rferl--2020-04-14--U.S. Embassy Concerned As Former Georgian Minister Sentenced

TBILISI -- A court in Georgia has sentenced opposition leader and former Defense Minister Irakli Okruashvili to five years in prison following the outbreak of violence during mass protest last June , raising concerns from the United States over political interference in the judiciary .
Okruashvili , the leader of the Victorious Georgia opposition party , was arrested in late July over the June 20-21 unrest outside the Georgian parliament , when thousands rallied after Russian lawmaker Sergei Gavrilov occupied the Georgian speaker 's seat in the legislature , a symbolic reminder of Russia 's unwanted influence over its smaller @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sentenced Okruashvili on April 13 after finding him guilty of organizing and taking part in the violence that marred rallies , which lasted for weeks as opposition parties insisted that Georgia 's electoral system unfairly favored the ruling Georgian Dream party and demanded it be changed to a proportional system from 2020 .
The U.S. Embassy in Tbilisi said in an April 14 statement that the case amounted to `` political interference '' and `` the selective use of justice . ''
The United States and the European Union had called on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ civil society to engage in a `` calm and respectful dialogue '' after the protests , which were suppressed forcefully by the police .
On March 8 , after U.S.- and EU- brokered talks , leaders of Georgia 's ruling and opposition parties agreed to a deal on election reforms .
In its April 14 statement regarding Okruashvili 's conviction , the U.S. Embassy called on the Georgian government and opposition to stick to the March 8 agreement 's clauses .
`` The case casts a shadow over the impartial application of justice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statement was intended to dispel .
We urge all signatories to uphold the letter and spirit of the March 8 agreement , '' the U.S. Embassy said .

TBILISI -- A court in Georgia has sentenced opposition leader and former Defense Minister Irakli Okruashvili to five years in prison following the outbreak of violence during mass protest last June, raising concerns from the United States over political interference in the judiciary.
Okruashvili, the leader of the Victorious Georgia opposition party, was arrested in late July over the June 20-21 unrest outside the Georgian parliament, when thousands rallied after Russian lawmaker Sergei Gavrilov occupied the Georgian speaker's seat in the legislature, a symbolic reminder of Russia's unwanted influence over its smaller southern neighbor.
The Tbilisi City Court sentenced Okruashvili on April 13 after finding him guilty of organizing and taking part in the violence that marred rallies, which lasted for weeks as opposition parties insisted that Georgia's electoral system unfairly favored the ruling Georgian Dream party and demanded it be changed to a proportional system from 2020.
The U.S. Embassy in Tbilisi said in an April 14 statement that the case amounted to "political interference" and "the selective use of justice."
The United States and the European Union had called on the Georgian government, political parties, and civil society to engage in a "calm and respectful dialogue" after the protests, which were suppressed forcefully by the police.
On March 8, after U.S.- and EU- brokered talks, leaders of Georgia's ruling and opposition parties agreed to a deal on election reforms.
In its April 14 statement regarding Okruashvili's conviction, the U.S. Embassy called on the Georgian government and opposition to stick to the March 8 agreement's clauses.
"The case casts a shadow over the impartial application of justice -- a concern the March 8 joint statement was intended to dispel. We urge all signatories to uphold the letter and spirit of the March 8 agreement," the U.S. Embassy said.


rferl--2020-04-14--Arsonists Attack Synagogue In Russia's Northwestern City Of Arkhangelsk

ARKHANGELSK , Russia -- Arsonists have attacked a synagogue in Russia 's northwestern city of Arkhangelsk , the latest attack on the property since 2015 .
Anatoly Obermeister , the leader of the local Jewish community , told RFE/RL that the culprits used car tires and a combustible substance in the attack , which took place during the early hours of April 13 .
The synagogue , which was extensively damaged by the fire , is inside the building of the Star of the North Jewish Cultural Center in the city .
`` I hope a thorough investigation will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ found , '' Obermeister said , adding that the damage inflicted by the attack is estimated by 1.5 million rubles ( $ 20,400 ) .
City police officials told RFE/RL that a probe had been launched into the attack .
There were no injuries reported from the incident .
It is not the first time the building has been targeted .
In 2015 , when the synagogue was under construction , unknown assailants opened fire at the building with air guns .
In another attack during construction , unknown arsonists attempted to burn @ @ @

ARKHANGELSK, Russia -- Arsonists have attacked a synagogue in Russia's northwestern city of Arkhangelsk, the latest attack on the property since 2015.
Anatoly Obermeister, the leader of the local Jewish community, told RFE/RL that the culprits used car tires and a combustible substance in the attack, which took place during the early hours of April 13.
The synagogue, which was extensively damaged by the fire, is inside the building of the Star of the North Jewish Cultural Center in the city.
"I hope a thorough investigation will be conducted and that the vandals will be found," Obermeister said, adding that the damage inflicted by the attack is estimated by 1.5 million rubles ($20,400).
City police officials told RFE/RL that a probe had been launched into the attack.
There were no injuries reported from the incident.
It is not the first time the building has been targeted. In 2015, when the synagogue was under construction, unknown assailants opened fire at the building with air guns.
In another attack during construction, unknown arsonists attempted to burn it down.


rferl--2020-04-16--Amid Diplomatic Spat, Move Made To Rename Moscow Metro Station Dedicated To Prague

A Russian government department has proposed renaming a Moscow metro station dedicated to the Czech capital , Prague , amid a diplomatic spat between the two countries , Russian media report .
The proposal comes after Prague city authorities recently removed a controversial statue of a Soviet World War II marshal .
The Russian Investigative Committee on April 10 threatened to open a criminal case against the Czech Republic , although Moscow has no legal jurisdiction in the Central European country .
Prague municipal officials on April 3 removed a statue of Soviet Marshall Ivan Konev , who led the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ May 1945 after the city had been liberated from the Nazis by resistance forces .
Russia media reported on April 16 that the Public Council at the Russian Defense Ministry proposed renaming the `` Prazhskaya '' metro station to `` Marshall Konev . ''
The council said the proposal was `` a response '' to the removal of Konev 's statue in Prague .
The council sent a letter to Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu to request support for the proposal , the Defense Ministry 's Zvezda ( The Star ) television channel said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Moscow of meddling in its internal affairs .
The monument , which was erected by the communist Czechoslovakian government in 1980 , has long been controversial and has frequently been vandalized since the collapse of communism in 1989 .
Konev also commanded the Soviet troops that suppressed the 1956 uprising in Hungary and that helped build the Berlin Wall .
Some historians believe he played a role in planning the Soviet-led invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968 .
He died in 1973 .
Czech officials have said the Konev statue will be reinstalled at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would host a new monument honoring the Prague resistance fighters who liberated the capital in the days before Konev 's troops arrived .
Moscow has vehemently protested the removal of the statue .
On April 9 , Shoigu asked his Czech counterpart , Lubomir Metnar , to hand over the statue to Russia .
Metnar refused , saying it belonged to the city of Prague .
Russian President Vladimir Putin has frequently criticized European countries of `` rewriting history '' by allegedly diminishing the role of the Soviet Union in the defeat of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ counter that Putin has downplayed the crimes of Soviet dictator Josef Stalin and the consequences of the post-war Soviet occupation of the region .
With reporting by MK24 and Zvezda

A Russian government department has proposed renaming a Moscow subway station dedicated to the Czech capital, Prague, amid a diplomatic spat between the two countries, Russian media report.
The proposal comes after Prague city authorities recently removed a controversial statue of a Soviet World War II marshal.
Russia's Investigative Committee on April 10 threatened to open a criminal case against the Czech Republic, although Moscow has no legal jurisdiction in the Central European country.
Prague municipal officials on April 3 removed a statue of Soviet Marshall Ivan Konev, who led the Red Army troops that entered Prague in May 1945 after the city had been liberated from the Nazis by resistance forces.
Russia media reported on April 16 that the Public Council at the Russian Defense Ministry proposed renaming the "Prazhskaya" subway station to "Marshal Konev."
The council said the proposal was "a response" to the removal of Konev's statue in Prague.
The council sent a letter to Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu to request support for the proposal, the Defense Ministry's Zvezda television channel said.
The Czech Foreign Ministry has accused Moscow of meddling in its internal affairs.
The monument, which was erected by the communist Czechoslovak government in 1980, has long been controversial and has frequently been vandalized since the collapse of communism in 1989.
Konev also commanded the Soviet troops that suppressed the 1956 uprising in Hungary and that helped build the Berlin Wall. Some historians believe he played a role in planning the Soviet-led invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968. He died in 1973.
Czech officials have said the Konev statue will be reinstalled at another location and that its previous site would host a new monument honoring the Prague resistance fighters who liberated the capital in the days before Konev's troops arrived.
Moscow has vehemently protested the removal of the statue. On April 9, Shoigu asked his Czech counterpart, Lubomir Metnar, to hand over the statue to Russia. Metnar refused, saying it belonged to the city of Prague.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has frequently criticized European countries of "rewriting history" by allegedly diminishing the role of the Soviet Union in the defeat of Nazi Germany, while Central European countries counter that Putin has downplayed the crimes of Soviet dictator Josef Stalin and the consequences of the postwar Soviet occupation of the region.
With reporting by MK24 and Zvezda


rferl--2020-04-16--Prosecutor Seeks Two-Year Prison Term For Independent Tajik Journalist

DUSHANBE -- A Tajik prosecutor has called for independent local journalist Daler Sharifov to be sentenced to two years and four months in prison .
The prosecutor made the call on April 16 , a day after Sharifov went on trial on extremism charges that international media freedom watchdogs call `` absurd . ''
Sharifov 's lawyer , Abdurahmon Sharifov , called on the court in Dushanbe to acquit his client , saying that the extremism charges against him were baseless .
Sharifov , who writes about domestic politics and religious issues , was arrested on January 28 on charges @ @ @ @ @ @ @ religious hatred .
Sharifov ’ s lawyer said on April 15 that the judge had told him the trial was `` open to the public ” but that the number of people allowed into the courtroom would be limited `` due to warnings by the World Health Organization '' about large gatherings during the coronavirus pandemic .
Sharipov ’ s trial was initially scheduled to begin on April 13 , but the hearing was postponed for two days because the state prosecutor was absent .
The Prosecutor-General ’ s Office says the case @ @ @ @ @ @ @ articles and commentaries containing extremist content '' aimed at `` inciting religious intolerance '' that were published on social media between 2013 and 2019 .
Sharifov 's relatives , human rights organizations , and media freedom groups have rejected the accusations as unfounded and have demanded his immediate release .
Calling the incitement charges `` absurd , '' Reporters Without Borders ( RSF ) and the Committee to Protect Journalists have said Sharifov 's arrest was aimed at silencing a critical journalist ahead of parliamentary elections in March that were won , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ruling party .
Writing for the independent news website Ozodagon from 2013 until its closure last year following `` years of harassment , '' Sharipov often commented on violations of human rights and religious freedoms , according to RSF .
Eight years ago , the journalist spent several days in hospital after being beaten in a still unpunished attack .

DUSHANBE -- A Tajik court has sentenced independent journalist Daler Sharifov to one year in a penal colony in a case media watchdogs labelled an "absurd extremism" trial.
Sharifov's lawyer, Abdurahmon Sharifov, said after the April 16 verdict that his client did not intend to appeal, although he rejected the charges against him. The two men are not related.
The prosecution had called for Sharifov to be sentenced to two years and four months.
Sharifov, who writes about domestic politics and religious issues, was arrested on January 28 on charges of inciting ethnic, racial, and religious hatred and spreading "propaganda" on behalf of the Muslim Brotherhood.
The Prosecutor-General’s Office says the case is based on "more than 200 articles and commentaries containing extremist content" aimed at "inciting religious intolerance" that were published on social media between 2013 and 2019.
The charges centered on a dissertation Sharifov published in 2019 that examined Islamic theology and included quotes from Muslim Brotherhood leaders.
Similar to several authoritarian countries in the Middle East including Saudi Arabia and Egypt, Tajikistan considers the group an extremist organization and banned it in 2006.
Sharifov's relatives, human rights organizations, and media-freedom groups have rejected the accusations against him as unfounded and have demanded his immediate release.
Oinichol Bobonazarova, a well-known lawyer and head of the public organization Perspective+, said she read several of the articles in question during the case.
"In no article did I find anything that would warrant a criminal investigation. Daler should have been released in the courtroom because the prosecution did not have obvious evidence of his guilt," she said.
Speaking to RFE/RL after a court hearing on April 15, Sharifov’s father rejected the charges against his son.
"Daler explained that he wrote the treatise Muhammad and Terrorism so that young people do not join terrorist and extremist groups and movements," Abdumannon Sharifov said.
Calling the incitement charges "absurd," Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and the Committee to Protect Journalists have said Sharifov's arrest was aimed at silencing a critical journalist ahead of parliamentary elections in March that were won, as expected, by President Emomali Rahmon's ruling party.
Writing for the independent news website Ozodagon from 2013 until its closure last year following "years of harassment," Sharifov often commented on violations of human rights and religious freedoms, according to RSF.
Eight years ago, the journalist spent several days in hospital after being beaten in a still unpunished attack.


rferl--2020-04-16--U.S. Navy Says Iranian Vessels Harassed Its Ships In Persian Gulf

The U.S. Navy says 11 vessels of Iran 's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps ( IRGC ) made `` dangerous and harassing approaches '' toward U.S. naval ships in the Persian Gulf .
The U.S. ships were in international waters carrying out exercises at the time of the incidents on April 15 , the U.S. 5th Fleet said on Twitter .
One of the IRGC vessels came within about 10 meters of one of the U.S. ships , it said , while another came within 50 meters of a U.S. ship .
The ships took `` actions deemed appropriate to avoid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which said the IRGC vessels `` maneuvered in an unsafe & unprofessional manner . ''
The fleet said there were no injuries , but it added that the IRGC ships ’ actions violated `` both proper seamanship in accordance with the rules of the road & due regard for the safety of other vessels in the area as required by international law . ''
The 5th Fleet , based in Bahrain , also released photos showing one of the vessels it says was targeted , the USS Lewis B. Puller , with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comes a day after unidentified armed men boarded a Hong Kong-flagged oil tanker near the strategic Strait of Hormuz .
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Organization said on April 14 that the vessel was boarded while anchored just off the Iranian coast in the Sea of Oman , but added that the ship was later released .
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said he had discussed the incident with the Pentagon .
“ We 're evaluating how best to respond and how best to communicate our displeasure with what ... took place @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Fox News .
Close interactions with Iranian military vessels have occurred in the region in the past , drawing warning shots from U.S. Navy ships when Iranian vessels got too close .
Tensions between Iran and the United States increased in January after the United States killed Iranian Quds Force commander Qasem Soleimani in a drone strike in Iraq .
Iran retaliated with a rocket attack on the Ain Al-Asad Air Base in western Iraq where U.S. forces were stationed .
No U.S. troops were killed but more than 100 were later @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reporting by Reuters and AP .

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--2020-04-16--Ukraine, Russia-Backed Separatists Begin New Round In Prisoner Swap

KYIV -- Ukraine and Russia-backed separatists in the east of the country have begun another prisoner swap .
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy ’ s office said in a Facebook post on April 16 that 19 Ukrainians who were in the custody of the Russia-backed separatists are being returned to Kyiv .
According to Russian news agencies , the swap is taking place near the town of Horlivka in the region of Donetsk .
At this point , it is not clear how many individuals held by the Ukrainian side will be handed over to the separatist-controlled territories .
The Ukrainian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Contact Group ( TCG ) said on April 8 that they had agreed to hold the swap before Orthodox Easter on April 19 .
Ukraine 's relationship with Russia has been tense ever since protests in Kyiv led to the overthrow of the nation ’ s pro-Russian leader Viktor Yanukovych in February 2014 .
Russia annexed Ukraine ’ s Crimean Peninsula shortly thereafter and backed separatist forces in eastern Ukraine , sparking a war in the eastern region known as the Donbas that has resulted in some 13,200 deaths .
That war continues @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comes as UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in March called on warring parties in conflicts around the world to halt fighting due to the coronavirus pandemic .
With reporting by Ukrayinska Pravda and TASS

KYIV -- Ukraine and Russia-backed separatists have exchanged a total of 34 prisoners ahead of Orthodox Easter celebrations.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's office said on April 16 that 20 Ukrainians who were in the custody of the separatists were returned to Kyiv.
The separatists said 14 people were handed to them by Kyiv authorities.
The Ukrainian and Russian sides in the so-called Trilateral Contact Group (TCG) said last week that they had agreed on to hold the swap before Orthodox Easter on April 19.
Heidi Grau, special representative of the OSCE chairperson-in-office in Ukraine and in the TCG Group, hailed the move in a statement, expressing hope that "it will contribute to strengthening trust between the sides."
Ukraine's relationship with Russia has been tense ever since protests in Kyiv led to the overthrow of pro-Russian leader Viktor Yanukovych in February 2014.
Russia annexed Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula shortly thereafter and backed separatist forces in eastern Ukraine, sparking a war in the eastern region known as the Donbas that has resulted in some 13,200 deaths. That war continues to this day.
Zelenskiy, who was elected last year on promises of ending the conflict in the eastern regions of Donetsk and Luhansk, had already overseen two prisoner exchanges.
In September, Russia and Ukraine each exchanged 35 prisoners. In December, Ukraine turned over 124 prisoners to the separatists in exchange for 76 Ukrainians they held.
The latest prisoner swap comes as UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in March called on warring parties in conflicts around the world to halt fighting due to the coronavirus pandemic.
With reporting by Ukrayinska Pravda, UNIAN, Interfax, and TASS


rferl--2020-04-16--COVID-19: Georgians May Attend Easter Vigils; Tajik Holiday Celebrations Canceled

The global death toll from the coronavirus is more than 137,000 with over 2 million infections confirmed , causing mass disruptions as governments continue to try to slow the spread of the new respiratory illness .
The Georgian Orthodox Church and the government have reached an agreement that will allow parishioners to attend dusk-to-dawn Easter vigil services on the coming holiday weekend .
The agreement , announced on April 15 , provides worshipers a way around a curfew and other restrictive measures that have been put into effect to control the spread of the coronavirus .
Under the agreement worshipers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ large cathedrals provided they maintain a distance of 2 meters .
Those who attend small churches are to remain outside their church building .
The agreement also says parishioners should arrive for the services before 9 p.m. local time on April 18 and leave after 6 a.m. the following day .
“ We made a joint decision with the church so that the law will not be violated and churches will not be shut down [ during Easter service ] , ” government spokesman Irakli Chikovani said at a press briefing .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ consultations between government officials , the prime minister , and the office of the patriarch .
Police officers will patrol church surroundings to enforce strict observance of all public health regulations , including physical distancing , on Easter Eve , Chikovani said .
Andria Jagmaidze , a spokesperson of the Georgian Orthodox Church , said that the church was taking precautionary measures to censure that traditional Easter services are not suspended , while complying with all public health recommendations .
He said nothing about the communal spoon used to distribute sacramental bread and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health official warned after the announcement that Georgia ’ s coronavirus outbreak would become like Italy ’ s if parishioners attend the Easter service .
Italy has been badly hit by the coronavirus , suffering more than 21,000 deaths in the pandemic , according to a database maintained by Johns Hopkins University .
Easter celebrations on April 13 at the Vatican and at other Roman Catholic and Christian churches worldwide were stripped down and closed to the public in the face of the pandemic , which has infected more than 2 million people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 134,000 .
Emergency measures implemented in Georgia because of the health crisis include a ban on gatherings of more than three people in public , the curfew and a stay-at-home order for all citizens without special permit .
The country in the South Caucaus has reported 306 cases of infection by the virus and three deaths from COVID-19 , the disease it causes , according to Johns Hopkins University database .
DUSHANBE – Tajik authorities in Dushanbe have cancelled public celebrations to mark a national holiday over the coronavirus pandemic , even though @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus cases .
Dushanbe ’ s city hall said on April 16 that all public events organized to mark the country 's `` Day of the Capital '' were canceled `` to prevent the coronavirus COVID-19 spread and protect the health '' of residents .
Tajikistan and Turkmenistan are two Central Asian nations that have not officially registered any coronavirus cases .
But experts are skeptical of the claims given the lack of transparency within their governments and a lack of independent media .
In neighboring Uzbekistan , the number of coronavirus cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health authorities said on April 16 .
In Kazakhstan , the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases reached 1,341 , with 16 deaths .
In Kyrgyzstan , 466 cases have been officially recorded , including five deaths .
Belarus has delayed the start of its women ’ s soccer league due to fears over the spread of the coronavirus , although the men ’ s season has continued .
The women ’ s league was due to start on April 16 , but the Belarus Football Federation said a day earlier that it was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' The federation said `` several ” female players had contact with `` possible carriers '' of the coronavirus .
Belarus is the only country in Europe still playing professional men ’ s soccer games with fans in the stands .
President Alyaksandr Lukashenka has said that there is no need for strict measures to slow the spread of the coronavirus in the country , despite the growing number of confirmed cases and deaths .
Health officials in Belarus said they had recorded 4,204 confirmed cases of the new coronavirus as of April @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reporting by Natela Zambakhidze and RFE/RL ’ s Georgian , Tajik , Uzbek , Kazakh , and Kyrgyz services

The global death toll from the coronavirus is more than 138,000 with over 2 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.
Iran
The Research Center of Iran's parliament says the death toll from the coronavirus pandemic in the country is likely to be double the official numbers.
According to figures released by the Health Ministry on April 16, the death toll from the coronavirus has risen to 4,869, while the number of infections stands at 77,995, making Iran home to the worst coronavirus outbreak in the Middle East.
The research arm of the Majlis, Iran's parliament, said in a footnote in a report issued this week and posted on its website that the actual number of deaths could be 0.8 times higher than the official tally and that the number of infections could be eight to 10 times higher than figures released by the Health Ministry.
"In order to have more compatibility between protocol and estimated statistics, it is necessary to increase laboratory and testing capabilities in the country," the report said.
"Needless to say that through increasing the capacities, diagnosis of disease will be more possible and spread of the disease will be more limited," it added.
A number of local officials as well as experts inside and outside the country in recent weeks have questioned COVID-19 figures released by Iran’s authorities, who keep a tight lid on the media, while suggesting that the real numbers are likely to be significantly higher.
Officials have claimed transparency while suggesting that the official tally is based on confirmed cases.
According to the Health Ministry, over 310,000 coronavirus tests have been conducted so far in Iran.
Deputy Health Minister Ali Reza Raisi on April 15 acknowledged that the "limits of testing" faced by his country meant it doesn't have accurate figures of all those infected.
Health officials have not commented on the new estimates.
Meanwhile, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) on April 15 condemned the continued persecution of Iranian journalists and citizen-journalists who publish information about the coronavirus outbreak without official approval.
The Paris-based media-freedom watchdog said the latest victim of the crackdown was Mahmud Shariri, a former national radio and TV presenter who is now active on social media.
Shariri was arrested by Intelligence Ministry officials in Tehran on April 14 for "publishing false information about the coronavirus" after he posted a video seen by hundreds of thousands of people that referred to a coverup of information about the spread of the virus in early March.
"His criticism of the handling of the health crisis and the lockdown has clearly annoyed the authorities, who have not said where he is being held," RSF said.
The group said Hadi Maharani and Saide Ahmadi, two activists who run news channels in Tehran and the western Kurdistan Province, were arrested earlier in April for posting information about the epidemic.
Two other journalists from Golestan and Kermanshah provinces, Elaheh Ramezanpour and Sharam Safari, are being prosecuted for publishing allegedly false information about the epidemic but have not been detained, according to RSF.
Turkmenistan
Turkmenistan is set to resume soccer matches with spectators this weekend, despite the novel coronavirus forcing lockdowns across the world.
The Turkmenistan Football Federation (FFT), which suspended its eight-team domestic league last month without providing a reason, said that one match will be played on April 19 between Ashgabat-based Altyn Asyr and its rival, Kopetdag.
Three more matches are planned the following day.
The FTT also said the country's youth league would reopen on April 20.
The authoritarian Central Asia state has not reported any official coronavirus infections as the authorities largely keep quiet about the risk to public health.
However, it has closed its borders and RFE/RL's Turkmen Service reported that checkpoints have been established in the country, limiting movement and testing people's temperature.
Police have also harassed those wearing face masks or talking about the pandemic, while using restrictions to force people to pay bribes.
In an article posted on its website, the Sports Ministry said the decision to open the domestic league "pleased the army of fans" and was welcomed by players.
"The continuation of the national football championships fully proves that Turkmenistan is a country of inspiration and health," it quoted national team player Didar Durdyev as saying.
Earlier this month, Turkmenistan held a series of public sporting events to mark World Health Day.
On April 15, state media reported that events surrounding Turkmen Horse Day on April 25 would continue as planned.
Georgia
The Georgian Orthodox Church and the government have reached an agreement that will allow parishioners to attend dusk-to-dawn Easter vigil services on the coming holiday weekend.
The agreement, announced on April 15, provides worshipers a way around a curfew and other restrictive measures that have been put into effect to control the spread of the coronavirus.
Under the agreement worshipers will be allowed to attend services in large cathedrals provided they maintain a distance of 2 meters. Those who attend small churches are to remain outside their church building.
The agreement also says parishioners should arrive for the services before 9 p.m. local time on April 18 and leave after 6 a.m. the following day.
“We made a joint decision with the church so that the law will not be violated and churches will not be shut down [during Easter service],” government spokesman Irakli Chikovani said at a press briefing.
The agreement was reached after two days of consultations between government officials, the prime minister, and the office of the patriarch.
Police officers will patrol church surroundings to enforce strict observance of all public health regulations, including physical distancing, on Easter Eve, Chikovani said.
Andria Jagmaidze, a spokesperson of the Georgian Orthodox Church, said that the church was taking precautionary measures to ensure that traditional Easter services are not suspended, while complying with all public health recommendations. He said nothing about the communal spoon used to distribute sacramental bread and wine to churchgoers.
A Georgian national health official warned after the announcement that Georgia’s coronavirus outbreak would become like Italy’s if parishioners attend the Easter service.
Italy has been badly hit by the coronavirus, suffering more than 21,000 deaths in the pandemic, according to a database maintained by Johns Hopkins University.
Easter celebrations on April 13 at the Vatican and at other Roman Catholic and Christian churches worldwide were stripped down and closed to the public in the face of the pandemic, which has infected more than 2 million people around the world and killed at least 134,000.
Emergency measures implemented in Georgia because of the health crisis include a ban on gatherings of more than three people in public, the curfew and a stay-at-home order for all citizens without special permit.
The country in the South Caucaus has reported 306 cases of infection by the virus and three deaths from COVID-19, the disease it causes, according to Johns Hopkins University database.
Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan
DUSHANBE – Tajik authorities in Dushanbe have cancelled public celebrations to mark a national holiday over the coronavirus pandemic, even though the government has not officially registered any coronavirus cases.
RFE/RL's Coverage Of COVID-19 Features and analysis, videos, and infographics explore how the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting the countries in our region.
Dushanbe’s city hall said on April 16 that all public events organized to mark the country's "Day of the Capital" were canceled "to prevent the coronavirus COVID-19 spread and protect the health" of residents.
Tajikistan and Turkmenistan are two Central Asian nations that have not officially registered any coronavirus cases. But experts are skeptical of the claims given the lack of transparency within their governments and a lack of independent media.
In neighboring Uzbekistan, the number of coronavirus cases reached 1,349, including four deaths, health authorities said on April 16.
In Kazakhstan, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases reached 1,341, with 16 deaths.
In Kyrgyzstan, 466 cases have been officially recorded, including five deaths.
Belarus
Belarus has delayed the start of its women’s soccer league due to fears over the spread of the coronavirus, although the men’s season has continued.
The women’s league was due to start on April 16, but the Belarus Football Federation said a day earlier that it was now "suspended until further notice."
The federation said "several” female players had contact with "possible carriers" of the coronavirus.
Belarus is the only country in Europe still playing professional men’s soccer games with fans in the stands.
President Alyaksandr Lukashenka has said that there is no need for strict measures to slow the spread of the coronavirus in the country, despite the growing number of confirmed cases and deaths.
Health officials in Belarus said they had recorded 4,204 confirmed cases of the new coronavirus as of April 16, with 40 deaths.
With reporting by Natela Zambakhidze and RFE/RL’s Georgian, Kazakh, Kyrgyz, Tajik, Turkmen, and Uzbek services, and AP


rferl--2020-04-16--Hungary To Expel Iranian Students For Alleged Breaches Of Quarantine

Hungary says it will begin expelling 14 Iranian students on April 16 for alleged violations of coronavirus quarantine rules .
The Iranians `` displayed blatantly antisocial , violent behavior '' while under quarantine in a Budapest hospital last month , police Lieutenant Colonel Robert Kiss said on April 15 .
Eleven of the students are to be expelled on April 16 ; the other three are to be sent home on April 23 , Kiss said at a news briefing .
The expulsions follow complaints by the Hungarian Health Ministry accusing them of leaving their hospital rooms without permission and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ return to their rooms , loudly demonstrated their dissatisfaction , and behaved aggressively toward medical staff , the ministry said .
The Hungarian Helsinki Committee ( HHC ) , a rights group that represents one of the students , has called Budapest ’ s accusations about its client `` absurd.
” The 33-year-old pharmacy student was put in hospital quarantine on March 7 and given an expulsion order within a week despite obeying the rules , according to HHC .
Her appeal against deportation to Iran was then rejected by a Budapest court @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in an earlier statement that all the students later proved to have no symptoms of COVID-19 .
A spokesperson for Iran 's Foreign Ministry , Abbas Mousavi , told Iranian media last week that the expulsion decisions were `` deeply regrettable . ''
Hungary , which has a population of almost 10 million , has recorded some 1,600 COVID-19 infections and 134 deaths , according to a database maintained by Johns Hopkins University .
On March 30 , Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban was granted emergency powers indefinitely by the Hungarian parliament to @ @ @ @ @ @ @

Hungary says it will begin expelling 14 Iranian students on April 16 for alleged violations of coronavirus quarantine rules.
The Iranians "displayed blatantly antisocial, violent behavior" while under quarantine in a Budapest hospital last month, police Lieutenant Colonel Robert Kiss said on April 15.
Eleven of the students are to be expelled on April 16; the other three are to be sent home on April 23, Kiss said at a news briefing.
The expulsions follow complaints by the Hungarian Health Ministry accusing them of leaving their hospital rooms without permission and without protective clothing. They refused to return to their rooms, loudly demonstrated their dissatisfaction, and behaved aggressively toward medical staff, the ministry said.
The Hungarian Helsinki Committee (HHC), a rights group that represents one of the students, has called Budapest’s accusations about its client "absurd.”
The 33-year-old pharmacy student was put in hospital quarantine on March 7 and given an expulsion order within a week despite obeying the rules, according to HHC. Her appeal against deportation to Iran was then rejected by a Budapest court on April 8.
The HHC said in an earlier statement that all the students later proved to have no symptoms of COVID-19.
A spokesperson for Iran's Foreign Ministry, Abbas Mousavi, told Iranian media last week that the expulsion decisions were "deeply regrettable."
Hungary, which has a population of almost 10 million, has recorded some 1,600 COVID-19 infections and 134 deaths, according to a database maintained by Johns Hopkins University.
On March 30, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban was granted emergency powers indefinitely by the Hungarian parliament to tackle the pandemic and its impact.
Based on reporting by AFP.


rferl--2020-04-16--Amnesty Slams 'Offensive' Against Human Rights In Eastern Europe, Central Asia

Many governments across Eastern Europe and Central Asia have pursued an `` extensive offensive '' against human rights , deploying draconian tactics and tools of the state to suppress protests , freedom of expression , and civil society , Amnesty International says in its annual regional review .
But while human rights defenders , journalists , nongovernmental organizations , and protesters faced mounting pressure in 2019 , peaceful demonstrators took growing collective action in their fight to hold their governments to account , according to the report released by the London-based human rights group on April 16 .
The already @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spanning from Belarus to Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan to Russia comes as governments implement emergency measures and a wide range of restrictions in a bid to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus , raising concerns those health measures will be deployed to further squash rights .
Daniel Balson , the advocacy director for Europe and Central Asia at Amnesty , described the states of emergency declared across the region as a “ fertilizer ” for human rights abuses .
`` By and large , governments in the region have not used the pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but have accelerated their use of well-honed methods , '' he told RFE/RL .
`` What has changed is that many governments have viewed the pandemic as a carte blanche to roll out even more draconian methods and overtly telegraph their abuses . ''
Last year , the right to freedom of assembly `` continued to be violently repressed '' in many countries , Amnesty said in the report , adding that `` street power showed that people knew it mattered and they were brave enough to reclaim it back '' by protesting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ governance , environmental protection , and a better life .
In Russia , where authorities used legal tactics and police force to quell protests , people nonetheless took to the streets across the country in growing numbers to raise their voice against a range of issues including corruption and worsening human rights .
In July and August , Moscow saw some of the largest protests in years after authorities refused to register opposition candidates for the capital ’ s city election .
`` The reprisals against participants of mass protests in Moscow kick-started @ @ @ @ @ @ @ further awakening of human rights awareness and people power in Russia , '' said Marie Struthers , Amnesty ’ s regional director , for Eastern Europe and Central Asia .
Meanwhile , freedom of expression and media remained under assault all across the region in 2019 .
Despite media pluralism in Ukraine , regular violent attacks against journalists were rarely properly investigated , And in Russia , legislation on `` foreign agents '' and `` undesirable organizations '' was `` systematically wielded against human rights and other [ nongovernmental organizations ] , alongside @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' Amnesty said .
It added that the authorities `` further set the bar ominously low '' with new legislation expanding the status of `` foreign agents '' to individuals , including bloggers and journalists .
In Tajikistan , `` national security '' was invoked to clamp down on nongovernmental organizations , as well as defenders of human rights and media freedom , while torture and ill-treatment remained pervasive , according to Amnesty ’ s report .
It said the grim record of Azerbaijan continued unabated with severe restrictions across the board @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Across the region certain ethnic minorities , members of the lesbian , gay , bisexual , and transgender ( LGBT ) community , some religious groups , and those with disabilities sometimes faced discrimination , prosecution , and even violence , Amnesty said .
Domestic violence against women and children also continued to plague societies .
Rights abuses against individuals and groups across the region were exacerbated by judicial systems subject to political pressure , Amnesty said .

Many governments across Eastern Europe and Central Asia have pursued an "extensive offensive" against human rights, deploying draconian tactics and tools of the state to suppress protests, freedom of expression, and civil society, Amnesty International says in its annual regional review.
But while human rights defenders, journalists, nongovernmental organizations, and protesters faced mounting pressure in 2019, peaceful demonstrators took growing collective action in their fight to hold their governments to account, according to the report released by the London-based human rights group on April 16.
The already dire situation last year across a region spanning from Belarus to Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan to Russia comes as governments implement emergency measures and a wide range of restrictions in a bid to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus, raising concerns those health measures will be deployed to further squash rights.
Daniel Balson, the advocacy director for Europe and Central Asia at Amnesty, described the states of emergency declared across the region as a “fertilizer” for human rights abuses.
"By and large, governments in the region have not used the pandemic to invent new ways to repress people but have accelerated their use of well-honed methods," he told RFE/RL. "What has changed is that many governments have viewed the pandemic as a carte blanche to roll out even more draconian methods and overtly telegraph their abuses."
Last year, the right to freedom of assembly "continued to be violently repressed" in many countries, Amnesty said in the report, adding that "street power showed that people knew it mattered and they were brave enough to reclaim it back" by protesting against rigged elections while also demanding good governance, environmental protection, and a better life.
In Russia, where authorities used legal tactics and police force to quell protests, people nonetheless took to the streets across the country in growing numbers to raise their voice against a range of issues including corruption and worsening human rights.
In July and August, Moscow saw some of the largest protests in years after authorities refused to register opposition candidates for the capital’s city election.
"The reprisals against participants of mass protests in Moscow kick-started an unprecedented solidarity campaign that signals the further awakening of human rights awareness and people power in Russia," said Marie Struthers, Amnesty’s regional director, for Eastern Europe and Central Asia.
Meanwhile, freedom of expression and media remained under assault all across the region in 2019.
Despite media pluralism in Ukraine, regular violent attacks against journalists were rarely properly investigated,
Bar Set 'Ominously Low'
And in Russia, legislation on "foreign agents" and "undesirable organizations" was "systematically wielded against human rights and other [nongovernmental organizations], alongside criminal prosecutions and smears in government-controlled media," Amnesty said.
It added that the authorities "further set the bar ominously low" with new legislation expanding the status of "foreign agents" to individuals, including bloggers and journalists.
In Tajikistan, "national security" was invoked to clamp down on nongovernmental organizations, as well as defenders of human rights and media freedom, while torture and ill-treatment remained pervasive, according to Amnesty’s report.
It said the grim record of Azerbaijan continued unabated with severe restrictions across the board on any dissent against the government.
Across the region certain ethnic minorities, members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community, some religious groups, and those with disabilities sometimes faced discrimination, prosecution, and even violence, Amnesty said.
Domestic violence against women and children also continued to plague societies.
Rights abuses against individuals and groups across the region were exacerbated by judicial systems subject to political pressure, Amnesty said.


rferl--2020-04-15--Former Nagorno-Karabakh Prime Minister Wins Election

The former prime minister of the unrecognized region of Nagorno-Karabakh has won a runoff presidential election in the disputed region , an expected result after his rival asked his supporters not to vote in the second round .
De facto election officials in the breakaway Azerbaijani region said on April 15 that Arayik ( Ara ) Harutyunian , a wealthy businessman , received 88 percent of the vote , compared with 12 percent for Masis Mayilian .
The runoff was held on April 14 amid international criticism and safety concerns due to the coronavirus outbreak .
Mayilyan had called on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ round to minimize the spread of the virus , though some opposition figures have questioned the legitimacy of the first-round results , claiming violations .
In the initial vote on March 31 , Harutyunian won around 49 percent , just short of the majority needed for an outright victory .
Mayilian finished second with 26.4 percent .
Voters appeared to heed Mayilian 's call , with turnout falling to just under 45 percent in the second round , compared with more than 72 percent in the first round .
Nagorno-Karabakh was seized by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1988-1994 conflict that killed at least 30,000 people and displaced hundreds of thousands .
Since a fragile , Russian-brokered truce in 1994 , the region has been under the control of ethnic Armenian forces that Azerbaijan says include troops supplied by Armenia .
The region 's claim to independence has not been recognized by any country .
Since then , periodic skirmishes have taken place in the region .
Russia , the United States , and France are the co-chairs of the Minsk Group of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a mediator in resolving the crisis .
The group has been struggling for years to mediate a solution .
After the first round of what it called `` the so-called 'presidential and parliamentary elections ' in Nagorno-Karabakh , '' the European Union reminded the region 's leaders that it does not recognize their entity .
The OSCE Minsk group also issued a statement on March 31 saying it does `` recognize the role of the population of Nagorno-Karabakh in deciding its future , '' but reminded the de facto leaders of the breakaway @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as an independent and sovereign state '' by any country .
`` Accordingly , the co-chairs do not accept the results of these 'elections ' as affecting the legal status of Nagorno-Karabakh and stress that the results in no way prejudge the final status of Nagorno-Karabakh or the outcome of the ongoing negotiations to bring a lasting and peaceful settlement to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict , '' the statement said .
With reporting by Armenpress , RIA Novosti , and Interfax

The former prime minister of the unrecognized region of Nagorno-Karabakh has won a runoff presidential election in the disputed region, an expected result after his rival asked his supporters not to vote in the second round.
De facto election officials in the breakaway Azerbaijani region said on April 15 that Arayik (Ara) Harutyunian, a wealthy businessman, received 88 percent of the vote, compared with 12 percent for Masis Mayilian.
The runoff was held on April 14 amid international criticism and safety concerns due to the coronavirus outbreak.
Mayilyan had called on voters to stay away from the second round to minimize the spread of the virus, though some opposition figures have questioned the legitimacy of the first-round results, claiming violations.
In the initial vote on March 31, Harutyunian won around 49 percent, just short of the majority needed for an outright victory. Mayilian finished second with 26.4 percent.
Voters appeared to heed Mayilian's call, with turnout falling to just under 45 percent in the second round, compared with more than 72 percent in the first round.
Nagorno-Karabakh was seized by Armenian-backed separatists who declared independence amid a 1988-1994 conflict that killed at least 30,000 people and displaced hundreds of thousands.
Since a fragile, Russian-brokered truce in 1994, the region has been under the control of ethnic Armenian forces that Azerbaijan says include troops supplied by Armenia. The region's claim to independence has not been recognized by any country.
Since then, periodic skirmishes have taken place in the region.
Russia, the United States, and France are the co-chairs of the Minsk Group of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), which acts as a mediator in resolving the crisis. The group has been struggling for years to mediate a solution.
After the first round of what it called "the so-called 'presidential and parliamentary elections' in Nagorno-Karabakh," the European Union reminded the region's leaders that it does not recognize their entity.
The OSCE Minsk group also issued a statement on March 31 saying it does "recognize the role of the population of Nagorno-Karabakh in deciding its future," but reminded the de facto leaders of the breakaway region that "Nagorno-Karabakh is not recognized as an independent and sovereign state" by any country.
"Accordingly, the co-chairs do not accept the results of these 'elections' as affecting the legal status of Nagorno-Karabakh and stress that the results in no way prejudge the final status of Nagorno-Karabakh or the outcome of the ongoing negotiations to bring a lasting and peaceful settlement to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict," the statement said.
With reporting by Armenpress, RIA Novosti, and Interfax


rferl--2020-01-07--Putin Visits Damascus For Talks With Syrian President Assad

Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Syria on January 7 for a visit with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and consultations @ @ @ @ @ Damascus .
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists in Moscow that Putin traveled in a @ @ @ @ @ the Syrian capital from Damascus International Airport to the headquarters of the Russian Armed Forces @ @ @ @ @ Peskov said Putin was met by Assad at the headquarters building .
`` The leaders @ @ @ @ @ in various regions of the country , '' Peskov said .
Syrian state media reported @ @ @ @ @ watched a Russian military parade together .
It was Putin 's first visit to Damascus @ @ @ @ @ to Syria since Russia began offering military support to Syrian government forces in its long-running @ @ @ @ @ 's last trip to Syria was a visit to the Russian military base of Hmeimim @ @ @ @ @ of Latakia , in 2017 .
Based on reporting by Reuters , Interfax , and @

Russian President Vladimir Putin has made a surprise visit to Syria's capital, Damascus, where he met with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and held consultations with Russian military officials.
The visit on Orthodox Christmas Day on January 7 comes at a time of heightened regional tension, when Assad's other main military ally Iran has said it will retaliate for the killing of a top Iranian commander killed in a U.S. drone strike last week.
As head of Iran’s elite Qods Force, Major General Qasem Soleimani was the architect of the country's military operations across the Middle East and one of the key figures in Syria's civil war.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists in Moscow that Putin traveled in a vehicle on the streets of the Syrian capital from Damascus International Airport to the headquarters of the Russian Armed Forces group in the country.
Peskov said Putin was met by Assad at the headquarters building.
"The leaders heard military reports on development in various regions of the country," Peskov said.
Putin and Assad listened to a military presentation by the commander of Russian forces in Syria, said Syria's presidential office, which posted a picture of the two leaders shaking hands.
The two leaders also paid a visit to Damascus's Greek Orthodox Mariamite Cathedral, according to Syrian state media.
It was Putin's first visit to Damascus and only his second visit to Syria since Russia began offering military support to Syrian government forces in its long-running conflict.
The Russian president's last trip to Syria was a visit to the Russian military base of Hmeimim, in the coastal city of Latakia, in 2017.
Late on January 7, Putin landed in Istanbul for talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, whose country has backed rebel groups in the Syrian conflict and sent forces into northern Syria to push back Kurdish-led fighters.
The two leaders are also due to inaugurate on January 8 the Turkstream gas pipeline that will carry Russian gas to Turkey.
With reporting by Reuters, Interfax, TASS, and AFP


rferl--2020-01-07--Pakistan Jet Crashes, Two Trainee Pilots Killed

A Pakistani jet crashed during training on January 7 in the eastern Punjab Province , killing the two pilots , the military said .
The FT-7 jet trainer went down in an open area and caused no damage on the ground , the air force said in a statement .
It said a probe had been opened to determine the cause of the crash , which occurred close to the district of Mianwali , 300 kilometers from Lahore .
Pakistani authorities rarely release details of military training crashes , which are relatively common .
In October , a trainer aircraft @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gujranwala district .
Both pilots aboard the plane survived .
In July , 19 people died when a Pakistani military aircraft crashed into a residential area on the outskirts of the garrison city of Rawalpindi .
Pakistan 's air force has been on high alert since February , when Indian jets struck targets inside Pakistan .
The strikes targeted Pakistan-based militants responsible for a suicide bombing that killed 40 Indian troops in the Indian-administered portion of Kashmir .
At the time , Pakistan retaliated and shot down two Indian Air Force planes .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ released .
But tensions have continued to remain high between the two nuclear-armed neighbors .
Pakistan and India have fought two of their three wars over the Kashmir region , claimed by both sides since gaining independence from Britain in 1947 .
With reporting by AP and dawn.com

A Pakistani jet crashed during training on January 7 in the eastern Punjab Province, killing the two pilots, the military said.
The FT-7 jet trainer went down in an open area and caused no damage on the ground, the air force said in a statement.
It said a probe had been opened to determine the cause of the crash, which occurred close to the district of Mianwali, 300 kilometers from Lahore.
Pakistani authorities rarely release details of military training crashes, which are relatively common.
In October, a trainer aircraft crash-landed in a field near Wazirabad in Gujranwala district. Both pilots aboard the plane survived.
In July, 19 people died when a Pakistani military aircraft crashed into a residential area on the outskirts of the garrison city of Rawalpindi.
Pakistan's air force has been on high alert since February, when Indian jets struck targets inside Pakistan.
The strikes targeted Pakistan-based militants responsible for a suicide bombing that killed 40 Indian troops in the Indian-administered portion of Kashmir.
At the time, Pakistan retaliated and shot down two Indian Air Force planes. One Indian pilot was captured and later released. But tensions have continued to remain high between the two nuclear-armed neighbors.
Pakistan and India have fought two of their three wars over the Kashmir region, claimed by both sides since gaining independence from Britain in 1947.
With reporting by AP and dawn.com


rferl--2020-01-07--Iran Drops Spy Charge Against Detained French Academic

A lawyer for an Iranian-French academic detained in Iran since 2019 says Iran has dropped a spying charge against her @ @ @ @ @ has been dropped '' for Sciences Po University academic Fariba Adelkhah , attorney Said Dehghan @ @ @ @ @ on January 7 .
Dehghan welcomed the move , noting that a conviction of espionage @ @ @ @ @ the death penalty .
Dehghan said the prosecution has also dropped its case against Adelkhah @ @ @ @ @ public order . ''
Adelkhah still faces two other charges from Iranian authorities .
They @ @ @ @ @ the political system '' of Iran and `` conspiracy against national security . ''
Adelkhah @ @ @ @ @ and Shi'ite Islam , was arrested in Tehran in June 2019 .
A colleague of @ @ @ @ @ , Roland Marchal , was also arrested by Iranian authorities in June while he was @ @ @ @ @ not recognize dual nationality and has repeatedly rebuffed calls from foreign governments for consular access @ @ @ @ @ during legal proceedings .
Based on reporting by AFP and Le Monde


rferl--2020-01-07--Eight Vietnamese Migrant Workers Die In Fire Near Moscow

Eight labor migrants from Vietnam have been killed by a fire at a farm in the Moscow region .
Initial @ @ @ @ @ 7 quoted officials from the Emergency Situations Ministry as saying the victims were from Tajikistan @ @ @ @ @ 's embassy in Moscow told RFE/RL that their representatives sent to the scene of the @ @ @ @ @ those killed in the blaze were Vietnamese .
A ninth migrant worker also was injured @ @ @ @ @ structure where the workers were living .
The injured man 's citizenship was not disclosed @ @ @ @ @ was at the village of Nesterovo in the Ramensky district of the Moscow region .
@ @ @ @ @ was extinguished by firefighters at about 6 a.m .
The cause of the fire was @ @ @ @ @ reporting by Interfax , TASS , and RIA Novosti

Eight labor migrants from Vietnam have been killed by a fire at a farm in the Moscow region.
Initial Russian media reports on January 7 quoted officials from the Emergency Situations Ministry as saying the victims were from Tajikistan.
But authorities at Tajikistan's embassy in Moscow told RFE/RL that their representatives sent to the scene of the fire determined that all of those killed in the blaze were Vietnamese.
A ninth migrant worker also was injured by the fire at the structure where the workers were living. The injured man's citizenship was not disclosed.
The early morning fire was at the village of Nesterovo in the Ramensky district of the Moscow region. The ministry said the blaze was extinguished by firefighters at about 6 a.m.
The cause of the fire was not immediately clear.
With reporting by Interfax, TASS, and RIA Novosti


rferl--2020-01-07--Pakistani Lawmakers Approve Extending Term Of Powerful Army Chief

Pakistan 's lower house of parliament has approved legislation that would extend Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa 's term by another three years .
Passage by the chamber on January 7 came despite the objections of some political parties that accuse Pakistan 's military of heavy-handed tactics in its anti-militant operations along the border with neighboring Afghanistan .
The extension must still be approved by the upper house of parliament in Islamabad , which is expected to support the measure .
Prime Minister Imran Khan 's government approved the extension for Bajwa in August , citing a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ justify the extension at the end of Bajwa 's initial three-year term .
But in November , the Supreme Court struck down the extension -- ordering the government and army to produce legal provisions and arguments for the reappointment .
Khan 's government responded by drafting legislation that the lower house approved on January 7 , clearing the way for the extension after the expected approval by the upper house .
Pakistan 's two main opposition parties have a long history of clashing with the military , but backed the extension in an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ confrontation .
Two smaller parties and some members of parliament from Pakistan 's northwestern districts along the Afghan border opposed the extension .
They accuse Pakistan 's military of committing rights abuses during its anti-militant operations .
The army rejects such accusations .
Based on reporting by RFE/RL 's Radio Mashaal and Reuters

Pakistan's lower house of parliament has approved legislation that would extend Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa's term by another three years.
Passage by the chamber on January 7 came despite the objections of some political parties that accuse Pakistan's military of heavy-handed tactics in its anti-militant operations along the border with neighboring Afghanistan.
The extension must still be approved by the upper house of parliament in Islamabad, which is expected to support the measure.
Prime Minister Imran Khan's government approved the extension for Bajwa in August, citing a worsening national-security situation with neighboring India to justify the extension at the end of Bajwa's initial three-year term.
But in November, the Supreme Court struck down the extension -- ordering the government and army to produce legal provisions and arguments for the reappointment.
Khan's government responded by drafting legislation that the lower house approved on January 7, clearing the way for the extension after the expected approval by the upper house.
Pakistan's two main opposition parties have a long history of clashing with the military, but backed the extension in an apparent attempt to avoid a politically damaging confrontation.
Two smaller parties and some members of parliament from Pakistan's northwestern districts along the Afghan border opposed the extension.
They accuse Pakistan's military of committing rights abuses during its anti-militant operations. The army rejects such accusations.
Based on reporting by RFE/RL's Radio Mashaal and Reuters


rferl--2020-01-07--Trial Of Two Ethnic Kazakhs From China Postponed Amid Protests In Kazakhstan

ZAISAN , Kazakhstan -- A trial of two ethnic Kazakhs charged with illegally crossing into Kazakhstan from China 's northwestern region of Xinjiang has been postponed amid protests in the eastern Kazakh town of Zaisan .
Murager Alimuly and Qaster Musakhanuly , who crossed the Chinese-Kazakh border in October and are seeking asylum in Kazakhstan , went on trial on January 6 .
They are charged with illegal border crossing and face possible deportation to China , where they say they will be persecuted .
The courtroom in Zaisan , a town of 15,000 near the Chinese border , was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ supporters who traveled there from different parts of Kazakhstan .
Those who were unable to get inside rallied outside the courtroom , demanding the two men be acquitted and given the status of legal residents in Kazakhstan .
Similar rallies were held in the capital , Nur-Sultan , and in Almaty , the Central Asian state 's largest city , on January 6 .
The 25-year-old Alimuly told the court on January 6 that he had been detained in Xinjiang for questioning and faced incarceration at a Chinese `` reeducation camp . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ previously spent five years in such a camp in Xinjiang .
In September , he said , he was told by Chinese authorities that he would be sent back to one of the camps .
In August 2019 , the United Nations said an estimated 1 million Uyghurs and members of other mostly Muslim indigenous ethnic groups in Xinjiang were being held in `` counterextremism centers . ''
The UN said millions more had been forced into reeducation camps .
China denies that the facilities are internment camps .
At the trial in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stopped the proceedings on January 6 after the testimony from the two defendants and announced that the trial would resume on January 21 .
Defense lawyer Lazzat Akhatova filed a no-confidence motion against the judge , calling her justification for postponing the trial `` inadequate . ''
In August 2018 , a court in Almaty refused to extradite Sairagul Sauytbay , an ethnic Kazakh Chinese citizen who was wanted in China on the same charges of illegal border crossing .
Sauytbay fled China in April and testified in an Almaty court that thousands @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other Muslims in Xinjiang were undergoing `` political indoctrination '' at a network of `` reeducation camps . ''
She testified that Chinese authorities had forced her to train `` political ideology '' instructors for reeducation camps , giving her access to secret documents about what she called a state program to `` reeducate '' Muslims from indigenous ethnic communities .
Although she was not extradited to China , Kazakh authorities did not allow Sauytbay to stay in Kazakhstan .
She later obtained asylum in Sweden .
Kazakhs are the second-largest Turkic-speaking indigenous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ region is also home to ethnic Kyrgyz , Tajiks , and Hui , also known as Dungans .
Han , China 's largest ethnicity , are the second-largest community in Xinjiang .

ZAISAN, Kazakhstan -- A trial of two ethnic Kazakhs charged with illegally crossing into Kazakhstan from China's northwestern region of Xinjiang has been postponed amid protests in the eastern Kazakh town of Zaisan.
Murager Alimuly and Qaster Musakhanuly, who crossed the Chinese-Kazakh border in October and are seeking asylum in Kazakhstan, went on trial on January 6.
They are charged with illegal border crossing and face possible deportation to China, where they say they will be persecuted.
The courtroom in Zaisan, a town of 15,000 near the Chinese border, was not big enough to include dozens of supporters who traveled there from different parts of Kazakhstan.
Those who were unable to get inside rallied outside the courtroom, demanding the two men be acquitted and given the status of legal residents in Kazakhstan.
Similar rallies were held in the capital, Nur-Sultan, and in Almaty, the Central Asian state's largest city, on January 6.
The 25-year-old Alimuly told the court on January 6 that he had been detained in Xinjiang for questioning and faced incarceration at a Chinese "reeducation camp."
Musakhanuly, 30, said he had previously spent five years in such a camp in Xinjiang. In September, he said, he was told by Chinese authorities that he would be sent back to one of the camps.
In August 2019, the United Nations said an estimated 1 million Uyghurs and members of other mostly Muslim indigenous ethnic groups in Xinjiang were being held in "counterextremism centers."
The UN said millions more had been forced into reeducation camps. China denies that the facilities are internment camps.
At the trial in eastern Kazakhstan, Judge Shynar Ospanova abruptly stopped the proceedings on January 6 after the testimony from the two defendants and announced that the trial would resume on January 21.
Defense lawyer Lazzat Akhatova filed a no-confidence motion against the judge, calling her justification for postponing the trial "inadequate."
In August 2018, a court in Almaty refused to extradite Sairagul Sauytbay, an ethnic Kazakh Chinese citizen who was wanted in China on the same charges of illegal border crossing.
Sauytbay fled China in April and testified in an Almaty court that thousands of ethnic Kazakhs, Uyghurs, and other Muslims in Xinjiang were undergoing "political indoctrination" at a network of "reeducation camps."
She testified that Chinese authorities had forced her to train "political ideology" instructors for reeducation camps, giving her access to secret documents about what she called a state program to "reeducate" Muslims from indigenous ethnic communities.
Although she was not extradited to China, Kazakh authorities did not allow Sauytbay to stay in Kazakhstan. She later obtained asylum in Sweden.
Kazakhs are the second-largest Turkic-speaking indigenous community in Xinjiang after Uyghurs. The region is also home to ethnic Kyrgyz, Tajiks, and Hui, also known as Dungans. Han, China's largest ethnicity, are the second-largest community in Xinjiang.


rferl--2020-01-07--Pakistani Writer Says Parody About Ex-Dictator Zia Confiscated

A prominent Pakistani writer and New York Times columnist has said that purported Pakistani security agents raided the Karachi office of his publisher and confiscated all copies of a novel he wrote about the country 's former military dictator , Muhammad Zia ul-Haq .
Novelist Mohammad Hanif said on Twitter that the January 6 raid was carried out by `` some people claiming to be from '' Pakistan 's Inter-Services Intelligence ( ISI ) agency .
`` They asked about my book and took all copies of it , '' Hanif said , adding that he was consulting his lawyer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But an ISI spokesman rejected Hanif 's claim as a `` cheap attempt to gain popularity by hurling false accusations on a national institution . ''
Hanif 's acclaimed novel , A Case Of Exploding Mangoes , is a parody about Zia , a former dictator who seized power in a 1977 military coup and was killed in a plane crash in 1988 .
Authorities never released the results of their investigation nor said what had caused the crash , which also killed U.S .
Ambassador Arnold Raphel and then-ISI chief General Akhtar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when the novel was first published in English in 2008 .
His Karachi-based publisher released an Urdu translation of the novel in October 2019 .
`` A Case of Exploding Mangoes has been in publication for 11 years now , '' Hanif said on Twitter .
`` Nobody has ever bothered me .
Why now ?
I am sitting here , wondering when will they come for us . ''
Hanif also said he had received `` a defamation notice from General Zia 's son '' Ejaz ul-Haq last week demanding 1 billion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) `` for maligning General Zia 's good name . ''
`` Our lawyers are preparing a reply , '' Hanif said .
`` Is ISI acting on Ejazul Haq 's behalf ? ''
With reporting by AP and Dawn

A prominent Pakistani writer and New York Times columnist has said that purported Pakistani security agents raided the Karachi office of his publisher and confiscated all copies of a novel he wrote about the country's former military dictator, Muhammad Zia ul-Haq.
Novelist Mohammad Hanif said on Twitter that the January 6 raid was carried out by "some people claiming to be from" Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency.
"They asked about my book and took all copies of it," Hanif said, adding that he was consulting his lawyer about filing a complaint with police.
But an ISI spokesman rejected Hanif's claim as a "cheap attempt to gain popularity by hurling false accusations on a national institution."
Hanif's acclaimed novel, A Case Of Exploding Mangoes, is a parody about Zia, a former dictator who seized power in a 1977 military coup and was killed in a plane crash in 1988.
Authorities never released the results of their investigation nor said what had caused the crash, which also killed U.S. Ambassador Arnold Raphel and then-ISI chief General Akhtar Abdur Rahman.
Hanif rose to fame when the novel was first published in English in 2008. His Karachi-based publisher released an Urdu translation of the novel in October 2019.
"A Case of Exploding Mangoes has been in publication for 11 years now," Hanif said on Twitter. "Nobody has ever bothered me. Why now? I am sitting here, wondering when will they come for us."
Hanif also said he had received "a defamation notice from General Zia's son" Ejaz ul-Haq last week demanding 1 billion Pakistani rupees (about $6.4 million) "for maligning General Zia's good name."
"Our lawyers are preparing a reply," Hanif said. "Is ISI acting on Ejazul Haq's behalf?"
With reporting by AP and Dawn


rferl--2020-01-07--Tajik Authorities Detain 27 Suspected Members Of Banned Muslim Brotherhood

DUSHANBE -- Tajik police have detained 27 people on suspicion of being members of the banned Muslim Brotherhood group .
Police sources in Dushanbe , speaking on condition of anonymity , told RFE/RL on January 6 that members of the banned Islamist group were detained in the Tajik capital and in the regions of Sughd and Khatlon during the previous week .
They said those detained included students , Islamic clerics , and local officials .
The police sources told RFE/RL that there were no initial charges filed against the detainees .
But they said the detainees were still being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
They said additional arrests were possible as a result of the investigation .
Relatives of some detainees told RFE/RL that their homes had been searched during the weekend .
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 Islamist 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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tajikistan banned the group as such in 2006 .
In 2016 , an imam in Tajikistan 's northern region of Sughd was sentenced to five years in prison for being a member of the Muslim Brotherhood .

DUSHANBE -- Tajik police have detained 27 people on suspicion of being members of the banned Muslim Brotherhood group.
Police sources in Dushanbe, speaking on condition of anonymity, told RFE/RL on January 6 that members of the banned Islamist group were detained in the Tajik capital and in the regions of Sughd and Khatlon during the previous week.
They said those detained included students, Islamic clerics, and local officials.
The police sources told RFE/RL that there were no initial charges filed against the detainees. But they said the detainees were still being questioned as part of an ongoing investigation.
They said additional arrests were possible as a result of the investigation.
Relatives of some detainees told RFE/RL that their homes had been searched during the weekend.
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 Islamist 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. Tajikistan banned the group as such in 2006.
In 2016, an imam in Tajikistan's northern region of Sughd was sentenced to five years in prison for being a member of the Muslim Brotherhood.


rferl--2020-01-07--Trump's Ex-National-Security Adviser Says Ready To Testify In Impeachment Trial

U.S. President Donald Trump 's former national-security adviser , John Bolton , says he is willing to testify at the expected impeachment trial of the president .
`` I have concluded that , if the Senate issues a subpoena for my testimony , I am prepared to testify , '' Bolton said in a statement on his website .
As a top White House aide , Bolton 's firsthand knowledge of what transpired in events that prompted the House of Representatives to impeach Trump in December could provide new evidence of the president 's efforts to prod Ukraine to investigate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Senate is controlled by Republicans aligned with Trump , it is unlikely Bolton will be called as a witness .
Congressional investigators believe Bolton likened the White House 's decision to delay $ 390 million in military aid to Ukraine to a `` drug deal , '' according to witness testimony during the House 's fact-finding phase of the impeachment proceedings .
So far , the Democratic-led House has n't sent the articles of impeachment , or formal charges , to the Senate for a trial .
Both sides have yet to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should proceed .
Republicans control the Senate by a margin of 53-47 .
Trump has been charged with abusing the power of his office for personal gain and obstructing Congress by withholding requested documents and blocking the testimony of administration officials and agencies during the impeachment inquiry .
Based on reporting by the BBC and Reuters

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


rferl--2020-01-07--Burial Of Iranian Commander Killed In U.S. Strike Delayed After Deadly Stampede

The burial of a top Iranian general slain in a U.S. air strike has been postponed after more than 40 people were killed and more than 200 injured in a stampede during the funeral procession in his hometown , an Iranian news agency reported .
State television said the stampede took place in Kerman , the hometown of Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps ( IRGC ) General Qasem Soleimani , who was killed on January 3 in an air strike in Baghdad .
The authorities later postponed Soleimani 's burial , citing concerns about the massive crowd that had gathered , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It did not say when the burial would take place .
The cause of the stampede was not immediately clear .
Videos posted online showed victims of the stampede lying lifeless on a road while survivors shout and try to help the injured .
Thousands of black-clad mourners had gathered earlier in Kerman 's central square carrying posters bearing Soleimani 's image .
At the start of the funeral procession in Kerman , the top IRGC commander , Major General Hossein Salami , threatened to `` set ablaze '' unspecified locations supported by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` We will take revenge .
We will set ablaze a place they like , and they well know where it is , '' Salami said , drawing cries of `` Death to Israel ! ''
The January 3 assassination of the 62-year-old general , who helped orchestrate Tehran 's overseas clandestine and military operations , has taken already tense U.S.-Iranian relations to uncharted territory .
On January 6 , a crowd said by Iranian police to be in the millions filled the streets of the capital , Tehran , to mourn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Iran 's supreme leader , Ayatollah Ali Khamenei , wept over Soleimani 's casket .
There was no independent estimate of the actual turnout of people in Tehran .
Authorities later on January 6 brought Soleimani 's remains and those of the others killed in the air strike to Iran 's holy city of Qom , where another massive crowd turned out .
Washington blames Soleimani for the killing of U.S. troops in Iraq and accused him of plotting new attacks just before his death last week in a drone strike near Baghdad @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Syria backing President Bashar al-Assad in a long war , and he also served as the point man for Iranian proxies in countries like Iraq , Lebanon , and Yemen .
Iran 's parliament , meanwhile , passed a piece of legislation labeling the U.S. military 's command at the Pentagon in Washington and those acting on its behalf `` terrorists , '' subject to Iranian sanctions .
The measure appears to mirror a decision by U.S. President Donald Trump in April to declare the IRGC a `` terrorist organization . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the United States had refused to issue a visa that would have enabled him to attend a UN Security Council meeting on January 9 in New York .
`` They fear that someone comes to the U.S. and reveals realities , '' Zarif said .
`` The world is not limited to New York and you can talk to the American people from Tehran and we will do that . ''
The U.S. State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment .
With reporting by AP , AFP , and @