rahmon's most-influential political rival, the Islamic Renaissance Party (IRPT), was outlawed. The country's Supreme Court banned the IRPT as a "terrorist" organization in 2015. Many of the party leaders and officials have been imprisoned, while others fled the country amid a clampdown.
The Social Democratic Party, the only genuine political opposition group inside the country, boycotted the election.
Party leader Rahmatillo Zoirov told RFE/RL that there was no point in voting because "even if one votes against all the candidates, the CEC will pronounce its own numbers and results."
With a suppressed opposition and Rahmon’s tight grip on the country, the vote is unlikely to result in the turmoil currently engulfing neighboring Kyrgyzstan, which is lurching through its third political upheaval in under two decades after disputed parliamentary elections earlier this month.
Rahmon’s nomination in late August ended speculation that he may step aside to allow his eldest son, Rustam Emomali, to run for office.
In April, Emomali, 32, was made the speaker of the upper house of parliament, a role that positions him to take over for his father if he is unable to fulfill his duties.
Emomali also continues to hold the lucrative position of mayor of the capital, Dushanbe.
Speculation about Emomali’s succession initially began in 2016, when Tajikistan amended its constitution to lower the age threshold for presidential candidates from 35 years to 30 years. The move was seen as being aimed at paving the way for Emomali to run for president.
The amendments also gave Rahmon the exclusive right to run for office an unlimited number of times.
How The Tajik President Has Managed To Stay In Power For Nearly Three Decades
Further securing his dominant position in the country, parliament gave Rahmon the title of the Leader of the Nation in December 2015, a status that grants him lifelong immunity from prosecution.
The October 11 vote marks the second nationwide vote in Tajikistan this year. In March, the country held parliamentary polls that produced another rubber-stamp legislature dominated by Rahmon's People’s Democratic Party.
Voting opened at 6 a.m. local time in 3,375 polling stations across the country, with nearly 5 million eligible voters registered to cast their ballots.


rferl--2020-10-12--Russia Expels Two Bulgarian Diplomats In Tit-For-Tat Move

Russia says it is expelling two Bulgarian diplomats , nearly three weeks after two staff at the Russian Embassy in Sofia accused of military espionage were told to leave .
Describing Bulgaria 's move last month as groundless , Russia 's Foreign Ministry said it had summoned Bulgaria 's ambassador to Moscow , Atanas Krystin , on October 12 to informed him that the two diplomats based in the Russian capital had been declared `` personae non gratae . ''
Bulgaria is a NATO and European Union member with generally good ties with Russia , which supplies it with much @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out two Russian diplomats in January for allegedly pursuing classified information .
It also declined to grant a visa to Russia 's incoming defense attache in December 2019 .
Bulgarian authorities declared the two Russian diplomats `` personae non gratae '' on September 23 after state prosecutors launched a case against them .
Criminal proceedings could not be brought against the suspects because they have diplomatic immunity .
The State Agency for National Security alleged the pair had collected secret state information on Bulgaria 's military modernization plans and preparedness .
Investigators said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the present , and included the use of financial inducements to recruit Bulgarian nationals with access to sensitive information .
The Russian Embassy in Sofia said there was no evidence to justify the `` unreasonable expulsion '' of its diplomats .
With reporting by Reuters and Interfax

Russia says it is expelling two Bulgarian diplomats, nearly three weeks after two staff at the Russian Embassy in Sofia accused of military espionage were told to leave.
Describing Bulgaria's move last month as groundless, Russia's Foreign Ministry said it had summoned Bulgaria's ambassador to Moscow, Atanas Krystin, on October 12 to informed him that the two diplomats based in the Russian capital had been declared "personae non gratae."
Bulgaria is a NATO and European Union member with generally good ties with Russia, which supplies it with much of its energy.
But Sofia kicked out two Russian diplomats in January for allegedly pursuing classified information. It also declined to grant a visa to Russia's incoming defense attache in December 2019.
Bulgarian authorities declared the two Russian diplomats "personae non gratae" on September 23 after state prosecutors launched a case against them.
Criminal proceedings could not be brought against the suspects because they have diplomatic immunity.
The State Agency for National Security alleged the pair had collected secret state information on Bulgaria's military modernization plans and preparedness.
Investigators said the espionage took place between 2016 and the present, and included the use of financial inducements to recruit Bulgarian nationals with access to sensitive information.
The Russian Embassy in Sofia said there was no evidence to justify the "unreasonable expulsion" of its diplomats.
With reporting by Reuters and Interfax


rferl--2020-10-12--Two Opposition Figures In Belarus Released From Jail After Meeting With Lukashenka

MINSK -- Belarusian authorities have released two opposition activists after President Alyaksandr Lukashenka met with them and 10 other jailed opposition figures .
Belarusian state television channel Belarus-1 said late on October 11 that Yury Vaskrasenski , a member of the election campaign of former potential presidential candidate Viktar Babaryka , and Dzmitry Rabtsevich , director of the company PandaDoc IT , had been transferred to house arrest .
Babaryka , a banker once seen as Lukashenka 's toughest rival in the August 9 election , was prevented from running and jailed before the vote .
The televised program showed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ met with the jailed opposition figures on October 10 , he was personally asked `` to prepare his inputs regarding constitutional changes and define conditions for the release of some individuals , '' who , as the television program 's anchors said , `` turned out not to be as dangerous as they previously appeared . ''
Belarusian opposition figures described the visit as a sign of weakness from Lukashenka .
Opposition leader Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya said on October 10 that Lukashenka had `` acknowledged the existence of political prisoners whom he used to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , `` You ca n't have dialogue in a prison cell . ''
The European Union and the United States have refused to recognize Lukashenka as the legitimate president of Belarus after he claimed a landslide victory in an August election that has been widely criticized as fraudulent .
The results have sparked weeks of mass protests and have been contested by Tsikhanouskaya , who supporters claim won the vote , as well as opposition figures across the country .
Almost 600 people , including at least 40 journalists , were detained by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 11 in what observers said was the most violent crackdown in weeks against protesters demanding an end to the 66-year-old 's authoritarian rule , which began in 1994 .
Tsikhanouskaya only ran as a presidential candidate against Lukashenka after the jailing of her husband by Belarusian authorities eliminated the possibility of his running in the election .
She said she was allowed on October 10 to have her first phone call in four months with her jailed husband , video blogger Syarhey Tsikhanouski .
With reporting by Belarus-1 and Tut.by

MINSK -- Belarusian authorities have released two opposition activists after embattled Alyaksandr Lukashenka, who claims to have won the August presidential election, met with them and 10 other jailed opposition figures.
Belarusian state television channel Belarus-1 said late on October 11 that Yury Vaskrasenski, a member of the election campaign of former potential presidential candidate Viktar Babaryka, and Dzmitry Rabtsevich, director of the company PandaDoc IT, had been transferred to house arrest.
Babaryka, a banker once seen as Lukashenka's toughest rival in the August 9 election, was prevented from running and jailed before the vote.
The televised program showed Vaskrasenski, who said that after Lukashenka met with the jailed opposition figures on October 10, he was personally asked "to prepare his inputs regarding constitutional changes and define conditions for the release of some individuals," who, as the television program's anchors said, "turned out not to be as dangerous as they previously appeared."
Belarusian opposition figures described the visit as a sign of weakness from Lukashenka.
Opposition leader Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya said on October 10 that Lukashenka had "acknowledged the existence of political prisoners whom he used to call criminals." But she said, "You can't have dialogue in a prison cell."
The European Union and the United States have refused to recognize Lukashenka as the legitimate president of Belarus after he claimed a landslide victory in an August election that has been widely criticized as fraudulent.
The results have sparked weeks of mass protests and have been contested by Tsikhanouskaya, who supporters claim won the vote, as well as opposition figures across the country.
The Belarusian Interior Ministry said on October 12 that 713 people were detained across the country during the protests the previous day, of whom 590 were placed in pretrial detention.
According to the ministry's statement, in all some 11,000 people took part in the October 11 protests in Minsk and other towns and cities in Belarus. Some opposition sources have put the size of the crowd in Minsk at around double that.
Independent media reports said earlier that there were at least 40 journalists among the detained individuals in what observers said was the most violent crackdown in weeks against protesters demanding an end to the 66-year-old's authoritarian rule, which began in 1994.
Tsikhanouskaya only ran as a presidential candidate against Lukashenka after the jailing of her husband by Belarusian authorities eliminated the possibility of his running in the election.
She said she was allowed on October 10 to have her first phone call in four months with her jailed husband, video blogger Syarhey Tsikhanouski.
With reporting by Belarus-1 and Tut.by


rferl--2020-10-12--Rights Groups Urge Ankara Not To Deport Turkmen Activist, Fearing She'll Be Tortured

A group of 11 human rights organizations has urged the Turkish authorities not deport activist Dursoltan Taganova , saying she will face arbitrary arrest and torture if she is returned to Turkmenistan .
In a statement on October 12 , the groups urge Turkey 's international partners to `` call on Ankara to uphold its international obligations and not deport Taganova , who is seeking asylum in Turkey , '' Human Rights Watch ( HRW ) says .
`` Turkmenistan is known to severely harass and punish peaceful critics of the government , '' said Hugh Williamson , HRW 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ To return Dursoltan Taganova to Turkmenistan would place her at grave risk of persecution and torture .
Turkey should abide by its international obligations not to send her anywhere she could face ill-treatment . ''
The 11 groups are the Bulgarian Helsinki Committee , Crude Accountability , the Center for the Development of Democracy and Human Rights , the Democratic Civil Union of Turkmenistan , Freedom Files , HRW , the Institute of Human Rights , the Memorial Human Rights Center , the Norwegian Helsinki Committee , the Turkmenistan Helsinki Foundation for Human @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Human Rights .
The 29-year-old activist was among dozens of other Turkmen activists , mostly migrant workers , arrested in Istanbul in July on charges of violating coronavirus restrictions .
The move came just hours before they planned to hold a rally in front of the Turkmen Consulate in Istanbul to criticize the Turkmen government 's inadequate response to the coronavirus pandemic and to call for President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov 's resignation .
Most detainees were released about five hours later .
Taganova ’ s lawyer told HRW that she was the only Turkmen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The lawyer said the consulate 's written complaint specifically mentioned Taganova .
The authorities alleged that she and four other Turkmen citizens had interfered with the work of Turkmen diplomats and threatened violence against them .
She was charged under Turkey 's law on demonstrations and public meetings .
Since June , protests against Berdymukhammedov have been staged by Turkmen citizens residing in Turkey , the United States , and Northern Cyprus .
Government critics and human rights groups say Berdymukhammedov has suppressed dissent and made few changes in the restrictive country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ death of autocrat Saparmurat Niyazov in 2006 .

A group of 11 human rights organizations has urged the Turkish authorities not deport activist Dursoltan Taganova, saying she will face arbitrary arrest and torture if she is returned to Turkmenistan.
In a statement on October 12, the groups urge Turkey's international partners to "call on Ankara to uphold its international obligations and not deport Taganova, who is seeking asylum in Turkey," Human Rights Watch (HRW) says.
"Turkmenistan is known to severely harass and punish peaceful critics of the government," said Hugh Williamson, HRW's Europe and Central Asia director.
"To return Dursoltan Taganova to Turkmenistan would place her at grave risk of persecution and torture. Turkey should abide by its international obligations not to send her anywhere she could face ill-treatment."
The 11 groups are the Bulgarian Helsinki Committee, Crude Accountability, the Center for the Development of Democracy and Human Rights, the Democratic Civil Union of Turkmenistan, Freedom Files, HRW, the Institute of Human Rights, the Memorial Human Rights Center, the Norwegian Helsinki Committee, the Turkmenistan Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights, and the Turkmen Initiative for Human Rights.
The 29-year-old activist was among dozens of other Turkmen activists, mostly migrant workers, arrested in Istanbul in July on charges of violating coronavirus restrictions. The move came just hours before they planned to hold a rally in front of the Turkmen Consulate in Istanbul to criticize the Turkmen government's inadequate response to the coronavirus pandemic and to call for President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov's resignation.
Most detainees were released about five hours later.
Taganova’s lawyer told HRW that she was the only Turkmen citizen whom Turkish authorities kept in custody. The lawyer said the consulate's written complaint specifically mentioned Taganova. The authorities alleged that she and four other Turkmen citizens had interfered with the work of Turkmen diplomats and threatened violence against them. She was charged under Turkey's law on demonstrations and public meetings.
Since June, protests against Berdymukhammedov have been staged by Turkmen citizens residing in Turkey, the United States, and Northern Cyprus.
Government critics and human rights groups say Berdymukhammedov has suppressed dissent and made few changes in the restrictive country since he came to power after the death of autocrat Saparmurat Niyazov in 2006.


rferl--2020-10-12--Fresh Fighting Puts Further Strain On Nagorno-Karabakh Truce Deal

Fresh clashes have broken out between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces over the breakaway Nagorno-Karabakh region , with both sides accusing the other of violating a Russian-brokered cease-fire .
The Azerbaijani Defense Ministry on October 12 accused the Armenian side of not complying with the humanitarian cease-fire agreement negotiated in Moscow , saying they `` repeatedly tried to attack the positions of the Azerbaijan Army . ''
Azerbaijan was `` now intensively shelling the southern front , '' according to Armenian Defense ministry spokeswoman Shushan Stepanian said .
The humanitarian cease-fire , agreed upon on October 10 , called for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in and around Nagorno-Karabakh since the latest fighting broke out on September 27 -- the biggest escalation in the conflict since a shaky 1994 cease-fire .
Hundreds of soldiers and civilians have been killed since then .
On October 11 , Azerbaijan said it had carried out air strikes against ethnic Armenian forces , inflicting heavy losses , following what it said was an Armenian rocket attack on a civilian apartment building in Ganca , Azerbaijan 's second-largest city .
Armenian Foreign Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanian was in Moscow on October 12 for talks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ -- France , Russia , and the United States -- which is trying to mediate the situation .
`` As we can see , this agreement is n't being fully honored , and the hostilities are continuing , '' Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in his opening remarks at a meeting with his Armenian counterpart .
`` Hopefully , our contacts with you and with our Azerbaijani colleagues , including those from the defense ministries , will help achieve full implementation of the agreements reached in the trilateral format , '' he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reached in Moscow , relaunched peace talks are to be mediated by the Minsk Group , which was set up in the 1990s under the auspices of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe ( OSCE ) to mediate the conflict .
The deal says the existing format of negotiations will remain in place and will not be changed over time .
Nagorno-Karabakh is recognized internationally as part of Azerbaijan .
But it has been under the control of Yerevan-backed ethnic Armenian forces since a 1994 cease-fire brought an end to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Soviet Union collapsed .
Since then , Nagorno-Karabakh has been populated and governed by ethnic Armenians , leaving hundreds of thousands of Azerbaijanis from the region as internally displaced war refugees in Baku and other parts of Azerbaijan for more than a quarter-century .
With reporting by AFP , Reuters , Interfax , Current Time , and RFE/RL 's Azerbaijani , Armenian , and Russian services

Fresh clashes have broken out between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces over the breakaway Nagorno-Karabakh region, with both sides accusing the other of violating a Russian-brokered cease-fire.
The Azerbaijani Defense Ministry on October 12 accused the Armenian side of not complying with the humanitarian cease-fire agreement negotiated in Moscow, saying they "repeatedly tried to attack the positions of the Azerbaijan Army."
Azerbaijan was "now intensively shelling the southern front," according to Armenian Defense ministry spokeswoman Shushan Stepanian said.
Meanwhile, ethnic Armenian officials in Nagorno-Karabakh said on October 12 that 45 more servicemen had been killed in fighting with Azerbaijan, bringing its total military death toll to 525 since fighting broke out on September 27.
The humanitarian cease-fire, agreed upon on October 10, called for the return of the bodies of those killed in and around Nagorno-Karabakh since the latest fighting broke out on September 27 -- the biggest escalation in the conflict since a shaky 1994 cease-fire. Hundreds of soldiers and civilians have been killed since then.
On October 11, Azerbaijan said it had carried out air strikes against ethnic Armenian forces, inflicting heavy losses, following what it said was an Armenian rocket attack on a civilian apartment building in Ganca, Azerbaijan's second-largest city.
The Armenian side denied both Azerbaijani assertions.
Armenian Foreign Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanian was in Moscow on October 12 for talks with the co-chairs of the Minsk Group -- France, Russia, and the United States -- which is trying to mediate the situation.
"As we can see, this agreement isn't being fully honored, and the hostilities are continuing," Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in his opening remarks at a meeting with his Armenian counterpart.
WATCH: A Truce In Tatters: Fighting Flares Over Nagorno-Karabakh
"Hopefully, our contacts with you and with our Azerbaijani colleagues, including those from the defense ministries, will help achieve full implementation of the agreements reached in the trilateral format," he added.
According to the cease-fire agreement reached in Moscow, relaunched peace talks are to be mediated by the Minsk Group, which was set up in the 1990s under the auspices of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) to mediate the conflict.
The deal says the existing format of negotiations will remain in place and will not be changed over time.
Nagorno-Karabakh is recognized internationally as part of Azerbaijan. But it has been under the control of Yerevan-backed ethnic Armenian forces since a 1994 cease-fire brought an end to the separatist war that broke out as the Soviet Union collapsed.
Since then, Nagorno-Karabakh has been populated and governed by ethnic Armenians, leaving hundreds of thousands of Azerbaijanis from the region as internally displaced war refugees in Baku and other parts of Azerbaijan for more than a quarter-century.
With reporting by AFP, Reuters, Interfax, Current Time, and RFE/RL's Azerbaijani, Armenian, and Russian services


rferl--2020-10-12--Embattled Kyrgyz President Reintroduces State Of Emergency In Bishkek Amid Unrest

BISHKEK -- Embattled Kyrgyz President Sooronbai Jeenbekov has signed a decree reintroducing a state of emergency in Bishkek , the capital , after thousands poured into the streets last week , throwing the country into chaos over contested parliamentary elections .
Jeenbekov ’ s press service said on October 12 that the state of emergency was needed due to `` the ongoing tense situation that might cause violence and threats to people ’ s health and lives after mass disorder '' caused by demonstrations over the official results of the elections on October 4 .
The protests forced Jeenbekov 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ resign .
The state of emergency will start at 8 p.m. on October 12 and last until 7 a.m. on October 19 , according to the decree .
Deputy Interior Minister Almazbek Orozaliev was named Bishkek 's commandant responsible for law and order in the city during the state of emergency .
Kyrgyzstan is the only Central Asian country with elements of democracy , but it has been destabilized by poverty , corruption , clan rivalries , and deep divisions between its northern and southern regions .
Political unrest has gripped Kyrgyzstan since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by allegations of vote-buying and fraud that benefited status quo parties , sparking angry street protests that resulted in the Central Elections Commission canceling the results and rival political forces vying for control .
The country ’ s divided parliament controversially appointed Sadyr Japarov as prime minister on October 10 , just days after the convicted kidnapper was sprung from prison during the unrest .
Members of parliament and other political activists have questioned the legitimacy of the rump parliament session that selected Japarov , the latest twist in a sometimes violent power @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Japarov is a former nationalist member of parliament who says his 2017 conviction on charges of kidnapping a regional governor was politically motivated .
He previously was a senior member of the Kyrgyz government and an adviser to former President Kurmanbek Bakiev , who was overthrown in 2010 .
Until supporters broke him out of prison on October 6 , he was serving an 11 1/2-year sentence .
A court struck down the verdict this week during the unrest .
Demonstrators who seized government buildings after the election also released former President @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was serving an 11-year sentence after being convicted of corruption in June .
But on October 10 , security forces again arrested Atambaev , Jeenbekov 's main rival , on charges of organizing riots .
Hours after Atambaev ’ s detention , Jeenbekov 's allies in parliament gathered for an extraordinary session at his official residence outside of Bishkek and appointed Japarov as prime minister , which other lawmakers and opposition political parties called illegal , saying that only 50 lawmakers were present at the session , while at least 61 of 120 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to make legitimate decisions .
Last week , Jeenbekov said he is ready to resign but only after all necessary steps to establish law and order in the country are restored .
If Jeenbekov steps down , it would be the third time in 15 years that public protests have brought down a Kyrgyz president .
That brings up the possibility that Japarov could become acting president as well .
Under the law , if the president steps down his responsibilities go to the speaker of parliament , but in the absence of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in line is the prime minister .
Myktybek Abdyldayev of the Bir Bol ( Unity ) party , who was elected parliament speaker on October 6 , resigned on October 10 and only a deputy speaker , Mirlan Bakirov , was approved .
The turmoil has also highlighted deep-seated corruption within the country .
Neighboring Uzbekistan said it had handed over three people who illegally crossed the border on October 6 , including a district mayor , Tilek Matraimov , from a politically influential family .
Raiymbek Matraimov , along with his powerful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protests in November and December last year , with demonstrators demanding a probe into allegations of corruption and massive outflows of cash from the country .
The powerful tycoon , whom many in Kyrgyzstan consider as Jeenbekov 's associate , has been at the center of a high-profile corruption scandal exposed by a joint investigation by RFE/RL 's Kyrgyz Service , known locally as Radio Azattyk , the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project ( OCCRP , ) and the Kyrgyz news site Kloop .

BISHKEK -- Embattled Kyrgyz President Sooronbai Jeenbekov has signed a decree reintroducing a state of emergency in Bishkek, the capital, after thousands poured into the streets last week, throwing the country into chaos over contested parliamentary elections.
Jeenbekov’s press service said on October 12 that the state of emergency was needed due to "the ongoing tense situation that might cause violence and threats to people’s health and lives after mass disorder" caused by demonstrations over the official results of the elections on October 4. The protests forced Jeenbekov's government and parliament’s chairman to resign.
The state of emergency started at 8:00 p.m. local time on October 12 and will last until 7:00 a.m. on October 19 according to the decree. Deputy Interior Minister Almazbek Orozaliev was named Bishkek's commandant responsible for law and order in the city during the state of emergency.
Kyrgyzstan is the only Central Asian country with elements of democracy, but it has been destabilized by poverty, corruption, clan rivalries, and deep divisions between its northern and southern regions.
Following the reintroduction of the state of emergency in Kyrgyzstan, Human Rights Watch (HRW) called for the safeguarding of the Kyrgyz citizen's rights.
"Kyrgyz authorities have a duty to protect citizens in times of crisis, but the government must ensure that any measures imposed are strictly proportionate to their aim, and that emergency powers are not applied in a discriminatory manner," HRW said in a statement on October 12.
"It is essential that Kyrgyz authorities safeguard democratic structures and fundamental human rights, including the right to peaceful protest, media freedoms, and the rights of journalists, human rights defenders, and members of political opposition to work free of harassment or threat," HRW said.
Political unrest has gripped Kyrgyzstan since parliamentary elections on October 4 were tainted by allegations of vote-buying and fraud that benefited status quo parties, sparking angry street protests that resulted in the Central Elections Commission canceling the results and rival political forces vying for control.
The country’s divided parliament controversially appointed Sadyr Japarov as prime minister on October 10, just days after the convicted kidnapper was sprung from prison during the unrest.
Members of parliament and other political activists have questioned the legitimacy of the rump parliament session that selected Japarov, the latest twist in a sometimes violent power struggle in the aftermath of the elections.
Japarov is a former nationalist member of parliament who says his 2017 conviction on charges of kidnapping a regional governor was politically motivated.
He previously was a senior member of the Kyrgyz government and an adviser to former President Kurmanbek Bakiev, who was overthrown in 2010.
Until supporters broke him out of prison on October 6, he was serving an 11 1/2-year sentence. A court struck down the verdict this week during the unrest.
Demonstrators who seized government buildings after the election also released former President Almazbek Atambaev from a prison where he was serving an 11-year sentence after being convicted of corruption in June.
But on October 10, security forces again arrested Atambaev, Jeenbekov's main rival, on charges of organizing riots.
Hours after Atambaev’s detention, Jeenbekov's allies in parliament gathered for an extraordinary session at his official residence outside of Bishkek and appointed Japarov as prime minister, which other lawmakers and opposition political parties called illegal, saying that only 50 lawmakers were present at the session, while at least 61 of 120 lawmakers must take part in the process to make legitimate decisions.
Last week, Jeenbekov said he is ready to resign but only after all necessary steps to establish law and order in the country are restored.
If Jeenbekov steps down, it would be the third time in 15 years that public protests have brought down a Kyrgyz president.
That brings up the possibility that Japarov could become acting president as well. Under the law, if the president steps down his responsibilities go to the speaker of parliament, but in the absence of a speaker of parliament, the next in line is the prime minister.
Myktybek Abdyldayev of the Bir Bol (Unity) party, who was elected parliament speaker on October 6, resigned on October 10 and only a deputy speaker, Mirlan Bakirov, was approved.
The turmoil has also highlighted deep-seated corruption within the country.
Neighboring Uzbekistan said it had handed over three people who illegally crossed the border on October 6, including a district mayor, Tilek Matraimov, from a politically influential family.
Raiymbek Matraimov, along with his powerful clan, was the target of large protests in November and December last year, with demonstrators demanding a probe into allegations of corruption and massive outflows of cash from the country.
The powerful tycoon, whom many in Kyrgyzstan consider as Jeenbekov's associate, has been at the center of a high-profile corruption scandal exposed by a joint investigation by RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service, known locally as Radio Azattyk, the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP,) and the Kyrgyz news site Kloop.