rferl--2020-12-19--Pashinian Leads Armenians In Procession To Mourn Deaths In Recent Conflict

Armenians on December 19 began three days of mourning for those who died in six weeks of fierce fighting against Azerbaijani forces in and around Azerbaijan 's breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh .
Masked against the coronavirus and surrounded by security , Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian joined a crowd of thousands in downtown Yerevan shortly after 1 p.m. local time for a procession to honor the dead in the September-November escalation .
Pashinian said the march would follow a route , familiar to many Armenians who have grown up in the shadow of a `` frozen conflict , '' from Republic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Occasional bursts of `` Nikol !
Nikol ! ''
broke out , but a somber mood was mostly observed as the prime minister 's black-suited contingent took up a place at the head of the crowd .
A live feed of the event appeared to show many thousands of marchers .
Pashinian has been under political fire since agreeing to a Moscow-brokered deal with Azerbaijan that took effect on November 10 .
The opposition held a similar , torch-lit procession the previous evening that also attracted many people .
His opponents want the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ say was his disastrous handling of the conflict , which handed Azerbaijan swaths of territory that ethnic Armenians had controlled since the 1990s .
Some mothers of soldiers who were killed vowed in a statement quoted by Interfax not to allow Pashinian onto the grounds of the pantheon , which lies on a hilltop on the outskirts of the capital and is a burial place for Armenian casualties of the long-running conflict .
Pashinian 's critics also planned a rally to begin shortly after the Pashinian-led event started on December 19 to renew @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is slated for December 22 along with a national strike the same day .
Meanwhile , parents and relatives of dozens of ethnic Armenian soldiers reportedly captured in a raid by Azerbaijani forces on December 12 -- more than a month after the current cease-fire -- have been blocking highways and protesting to press their demand for the return of their loved ones .
The Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said it had launched an offensive against Armenian servicemen who had refused to leave an area near Khtsaberd ( Caylaqqala in Azeri ) , in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Azerbaijani troops took advantage of the fact that Russian peacekeepers had n't yet reached the area to `` attack villages . ''
He has demanded the return of the captives to allow for a return to searching for other soldiers still missing from the fighting .
Armenian officials were reportedly preparing a case on some of the affected ethnic Armenians to take to the European Court of Human Rights .
More than 5,600 people on both sides , including civilians , have been confirmed killed in the heavy clashes that erupted in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ powers Russia and Turkey into the conflict .
Prayer services for the fallen will be held at churches nationwide in Armenia on December 20 as part of the three-day mourning period .

Armenians on December 19 began three days of mourning for those who died in six weeks of fierce fighting against Azerbaijani forces in and around Azerbaijan's breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh.
Masked against the coronavirus and surrounded by security, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian joined a crowd of thousands in downtown Yerevan shortly after 1 p.m. local time for a procession to honor the dead in the September-November escalation.
Pashinian had said the march would follow a route, familiar to many Armenians who have grown up in the shadow of a "frozen conflict," from Republic Square to the Erablur Military Pantheon, on the outskirts of the capital.
Scuffles With Police
At the military memorial cemetery, the prime minister's opponents, shouting “Nikol, you traitor!,” engaged in scuffles with his supporters and police.
Police dispersed the protesters to clear the way for Pashinian and his security guards covered him with shields and umbrellas as protesters attempted to hit him with eggs.
Later in the day, about 20,000 opposition supporters marched across Yerevan for a memorial church service for the victims of the conflict.
Also on December 19, 14 retired military generals issued a statement calling for the resignation of the government over its handling of the latest fighting, the AP news agency reported.
Pashinian has been under political fire since agreeing to a Moscow-brokered deal with Azerbaijan that took effect on November 10.
The opposition held a similar, torch-lit procession the previous evening that also attracted many people.
His opponents want the prime minister to quit over what they say was his disastrous handling of the conflict, which handed Azerbaijan swaths of territory that ethnic Armenians had controlled since the 1990s.
Some mothers of soldiers who were killed vowed in a statement quoted by Interfax not to allow Pashinian onto the grounds of the pantheon, which lies on a hilltop on the outskirts of the capital and is a burial place for Armenian casualties of the long-running conflict.
Pashinian's critics also planned a rally to begin shortly after the Pashinian-led event started on December 19 to renew calls for his resignation.
Another anti-Pashinian rally is slated for December 22 along with a national strike the same day.
Meanwhile, parents and relatives of dozens of ethnic Armenian soldiers reportedly captured in a raid by Azerbaijani forces on December 12 -- more than a month after the current cease-fire -- have been blocking highways and protesting to press their demand for the return of their loved ones.
The Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said it had launched an offensive against Armenian servicemen who had refused to leave an area near Khtsaberd (Caylaqqala in Azeri), in the district of Hadrut.
Pashinian said the Azerbaijani troops took advantage of the fact that Russian peacekeepers hadn't yet reached the area to "attack villages." He has demanded the return of the captives to allow for a return to searching for other soldiers still missing from the fighting.
Armenian officials were reportedly preparing a case on some of the affected ethnic Armenians to take to the European Court of Human Rights.
More than 5,600 people on both sides, including civilians, have been confirmed killed in the heavy clashes that erupted in late September and threatened to draw regional powers Russia and Turkey into the conflict.
Prayer services for the fallen will be held at churches nationwide in Armenia on December 20 as part of the three-day mourning period.
With additional reporting by Interfax an AP


rferl--2020-12-19--Bulgaria's 'Oligarch In Chief' Taps Washington Lobby Firm Following Critical Report

WASHINGTON -- One of Bulgaria ’ s most powerful businessmen has hired a top Washington lobby firm amid accusations he is undermining democracy and inflaming corruption in the East European nation .
Delyan Peevski , a media mogul and lawmaker , tapped BGR Group , Washington 's third-largest lobbying firm by revenue , to help him with “ issues in the U.S. , ” according to lobbying registration documents published on December 17 .
The six-month contract was concluded between Aleksandr Angelov , a lawyer close to Peevski , and BGR .
Peevski will pay the Washington firm $ 30,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a retired senior FBI official , will oversee the government affairs effort for Peevski , according to the filing .
Locke specializes in dealings with the Justice Department , the FBI , the CIA , the Treasury Department , and other U.S. and international law enforcement and intelligence agencies , according to the BGR website .
Angelov and Peevski did not respond to RFE/RL ’ s requests for comment about the mogul 's `` issues '' in the United States .
Jeff Birnbaum , who heads BGR ’ s public relations division @ @ @ @ @ @ @ RFE/RL request for comment .
Peevski ’ s lobbying effort comes on the heels of a critical report about his influence in Bulgaria , a NATO and EU member , and shortly before a new administration that has promised to address democracy failings and corruption among allies takes power in Washington .
Marshall Harris , a Washington lobbyist for another Bulgarian businessman , Plamen Bobokov , distributed informational material on Capitol Hill that described Peevski as one of the “ key architects of Bulgaria ’ s democratic decline and devolution into a criminal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ privately held assets by extralegal means .
Harris , a former State Department official who served in Bulgaria from 1988 to 1990 , is a managing partner at Alexandria Group International .
He was hired by Bobokov in July after the businessman and his brother Atanas Bobokov were detained in Bulgaria on allegations of waste mismanagement and corruption .
Harris said at the time that the allegations against the Bobokovs were contrived and an attempt by corrupt officials to seize their profitable assets , which include one of the largest producers of motor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The material that Harris distributed to U.S. lawmakers described Peevski as Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov ’ s “ oligarch in chief ” and the “ ultimate puppet master ” in the country .
Harris told RFE/RL on December 18 that it didn ’ t make much sense for Peevski to spend so much money for his lawyer to work with BGR unless they had been receiving inquiries from U.S. agencies and need to respond .
Harris said the timing of the hiring comes at a critical juncture in U.S. policy .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ take concerns about the rule of law in Bulgaria and other allied nations `` much more seriously '' than the Trump administration has .
President-elect Joe Biden has expressed alarm about the rollback of liberal values in certain Central and Eastern European countries and said he would hold a democracy summit in his first year in part to `` confront the change of nations that are backsliding . ''
Peevski , 40 , controls newspapers , a private TV channel , and news websites .
Reporters Without Borders says he accounts for some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bulgaria , as well as private television networks and websites , giving him enormous influence .
Opposition officials say he has been behind the appointment of ministers and members of the judiciary .
This is not the first time Peevski has hired BGR through his lawyer Angelov .
Peevski tapped the firm in 2017 after yet another Bulgarian businessman , Tsvetan Vassilev , began lobbying the U.S. government to sanction the media mogul under the Global Magnitsky Act .
The act , named after Russian lawyer Sergei Magnitsky , allows the U.S. government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on individuals anywhere in the world responsible for committing human rights violations or acts of significant corruption .
Vassilev , a former bank owner living in exile in Serbia , is wanted by Bulgaria , which accuses him of running a criminal operation .
Vassilev has denied the charges and claimed Peevski and former prosecutor Sotir Tsatsatov were behind the government ’ s campaign against him .
Peevski dismissed the accusation .
Peevski was never sanctioned and Vassilev ended his unsuccessful lobbying campaign in August 2019 , according to filings .
Peevski ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ later .

WASHINGTON -- One of Bulgaria’s most powerful businessmen has hired a top Washington lobby firm amid accusations he is undermining democracy and inflaming corruption in the East European nation.
Delyan Peevski, a media mogul and lawmaker, tapped BGR Group, Washington's third-largest lobbying firm by revenue, to help him with “issues in the U.S.,” according to lobbying registration documents published on December 17. The six-month contract was concluded between Aleksandr Angelov, a lawyer close to Peevski, and BGR.
Peevski will pay the Washington firm $30,000 a month. BGR lobbyist Tom Locke, a retired senior FBI official, will oversee the government affairs effort for Peevski, according to the filing.
Locke specializes in dealings with the Justice Department, the FBI, the CIA, the Treasury Department, and other U.S. and international law enforcement and intelligence agencies, according to the BGR website.
Angelov and Peevski did not respond to RFE/RL’s requests for comment about the mogul's "issues" in the United States. Jeff Birnbaum, who heads BGR’s public relations division, did not immediately reply to an RFE/RL request for comment.
Peevski’s lobbying effort comes on the heels of a critical report about his influence in Bulgaria, a NATO and EU member, and shortly before a new administration that has promised to address democracy failings and corruption among allies takes power in Washington.
Marshall Harris, a Washington lobbyist for another Bulgarian businessman, Plamen Bobokov, distributed informational material on Capitol Hill that described Peevski as one of the “key architects of Bulgaria’s democratic decline and devolution into a criminal state,” including the capture of privately held assets by extralegal means.
Harris, a former State Department official who served in Bulgaria from 1988 to 1990, is a managing partner at Alexandria Group International. He was hired by Bobokov in July after the businessman and his brother Atanas Bobokov were detained in Bulgaria on allegations of waste mismanagement and corruption.
Harris said at the time that the allegations against the Bobokovs were contrived and an attempt by corrupt officials to seize their profitable assets, which include one of the largest producers of motor oils and industrial lubricants in Eastern Europe.
'Ultimate Puppet Master'
The material that Harris distributed to U.S. lawmakers described Peevski as Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov’s “oligarch in chief” and the “ultimate puppet master” in the country.
Harris told RFE/RL on December 18 that it didn’t make much sense for Peevski to spend so much money for his lawyer to work with BGR unless they had been receiving inquiries from U.S. agencies and need to respond.
Harris said the timing of the hiring comes at a critical juncture in U.S. policy. He expects the incoming Biden administration to take concerns about the rule of law in Bulgaria and other allied nations "much more seriously" than the Trump administration has.
President-elect Joe Biden has expressed alarm about the rollback of liberal values in certain Central and Eastern European countries and said he would hold a democracy summit in his first year in part to "confront the change of nations that are backsliding."
Peevski, 40, controls newspapers, a private TV channel, and news websites. Reporters Without Borders says he accounts for some 80 percent of the print media in Bulgaria, as well as private television networks and websites, giving him enormous influence.
Opposition officials say he has been behind the appointment of ministers and members of the judiciary.
This is not the first time Peevski has hired BGR through his lawyer Angelov. Peevski tapped the firm in 2017 after yet another Bulgarian businessman, Tsvetan Vassilev, began lobbying the U.S. government to sanction the media mogul under the Global Magnitsky Act.
The act, named after Russian lawyer Sergei Magnitsky, allows the U.S. government to impose visa bans and targeted sanctions on individuals anywhere in the world responsible for committing human rights violations or acts of significant corruption.
Vassilev, a former bank owner living in exile in Serbia, is wanted by Bulgaria, which accuses him of running a criminal operation.
Vassilev has denied the charges and claimed Peevski and former prosecutor Sotir Tsatsatov were behind the government’s campaign against him. Peevski dismissed the accusation.
Peevski was never sanctioned and Vassilev ended his unsuccessful lobbying campaign in August 2019, according to filings. Peevski’s contract with BRG ended four months later.
With reporting by RFE/RL's Bulgarian Service


rferl--2020-12-19--Southeast Europe Hit By Traffic Jams Despite COVID-19 Travel Restrictions

Despite travel restrictions , huge traffic jams have been reported on the borders between Slovenia and Croatia as well as Hungary and Serbia .
Reports on December 19 spoke of thousands of people waiting for hours to cross .
Many people from countries like Turkey , Serbia , Macedonia , Kosovo , and Bosnia work and live in Western Europe .
They traditionally travel home by car for holidays , both in the winter and in the summer .
Some European Union nations with big migrant worker communities have imposed obligatory coronavirus tests and isolation upon their return , hoping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ countries with high infection rates .
Countries throughout the Balkans have reported thousands of new virus infections daily and hospitals across the region are full .
Aside from the regular holiday traffic , the current border rush could be linked to Serbia ’ s decision to demand mandatory negative coronavirus tests for foreigners coming in starting on December 21 .
Serbian citizens without negative tests will have to isolate for 10 days upon arrival .
Croatia , a member of the EU , is also demanding mandatory negative virus tests for its citizens @ @ @ @ @ @ @ slowed down the usual border checks .
The Croatian state television station , HRT , reported on December 19 that lines of cars had formed on Croatia 's borders with Bosnia-Herzegovina and Serbia .
Serbia 's RTS television said travelers waited for at least four hours to enter Hungary overnight .
It said some 16,000 people had entered Serbia in the previous 24 hours .

Despite travel restrictions, huge traffic jams have been reported on the borders between Slovenia and Croatia as well as Hungary and Serbia.
Reports on December 19 spoke of thousands of people waiting for hours to cross.
Many people from countries like Turkey, Serbia, Macedonia, Kosovo, and Bosnia work and live in Western Europe. They traditionally travel home by car for holidays, both in the winter and in the summer.
Some European Union nations with big migrant worker communities have imposed obligatory coronavirus tests and isolation upon their return, hoping to dissuade people from holiday travel to countries with high infection rates.
Countries throughout the Balkans have reported thousands of new virus infections daily and hospitals across the region are full.
Aside from the regular holiday traffic, the current border rush could be linked to Serbia’s decision to demand mandatory negative coronavirus tests for foreigners coming in starting on December 21. Serbian citizens without negative tests will have to isolate for 10 days upon arrival.
Croatia, a member of the EU, is also demanding mandatory negative virus tests for its citizens coming in from abroad, which has slowed down the usual border checks.
The Croatian state television station, HRT, reported on December 19 that lines of cars had formed on Croatia's borders with Bosnia-Herzegovina and Serbia.
Serbia's RTS television said travelers waited for at least four hours to enter Hungary overnight. It said some 16,000 people had entered Serbia in the previous 24 hours.
Based on reporting by AP


rferl--2020-12-19--Armenian Prime Minister Heckled During March To Mourn War Victims

Thousands of Armenians marched through the capital , Yerevan , on December 19 to commemorate the soldiers killed in a @ @ @ @ @ region in which Azerbaijan made significant territorial gains .
The conflict and the fatalities on @ @ @ @ @ pressure on Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian who is facing calls to resign after being accused @ @ @ @ @ the conflict by accepting a Russian-brokered cease-fire last month .
Pashinian led the march to @ @ @ @ @ the first of three days of mourning .
Although he was flanked by his supporters @ @ @ @ @ is a traitor !
” could be heard along the way and outside the cemetery @

Thousands of Armenians marched through the capital, Yerevan, on December 19 to commemorate the soldiers killed in a six-week conflict over the Nagorno-Karabakh region in which Azerbaijan made significant territorial gains. The conflict and the fatalities on the Armenian side have increased pressure on Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian who is facing calls to resign after being accused by the opposition of mishandling the conflict by accepting a Russian-brokered cease-fire last month. Pashinian led the march to the Erablur military cemetery on the first of three days of mourning. Although he was flanked by his supporters, shouts of “Nikol is a traitor!” could be heard along the way and outside the cemetery.


rferl--2020-12-19--Protests Continue In Belarus Demanding End To Authoritarian Lukashenka Rule

People marched and rallied in Minsk and elsewhere in Belarus on December 19 as demonstrations demanding that Alyaksandr Lukashenka step down entered day 133 .
Belarus has been rocked by protests since August 9 when Lukashenka , in power since 1994 , was declared the winner of the country ’ s presidential election , a vote many Belarusians and others charge was rigged and actually won by opposition challenger Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya .
Since then , some 28,000 Belarusians have been detained , hundreds beaten on the streets and in detention -- with many cases considered torture -- and several killed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The United States and European Union refuse to recognize Lukashenka , 66 , as the legitimate ruler and have slapped sanctions on him and other officials held responsible for the voter fraud and post-election crackdown .
Tsikhanouskaya , who left for Lithuania shortly after the election amid threats to her and her family , has become the face of the Belarusian protests abroad .
Crowd numbers at protests in Minsk and elsewhere have dropped amid fatigue , repression , and the cold weather .
Protests organizers have also switched tactics , calling for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the riot police .
On December 19 , small marches were reported in several districts of Minsk , RFE/RL ’ s Belarus Service reported , with many carrying the opposition ’ s red-and-white flag or banners .
Small marches and rallies were also reported elsewhere , including the western city of Hrodna .
So far , there have been no reports of demonstrators being detained by riot police .

People marched and rallied in Minsk and elsewhere in Belarus on December 19 as demonstrations demanding that Alyaksandr Lukashenka step down entered day 133.
Belarus has been rocked by protests since August 9 when Lukashenka, in power since 1994, was declared the winner of the country’s presidential election, a vote many Belarusians and others charge was rigged and actually won by opposition challenger Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya.
Since then, some 28,000 Belarusians have been detained, hundreds beaten on the streets and in detention -- with many cases considered torture -- and several killed in the regime’s crackdown.
The United States and European Union refuse to recognize Lukashenka, 66, as the legitimate ruler and have slapped sanctions on him and other officials held responsible for the voter fraud and post-election crackdown.
Crisis In Belarus Read our coverage as Belarusian strongman Alyaksandr Lukashenka continues his brutal crackdown on NGOs, activists, and independent media following the August 2020 presidential election.
Tsikhanouskaya, who left for Lithuania shortly after the election amid threats to her and her family, has become the face of the Belarusian protests abroad.
Crowd numbers at protests in Minsk and elsewhere have dropped amid fatigue, repression, and the cold weather. Protests organizers have also switched tactics, calling for smaller gatherings to evade arrest and stretch the riot police.
On December 19, small marches were reported in several districts of Minsk, RFE/RL’s Belarus Service reported, with many carrying the opposition’s red-and-white flag or banners.
Small marches and rallies were also reported elsewhere, including the western city of Hrodna.
So far, there have been no reports of demonstrators being detained by riot police.


rferl--2020-12-19--U.S. Will Shut Last Two Consulates In Russia

The United States plans to close its last two consulates in Russia , leaving only an embassy in Moscow as relations between the two countries continue to deteriorate .
The State Department confirmed on December 19 that the United States will shutter its consulate in Vladivostok in the Far East and suspend operations at the consulate in Yekaterinburg , Russia 's fourth-largest city .
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo , in consultation with Ambassador John Sullivan , decided to close the two consulates “ as part of our ongoing efforts to ensure the safe and secure operation of the U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” a State Department spokesperson told RFE/RL in a statement .
“ The Department ’ s decision on the U.S. consulates in Russia was taken to optimize the work of the U.S. mission in Russia , ” the spokesperson said .
Some diplomatic personnel would be moved to the U.S. Embassy in Moscow “ to advance our foreign policy interests in Russia in the most effective and safe manner possible.
” The decision will not impact Russian consulates in the United States .
The State Department notified Congress on December 10 that it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Associated Press reported on December 18 .
The notice to Congress was sent three days before it publicly emerged that suspected Russian government hackers were behind a massive cyberattack on the U.S. government and other entities .
Pompeo on December 18 said `` that now we can say pretty clearly that it was the Russians that engaged in this activity . ''
A copy of the notification to Congress stated that the move was `` in response to ongoing staffing challenges of the U.S. Mission in Russia in the wake of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mission and resultant impasse with Russia over diplomatic visas.
” Russia ordered the closure of the U.S. consulate in St. Petersburg in 2018 in a tit-for-tat move after the United States ordered the Russian consulate in Seattle to shutter over the poisoning of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal on British soil .
It ’ s unclear why the United States is closing the consulates now , nearly three years after the cap on the number of American diplomats was imposed .
The timing of the closures was not mentioned , and it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ President-elect Joe Biden is inaugurated on January 20 .
The consulate in Vladivostok has been closed since March because of the coronavirus pandemic .
The consulates in Vladivostok and Yekaterinburg employ a total of 10 American diplomats and 33 local staff .
The American diplomats will be relocated to the embassy in Moscow , while the locals will be laid off , according to the notice .
Following the closures , the United States would only have diplomatic representation in Moscow .
That would leave all consular services for Americans and visa operations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It would also lessen U.S. diplomatic outreach across the vast country .
“ Hard to understand logic of this .
Important to know what is happening outside of capital in country that spans 11 time zones , ” Steven Pifer , a former State Department official focused on U.S. relations with the former Soviet Union and Europe , wrote on Twitter .
Michael McFaul , a former U.S. ambassador to Russia , said the United States needs consulates to promote public diplomacy .
`` The U.S. should be seeking ways to engage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ consulates help , '' he wrote on Twitter .
He noted that even with a cap on the number of American diplomats , the United States can choose how to deploy diplomats within those limits to maintain a presence outside of Moscow .
With reporting by Current Time , RFE/RL 's Russian Service , and AP .

The United States plans to close its last two consulates in Russia, leaving only an embassy in Moscow as relations between the two countries continue to deteriorate.
The State Department confirmed on December 19 that the United States will shutter its consulate in Vladivostok in the Far East and suspend operations at the consulate in Yekaterinburg, Russia's fourth-largest city.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, in consultation with Ambassador John Sullivan, decided to close the two consulates “as part of our ongoing efforts to ensure the safe and secure operation of the U.S. diplomatic mission in the Russian Federation,” a State Department spokesperson told RFE/RL in a statement.
“The Department’s decision on the U.S. consulates in Russia was taken to optimize the work of the U.S. mission in Russia,” the spokesperson said. Some diplomatic personnel would be moved to the U.S. Embassy in Moscow “to advance our foreign policy interests in Russia in the most effective and safe manner possible.”
The decision will not impact Russian consulates in the United States.
The State Department notified Congress on December 10 that it planned to close the two consulates, the Associated Press reported on December 18.
The notice to Congress was sent three days before it publicly emerged that suspected Russian government hackers were behind a massive cyberattack on the U.S. government and other entities. Pompeo on December 18 said "that now we can say pretty clearly that it was the Russians that engaged in this activity."
A copy of the notification to Congress stated that the move was "in response to ongoing staffing challenges of the U.S. Mission in Russia in the wake of the 2017 Russian-imposed personnel cap on the U.S. Mission and resultant impasse with Russia over diplomatic visas.”
Russia ordered the closure of the U.S. consulate in St. Petersburg in 2018 in a tit-for-tat move after the United States ordered the Russian consulate in Seattle to shutter over the poisoning of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal on British soil.
It’s unclear why the United States is closing the consulates now, nearly three years after the cap on the number of American diplomats was imposed. The timing of the closures was not mentioned, and it’s unclear whether it will occur before President-elect Joe Biden is inaugurated on January 20.
The consulate in Vladivostok has been closed since March because of the coronavirus pandemic. The consulates in Vladivostok and Yekaterinburg employ a total of 10 American diplomats and 33 local staff.
The American diplomats will be relocated to the embassy in Moscow, while the locals will be laid off, according to the notice.
Following the closures, the United States would only have diplomatic representation in Moscow. That would leave all consular services for Americans and visa operations for Russians to be run from Moscow. It would also lessen U.S. diplomatic outreach across the vast country.
“Hard to understand logic of this. Important to know what is happening outside of capital in country that spans 11 time zones,” Steven Pifer, a former State Department official focused on U.S. relations with the former Soviet Union and Europe, wrote on Twitter.
Michael McFaul, a former U.S. ambassador to Russia, said the United States needs consulates to promote public diplomacy.
"The U.S. should be seeking ways to engage more directly with Russian society. These consulates help," he wrote on Twitter.
He noted that even with a cap on the number of American diplomats, the United States can choose how to deploy diplomats within those limits to maintain a presence outside of Moscow.
With reporting by Current Time, RFE/RL's Russian Service, and AP.


rferl--2020-12-19--Trump Downplays Cyberattack, Doubts Russian Involvement

U.S. President Donald Trump has downplayed the seriousness and impact of a widespread cyberattack and cast doubt on whether Russia was to blame in his first public comments on the incident .
`` The Cyber Hack is far greater in the Fake News Media than in actuality , '' Trump said on Twitter on December 19 .
`` Russia , Russia , Russia is the priority chant when anything happens because Lamestream is , for mostly financial reasons , petrified of discussing the possibility that it may be China ( it may ! )
. ''
Trump 's assertion that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which has so far affected more than a half dozen federal agencies including the Commerce and Treasury Departments , runs counter to comments by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and several lawmakers briefed on the matter .
`` We can say pretty clearly that it was the Russians that engaged in this activity , '' Pompeo said on December 18 in an interview .
`` The cyber hack is like Russian bombers have been repeatedly flying undetected over our entire country , '' Republican lawmaker Mitt Romney said in a tweet on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any involvement .
In his tweet , Trump tagged Pompeo and Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe .
The Office of the Director of National Intelligence has yet to publicly comment on who is behind the massive data breach , which exploited a piece of software developed by network management firm SolarWinds that is widely used throughout the public and private sectors .
Microsoft said it had notified more than 40 customers hit by the malware , which security experts say could allow attackers network access to sensitive government information and networks that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Roughly 80 percent of the affected customers are located in the United States , Microsoft President Brad Smith said in a blog post .
Other victims of the cyberattack are in Belgium , Britain , Canada , Israel , Mexico , Spain , and the United Arab Emirates .
`` This is not 'espionage as usual , ' even in the digital age , '' Smith wrote .
`` Instead , it represents an act of recklessness that created a serious technological vulnerability for the United States and the world . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of victims will keep growing .
James Lewis , vice president at the Center for Strategic and International Studies , said the attack may end up being the worst to hit the United States , eclipsing a 2014 suspected Chinese infiltration .
`` The scale is daunting .
We do n't know what has been taken so that is one of the tasks for forensics , '' Lewis said , according to the AFP news agency .
`` We also do n't know what 's been left behind .
The normal practice is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get back in in the future , '' Lewis said .
The cyberattack was first reported on December 13 in news reports that quoted unidentified U.S. officials as saying Russia-based hackers were suspected .
Russia 's U.S. Embassy has denied any involvement , saying in a statement on December 14 that Russia “ does not conduct offensive operations in the cyber domain.
” The Department of Homeland Security , the Treasury Department , and the Commerce Department were among those affected in the attack , according to media reports that quoted unidentified officials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Department of Energy acknowledged on December 17 that it was among those that had been hacked .
The department includes the agency that manages the country 's nuclear-weapons stockpile .
The FBI and other agencies investigating an extensive cyberattack on U.S. government computer networks briefed members of Congress on December 18 about the intrusion .
SolarWinds admitted on December 16 that hackers from an `` outside nation state '' inserted malicious code into updates of its network management software issued between March and June this year .
With reporting by AFP , Reuters @ @ @ @ @

U.S. President Donald Trump has downplayed the seriousness and impact of a widespread cyberattack and cast doubt on whether Russia was to blame in his first public comments on the incident.
"The Cyber Hack is far greater in the Fake News Media than in actuality," Trump said on Twitter on December 19. "Russia, Russia, Russia is the priority chant when anything happens because Lamestream is, for mostly financial reasons, petrified of discussing the possibility that it may be China (it may!)."
Trump's assertion that China may be behind the hacking spree, which has so far affected more than a half dozen federal agencies including the Commerce and Treasury Departments, runs counter to comments by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and several lawmakers briefed on the matter.
"We can say pretty clearly that it was the Russians that engaged in this activity," Pompeo said on December 18 in an interview.
"The cyber hack is like Russian bombers have been repeatedly flying undetected over our entire country," Republican lawmaker Mitt Romney said in a tweet on December 17.
The Kremlin has denied any involvement.
In his tweet, Trump tagged Pompeo and Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe.
The Office of the Director of National Intelligence has yet to publicly comment on who is behind the massive data breach, which exploited a piece of software developed by network management firm SolarWinds that is widely used throughout the public and private sectors.
Microsoft said it had notified more than 40 customers hit by the malware, which security experts say could allow attackers network access to sensitive government information and networks that operate infrastructure such as electricity power grids.
Roughly 80 percent of the affected customers are located in the United States, Microsoft President Brad Smith said in a blog post. Other victims of the cyberattack are in Belgium, Britain, Canada, Israel, Mexico, Spain, and the United Arab Emirates.
"This is not 'espionage as usual,' even in the digital age," Smith wrote. "Instead, it represents an act of recklessness that created a serious technological vulnerability for the United States and the world." He added that the number and location of victims will keep growing.
'The Scale Is Daunting'
James Lewis, vice president at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said the attack may end up being the worst to hit the United States, eclipsing a 2014 suspected Chinese infiltration.
"The scale is daunting. We don't know what has been taken so that is one of the tasks for forensics," Lewis said, according to the AFP news agency.
"We also don't know what's been left behind. The normal practice is to leave something behind so they can get back in in the future," Lewis said.
The cyberattack was first reported on December 13 in news reports that quoted unidentified U.S. officials as saying Russia-based hackers were suspected.
Russia's U.S. Embassy has denied any involvement, saying in a statement on December 14 that Russia “does not conduct offensive operations in the cyber domain.”
The Department of Homeland Security, the Treasury Department, and the Commerce Department were among those affected in the attack, according to media reports that quoted unidentified officials with knowledge of the cyberattack.
The Department of Energy acknowledged on December 17 that it was among those that had been hacked. The department includes the agency that manages the country's nuclear-weapons stockpile.
The FBI and other agencies investigating an extensive cyberattack on U.S. government computer networks briefed members of Congress on December 18 about the intrusion.
SolarWinds admitted on December 16 that hackers from an "outside nation state" inserted malicious code into updates of its network management software issued between March and June this year.
With reporting by AFP, Reuters, and The Washington Post


rferl--2020-12-20--Magnitude 4.5 Quake Strikes Northwestern Iran

An earthquake with a magnitude of 4.5 struck northwestern Iran , near the border with Turkey , state media reported .
The official news agency IRNA reported on December 20 that the quake struck the region of Qotur in Iran 's West Azerbaijan Province at a shallow depth of 5 kilometers .
IRNA did not report if the quake had caused any casualties or damage .
A magnitude-5.7 earthquake in February in the same area on the Iran-Turkey border killed nine people in Turkey , injured more than a hundred in villages and towns in both countries , and caused @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Iran sits on top of major tectonic plates and experiences frequent seismic activity .
A 7.3-magnitude quake in the western province of Kermanshah killed 620 people in November 2017 .
In 2003 , a 6.6-magnitude quake destroyed the ancient mud-brick city of Bam in Iran ’ s southeast , killing at least 31,000 people .
Iran 's deadliest quake was a 7.4-magnitude tremor in 1990 that killed 40,000 people , injured 300,000 others , and left half a million homeless in the country 's north .
Based on reporting by IRNA and Reuters

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


rferl--2020-12-20--Dozens Of Anti-Lukashenka Demonstrators Detained In Belarus

MINSK -- A Belarusian human rights group says security forces have detained dozens of people during protests calling on strongman Alyaksandr Lukashenka to step down .
The Vyasna rights group said on December 20 that at least 42 people had been detained in the capital , Minsk , and the cities of Barysau , Homel , Hrodna , and Salihorsk .
Marches and rallies were reported in several districts of Minsk , accordng to RFE/RL ’ s Belarus Service , with many carrying the opposition ’ s red-and-white flag or banners .
Smaller protests were also held in other towns @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been roiled by nearly daily protests since early August when Lukashenka was declared victor of a presidential election that opposition leaders said was flawed .
Police have violently cracked down on the postelection protests , with more than 27,000 detentions , according to the United Nations .
There have also been credible reports of torture and ill-treatment , and several people have died .
Many of Belarus 's opposition leaders have been arrested or forced to leave the country , while Lukashenka , who has ruled the country with an iron fist for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ negotiate with the opposition .
The United States , the European Union , and several other countries have refused to acknowledge Lukashenka as the winner of the vote , and imposed sanctions on Lukashenka and his allies , citing election rigging and the police crackdown .
Crowd numbers at protests in Minsk and elsewhere have dropped amid fatigue , repression , and the cold weather .
Protests organizers have also switched tactics , calling for smaller gatherings to evade arrest and stretch the riot police .
Small marches and rallies were also reported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including the western city of Hrodna .

MINSK -- A Belarusian human rights group says security forces have detained more than 150 people during protests calling on strongman Alyaksandr Lukashenka to step down.
The Vyasna rights group published the names of 151 people that it said had been detained in the capital Minsk and the cities of Barysau, Homel, Hrodna, Salihorsk, Smilovichi, Navapolatsk, Brest, and other locations.
Marches and rallies were reported in several districts of Minsk, accordng to RFE/RL’s Belarus Service, with many carrying the opposition’s red-and-white flag or banners. It was the 19th Sunday in a row on which opposition marches took place in the capital.
Smaller protests were also held in other towns and cities across Belarus.
Crisis In Belarus Read our coverage as Belarusian strongman Alyaksandr Lukashenka continues his brutal crackdown on NGOs, activists, and independent media following the August 2020 presidential election.
Belarus has been roiled by nearly daily protests since early August when Lukashenka was declared victor of a presidential election that opposition leaders said was flawed.
Police have violently cracked down on the postelection protests, with more than 27,000 detentions, according to the United Nations. There have also been credible reports of torture and ill-treatment, and several people have died.
The marches continue to call for Lukashenka to resign, an end to the crackdown, the release of political prisoners, and new elections.
The United States, the European Union, and several other countries have refused to acknowledge Lukashenka as the winner of the vote, and imposed sanctions on Lukashenka and his allies, citing election rigging and the police crackdown.
Crowd numbers at protests in Minsk and elsewhere have dropped amid fatigue, repression, and the cold weather. Protests organizers have also switched tactics, calling for smaller gatherings to evade arrest and stretch the riot police.
Small marches and rallies were also reported on December 19 in Minsk and elsewhere, including the western city of Hrodna.


rferl--2020-12-20--Bosnia-Herzegovina's Mostar Holds First Local Elections In 12 Years

Bosnia-Herzegovina 's ethnically divided southern city of Mostar is holding its first local elections in 12 years on December 20 , amid concerns that a surge in coronavirus infections could keep many voters away .
Thirty-five city councilors will be elected under the city 's new election rules .
Those city councilors will then vote to determine Mostar 's next mayor .
Polling stations opened at 7 a.m. local time and will close 7 p.m .
Preliminary results are expected around midnight .
The number of coronavirus cases and related deaths in Bosnia-Herzegovina have been rising sharply in recent weeks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 105,000 infections , including more than 3,600 fatalities .
In order to mitigate the risk of infection , voters at polling stations are required to observe strict physical distancing , wear face masks , and wash their hands .
Voter temperatures are also being taken and polling stations are regularly disinfected .
Local elections were held on November 15 across the rest of the country , with opposition parties winning contests in the Balkan country ’ s two largest cities .
The results dealt a blow to long-ruling nationalists amid a wave of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The long-delayed vote in Mostar came after Bosnia-Herzegovina ’ s main Bosniak and Croat parties in June reached a last-minute agreement on a new statute for the city .
The deal was signed by Bakir Izetbegovic and Dragan Covic , the leaders of the Party of Democratic Action ( SDA ) and the Croatian Democratic Union ( HDZ ) , respectively , following lengthy negotiations on the issue .
Mostar has not held municipal polls since 2008 because of the authorities ' failure to enforce a 2010 ruling by the Bosnia 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ power-sharing structure was unconstitutional and needed reform .
Ljubo Beslic , of the HDZ , has served as mayor of Mostar without a mandate since his term expired in 2013 .
Last October , the European Court of Human Rights condemned Bosnia for its failure to change its election law and enable municipal elections in Mostar .
Mostar is a city of 100,000 people with a divided population , comprising mostly Catholic Bosnian Croats in its west and mainly Muslim Bosniaks in its east .
Bosnia 's Croats and Bosniaks were allied against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bosnian War .
But the two communities also fought fierce battles over Mostar and other areas .
The city has reflected a tense situation throughout the country after the Dayton peace accord of 1995 , which left Bosnia divided into two autonomous regions -- the Bosniak-Croat Federation and the mainly ethnic Serb Republika Srpska -- united under a weak central government in Sarajevo .

Polls have closed in Bosnia-Herzegovina's ethnically divided southern city of Mostar is holding its first local elections in 12 years on December 20, amid concerns that a surge in coronavirus infections would keep many voters away.
Thirty-five city councilors will be elected under the city's new election rules. Those city councilors will then vote to determine Mostar's next mayor by a two-thirds majority vote.
Polling stations closed at 7 p.m. local time. Preliminary results are expected around midnight. The Central Election Commission said about 40 percent of the eligible voters had turned out by 4 p.m., according to RFE/RL's Balkan Service.
The number of coronavirus cases and related deaths in Bosnia-Herzegovina have been rising sharply in recent weeks, with health authorities now reporting more than 105,000 infections, including more than 3,600 fatalities.
In order to mitigate the risk of infection, voters at polling stations were required to observe strict physical distancing, wear face masks, and wash their hands. Voters also had their temperatures taken and polling stations were regularly disinfected.
Local elections were held on November 15 across the rest of the country, with opposition parties winning contests in the Balkan country’s two largest cities.
The results dealt a blow to long-ruling nationalists amid a wave of dissatisfaction with the handling the coronavirus pandemic.
The long-delayed vote in Mostar came after Bosnia-Herzegovina’s main Bosniak and Croat parties in June reached a last-minute agreement on a new statute for the city.
The deal was signed by Bakir Izetbegovic and Dragan Covic, the leaders of the Party of Democratic Action (SDA) and the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), respectively, following lengthy negotiations on the issue.
Mostar has not held municipal polls since 2008 because of the authorities' failure to enforce a 2010 ruling by the Bosnia's Constitutional Court that said the city's power-sharing structure was unconstitutional and needed reform.
Ljubo Beslic, of the HDZ, has served as mayor of Mostar without a mandate since his term expired in 2013.
Last October, the European Court of Human Rights condemned Bosnia for its failure to change its election law and enable municipal elections in Mostar.
Mostar is a city of 100,000 people with a divided population, comprising mostly Catholic Bosnian Croats in its west and mainly Muslim Bosniaks in its east.
Bosnia's Croats and Bosniaks were allied against ethnic Serbs during much of the 1992-95 Bosnian War. But the two communities also fought fierce battles over Mostar and other areas.
The city has reflected a tense situation throughout the country after the Dayton peace accord of 1995, which left Bosnia divided into two autonomous regions -- the Bosniak-Croat Federation and the mainly ethnic Serb Republika Srpska -- united under a weak central government in Sarajevo.


rferl--2020-12-21--Rockets Target U.S. Embassy In Baghdad

Rockets Target U.S. Embassy In Baghdad

A barrage of rockets has targeted Baghdad ’ s heavily fortified Green Zone , causing minor damage to the U.S. Embassy compound and residential areas in the international zone .
An Iraqi military statement said “ an outlawed group ” launched eight rockets on December 20 targeting the Green Zone , the location of embassies and government buildings .
Most of the rockets landed near an empty residential complex and checkpoint , injuring one Iraqi security person .
The U.S. Embassy said its defense systems engaged the rockets and called on the Iraqi government to take action to prevent such @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sorts of attacks on diplomatic facilities are a violation of international law and are a direct assault on the sovereignty of the Iraqi government , ” the U.S. Embassy said in a statement .
U.S. officials have blamed Iran-backed Iraqi militia for carrying out a string of attacks on U.S. interests in the country , prompting Washington to threaten a diplomatic and military withdrawal from the country .
Several militia groups in October announced a brief suspension of attacks on U.S. interests on condition that a timetable would be presented for U.S. forces @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to an end on November 18 with a rocket strike on the U.S. Embassy .
The United States confirmed in early December it was partially withdrawing some staff from its embassy in response to rising tensions with Iran and Iraqi militia groups .
U.S. officials say the temporarily staff reduction came ahead of the first anniversary of the U.S. strike that killed Iran ’ s top general , Qasem Soleimani , and Iraqi militia leaders outside Baghdad 's airport on January 3 .
Soleimani 's killing and that of leading Iraqi paramilitary figure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ parliament to pass a non-binding resolution calling for the exit of all foreign troops from Iraq .
U.S. officials say Iran or allied militia could carry out a possible retaliatory strike around the anniversary .
Tension spiked again across the region following assassination of Iranian nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh near Tehran in late November .
Iran has blamed Israel and , indirectly , the United States , raising the possibility that Iran or one of its regional proxies will retaliate .
The developments in Iraq come as President Donald Trump ramps up pressure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ President-elect Joe Biden , who has said he will try to revive diplomacy with Iran upon entering the White House in January .
Biden is expected to try to rejoin the Iran nuclear accord that Trump quit in 2018 and work with allies to strengthen its terms , if Tehran first resumes compliance .
Western diplomats and media reports have suggested Iran has told Iraqi militia groups to avoid provoking the United States in the final weeks of the Trump administration out of concern the situation could escalate before a more dovish Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ administration in November ordered a reduction of U.S. troops in Iraq from 3,000 to 2,500 by mid-January .
With reporting by AFP , AP , and Reuters .

A barrage of rockets has targeted Baghdad’s heavily fortified Green Zone, causing minor damage to the U.S. Embassy compound and residential areas in the international zone.
An Iraqi military statement said “an outlawed group” launched eight rockets on December 20 targeting the Green Zone, the location of embassies and government buildings. Most of the rockets landed near an empty residential complex and checkpoint, injuring one Iraqi security person.
The U.S. Embassy said its defense systems engaged the rockets and called on the Iraqi government to take action to prevent such attacks by militia groups.
“These sorts of attacks on diplomatic facilities are a violation of international law and are a direct assault on the sovereignty of the Iraqi government,” the U.S. Embassy said in a statement.
U.S. officials have blamed Iran-backed Iraqi militia for carrying out a string of attacks on U.S. interests in the country, prompting Washington to threaten a diplomatic and military withdrawal from the country.
Several militia groups in October announced a brief suspension of attacks on U.S. interests on condition that a timetable would be presented for U.S. forces to leave Iraq. That truce came to an end on November 18 with a rocket strike on the U.S. Embassy.
The United States confirmed in early December it was partially withdrawing some staff from its embassy in response to rising tensions with Iran and Iraqi militia groups.
U.S. officials say the temporary staff reduction came ahead of the first anniversary of the U.S. strike that killed Iran’s top general, Qasem Soleimani, and Iraqi militia leaders outside Baghdad's airport on January 3.
Soleimani's killing and that of leading Iraqi paramilitary figure Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis led Iraq’s parliament to pass a nonbinding resolution calling for the exit of all foreign troops from Iraq.
U.S. officials say Iran or allied militia could carry out a possible retaliatory strike around the anniversary.
Tension spiked again across the region following the assassination of Iranian nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh near Tehran in late November. Iran has blamed Israel and, indirectly, the United States, raising the possibility that Iran or one of its regional proxies will retaliate.
The developments in Iraq come as President Donald Trump ramps up pressure on Iran ahead of a transition to President-elect Joe Biden, who has said he will try to revive diplomacy with Iran upon entering the White House in January.
Biden is expected to try to rejoin the Iran nuclear accord that Trump quit in 2018 and work with allies to strengthen its terms, if Tehran first resumes compliance.
Western diplomats and media reports have suggested Iran has told Iraqi militia groups to avoid provoking the United States in the final weeks of the Trump administration out of concern the situation could escalate before a more dovish Biden administration comes to power.
The Trump administration in November ordered a reduction of U.S. troops in Iraq from 3,000 to 2,500 by mid-January.
With reporting by AFP, AP, and Reuters


rferl--2020-12-20--U.S. Senators Urge Response To Cyberattack Blamed On Russian Hackers

Two U.S. senators say the United States must respond to a widespread cyberattack that U.S. officials say was carried out by Russian hackers who managed to break into the computer networks of multiple U.S. government agencies .
Senator Mitt Romney ( Republican-Utah ) said the intrusion `` demands a response '' and what would be expected is a `` cyber-response . ''
But he said he was not sure the United States had the `` capability to do that in a way that would be of the same scale or even a greater scale than Russia has applied to us @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. broadcaster NBC , Romney also said he was disappointed in President Donald Trump ’ s reaction to the data breach .
In his first public comments on the incident , Trump on December 19 downplayed the seriousness and impact of the intrusion and cast doubt on whether Russia was to blame .
Romney said Trump `` has a blind spot when it comes to Russia '' and doesn ’ t want to recognize Russia as the `` extraordinarily bad actor they are on the world stage . ''
He added that Russia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ every front '' and the administration has `` not been serious enough about how damaging an adversary Russia can be . ''
Romney said experts on U.S. cybersecurity have determined that the intrusion came from Russia and was very serious and damaging , noting that the hackers got into the agency that ’ s responsible for U.S. nuclear capacity and research into nuclear weapons .
He also called for a `` rethink '' at the Department of Defense and other agencies about U.S. cybercabilities -- offensive and defensive .
`` What this invasion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' Romney said .
`` They didn ’ t fear what we would be able to do from a cybercapacity .
They didn ’ t think that our defenses were particularly adequate and they apparently didn ’ t think that we would respond in a very aggressive way . ''
Trump 's response to the cyberattack came in a tweet in which he said it was `` far greater in the Fake News Media than in actuality '' and indicated that the perpetrators may be the Chinese .
The assertion ran counter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pompeo , who said in an interview on December 18 that the United States `` can say pretty clearly ” that it was the Russians .
The Kremlin has denied any involvement .
U.S .
Senator Mark Warner ( Democrat-Virginia ) said on December 20 on ABC that the hack could still be going on and that officials had yet to determine its full scope .
He backed Romney ’ s call for retaliation , but he called the hack an invasion `` in that gray area between espionage and an attack .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Senate Intelligence Committee , said Washington needed to make clear to adversaries `` that if you take this kind of action we and others will strike back . ''
President-elect Joe Biden is deliberating how to respond , incoming White House chief of staff Ron Klain said .
`` It 's not just sanctions , it 's steps and things we could do to degrade the capacity of foreign actors to engage in these attacks , '' he said on CBS .
But he cautioned that there were still “ a lot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nature , and extent of these specific attacks . ''
Based on reporting by Reuters , AFP , NBC , CBS , ABC , and The Washington Post

Two U.S. senators say the United States must respond to a widespread cyberattack that U.S. officials say was carried out by Russian hackers who managed to break into the computer networks of multiple U.S. government agencies.
Senator Mitt Romney (Republican-Utah) said the intrusion "demands a response" and what would be expected is a "cyber-response." But he said he was not sure the United States had the "capability to do that in a way that would be of the same scale or even a greater scale than Russia has applied to us."
Speaking on December 20 on U.S. broadcaster NBC, Romney also said he was disappointed in President Donald Trump’s reaction to the data breach.
In his first public comments on the incident, Trump on December 19 downplayed the seriousness and impact of the intrusion and cast doubt on whether Russia was to blame.
Romney said Trump "has a blind spot when it comes to Russia" and doesn’t want to recognize Russia as the "extraordinarily bad actor they are on the world stage."
He added that Russia goes against the United States "on every front" and the administration has "not been serious enough about how damaging an adversary Russia can be."
'Russia Acted With Impunity'
Romney said experts on U.S. cybersecurity have determined that the intrusion came from Russia and was very serious and damaging, noting that the hackers got into the agency that’s responsible for U.S. nuclear capacity and research into nuclear weapons.
He also called for a "rethink" at the Department of Defense and other agencies about U.S. cybercabilities -- offensive and defensive.
"What this invasion underscores is that Russia acted with impunity," Romney said. "They didn’t fear what we would be able to do from a cybercapacity. They didn’t think that our defenses were particularly adequate and they apparently didn’t think that we would respond in a very aggressive way."
Trump's response to the cyberattack came in a tweet in which he said it was "far greater in the Fake News Media than in actuality" and indicated that the perpetrators may be the Chinese.
The assertion ran counter to comments by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who said in an interview on December 18 that the United States "can say pretty clearly” that it was the Russians.
The Kremlin has denied any involvement.
U.S. Senator Mark Warner (Democrat-Virginia) said on December 20 on ABC that the hack could still be going on and that officials had yet to determine its full scope. He backed Romney’s call for retaliation, but he called the hack an invasion "in that gray area between espionage and an attack."
Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, said Washington needed to make clear to adversaries "that if you take this kind of action we and others will strike back."
President-elect Joe Biden is deliberating how to respond, incoming White House chief of staff Ron Klain said.
"It's not just sanctions, it's steps and things we could do to degrade the capacity of foreign actors to engage in these attacks," he said on CBS.
But he cautioned that there were still “a lot of unanswered questions about the purpose, nature, and extent of these specific attacks."
Based on reporting by Reuters, AFP, NBC, CBS, ABC, and The Washington Post


rferl--2020-12-20--More Than 150 Anti-Lukashenka Demonstrators Detained In Belarus

MINSK -- A Belarusian human rights group says security forces have detained more than people during protests calling on strongman Alyaksandr Lukashenka to step down .
The Vyasna rights group published the names of 151 people that it said had been detained in the capital Minsk and the cities of Barysau , Homel , Hrodna , Salihorsk , Smilovichi , Navapolatsk , Brest , and other locations .
Marches and rallies were reported in several districts of Minsk , accordng to RFE/RL ’ s Belarus Service , with many carrying the opposition ’ s red-and-white flag or banners .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on which opposition marches took place in the capital .
Smaller protests were also held in other towns and cities across Belarus .
Belarus has been roiled by nearly daily protests since early August when Lukashenka was declared victor of a presidential election that opposition leaders said was flawed .
Police have violently cracked down on the postelection protests , with more than 27,000 detentions , according to the United Nations .
There have also been credible reports of torture and ill-treatment , and several people have died .
The marches continue to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ end to the crackdown , the release of political prisoners , and new elections .
The United States , the European Union , and several other countries have refused to acknowledge Lukashenka as the winner of the vote , and imposed sanctions on Lukashenka and his allies , citing election rigging and the police crackdown .
Crowd numbers at protests in Minsk and elsewhere have dropped amid fatigue , repression , and the cold weather .
Protests organizers have also switched tactics , calling for smaller gatherings to evade arrest and stretch the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were also reported on December 19 in Minsk and elsewhere , including the western city of Hrodna .


rferl--2020-12-21--Bosnian Serb Leader Hospitalized With Nausea, Stomach Pains

Milorad Dodik , the Serb member of Bosnia-Herzegovina 's tripartite presidency , has been hospitalized for what doctors described as @ @ @ @ @ The University Clinical Center told RFE/RL that the 61-year-old Dodik was hospitalized on December 21 @ @ @ @ @ the country ’ s predominantly Serbian entity , Republika Srpska .
Describing his health condition @ @ @ @ @ “ not life-threatening , '' it said a detailed diagnostic procedure was under way .
@ @ @ @ @ office said on December 19 that he had tested negative for the coronavirus after self-isolating @ @ @ @ @ person infected with COVID-19 three days earlier .

Milorad Dodik, the Serb member of Bosnia-Herzegovina's tripartite presidency, has been hospitalized for what doctors described as nausea and stomach pains.
The University Clinical Center told RFE/RL that the 61-year-old Dodik was hospitalized on December 21 in the administrative center of the country’s predominantly Serbian entity, Republika Srpska.
Describing his health condition as "stable” and “not life-threatening," it said a detailed diagnostic procedure was under way.
A statement from Dodik's office said on December 19 that he had tested negative for the coronavirus after self-isolating following a meeting with a person infected with COVID-19 three days earlier.


rferl--2020-12-21--Central African Republic Says Russia Deploys Troops In Face Of Coup Threat

The Central African Republic says Russia and Rwanda have deployed hundreds of troops in the deeply unstable country amid an alleged coup bid ahead of presidential and parliamentary elections .
The government made the announcement on December 21 , two days after accusing former President Francois Bozize of plotting a coup after an alliance of rebel groups started marching on the capital , Bangui .
A spokesman for the UN force in the country said the rebel forces have been pushed back and that the situation was `` under control . ''
Bozize denied he was plotting a coup against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ came to power in 2016 , is seeking reelection in the national polls , due on December 27 .
Bozize 's candidacy has been rejected by the country 's highest court .
A government spokesman said that Russia “ has sent several hundred soldiers and heavy weapons '' in the framework of a bilateral cooperation agreement between Moscow and Bangui , according to AFP .
Rwanda has “ also sent several hundred men who are on the ground and have started fighting , '' he added .
Rwanda said it had deployed a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ African Republic after its troops in the UN peacekeeping force there were attacked by rebels .
The Kremlin described the crisis as `` a cause for serious concern '' but did not comment on the alleged deployment of Russian troops .
`` We are of course monitoring and analyzing the situation , '' President Vladimir Putin 's spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters .
Russia has fostered close ties in recent years with the Central African Republic , one of Africa 's poorest and most unstable countries , even though it is rich in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ military advisers are currently stationed in the country to help train government forces .
As election campaigning heated up , Facebook said last week it had identified rival disinformation campaigns to influence the upcoming vote that were masterminded by individuals with links to the French military and Russian financier Yevgeniy Prigozhin , who is widely believed to control the Vagner Group , one of the best-known of several Russian private paramilitary companies .
With reporting by AFP and the BBC

The Central African Republic says Russia and Rwanda have deployed hundreds of troops in the deeply unstable country amid an alleged coup bid ahead of presidential and parliamentary elections.
The government made the announcement on December 21, two days after accusing former President Francois Bozize of plotting a coup after an alliance of rebel groups started marching on the capital, Bangui.
A spokesman for the UN force in the country said the rebel forces have been pushed back and that the situation was "under control."
Bozize denied he was plotting a coup against President Faustin-Archange Touadera.
Touadera, who came to power in 2016, is seeking reelection in the national polls, due on December 27.
Bozize's candidacy has been rejected by the country's highest court.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov rejected claims that Russia was sending troops to the country.
"We are not sending troops, we are complying with all UN resolutions," Interfax quoted Bogdanov as saying on December 21.
But he noted that Russia has previously sent military instructors to the country under a cooperation agreement.
"So our people are there, naturally," Bodganov said.
Earlier, a Russian government spokesman said Moscow “has sent several hundred soldiers and heavy weapons" in the framework of a bilateral cooperation agreement between Moscow and Bangui.
Rwanda has “also sent several hundred men who are on the ground and have started fighting," President Vladimir Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
Rwanda said it had deployed a "protection force" to the Central African Republic after its troops in the UN peacekeeping force there were attacked by rebels.
The Kremlin described the crisis as "a cause for serious concern" but did not comment on the alleged deployment of Russian troops.
"We are of course monitoring and analyzing the situation," President Vladimir Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.
Russia has fostered close ties in recent years with the Central African Republic, one of Africa's poorest and most unstable countries, even though it is rich in resources like diamonds and uranium. The Russian military advisers currently stationed in the country are there to help train government forces.
As election campaigning heated up, Facebook said last week it had identified rival disinformation campaigns to influence the upcoming vote that were masterminded by individuals with links to the French military and Russian financier Yevgeniy Prigozhin, who is widely believed to control the Vagner Group, one of the best-known of several Russian private paramilitary companies.
With reporting by AFP, the BBC, and Interfax


rferl--2020-12-21--Russian Writer Kurlyandsky Dies, Creator Of Popular Soviet Cartoon 'Well, Just You Wait!'

MOSCOW -- Aleksandr Kurlyandsky , the Russian writer and one of the creators of the popular Well , You Just Wait !
cartoon series , has died at the age of 82 .
Kurlyandsky 's relatives and friends said he died on December 21 .
The cause of death was not made public .
Kurlyandsky was an author of numerous satirical stories for adults and children , several of which were used by directors of the popular Yeralash ( Mishmash ) children 's comedy television show .
His most well-known contribution to Soviet television culture was Nu , Pogodi ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a cartoon series that entertained children and adults alike for decades in the former Soviet Union and several countries in Eastern Europe .
The cartoon is about two characters , a wolf and a hare , who find themselves in comical situations as the wolf attempts to catch the hare .
The series debuted in 1969 ; the last episode was produced in 2006 .
Kurlyandsky also co-authored other popular cartoons in the Soviet Union , including ones about Kesha , a parrot , whose catchphrases became quite popular in colloquial Russian @

MOSCOW -- Aleksandr Kurlyandsky, the Russian writer and one of the creators of the popular Well, You Just Wait! cartoon series, has died at the age of 82.
Kurlyandsky's relatives and friends said he died on December 21. The cause of death was not made public.
Kurlyandsky was an author of numerous satirical stories for adults and children, several of which were used by directors of the popular Yeralash (Mishmash) children's comedy television show.
His most well-known contribution to Soviet television culture was Nu, Pogodi (Well, You Just Wait!), a cartoon series that entertained children and adults alike for decades in the former Soviet Union and several countries in Eastern Europe.
The cartoon is about two characters, a wolf and a hare, who find themselves in comical situations as the wolf attempts to catch the hare. The series debuted in 1969; the last episode was produced in 2006.
Kurlyandsky also co-authored other popular cartoons in the Soviet Union, including ones about Kesha, a parrot, whose catchphrases became quite popular in colloquial Russian.


rferl--2020-12-21--Gallows Humor? Business Owners In Siberia Erect Macabre Protest Against Coronavirus Restrictions

IRKUTSK , Russia -- Owners of small- and medium-sized businesses in the Siberian city of Irkutsk have placed a gallows @ @ @ @ @ from a noose in front of the regional administration building to protest restrictive measures adopted @ @ @ @ @ the coronavirus .
Protesters pinned signs on the macabre display that voiced their displeasure at @ @ @ @ @ while a poster underneath the installation said : `` No business , no taxes , @ @ @ @ @ organizers of the action also held a series of single-person pickets that are allowed without @ @ @ @ @ administration .
According to the protesters , many small- and medium-sized businesses in the region @ @ @ @ @ enormous losses and in some cases have shut down completely amid the ongoing restrictions to @ @ @ @ @ country .
As of December 21 , the number of registered coronavirus cases in Russia @ @ @ @ @ deaths .

IRKUTSK, Russia -- Owners of small- and medium-sized businesses in the Siberian city of Irkutsk have placed a gallows with a homemade mannequin hanging from a noose in front of the regional administration building to protest restrictive measures adopted to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
Protesters pinned signs on the macabre display that voiced their displeasure at the December 21 action, while a poster underneath the installation said: "No business, no taxes, no budget."
The organizers of the action also held a series of single-person pickets that are allowed without preliminary permission from the city administration.
According to the protesters, many small- and medium-sized businesses in the region in southeastern Siberia have suffered enormous losses and in some cases have shut down completely amid the ongoing restrictions to curb the coronavirus across the country.
As of December 21, the number of registered coronavirus cases in Russia was 2,877,727, including 51,351 deaths.


rferl--2020-12-21--Kazakh Activist Sentenced To One Year Of 'Freedom Limitation' For Links To Banned Political Group

AQTOBE , Kazakhstan -- A Kazakh activist has been handed a parole-like sentence for his links to a banned political movement .
A court in the northwestern city of Aqtobe on December 21 sentenced Alibek Moldin to one year of `` freedom limitation '' after finding him guilty of being a leader of the banned Koshe ( Street ) party associated with the banned Democratic Choice of Kazakhstan ( DVK ) movement .
Moldin was detained and placed under house arrest on November 10 .
His sentence means that he has to report to police on a regular basis , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his address without police permission until December 21 , 2021 .
The 37-year-old activist has maintained his innocence and said at the trial that the case against him is politically motivated .
`` I am being persecuted by the dictatorial regime ... .
I have been a political activist since 2016 and since that time I , my parents , and my brothers have been under pressure .
There were numerous attempts by the local authorities to force me to change my political views .
Several administrative and criminal cases have been launched @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pay fines and forced out of my job .
There are at least 150 activists in Kazakhstan who , like me , have been under pressure because of their political views , '' Moldin said .
Moldin 's lawyer , Adil Tulkibaev , told RFE/RL that the court decision will be appealed .
DVK is led by Mukhtar Ablyazov , the fugitive former head of Kazakhstan ’ s BTA Bank and an outspoken critic of the Kazakh government .
Kazakh authorities labeled the DVK extremist and banned the group in March 2018 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ prison terms and limitations in Kazakhstan in recent months for involvement in the DVK 's activities , including taking part in DVK-organized unsanctioned rallies .
Human rights groups have said Kazakhstan ’ s law on public gatherings contradicts international standards as it requires preliminary permission from authorities to hold rallies and envisions prosecution for organizing and participating in unsanctioned rallies , even though the nation ’ s constitution guarantees its citizens the right of free assembly .

AQTOBE, Kazakhstan -- A Kazakh activist has been handed a parole-like sentence for his links to a banned political movement.
A court in the northwestern city of Aqtobe on December 21 sentenced Alibek Moldin to one year of "freedom limitation" after finding him guilty of being a leader of the banned Koshe (Street) party associated with the banned Democratic Choice of Kazakhstan (DVK) movement.
Moldin was detained and placed under house arrest on November 10. His sentence means that he has to report to police on a regular basis, cannot leave Aqtobe, or change his address without police permission until December 21, 2021.
The 37-year-old activist has maintained his innocence and said at the trial that the case against him is politically motivated.
"I am being persecuted by the dictatorial regime.... I have been a political activist since 2016 and since that time I, my parents, and my brothers have been under pressure. There were numerous attempts by the local authorities to force me to change my political views. Several administrative and criminal cases have been launched against me. I was ordered to pay fines and forced out of my job. There are at least 150 activists in Kazakhstan who, like me, have been under pressure because of their political views," Moldin said.
Moldin's lawyer, Adil Tulkibaev, told RFE/RL that the court decision will be appealed.
DVK is led by Mukhtar Ablyazov, the fugitive former head of Kazakhstan’s BTA Bank and an outspoken critic of the Kazakh government. Kazakh authorities labeled the DVK extremist and banned the group in March 2018.
Several activists have been sentenced to various prison terms and limitations in Kazakhstan in recent months for involvement in the DVK's activities, including taking part in DVK-organized unsanctioned rallies.
Human rights groups have said Kazakhstan’s law on public gatherings contradicts international standards as it requires preliminary permission from authorities to hold rallies and envisions prosecution for organizing and participating in unsanctioned rallies, even though the nation’s constitution guarantees its citizens the right of free assembly.


rferl--2020-12-21--Kazakhstan Starts Production Of Russia's Sputnik-V, Announces Mass Vaccination Program

QARAGHANDY , Kazakhstan -- Kazakhstan says it has started producing the Russian-developed Sputnik-V coronavirus vaccine ahead of a mass vaccination @ @ @ @ @ year .
Kazakh Prime Minister Asqar Mamin on December 21 officially unveiled the Sputnik-V vaccine @ @ @ @ @ complex in the central city of Qaraghandy .
The government 's press service said that @ @ @ @ @ Kazakhstan will start in February , with medical personnel , teachers , students , law @ @ @ @ @ representing higher-risk groups first in line .
It added that the vaccinations are voluntary .
@ @ @ @ @ already been administered in Russia to health-care workers and other high-risk groups , has not @ @ @ @ @ European Union ’ s drug regulator .
As of December 21 , the number of @ @ @ @ @ 147,236 , including 2,147 deaths .

QARAGHANDY, Kazakhstan -- Kazakhstan says it has started producing the Russian-developed Sputnik-V coronavirus vaccine ahead of a mass vaccination project planned for early next year.
Kazakh Prime Minister Asqar Mamin on December 21 officially unveiled the Sputnik-V vaccine production line at a pharmaceutical complex in the central city of Qaraghandy.
The government's press service said that the mass vaccination plan for Kazakhstan will start in February, with medical personnel, teachers, students, law enforcement officers, and people representing higher-risk groups first in line.
It added that the vaccinations are voluntary.
The vaccine, which has already been administered in Russia to health-care workers and other high-risk groups, has not yet been evaluated by the European Union’s drug regulator.
As of December 21, the number of coronavirus cases in Kazakhstan was 147,236, including 2,147 deaths.


rferl--2020-12-21--Uzbekistan Says It Had Nothing To Do With Reported Arrest Of Noted Uzbek Journalist In Turkey

TASHKENT -- The Uzbek Prosecutor-General 's Office has distanced itself from the reported arrest of noted Uzbek journalist and film @ @ @ @ @ , saying it is not pursuing him for any reason .
The office said on @ @ @ @ @ not a suspect or a person of interest in any investigation and therefore he is @ @ @ @ @ the Central Asian nation .
A day earlier , reports in Uzbekistan said that 38-year-old @ @ @ @ @ at Kastamonu University in Turkey 's northern city of Kastamonu , had been arrested on @ @ @ @ @ .
Mirzaev worked as a journalist at several popular radio stations and television channels and @ @ @ @ @ .
In recent years , Mirzaev has used his YouTube channel to discuss issues related @ @ @ @ @ .
He is married and has three children .

TASHKENT -- The Uzbek Prosecutor-General's Office has distanced itself from the reported arrest of noted Uzbek journalist and film director Abdukarim Mirzaev in Turkey, saying it is not pursuing him for any reason.
The office said on December 20 that Mirzaev is not a suspect or a person of interest in any investigation and therefore he is not a wanted person in the Central Asian nation.
A day earlier, reports in Uzbekistan said that 38-year-old Mirzaev, a postgraduate student at Kastamonu University in Turkey's northern city of Kastamonu, had been arrested on unspecified charges on December 11.
Mirzaev worked as a journalist at several popular radio stations and television channels and has produced about 20 documentaries.
In recent years, Mirzaev has used his YouTube channel to discuss issues related to religious and social issues.
He is married and has three children.


rferl--2020-12-21--Wife Of Jailed Azerbaijani Banker Loses Final Appeal Against Britain's 'Unexplained Wealth Order'

The wife of the jailed former boss of Azerbaijan 's biggest bank , who spent more than $ 21 million over a decade in London 's Harrods department store , has lost her final appeal against a court order to reveal the source of her money .
The U.K. Supreme Court said on December 21 that it had dismissed Zamira Haciyeva ’ s appeal against an unexplained wealth order ( UWO ) made against her by Britain ’ s National Crime Agency ( NCA ) .
Haciyeva may now lose her home on an exclusive street in London 's central @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Berkshire if she ca n't explain the source of her fortune .
The properties were worth a total of more than $ 29 million when the legal battle began in February 2018 .
Haciyeva 's husband , Cahangir Haciyev , is an ex-chairman of the state-controlled International Bank of Azerbaijan who is serving a lengthy prison term in his homeland on fraud and embezzlement charges .
The Supreme Court said Haciyeva 's challenge to the UWO raised no arguable point of law .
Her lawyers had petitioned the court to consider her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lawfully targeted by the NCA .
`` This is a significant result which is important in establishing Unexplained Wealth Orders as a powerful tool for financial investigations , ” said Graeme Biggar , director-general of the NCA ’ s National Economic Crime Center .
`` There are no further routes for Mrs. Hajiyeva to appeal against the order .
She will now be required to provide the NCA with the information we are seeking in connection with these assets , '' he added .
Haciyeva was the first person to be made subject @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into force in 2018 under a range of so-called `` McMafia laws.
” Hajiyeva , who denies any wrongdoing , had already failed to convince the court of appeal and the high court to overturn the order .
At a 2018 court hearing , it was revealed that Haciyeva used as many as 35 credit cards issued by her husband 's bank to spend more than $ 21 million in Harrods alone between 2006 and 2016 .
The court heard that the couple was the ultimate owner of the Knightsbridge home , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ properties .
With reporting by the BBC and The Guardian

The wife of the jailed former boss of Azerbaijan's biggest bank, who spent more than $21 million over a decade in London's Harrods department store, has lost her final appeal against a court order to reveal the source of her money.
The U.K. Supreme Court said on December 21 that it had dismissed Zamira Haciyeva’s appeal against an unexplained wealth order (UWO) made against her by Britain’s National Crime Agency (NCA).
Haciyeva may now lose her home on an exclusive street in London's central Knightsbridge district and a separate golf course in Berkshire if she can't explain the source of her fortune.
The properties were worth a total of more than $29 million when the legal battle began in February 2018.
Haciyeva's husband, Cahangir Haciyev, is an ex-chairman of the state-controlled International Bank of Azerbaijan who is serving a lengthy prison term in his homeland on fraud and embezzlement charges.
The Supreme Court said Haciyeva's challenge to the UWO raised no arguable point of law.
Her lawyers had petitioned the court to consider her case, saying she had not been lawfully targeted by the NCA.
"This is a significant result which is important in establishing Unexplained Wealth Orders as a powerful tool for financial investigations,” said Graeme Biggar, director-general of the NCA’s National Economic Crime Center.
"There are no further routes for Mrs. Hajiyeva to appeal against the order. She will now be required to provide the NCA with the information we are seeking in connection with these assets," he added.
Haciyeva was the first person to be made subject to a UWO, which were brought into force in 2018 under a range of so-called "McMafia laws.”
Hajiyeva, who denies any wrongdoing, had already failed to convince the court of appeal and the high court to overturn the order.
At a 2018 court hearing, it was revealed that Haciyeva used as many as 35 credit cards issued by her husband's bank to spend more than $21 million in Harrods alone between 2006 and 2016.
The court heard that the couple was the ultimate owner of the Knightsbridge home, the golf club outside London, and other properties.
With reporting by the BBC and The Guardian