rferl--2020-05-25--COVID-19: Iran Reopens Religious Shrines After Two Months; Montenegro Now 'Virus-Free'

The global death toll from the coronavirus is almost 350,000 with more than 5.4 million infections confirmed , causing mass disruptions as governments continue to try to slow the spread of the new respiratory illness .
Iran has reopened its religious shrines , some two months after closing them due to the Middle East 's deadliest coronavirus outbreak .
The shrines were reopened on May 25 amid a gradual easing of restrictions put in place to contain the pandemic , which has killed 7,451 people and infected over 137,000 , according to official figures .
Real numbers are believed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after Iranian President Hassan Rohani said the day before that 10 out of the country 's 31 provinces are now in the virus `` containment stage . ''
Rohani said shrines will be open each day for three hours in the morning and three hours in the evening while observing strict health protocols .
The limited reopening of holy sites comes after Eid al-Fitr , which marks the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan .
Iran in mid-March closed key holy shrines , including the Imam Reza shrine in the northeastern @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Qom , where the first cases of coronavirus were reported in February , following criticism of a slow government response to the pandemic .
Videos posted online by Iranian media on May 25 showed visitors , some wearing masks , running toward the shrine of Imam Reza in Mashhad while being guided by attendants .
In a statement posted on its website , the shrine said visitors must observe health protocols such as wearing masks , maintaining social distancing , and bringing their own prayer mats and other accessories .
Another video @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Qom , where there appeared to be a disregard for social-distancing rules aimed at preventing the spreading of COVID-19 .
The closure of the religious sites , visited every year by millions of pilgrims who often touch and kiss the shrines , had triggered protests by hard-liners who attempted to break in to the two shrines .
Museums and historical sites were reopened on May 24 .
All government employees working from home must return to their offices on May 30 , Rohani said over the weekend .
Sports activities are due @ @ @ @ @ @ @ due to reopen in early June .
Montenegro 's Institute of Public Health has announced that for the first time in more than two months , the tiny Adriatic country has no confirmed coronavirus infections .
`` It 's official : Currently there are no active cases of # COVID19 in Montenegro , '' the institute said on Twitter .
`` After 68 days from the first recorded case , Montenegro is currently without patients with COVID-19 . ''
Although it has gone 19 days without registering any new cases , Montenegro has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outbreak on its territory .
Senad Begic , from the Institute of Public Health , told RFE/RL that while there were not strict guidelines for declaring an end to an epidemic , epidemiologists generally consider a country virus-free only after no new infections have been found for 28 days .
Montenegro , which has around 630,000 inhabitants , was among the last European states to report a confirmed case and has only reported a total of 324 cases , with nine deaths .
Outbreaks surged in neighboring Bosnia-Herzegovina and Serbia , but most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many of their neighbors or other European states .
Slovenia became the first country in Europe to declare an end to its COVID-19 epidemic on May 14 .
With reporting by RFE/RL 's Balkan Service , IRNA , Tasnim , AFP , and Reuters

The global death toll from the coronavirus is almost 350,000 with more than 5.4 million infections confirmed, causing mass disruptions as governments continue to try to slow the spread of the new respiratory illness.
Here's a roundup of COVID-19 developments in RFE/RL's broadcast regions.
Iran
Iran has reopened its religious shrines, some two months after closing them due to the Middle East's deadliest coronavirus outbreak.
The shrines were reopened on May 25 amid a gradual easing of restrictions put in place to contain the pandemic, which has killed 7,451 people and infected over 137,000, according to official figures. Real numbers are believed to be significantly higher.
The measures come after Iranian President Hassan Rohani said the day before that 10 out of the country's 31 provinces are now in the virus "containment stage."
Rohani said shrines will be open each day for three hours in the morning and three hours in the evening while observing strict health protocols. The limited reopening of holy sites comes after Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan.
Iran in mid-March closed key holy shrines, including the Imam Reza shrine in the northeastern city of Mashhad and Fatima Masumeh shrine in Qom, where the first cases of coronavirus were reported in February, following criticism of a slow government response to the pandemic.
Videos posted online by Iranian media on May 25 showed visitors, some wearing masks, running toward the shrine of Imam Reza in Mashhad while being guided by attendants.
In a statement posted on its website, the shrine said visitors must observe health protocols such as wearing masks, maintaining social distancing, and bringing their own prayer mats and other accessories.
Another video showed the reopening of the Masoumeh shrine in Qom, where there appeared to be a disregard for social-distancing rules aimed at preventing the spreading of COVID-19.
The closure of the religious sites, visited every year by millions of pilgrims who often touch and kiss the shrines, had triggered protests by hard-liners who attempted to break in to the two shrines.
Museums and historical sites were reopened on May 24.
All government employees working from home must return to their offices on May 30, Rohani said over the weekend.
Sports activities are due to resume without spectators and universities are due to reopen in early June.
Ukraine
Authorities in the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, have allowed the city's subway system to resume operations after being closed for more than two months as part of the measures to restrict the movement of people during the coronavirus outbreak.
Officials said on May 25 that people will have their temperature taken before entering the subway system. Those with a body temperature higher than 37.2 degrees Celsius will be refused entry.
Those who do enter the underground transportation system will still have to follow social distancing and other restrictions still in place, they added.
Subway operations also resumed in the eastern city of Kharkiv on May 25.
Kyiv Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko said on May 25 that as of June 1, the city administration plans to reopen kindergartens, sports venues, fitness centers, sports schools, clubs for children and youths, beaches and recreation areas by rivers and lakes, vocational schools, and universities. Swimming pools will remain closed, he said.
Klitschko also said that cemeteries in Kyiv will reopen for visitors on June 1.
Despite the easing of restrictions, Ukraine has extended travel restrictions for entering and leaving the country until June 15.
As a result, Hungary's low-cost airline Wizz Air says it has prolonged the suspension of its flights to Ukraine until June 15.
As of early on May 25, 21,245 coronavirus cases, including 623 deaths, had been registered in Ukraine.
Russia
Russian President Vladimir Putin's spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, has left the hospital after recovering from the coronavirus, Russian news agencies report.
Interfax quoted Peskov as saying on May 25 that he will have to stay at home for another two weeks.
“For now, I will be in quarantine," the 52-year-old told TASS, adding that he "will gradually start working from home."
Peskov was hospitalized after testing positive for coronavirus along with his wife, Tatyana Navka on May 12. Navka recovered and was released from hospital on May 21.
He suffered from pneumonia in both lungs, Interfax reported.
Other top officials have contracted the virus, including Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, Culture Minister Olga Lyubimova, and Construction Minister Vladimir Yakushev.
Putin has worked remotely over the past few weeks from his Novo-Ogaryovo residence outside Moscow, chairing meetings with officials by videoconference
But on May 25, the 67-year-old Russian leader held talks with the director-general of Russian Railways, Oleg Belozerov, at the Kremlin, his office said.
It did not say whether Putin would be returning to work full time in the Kremlin.
Russia has the third-largest number of registered coronavirus infections at more than 353,400, according to Johns Hopkins University, with over 3,600 deaths.
The country's comparatively low mortality rate has been questioned by experts, with some suggesting the country’s government may be underreporting virus-related deaths and manipulating the statistics.
Meanwhile, the head of Russia's Siberian Republic of Tyva has been hospitalized with the coronavirus.
Sholban Kara-Ool said in a video statement on Instagram on May 25 that he is being treated for COVID-19 at a local hospital in Tyva's capital, Kyzyl.
"The infection is very scary, it affects many parts of your body. Headaches, some have pneumonia.... But the doctors are great, we are fine here," Kara-Ool said, adding that several other officials of the republic are also in hospital with the virus.
Looking tired and sick, Kara-Ool said that he intends to continue working remotely and asked the republic's residents to follow lockdown restrictions to avoid the disease.
Tyva are a Turkic-speaking ethnic group of some 308,000 people, mainly residing in the remote republic on the Russian-Mongolian border.
According to the latest data, 628 coronavirus cases, including one death, were officially registered in Tyva.
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu is a native of Tyva.
Montenegro
Montenegro's Institute of Public Health has announced that for the first time in more than two months, the tiny Adriatic country has no confirmed coronavirus infections.
"It's official: Currently there are no active cases of #COVID19 in Montenegro," the institute said on Twitter. "After 68 days from the first recorded case, Montenegro is currently without patients with COVID-19."
Although it has gone 19 days without registering any new cases, Montenegro has not officially declared an end to the outbreak on its territory.
Senad Begic, from the Institute of Public Health, told RFE/RL that while there were not strict guidelines for declaring an end to an epidemic, epidemiologists generally consider a country virus-free only after no new infections have been found for 28 days.
Montenegro, which has around 630,000 inhabitants, was among the last European states to report a confirmed case and has only reported a total of 324 cases, with nine deaths.
Outbreaks surged in neighboring Bosnia-Herzegovina and Serbia, but most Balkan countries have generally fared better than many of their neighbors or other European states.
Slovenia became the first country in Europe to declare an end to its COVID-19 epidemic on May 14.
With reporting by RFE/RL's Balkan and Ukrainian services, the Siberia Desk of RFE/RL's Russian Service, IRNA, Tasnim, AFP, and Reuters


rferl--2020-05-25--First Iranian Tanker Reaches Venezuelan Oil Port Without U.S. Interference

An Iranian tanker carrying fuel has reached port in Venezuela amid escalating tensions between Washington and the two U.S.-sanctioned countries .
Iran 's English-language Press TV reported on May 25 that the vessel , the first of five Iran has sent to the South American country , moored at El Palito , a Venezuelan port run by state oil company PDVSA .
The ship-tracking service MarineTraffic also confirmed the arrival of the tanker .
`` The Iranian oil/chem Handymax tanker , FORTUNE , which loaded 43 million liters of gasoline during mid-March at Port Shahid Rajaee , Iran , has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ refinery of El Palito , Venezuela , situated [ 200 kilometers ] west of capital city , Caracas , '' tweeted TankerTrackers.com .
A second vessel , the Forest , entered the Caribbean Sea on May 23 .
The three other tankers are currently in the Atlantic en route to the same destination .
The five vessels have encountered no immediate signs of U.S. interference after Washington said earlier in May it was considering `` measures '' to take in response to the shipments , prompting warnings from Iran against U.S. action .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ navy ship and helicopter escorting the Fortune into Venezuela 's territorial waters as officials celebrated its arrival .
Socialist President Nicolas Maduro praised solidarity and cooperation between his country and Iran , accusing the United States of imposing its will by force .
`` Venezuela and Iran want peace and have the right to freely trade in the world 's seas and exchange products , '' Maduro said on state television .
The five Iranian tankers are estimated to be carrying at least 1.53 million barrels of gasoline and chemical additives worth $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gas shortage , one symptom of economic and political chaos in Latin America 's onetime largest oil producer .
Unilateral U.S. sanctions have targeted Iran and Venezuela 's oil industry and other sectors , depriving Tehran of much-needed cash and adding pressure on Venezuela 's badly managed economy .
`` This is a sad reminder of Maduro 's hopeless mismanagement , '' U.S. State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said .
`` Venezuelans need free and fair presidential elections leading to democracy and economic recovery , not Maduro 's expensive deals with another pariah @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tankers comes after the U.S. Navy in April accused Iran of harassing its ships in the Persian Gulf , the latest in a series of escalations between the two countries in the region since Washington in 2018 withdrew from a nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers .
The United States also recently deployed ships , including U.S. Navy destroyers and other combat ships , to patrol the Caribbean on what U.S. officials call a counternarcotics mission .
Maduro views the U.S. mission as a military threat .
Maduro , Oil Minister Tareck @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been named by the United States as narco-traffickers .
With reporting by AP , dpa , 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--2020-05-24--Turkish State Broadcaster Launches Russian Channel To Fight 'Disinformation And Manipulation'

TRT Russian will focus on providing balanced news on regional and global issues , including through local correspondents in the @ @ @ @ @ said on May 24 .
The new platform and its social media channels will `` @ @ @ @ @ battling disinformation and manipulation , '' TRT said .
Turkey and Russia back opposing sides @ @ @ @ @ and Libya , but have also sought to compartmentalize their differences by expanding political and @ @ @ @ @ the new digital platform , Turkey is also likely keen on reaching its ethnic Turkic @ @ @ @ @ Asia .
Russia is Turkey 's largest source of visitors in the vital tourism industry @ @ @ @ @ tourists visiting in 2019 , according to the Turkish Tourism Ministry .
TRT already broadcasts @ @ @ @ @ TRT Arabic , and TRT German .

Turkey's state-run TRT broadcaster has launched a new Russian digital platform.
TRT Russian will focus on providing balanced news on regional and global issues, including through local correspondents in the Russian-speaking world, the broadcaster said on May 24.
The new platform and its social media channels will "play a key role in battling disinformation and manipulation," TRT said.
Turkey and Russia back opposing sides in the conflicts in Syria and Libya, but have also sought to compartmentalize their differences by expanding political and economic ties.
In launching the new digital platform, Turkey is also likely keen on reaching its ethnic Turkic cousins in Russia and Central Asia.
Russia is Turkey's largest source of visitors in the vital tourism industry, with 7 million Russian tourists visiting in 2019, according to the Turkish Tourism Ministry.
TRT already broadcasts TRT World in English, TRT Arabic, and TRT German.


rferl--2020-05-24--Gunmen Kill Two Officials At Eid Celebration In Northwest Pakistan

At least three people , including two government officials , were killed in an attack in Pakistan 's restive North Waziristan district on May 24 , administration and police officials said .
An administration official who asked not to be named because he was not authorized to talk to reporters told RFE/RL that gunmen riding two motorcycles opened fire at the men in Hassu Khel village of Mir Ali town .
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack .
Attacks on Pakistani security forces in the restive Balochistan Province bordering Afghanistan and Iran and the tribal districts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ few months .
Zubaidullah Dawar , a director at the Pakistan Housing Authority Foundation within the Ministry of Housing and Works , and Malik Nematullah , a local tribal elder and officer at Health Department of Khyber Pakhunkhwa Province , died `` on the spot , '' the administration official said .
Farman , the third victim , reportedly died on his way to the hospital in Bannu .
Nizam , a police official at Mir Ali police station , told RFE/RL that the attack took place at 11 a.m. local time near @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Eid al-Fitr prayers .
A case was filed and sent to the Counterterrorism Department of the police , he added .
Both officials were attending an Eid al-Fitr celebration marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan in their hometown , Nizam said .
When contacted , Shafiullah Gandapur , police chief of North Waziristan tribal district , declined to comment .
Mohsin Dawar , a lawmaker representing North Waziristan in Pakistan 's parliament , `` strongly '' condemned the attack on Twitter .
On May 17 , a Pakistani soldier was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mir Ali in North Waziristan .

At least three people, including two government officials, were killed in an attack in Pakistan's restive North Waziristan district on May 24, administration and police officials said.
An administration official who asked not to be named because he was not authorized to talk to reporters told RFE/RL that gunmen riding two motorcycles opened fire at the men in Hassu Khel village of Mir Ali town.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack.
Attacks on Pakistani security forces in the restive Balochistan Province bordering Afghanistan and Iran and the tribal districts bordering Afghanistan have increased over the past few months.
Zubaidullah Dawar, a director at the Pakistan Housing Authority Foundation within the Ministry of Housing and Works, and Malik Nematullah, a local tribal elder and officer at Health Department of Khyber Pakhunkhwa Province, died "on the spot," the administration official said.
Farman, the third victim, reportedly died on his way to the hospital in Bannu.
Nizam, a police official at Mir Ali police station, told RFE/RL that the attack took place at 11 a.m. local time near Eidgah, a place where Muslims offer Eid al-Fitr prayers.
A case was filed and sent to the Counterterrorism Department of the police, he added.
Both officials were attending an Eid al-Fitr celebration marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan in their hometown, Nizam said.
When contacted, Shafiullah Gandapur, police chief of North Waziristan tribal district, declined to comment.
Mohsin Dawar, a lawmaker representing North Waziristan in Pakistan's parliament, "strongly" condemned the attack on Twitter.
On May 17, a Pakistani soldier was killed in a roadside bomb attack in Mir Ali in North Waziristan.


rferl--2020-05-25--Kazakhstan Gets New Protest Law Despite Widespread Criticism

Kazakhstan has reformed laws on strictly controlled peaceful assembly that critics say fall short of international human rights standards and amount to window dressing .
Kazakh President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev signed legislation into law on May 25 that defines how many people can attend a demonstration , what venues are available for rallies , and what permission is needed to conduct such public events .
The new law also bans foreigners from joining protests or organizing them .
Kazakh and international human rights activists have repeatedly noted that the bill contradicts international standards and is replete with numerous restrictions and bureaucratic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ procedures described in the bill actually require authorities to grant “ permission ” for a peaceful assembly and they have many reasons to refuse .
“ Despite some changes in procedures , the law leaves room for Kazakhstan ’ s authorities to continue to unjustifiably restrict people from exercising their right to peaceful protest , ” said Mira Rittman , Human Rights Watch researcher for Europe and Central Asia .
In April , Human Rights Watch and other rights groups wrote a letter to Toqaev urging him to reevaluate the public assembly law @ @ @ @ @ @ @ standards .
Adding to concerns about the process that led the new law , parliament debated the bill while the country was under coronavirus restrictions that limited the ability of citizens to organize to express their opinions .
RFE/RL has reported that during the coronavirus lockdown authorities clamped down on and monitored civil rights activists critical of the revisions to the law on assembly .
Tokaev came to power in 2019 pledging reforms in the energy-rich Central Asian country following three decades of rule by his predecessor Nursultan Nazarbaev .
Nazarbaev still maintains @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the country ’ s security council and ruling Nur Otan party .

Kazakhstan has reformed laws on strictly controlled peaceful assembly that critics say fall short of international human rights standards and amount to window dressing.
Kazakh President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev signed legislation into law on May 25 that defines how many people can attend a demonstration, what venues are available for rallies, and what permission is needed to conduct such public events.
The new law also bans foreigners from joining protests or organizing them.
Kazakh and international human rights activists have repeatedly noted that the bill contradicts international standards and is replete with numerous restrictions and bureaucratic hurdles.
According to experts, the procedures described in the bill actually require authorities to grant “permission” for a peaceful assembly and they have many reasons to refuse.
“Despite some changes in procedures, the law leaves room for Kazakhstan’s authorities to continue to unjustifiably restrict people from exercising their right to peaceful protest,” said Mihra Rittmann, Human Rights Watch researcher for Europe and Central Asia.
In April, Human Rights Watch and other rights groups wrote a letter to Toqaev urging him to reevaluate the public assembly law to bring it into line with international standards.
Adding to concerns about the process that led to the new law, parliament debated the bill while the country was under coronavirus restrictions that limited the ability of citizens to organize to express their opinions.
RFE/RL has reported that during the coronavirus lockdown authorities clamped down on and monitored civil rights activists critical of the revisions to the law on assembly.
Tokaev came to power in 2019 pledging reforms in the energy-rich Central Asian country following three decades of rule by his predecessor, Nursultan Nazarbaev.
Nazarbaev still maintains key positions of power, including head of the country’s Security Council and ruling Nur Otan party.


rferl--2020-05-25--Kazakh COVID-19 Cemetery Has More Graves Than Reported Coronavirus Victims

ALMATY -- A cemetery said to be only for coronavirus victims in the southwestern Kazakh city of Almaty and the surrounding region appears to hold many more bodies than the area 's number of reported COVID-19 deaths .
RFE/RL 's Kazakh Service on May 25 filmed workers in protective gear burying two bodies in the cemetery , which contained 32 fresh graves .
To date , authorities in Almaty have reported only 10 deaths attributed to COVID-19 , and the surround Almaty region has recorded none .
The cemetery located in a remote area near the village of Karaoi , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ divided by a dirt road with 13 Muslim graves on one side and 17 Christian graves on the other .
The graves are marked with simple wooden crosses or posts bearing the Islamic crescent , with names and dates of death indicating that the deceased perished in April and May .
Most of those buried were over 60 years old .
RFE/RL confirmed after speaking to relatives attending one of the burials that one of the bodies belonged to a 73-year-old woman who was only recently diagnosed with COVID-19 but has not been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nadezhda , an Almaty resident who gave only her first name , said her mother fell ill in mid-May , tested negative for the virus , and was initially diagnosed with pneumonia .
However , the elderly woman 's condition continued to deteriorate and on May 23 the family sent for an ambulance .
When relatives arrived at the hospital , they were told that the woman had high blood pressure .
Only on the day of the burial , on May 25 , was the family given a document showing that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ brother Nikolai , who also only gave his first name , showed the document to RFE/RL reporters .
The cemetery is the same one that the state organization responsible for epidemiological situation in Almaty recently said had been specifically set up for coronavirus victims .
Assel Qalyqova , acting head of the city 's department for quality control and safety of products and services , described the establishment of the cemetery in a report aired May 21 on the local television channel 31 .
The report features video from drone footage that shows @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with Muslim graves on one side and Christian graves on the other .
When asked by RFE/RL why the cemetery appears to contain the graves of 22 people not listed in official coronavirus statistics , Health Ministry official Timur Sultangaziev only partially addressed the question in a session broadcast on the ministry 's Facebook page .
He said that the ministry `` had not given any order to create special graves for those who died of coronavirus . ''
Regional authorities , he said , `` can decide for themselves . ''
Questions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Almaty , Zhandarbek Bekshin , during his online briefing on May 25 were not answered .
According to official Health Ministry data , 8,531 coronavirus infections had been recorded countrywide as of May 25 , with 35 deaths .

ALMATY -- A cemetery said to be only for coronavirus victims in the southwestern Kazakh city of Almaty and the surrounding region appears to hold many more bodies than the area's number of reported COVID-19 deaths.
RFE/RL's Kazakh Service on May 25 filmed workers in protective gear burying two bodies in the cemetery, which contained 32 fresh graves.
To date, authorities in Almaty have reported only 10 deaths attributed to COVID-19, and the surrounding Almaty region has recorded none.
The cemetery -- located in a remote area near the village of Karaoi, about 50 kilometers from Almaty -- is divided by a dirt road with 13 Muslim graves on one side and 17 Christian graves on the other.
The graves are marked with simple wooden crosses or posts bearing the Islamic crescent, with names and dates of death indicating that the deceased perished in April and May. Most of those buried were over 60 years old.
RFE/RL confirmed after speaking to relatives attending one of the burials that one of the bodies belonged to a 73-year-old woman who was only recently diagnosed with COVID-19 but who has not been officially identified as a coronavirus victim.
Nadezhda, an Almaty resident who gave only her first name, said her mother fell ill in mid-May, tested negative for the virus, and was initially diagnosed with pneumonia. However, the elderly woman's condition continued to deteriorate and on May 23 the family sent for an ambulance.
When relatives arrived at the hospital, they were told that the woman had high blood pressure. Only on the day of the burial, on May 25, was the family given a document showing that the woman had contracted COVID-19.
Nadezhda's brother Nikolai, who also only gave his first name, showed the document to RFE/RL.
The cemetery is the same one that the state organization responsible for the epidemiological situation in Almaty recently said had been specifically set up for coronavirus victims.
Assel Qalyqova, acting head of the city's department for quality control and safety of products and services, described the establishment of the cemetery in a report that was aired on May 21 on the local television channel.
The report features drone footage that shows the cemetery divided by the dirt road, with Muslim graves on one side and Christian graves on the other.
When asked by RFE/RL why the cemetery appears to contain the graves of 22 people not listed in official coronavirus statistics, Health Ministry official Timur Sultangaziev only partially addressed the question in a session broadcast on the ministry's Facebook page.
He said that the ministry "had not given any order to create special graves for those who died of the coronavirus." Regional authorities, he said, "can decide for themselves."
Questions sent to the chief sanitary doctor of Almaty, Zhandarbek Bekshin, during his online briefing on May 25 were not answered.
According to official Health Ministry data, 8,531 coronavirus infections had been recorded countrywide as of May 25, with 35 deaths.


rferl--2020-05-25--Activists Detained As 'Fabricated' Terrorism Trial Resumes In Russia

Activists were reportedly detained and single-person pickets were halted in St. Petersburg before the resumption of the trial of two defendants accused of belonging to a group that prosecutors allege planned to carry out terrorist acts and sought to overthrow the government .
The detentions came as the high-profile trial of Yuly Boyarshinov , 28 , and Viktor Filinkov , 25 -- both allegedly members of the leftist group Set ( Network ) -- was reopened on May 25 after a month-long delay due to the coronavirus outbreak .
Rights groups and opposition figures have decried the lengthy prison sentences @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in February , suggested that the charges were fabricated owing to their political activism , and expressed alarm over the testimony of some of the defendants that they were tortured in custody and forced to confess .
Filinkov has claimed he was tortured with a stun guy by Federal Security Service officers and Boyarshinov has said he was beaten in pretrial detention .
On May 25 , Boyarshinov 's father , Nikolai Boyarshinov , briefly held up a sign in front of the courthouse that read `` free all political prisoners '' before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and check his documents .
He was not detained .
But Pavel Ivankin , a member of the street-protest group Agit of Russia who had started a one-person picket the day before the trial resumed , announced on Telegram that he had been detained and cited for an infraction before the trial got under way on May 25 .
One of his posts related to the detention showed an image of him holding a sign saying `` Free Yuly Boyarshinov , '' captioned with the message : `` Fine , I will picket @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Telegram channel Pyatnitsa , meanwhile , reported that an activist identified as Ilya Tkachenko was detained and cited for an infraction as he headed to the courthouse , and another , Dmitry Negodyn , was detained for holding up a sign in support of the two defendants .
Filinkov and Boyarshinov have been jailed for more than 2 years .
They were detained in St. Petersburg in January 2018 , and their trial began in February 2020 .
Russian investigators have said that Network planned to organize a series of bomb attacks in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ World Cup soccer tournament in 2018 `` to destabilize the situation '' in the country and to organize an armed uprising .
In February , a court in Penza sentenced seven Network members to prison terms of between 6 years and 18 years after convicting them of terrorism .
The group members were accused of creating a terrorist group with cells in Moscow , St. Petersburg , Penza , and Omsk , as well as in neighboring Belarus .
Amnesty International has called the terror charges `` a figment of the Russian security @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fabricated in an attempt to silence '' the activists .

Activists were reportedly detained and single-person pickets were halted in St. Petersburg before the resumption of the trial of two defendants accused of belonging to a group that prosecutors allege planned to carry out terrorist acts and sought to overthrow the government.
The detentions came as the high-profile trial of Yuly Boyarshinov, 28, and Viktor Filinkov, 25 -- both allegedly members of the leftist group Set (Network) -- was reopened on May 25 after a month-long delay due to the coronavirus outbreak.
Rights groups and opposition figures have decried the lengthy prison sentences handed to other members of the group in February, suggested that the charges were fabricated owing to their political activism, and expressed alarm over the testimony of some of the defendants that they were tortured in custody and forced to confess.
Filinkov has claimed he was tortured with a stun guy by Federal Security Service officers and Boyarshinov has said he was beaten in pretrial detention.
On May 25, Boyarshinov's father, Nikolai Boyarshinov, briefly held up a sign in front of the courthouse that read "free all political prisoners" before police stepped in to halt the action and check his documents. He was not detained.
WATCH: Defendant's Father Holds Protest As Case Resumes
But Pavel Ivankin, a member of the street-protest group Agit of Russia who had started a one-person picket the day before the trial resumed, announced on Telegram that he had been detained and cited for an infraction before the trial got under way on May 25.
One of his posts related to the detention showed an image of him holding a sign saying "Free Yuly Boyarshinov," captioned with the message: "Fine, I will picket in the police wagon."
The Telegram channel Pyatnitsa, meanwhile, reported that an activist identified as Ilya Tkachenko was detained and cited for an infraction as he headed to the courthouse, and another, Dmitry Negodyn, was detained for holding up a sign in support of the two defendants.
Filinkov and Boyarshinov have been jailed for more than 2 years. They were detained in St. Petersburg in January 2018, and their trial began in February 2020.
Russian investigators have said that Network planned to organize a series of bomb attacks in Russia during the presidential election and the World Cup soccer tournament in 2018 "to destabilize the situation" in the country and to organize an armed uprising.
In February, a court in Penza sentenced seven Network members to prison terms of between 6 years and 18 years after convicting them of terrorism.
The group members were accused of creating a terrorist group with cells in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Penza, and Omsk, as well as in neighboring Belarus.
Amnesty International has called the terror charges "a figment of the Russian security services' imagination" that was "fabricated in an attempt to silence" the activists.


rferl--2020-05-25--Russian, Ukrainian, Bulgarian Sailors Freed After Africa Kidnapping

Eight foreign crew members kidnapped from a container ship off Benin 's coast last month have been freed , the Nigerian Navy says .
The eight include nationals from Russia , Ukraine , Bulgaria , and the Philippines .
They were freed in a rescue operation on May 23 , Nigerian Navy Admiral Oladele Daji told AFP , adding that it was “ premature to give any details on their captivity and release.
” “ They are on medical observation and one of them is receiving medical treatment for malnutrition , '' Daji said on May 25 .
The owner @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Transeste , confirmed that the detained crew members had been released and would be repatriated back to their families .
Transeste has said the vessel , the Tommi Ritscher , had been boarded by pirates on April 19 while at anchor off the coast of Benin .
Eleven crew members were able to hide in the ship ’ s citadel and were later freed in a joint Benin Navy and Nigerian Special Forces operation .
However , 11 crew members remained missing , including three Russians , one Ukrainian , and the Bulgarian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the Gulf of Guinea , which has been the scene of pirate attacks , lootings , and kidnappings for ransom .
Many of the pirates come from Nigeria .

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


rferl--2020-05-25--Current Time Report Sparks Investigation At Makeshift Hospital In Moscow Region

MOSCOW -- Prosecutors in Moscow say they have started an investigation after Current Time reported alleged shortages of medicines and labor violations at a makeshift hospital for coronavirus patients set up by a well-known Azerbaijani-Russian businessman Araz Agalarov .
The Moscow region 's prosecutor 's office said that a legal assessment will be made assessing the actions of officials involved in the operation of the hospital that was set up at Agalarov 's Crocus Expo exhibition complex in the town of Krasnogorsk , near Moscow .
The statement came after Current Time , along with the investigative Scanner Project , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that shows Agalarov obtained state contracts worth almost 2 billion rubles ( $ 28 million ) without a tender to set up the hospital .
Current Time is a Russian-language network led by RFE/RL in cooperation with VOA .
Several medical personnel at the facility , speaking on condition of anonymity , said two weeks into their work they still had no labor contracts and that there was a lack of medical equipment -- including for personal protection -- and medicine for patients at the hospital .
The physicians told Current Time they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 3,500 ) for a 36-hour work week , but later that was changed to 72 work hours .
The doctors added that they had been threatened to have their compensation cut further if they complained about the conditions .
Nurses at the makeshift hospital started receiving and signing labor contracts on May 22 .
The hospital currently has about 500 patients .
Officials at the Hospital No .
1 in Krasnogorsk , which supervises the makeshift hospital ’ s operations , refused to comment on the situation , telling Current Time reporters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Health Ministry .
However , nobody at the ministry was available for immediate comment , Current Time reported .

MOSCOW -- Prosecutors in Moscow say they have started an investigation after Current Time reported alleged shortages of medicines and labor violations at a makeshift hospital for coronavirus patients set up by a well-known Azerbaijani-Russian businessman Araz Agalarov.
The Moscow region's prosecutor's office said that a legal assessment will be made assessing the actions of officials involved in the operation of the hospital that was set up at Agalarov's Crocus Expo exhibition complex in the town of Krasnogorsk, near Moscow.
The statement came after Current Time, along with the investigative Scanner Project, published the results of their joint investigation that shows Agalarov obtained state contracts worth almost 2 billion rubles ($28 million) without a tender to set up the hospital.
Current Time is a Russian-language network led by RFE/RL in cooperation with VOA.
Several medical personnel at the facility, speaking on condition of anonymity, said two weeks into their work they still had no labor contracts and that there was a lack of medical equipment -- including for personal protection -- and medicine for patients at the hospital.
The physicians told Current Time they initially had been promised 250,000 rubles ($3,500) for a 36-hour work week, but later that was changed to 72 work hours.
The doctors added that they had been threatened to have their compensation cut further if they complained about the conditions.
Nurses at the makeshift hospital started receiving and signing labor contracts on May 22.
The hospital currently has about 500 patients.
Officials at the Hospital No. 1 in Krasnogorsk, which supervises the makeshift hospital’s operations, refused to comment on the situation, telling Current Time reporters to make their enquiries at the regional Health Ministry.
However, nobody at the ministry was available for immediate comment, Current Time reported.


rferl--2020-05-25--Russian Prosecutor Seeks Lengthy Prison Term For American On Spying Charges

MOSCOW -- Russian prosecutors have asked a Moscow court to find former Marine Paul Whelan guilty of espionage -- a charge Whelan and U.S. officials vehemently deny -- and sentence him to 18 years in prison .
Whelan 's lawyer , Vladimir Zherebenkov , said on May 25 that the Moscow City Court set June 15 as the date to hand down its verdict after a high-profile trial that has strained ties with Washington .
`` Frankly speaking , we are all in shock , '' Zherebenkov said outside the Moscow City Court , where the trial was held .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` with dignity '' to the prosecutor 's demand , adding that , in all , 15 witnesses had testified at the trial .
`` The prosecutor questioned its four witnesses , who were mainly operatives of the secret service , while defense questioned its 11 witnesses , who are people Whelan was in touch with while in Russia .
All of them testified that Paul had not 'recruited ' anyone and had never collect any secret information , '' Zherebenkov said .
The 50-year-old Whelan , who also holds British , Canadian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the court in his final statement that he was not guilty .
Whelan was arrested in Moscow in December 2018 and in March this year went on trial , despite the coronavirus pandemic and diplomatic protests .
Prosecutors claim that a flash disc found in his possession contained classified information .
Whelan says he was framed when he took a USB drive from an acquaintance thinking it contained holiday photos and that the allegations of spying against him are politically motivated .
He has also accused his prison guards of mistreatment .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the evidence includes classified materials , as well as because of measures taken to slow the spread of the coronavirus .
Whelan was head of global security at a U.S. auto-parts supplier at the time of his arrest .
He and his relatives insist he visited Russia to attend a wedding .
U.S. officials have urged Moscow to release Whelan and criticized the Russian authorities for their `` shameful treatment '' of him .
After the sentencing demand , the U.S. ambassador in Moscow , John Sullivan , said `` this secret trial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` There is no legitimacy to a procedure that is hidden behind closed doors .
It is not transparent , it is not fair , and it is not impartial , '' Sullivan said in comments tweeted by embassy spokeswoman Rebecca Ross .
With reporting by TASS , AFP , and Interfax

MOSCOW -- Russian prosecutors have asked a Moscow court to find former Marine Paul Whelan guilty of espionage -- a charge Whelan and U.S. officials vehemently deny -- and sentence him to 18 years in prison.
Whelan's lawyer, Vladimir Zherebenkov, said on May 25 that the Moscow City Court set June 15 as the date to hand down its verdict after a high-profile trial that has strained ties with Washington.
"Frankly speaking, we are all in shock," Zherebenkov said outside the Moscow City Court, where the trial was held.
According to Zherebenkov, his client reacted "with dignity" to the prosecutor's demand, adding that, in all, 15 witnesses had testified at the trial.
"The prosecutor questioned its four witnesses, who were mainly operatives of the secret service, while defense questioned its 11 witnesses, who are people Whelan was in touch with while in Russia. All of them testified that Paul had not 'recruited' anyone and had never collect any secret information," Zherebenkov said.
The 50-year-old Whelan, who also holds British, Canadian, and Irish citizenships, again told the court in his final statement that he was not guilty.
Whelan was arrested in Moscow in December 2018 and in March this year went on trial, despite the coronavirus pandemic and diplomatic protests.
Prosecutors claim that a flash disc found in his possession contained classified information.
USB Drive
Whelan says he was framed when he took a USB drive from an acquaintance thinking it contained holiday photos and that the allegations of spying against him are politically motivated. He has also accused his prison guards of mistreatment.
The trial was held behind closed doors because the evidence includes classified materials, as well as because of measures taken to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
Whelan was head of global security at a U.S. auto-parts supplier at the time of his arrest. He and his relatives insist he visited Russia to attend a wedding.
U.S. officials have urged Moscow to release Whelan and criticized the Russian authorities for their "shameful treatment" of him.
After the sentencing demand, the U.S. ambassador in Moscow, John Sullivan, said "this secret trial is a mockery of justice."
"There is no legitimacy to a procedure that is hidden behind closed doors. It is not transparent, it is not fair, and it is not impartial," Sullivan said in comments tweeted by embassy spokeswoman Rebecca Ross.
With reporting by TASS, AFP, and Interfax


rferl--2020-05-25--Taliban Prisoners Freed As Afghan Truce Holds For Second Day

KABUL -- Afghan authorities say they have released 100 Taliban prisoners as part of the government 's response to a three-day cease-fire the militants called to mark the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan , the Eid al-Fitr holiday .
The 100 Taliban prisoners were released from Bagram , north of Kabul , on May 25 as `` a gesture of goodwill to advance peace efforts , including an extended cease-fire and the immediate start of direct talks '' with the militants , National Security Council spokesman Javid Faisal wrote in a tweet .
The three-day truce started @ @ @ @ @ @ @ welcomed by the government , which reciprocated by announcing plans to free up to 2,000 militant prisoners .
`` There have been some minor security incidents today , '' Interior Ministry spokesman Tareq Arian said .
`` In general , there has been no major violation of the cease-fire today . ''
Faisal told AFP that authorities plan to release prisoners in batches of 100 daily , adding : `` We hope this will eventually lead to a lasting peace that the people of Afghanistan so much desire and deserve . ''
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Taliban signed an agreement aimed at ending the longest military action in U.S. history .
The deal lays out a timetable for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan in return for security commitments from the Taliban .
It also stipulates that Kabul must free 5,000 Taliban prisoners , while the militants are to release 1,000 captives -- a move expected to lead to intra-Afghan negotiations .
President Ashraf Ghani said the government was also ready to hold peace talks with the Taliban , seen as key to ending a nearly two-decade-long war @ @ @ @ @ @ @ brings to 1,100 the number of militants freed since early April , an official at the National Security Council told RFE/RL , while the militant group has freed 245 members of security forces , civil servants , and other people it had been holding .
In an address to the nation marking Eid al-Fitr , Ghani announced he would `` expedite the Taliban prisoner releases , '' while urging the group to press ahead with the release of Afghan security personnel it holds .
A presidential spokesman , Sediq Sediqqi , later on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a process to release up to 2,000 Taliban prisoners as a goodwill gesture '' in response to the Taliban 's announcement of a cease-fire during Eid .
Sediqqi added that the government `` is extending the offer of peace and is taking further steps to ensure success of the peace process . ''
However , Afghanistan 's Human Rights Commission cautioned the government against releasing Taliban militants who committed war crimes .
The U.S. special envoy to Afghanistan , Zalmay Khalizad , described the cease-fire as `` a momentous opportunity '' to accelerate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Other positive steps should immediately follow : the release of remaining prisoners as specified in the US-Taliban agreement by both sides , no returning to high levels of violence , and an agreement on a new date for the start of intra-Afghan negotiations , '' Khalizad wrote on Twitter .
The prospect of direct talks between Kabul and the Taliban gained a boost on May 17 when Ghani and his political rival , Abdullah Abdullah , reached a power-sharing agreement nearly eight months after disputed elections that led to a parallel government and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The United States has about 12,000 troops in Afghanistan .
Washington pays about $ 4 billion a year to maintain the Afghan military .
Taliban militants control about half of Afghanistan 's territory and have continued to carry out attacks since the deal was signed .
Afghan intelligence service spokesman Javid Faisal said on May 23 that at least 146 civilians were killed and 430 wounded in Taliban attacks during Ramadan .
With reporting by AFP and AP

The education of girls and women is universally accepted in more than 200 countries and territories, including nearly 50 Muslim-majority nations.
But Afghanistan’s hard-line Islamist Taliban rulers have banned teenage girls from attending school after the sixth grade since they returned to power two years ago. The ban was extended in December to women in universities.
Countless protests by Afghans inside the country, pressure from the international community, and lobbying by Muslim scholars and clerics have failed to convince the fundamentalist Taliban leaders to reopen schools.
Experts are divided over whether the ban is rooted in how the Taliban’s interpretation of Islam is shaped by conservative Pashtun tribal customs and cultural practices or if it is prompted by how senior Taliban ideologues interpret Islamic teachings.
Most Taliban leaders are ethnic Pashtun, Sunni Muslim clerics. Many were educated in Deobandi madrasahs in neighboring Pakistan. Deobandism emerged as a puritanical Islamic revivalist movement in 19-century British Colonial India. Based on the Sunni Hanafi school of jurisprudence, it is a prominent strain among Islamists in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Tribal Influences
Sami Yousafzai, a veteran Afghan journalist and commentator, argues that the Taliban restrictions against women are linked to social customs and cultural practices in eastern and southern Afghanistan.
Most Taliban leaders come from various Pashtun rural tribal communities in these regions bordering Pakistan.
"They believe that a woman's place is either inside a house or in a grave," Yousafzai said of the basic Taliban belief influenced by the status of women in the families of clerics and religious leaders in these Pashtun regions.
“Women living in the households of the current Taliban policymakers were never educated and never left their homes,” said Yousafzai, who has tracked the Islamist group since it emerged as a ragtag militia in the southern Afghan province of Kandahar in late 1994. “These women never performed any government or nongovernmental jobs.”
Yousafzai says the Taliban backs policies shaped by this worldview by leaning on Islamic teachings supporting such ideas. He says Taliban leaders rely on sayings attributed to the Prophet Muhammad that discourage women from leaving their homes.
“Their primary belief is that pubescent girls should not leave home under any circumstance,” he said. “This is why they view women leaving home for education or work as engaging in moral corruption.”
In Afghanistan, a Muslim nation of some 40 million people, activists and rights advocates accuse the Taliban of implementing "gender apartheid" by denying women education, work, freedom of movement, and deciding how they can appear in public.
Most Muslims agree that Islam allows women to get an education. Yet the Taliban publicly says that it will allow girls access to education only after ensuring complete gender segregation and other unspecified conditions.
Almost all Afghan secondary schools were gender segregated and universities imposed a strict separation between men and women after the Taliban takeover.
Yousafzai says in conservative and traditional Muslim societies around the world, some clerics also favor restrictions on women's education, work, and their role in public life. But the governments in those countries usually oppose or limit such ideas.
In recent years, Saudi Arabia -- one of the most conservative Sunni Muslim nations -- has allowed women to drive and granted them freedom of movement without a male guardian. These steps are part of a reform and modernity drive by Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman.
The Taliban ban on education has invited universal condemnation from Muslims globally.
“The Taliban's ban on women's education is not rooted in [the Islamic] Shari’a law but rather reflects cultural biases that contradict the teachings of Islam,” said Salam al-Marayati, president of the Muslim Public Affairs Council in the United States.
He said that contrary to Taliban practices, “Islam emphasizes the importance of seeking knowledge and encourages all individuals, regardless of gender, to acquire an education.”
Historical Conflict
But Islamic scholars and those who have attempted to convince the Taliban about reopening girls schools offer a different explanation.
John Mohammad Butt, an Islamic scholar and former BBC broadcaster who is the only Westerner to graduate from India’s Darul Uloom Deoband, argues that the Taliban's policy on girls' education is not tribal but shaped by the century-old conflict over modern education.
“The problem is that girls' education in Afghanistan -- indeed, contemporary education in general -- has generally been introduced in Afghanistan in line with a secular agenda,” he said.
In the 1920s, a coalition of conservative clerics and tribal and community leaders deposed reformist King Amanullah Khan. He wanted to modernize Afghanistan along Turkish leader Kamal Ataturk's secular lines and championed modern education and rights for women.
This opposition to modernity and secularism continued, and conservative clerics opposed women's education and work. It became a key part of the Islamist opposition to the pro-Soviet Afghan communist governments after the April 1978 military coup that ended the Afghan monarchy. The mujahedin accused the communists of spreading immorality by promoting women’s education and empowerment.
“This has led to particular wariness on the part of conservative circles in Afghanistan with regard to girls' education,” Butt said.
'Deep Ideological Conviction'
Obaidullah Baheer, a political science lecturer at the American University of Afghanistan, became part of an effort to rescind the ban by talking to the Taliban last year.
But he says the effort failed because “the ban is a matter of deep ideological conviction” for the current supreme leader of the Taliban, Mullah Haibatullah Akhundzada.
Baheer says that the most prominent Taliban leaders have studied in Pakistani madrasahs and were thus disconnected from village and tribal life.
“They have been indoctrinated by the Deobandi school of thought so that they now enforce the strictest version of Islam on the Afghan population,” he said.
He argues that the ban on girls’ schools is a deliberate policy championed by Akhundzada, who he says has endorsed Taliban Chief Justice Abdul Hakim Haqqani's Arabic language book The Islamic Emirate And Its System. In this book, Haqqani supports a fringe Islamic opinion of preferring the choice of one of the Prophet Muhammad's wives, Sawdah Bint Zam'ah, who chose to stay at home until her death.
Baheer says Haqqani ignores his other wives and other female companions that played an active role in many sectors of society and how they served as students and teachers for men.
“This fringe opinion is not held by all Taliban leaders but is one that the current absolute sovereign, the Taliban emir, seems to be convinced of,” he said.
Butt says that even Haqqani has acknowledged the principle that if there is something that women need to act upon, then that is also something that women need to learn about.
“I hope the Taliban authorities will come to realize in the not-too-distant future that education for women will make Afghan women into better Muslims,” he says. “It will enable them to make a stronger contribution to the well-being of their country.”
Two years after grappling with the issue, Western diplomats appear to be encouraging Afghan conservative and clerical circles to find ways to end the ban.
Tom West, the U.S. special representative for Afghanistan, recently tweeted that Afghan women must be educated and contribute to the economy to help their country stand on its own two feet.
“If change to policies is made, it will be because Afghans have asked for it, not a result of foreign requests,” he wrote.


rferl--2020-05-25--COVID-19: Iran Reopens Religious Shrines; Kremlin Spokesman Leaves Hospital

The global death toll from the coronavirus is almost 350,000 with more than 5.4 million infections confirmed , causing mass disruptions as governments continue to try to slow the spread of the new respiratory illness .
Iran has reopened its religious shrines , some two months after closing them due to the Middle East 's deadliest coronavirus outbreak .
The shrines were reopened on May 25 amid a gradual easing of restrictions put in place to contain the pandemic , which has killed 7,451 people and infected over 137,000 , according to official figures .
Real numbers are believed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after Iranian President Hassan Rohani said the day before that 10 out of the country 's 31 provinces are now in the virus `` containment stage . ''
Rohani said shrines will be open each day for three hours in the morning and three hours in the evening while observing strict health protocols .
The limited reopening of holy sites comes after Eid al-Fitr , which marks the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan .
Iran in mid-March closed key holy shrines , including the Imam Reza shrine in the northeastern @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Qom , where the first cases of coronavirus were reported in February , following criticism of a slow government response to the pandemic .
Videos posted online by Iranian media on May 25 showed visitors , some wearing masks , running toward the shrine of Imam Reza in Mashhad while being guided by attendants .
In a statement posted on its website , the shrine said visitors must observe health protocols such as wearing masks , maintaining social distancing , and bringing their own prayer mats and other accessories .
Another video @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Qom , where there appeared to be a disregard for social-distancing rules aimed at preventing the spreading of COVID-19 .
The closure of the religious sites , visited every year by millions of pilgrims who often touch and kiss the shrines , had triggered protests by hard-liners who attempted to break in to the two shrines .
Museums and historical sites were reopened on May 24 .
All government employees working from home must return to their offices on May 30 , Rohani said over the weekend .
Sports activities are due @ @ @ @ @ @ @ due to reopen in early June .
Authorities in the Ukrainian capital , Kyiv , have allowed the city 's subway system to resume operations after being closed for more than two months as part of the measures to restrict the movement of people during the coronavirus outbreak .
Officials said on May 25 that people will have their temperature taken before entering the subway system .
Those with a body temperature higher than 37.2 degrees Celsius will be refused entry .
Those who do enter the underground transportation system will still have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still in place , they added .
Subway operations also resumed in the eastern city of Kharkiv on May 25 .
Kyiv Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko said on May 25 that as of June 1 , the city administration plans to reopen kindergartens , sports venues , fitness centers , sports schools , clubs for children and youths , beaches and recreation areas by rivers and lakes , vocational schools , and universities .
Swimming pools will remain closed , he said .
Klitschko also said that cemeteries in Kyiv will reopen for visitors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of restrictions , Ukraine has extended travel restrictions for entering and leaving the country until June 15 .
As a result , Hungary 's low-cost airline Wizz Air says it has prolonged the suspension of its flights to Ukraine until June 15 .
As of early on May 25 , 21,245 coronavirus cases , including 623 deaths , had been registered in Ukraine .
Russian President Vladimir Putin 's spokesperson , Dmitry Peskov , has left the hospital after recovering from the coronavirus , Russian news agencies report .
Interfax quoted Peskov as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have to stay at home for another two weeks .
“ For now , I will be in quarantine , '' the 52-year-old told TASS , adding that he `` will gradually start working from home . ''
Peskov was hospitalized after testing positive for coronavirus along with his wife , Tatyana Navka on May 12 .
Navka recovered and was released from hospital on May 21 .
He suffered from pneumonia in both lungs , Interfax reported .
Other top officials have contracted the virus , including Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Minister Vladimir Yakushev .
Putin has worked remotely over the past few weeks from his Novo-Ogaryovo residence outside Moscow , chairing meetings with officials by videoconference But on May 25 , the 67-year-old Russian leader held talks with the director-general of Russian Railways , Oleg Belozerov , at the Kremlin , his office said .
It did not say whether Putin would be returning to work full time in the Kremlin .
Russia has the third-largest number of registered coronavirus infections at more than 353,400 , according to Johns Hopkins University , with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comparatively low mortality rate has been questioned by experts , with some suggesting the country ’ s government may be underreporting virus-related deaths and manipulating the statistics .
Meanwhile , the head of Russia 's Siberian Republic of Tyva has been hospitalized with the coronavirus .
Sholban Kara-Ool said in a video statement on Instagram on May 25 that he is being treated for COVID-19 at a local hospital in Tyva 's capital , Kyzyl .
`` The infection is very scary , it affects many parts of your body .
Headaches , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doctors are great , we are fine here , '' Kara-Ool said , adding that several other officials of the republic are also in hospital with the virus .
Looking tired and sick , Kara-Ool said that he intends to continue working remotely and asked the republic 's residents to follow lockdown restrictions to avoid the disease .
Tyva are a Turkic-speaking ethnic group of some 308,000 people , mainly residing in the remote republic on the Russian-Mongolian border .
According to the latest data , 628 coronavirus cases , including one death @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Montenegro 's Institute of Public Health has announced that for the first time in more than two months , the tiny Adriatic country has no confirmed coronavirus infections .
`` It 's official : Currently there are no active cases of # COVID19 in Montenegro , '' the institute said on Twitter .
`` After 68 days from the first recorded case , Montenegro is currently without patients with COVID-19 . ''
Although it has gone 19 days without registering any new cases , Montenegro has not officially declared an end to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , from the Institute of Public Health , told RFE/RL that while there were not strict guidelines for declaring an end to an epidemic , epidemiologists generally consider a country virus-free only after no new infections have been found for 28 days .
Montenegro , which has around 630,000 inhabitants , was among the last European states to report a confirmed case and has only reported a total of 324 cases , with nine deaths .
Outbreaks surged in neighboring Bosnia-Herzegovina and Serbia , but most Balkan countries have generally fared better than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ states .
Slovenia became the first country in Europe to declare an end to its COVID-19 epidemic on May 14 .
With reporting by RFE/RL 's Balkan and Ukrainian services , the Siberia Desk of RFE/RL 's Russian Service , IRNA , Tasnim , AFP , and Reuters


rferl--2020-05-25--Iranian Fuel Tanker Reaches Venezuelan Refinery


rferl--2020-05-26--Poroshenko Fails To Appear For Questioning As Witness In Illegal Transfer Of Paintings

KYIV -- Former Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has failed to appear at the State Bureau of Investigations ( DBR ) for questioning as a witness in a case about the alleged illegal transfer of cultural objects across the border .
Poroshenko 's lawyer , Ihor Holovan , said on Facebook that his client did not appear at the DBR headquarters in Kyiv on May 26 because the summons for questioning was `` illegal '' since his client should have been served the subpoena personally , which was not the case .
Holovan called his client `` the main political rival @ @ @ @ @ @ @ claimed that the case in question , as well as other cases against Poroshenko , were politically motivated .
The DBR said earlier that it had summoned Poroshenko for questioning in a case about `` the circumstances of moving across the Ukrainian border , without presenting to customs services , a collection of cultural objects , consisting of 43 paintings by world-famous artists . ''
Poroshenko , who is currently a deputy in parliament , has been questioned as a witness several times in recent months in cases looking into several investigations launched @ @ @ @ @ @ @ term as president .
The DBR said in January that it was looking into 13 possible cases where Poroshenko or his associates were implicated .
A billionaire confectioner , Poroshenko and his party ran on a pro-European , anti-Russian ticket in July parliamentary elections , winning 25 seats .

KYIV -- Former Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has failed to appear at the State Bureau of Investigations (DBR) for questioning as a witness in a case about the alleged illegal transfer of cultural objects across the border.
Poroshenko's lawyer, Ihor Holovan, said on Facebook that his client did not appear at the DBR headquarters in Kyiv on May 26 because the summons for questioning was "illegal" since his client should have been served the subpoena personally, which was not the case.
Holovan called his client "the main political rival" of incumbent President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and claimed that the case in question, as well as other cases against Poroshenko, were politically motivated.
The DBR said earlier that it had summoned Poroshenko for questioning in a case about "the circumstances of moving across the Ukrainian border, without presenting to customs services, a collection of cultural objects, consisting of 43 paintings by world-famous artists."
Poroshenko, who is currently a deputy in parliament, has been questioned as a witness several times in recent months in cases looking into several investigations launched after he failed to win a second term as president.
The DBR said in January that it was looking into 13 possible cases where Poroshenko or his associates were implicated.
A billionaire confectioner, Poroshenko and his party ran on a pro-European, anti-Russian ticket in July parliamentary elections, winning 25 seats.


rferl--2020-05-26--Yakut Shaman Who Wanted To Drive Putin From Power Files Complaint With ECHR

YAKUTSK , Russia -- Lawyers of Aleksandr Gabyshev , a shaman in the Siberian region of Yakutia who gained notoriety in 2019 after declaring that he wanted to drive Russian President Vladimir Putin from power , have filed a complaint with the European Court of Human Rights ( ECHR ) against his forced placement in a psychiatric clinic .
One of the lawyers , Olga Timofeyeva , told RFE/RL on May 26 that the complaint was filed because Gabyshev had been placed in a psychiatric clinic in the city of Yakutsk illegally , against his will , and without the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Health Ministry 's response to my question about the legal reasons for Gabyshev 's detention was shallow .
The ministry did not give a clear answer , saying only that visits to Gabyshev had been banned due to coronavirus restrictions , '' Timofeyeva said , adding that although her client is allowed to talk to his lawyers by phone , she was unable to reach him on May 26 .
Gabyshev was placed in a psychiatric clinic against his will after 20 officers from an OMON police unit of Russia 's National @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on May 12 and detained him .
In early May , Gabyshev posted a video on YouTube that showed him performing a traditional Yakut shaman 's dance while declaring : `` Very soon you all will break out to freedom . ''
`` People , in two months , you will not recognize the world , including Russia , '' Gabyshev says in the YouTube video .
`` Nobody will hold down people 's power .
People 's power is from nature , from God .
And it will sweep out everything in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , my prophecy ... .
You will take care of your own destinies yourselves .
You will take freedom with your own hands . ''
Gabyshev made headlines in 2019 when he called Putin `` evil '' and announced that he would march to Moscow in an attempt to drive the Russian president out of the Kremlin .
Starting the journey in March 2019 , Gabyshev walked more than 2,000 kilometers and spoke with hundreds of Russians along the way .
As his notoriety rose , videos of his conversations with people were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of views .
In July , when Gabyshev reached the city of Chita , he gathered about 700 people together for a rally under the slogan : `` Russia Without Putin ! ''
At the time , Gabyshev said : `` God told me Putin is not a human , but instead a demon , and has ordered me to drive him out . ''
His march was halted when he was detained in the region of Buryatia last September .
Authorities transferred him to Yakutia where he was sent to a psychiatric @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , psychiatrists in Yakutsk said Gabyshev was mentally unstable .
But independent experts hired by the shaman 's lawyers concluded that Gabyshev is mentally sound , does not need forced treatment in a psychiatric clinic , and is not a danger to society .
In December , Gabyshev and two supporters attempted to resume the march to Moscow , ignoring Yakutia 's subzero temperatures .
But they were stopped again by police and forced to return home .
Shamans have served as healers and diviners in Siberia for centuries .
During the Soviet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But in isolated parts of Siberia , they are now regaining importance .

YAKUTSK, Russia -- Lawyers of Aleksandr Gabyshev, a shaman in the Siberian region of Yakutia who gained notoriety in 2019 after declaring that he wanted to drive Russian President Vladimir Putin from power, have filed a complaint with the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) against his forced placement in a psychiatric clinic.
One of the lawyers, Olga Timofeyeva, told RFE/RL on May 26 that the complaint was filed because Gabyshev had been placed in a psychiatric clinic in the city of Yakutsk illegally, against his will, and without the consent of his legal representatives.
"The Health Ministry's response to my question about the legal reasons for Gabyshev's detention was shallow. The ministry did not give a clear answer, saying only that visits to Gabyshev had been banned due to coronavirus restrictions," Timofeyeva said, adding that although her client is allowed to talk to his lawyers by phone, she was unable to reach him on May 26.
Gabyshev was placed in a psychiatric clinic against his will after 20 officers from an OMON police unit of Russia's National Guard stormed into his home in Yakutsk on May 12 and detained him.
In early May, Gabyshev posted a video on YouTube that showed him performing a traditional Yakut shaman's dance while declaring: "Very soon you all will break out to freedom."
"People, in two months, you will not recognize the world, including Russia," Gabyshev says in the YouTube video.
"Nobody will hold down people's power. People's power is from nature, from God. And it will sweep out everything in two months. Consider it my forecast, my prophecy.... You will take care of your own destinies yourselves. You will take freedom with your own hands."
Gabyshev made headlines in 2019 when he called Putin "evil" and announced that he would march to Moscow in an attempt to drive the Russian president out of the Kremlin.
Starting the journey in March 2019, Gabyshev walked more than 2,000 kilometers and spoke with hundreds of Russians along the way.
As his notoriety rose, videos of his conversations with people were posted on social media and attracted millions of views.
In July, when Gabyshev reached the city of Chita, he gathered about 700 people together for a rally under the slogan: "Russia Without Putin!"
At the time, Gabyshev said: "God told me Putin is not a human, but instead a demon, and has ordered me to drive him out."
His march was halted when he was detained in the region of Buryatia last September. Authorities transferred him to Yakutia where he was sent to a psychiatric clinic and then released.
In October, psychiatrists in Yakutsk said Gabyshev was mentally unstable. But independent experts hired by the shaman's lawyers concluded that Gabyshev is mentally sound, does not need forced treatment in a psychiatric clinic, and is not a danger to society.
In December, Gabyshev and two supporters attempted to resume the march to Moscow, ignoring Yakutia's subzero temperatures.
But they were stopped again by police and forced to return home.
Shamans have served as healers and diviners in Siberia for centuries. During the Soviet era, the mystics were repressed harshly.
But in isolated parts of Siberia, they are now regaining importance.


rferl--2020-05-26--Uzbek Sports Journalists Ousted After Critical On-Air Comments About Dam Failure

TASHKENT -- Two Uzbek sports journalists have left their positions after criticizing the state-run television channel for its coverage of the aftermath of a devastating dam failure earlier in May that killed at least four people and displaced tens of thousands of others .
Speaking on condition of anonymity , an official of Sport TV and Radio told RFE/RL on May 25 that Bobur Akmalov , the editor of Sport TV , and the channel 's director-general , Jamoliddin Bobojonov , had been fired .
The official did not give any further details , but his comments came after local @ @ @ @ @ @ @ relieved of their duties after they submitted their resignations on May 22 .
Another Tashkent-based journalist familiar with the situation told RFE/RL that Akmalov and Bobojonov had been forced to resign for expressing their opinions in a Football Plus program aired by the Oriat Dono radio station on May 18 .
During the broadcast in question , Bobojonov and Akmalov , who was also the anchor of the Football Plus program on Oirat Dono , criticized state-run Uzbekistan 24 for its coverage of the Sardoba dam burst , which flooded several nearby villages @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` on paper and on the Uzbekistan 24 TV channel , everything is great '' in Uzbekistan , `` while real life is something completely different . ''
`` Well , after watching the reports by Uzbekistan 24 , I had the impression that people in Sardoba were happy with the disaster , '' Bobojonov says , laughing .
Akmalov agrees with Bobojonov and also laughs , saying that reports about President Shavkat Mirziyoev 's visit to the area hit by the floods after the dam burst looked like reports from North Korea @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no matter what . ''
In a Facebook statement , Alisher Hojaev , chairman of the Uzbek National Television and Radio Company ( MTRK ) , accused Akmalov and Bobojonov of `` violating corporate ethics and making baseless and untrue allegations . ''
The statement was later removed from Facebook .
A group called People 's Control has launched a petition on Facebook supporting the two journalists and demanding Hojaev 's resignation .

TASHKENT -- Two Uzbek sports journalists have left their positions after criticizing the state-run television channel for its coverage of the aftermath of a devastating dam failure earlier in May that killed at least four people and displaced tens of thousands of others.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, an official of Sport TV and Radio told RFE/RL on May 25 that Bobur Akmalov, the editor of Sport TV, and the channel's director-general, Jamoliddin Bobojonov, had been fired.
The official did not give any further details, but his comments came after local media reports said the two had been relieved of their duties after they submitted their resignations on May 22.
Another Tashkent-based journalist familiar with the situation told RFE/RL that Akmalov and Bobojonov had been forced to resign for expressing their opinions in a Football Plus program aired by the Oriat Dono radio station on May 18.
During the broadcast in question, Bobojonov and Akmalov, who was also the anchor of the Football Plus program on Oirat Dono, criticized state-run Uzbekistan 24 for its coverage of the Sardoba dam burst, which flooded several nearby villages.
Bobojonov said during the broadcast that "on paper and on the Uzbekistan 24 TV channel, everything is great" in Uzbekistan, "while real life is something completely different."
"Well, after watching the reports by Uzbekistan 24, I had the impression that people in Sardoba were happy with the disaster," Bobojonov says, laughing.
Akmalov agrees with Bobojonov and also laughs, saying that reports about President Shavkat Mirziyoev's visit to the area hit by the floods after the dam burst looked like reports from North Korea, "where people always look happy no matter what."
In a Facebook statement, Alisher Hojaev, chairman of the Uzbek National Television and Radio Company (MTRK), accused Akmalov and Bobojonov of "violating corporate ethics and making baseless and untrue allegations."
The statement was later removed from Facebook.
A group called People's Control has launched a petition on Facebook supporting the two journalists and demanding Hojaev's resignation.


rferl--2020-05-26--Sister Of Jailed Kyrgyz Politician Detained In Poland On Bishkek's Request

BISHKEK -- A sister of jailed Kyrgyz politician Sadyr Japarov , Raikul Japarova , has been detained in Poland at the request of officials in Bishkek .
The Kyrgyz Interior Ministry 's press service told RFE/RL on May 26 that Japarova was detained by Polish authorities four days earlier and her extradition to Kyrgyzstan is under discussion with Warsaw .
According to the ministry , Raikul Japarova was tried in absentia in 2014 and 2015 and found guilty of money laundering , fraud , and abuse of office .
She was then sentenced to 10 years in prison by two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the country .
Charges against Japarova stem from her association with Maksim Bakiev , a son of the former Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiev , who was toppled by deadly antigovernment protests in 2010 .
He currently resides in Belarus .
Both Kurmanbek Bakiev and his son Maksim have been sentenced to life in prison in absentia on a number of charges and are wanted in Bishkek .
Former lawmaker Sadyr Japarov was sentenced in August 2017 to 11 1/2 years in prison after a court in Bishkek convicted him of taking a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Kumtor Gold Mine .
Demonstrators were demanding the mine be nationalized .
Japarov has rejected the charges , saying they were politically motivated .
In April 2019 , the Supreme Court cut Japarov 's sentence by 18 months .

BISHKEK -- A sister of jailed Kyrgyz politician Sadyr Japarov, Raikul Japarova, has been detained in Poland at the request of officials in Bishkek.
The Kyrgyz Interior Ministry's press service told RFE/RL on May 26 that Japarova was detained by Polish authorities four days earlier and her extradition to Kyrgyzstan is under discussion with Warsaw.
According to the ministry, Raikul Japarova was tried in absentia in 2014 and 2015 and found guilty of money laundering, fraud, and abuse of office.
She was then sentenced to 10 years in prison by two courts in Bishkek, while still out of the country.
Charges against Japarova stem from her association with Maksim Bakiev, a son of the former Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiev, who was toppled by deadly antigovernment protests in 2010. He currently resides in Belarus.
Both Kurmanbek Bakiev and his son Maksim have been sentenced to life in prison in absentia on a number of charges and are wanted in Bishkek.
Former lawmaker Sadyr Japarov was sentenced in August 2017 to 11 1/2 years in prison after a court in Bishkek convicted him of taking a government official hostage during 2013 protests around the Kumtor Gold Mine. Demonstrators were demanding the mine be nationalized.
Japarov has rejected the charges, saying they were politically motivated.
In April 2019, the Supreme Court cut Japarov's sentence by 18 months.


rferl--2020-05-26--Russian Military Helicopter Crashes In Chukotka, Killing Four

A Russian military helicopter has crashed in Russia 's northeastern Chukotka Peninsula , killing four people .
The Defense Ministry said the crash early on the morning of May 26 most likely was caused by a technical malfunction .
Chukotka Governor Roman Kopin said the aircraft crashed at the Ugolnyye Kopi airport near the city of Anadyr .
Emergency crews are now at the site , he added .
`` There were three crew members and a technician aboard .
All died , '' Kopin said .
The Mi-8 is a Soviet-designed twin-turbine helicopter that is widely flown in Russia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It is used largely for the transportation of military personnel and civilians and has been involved in several crashes in recent times .
On May 19 , an Mi-8 military helicopter crashed near Moscow , killing three crew members .
In 2018 , an Mi-8 helicopter crashed after takeoff in Siberia , killing all 18 people on board including three crew members .
In 2013 , a Mi-8 helicopter operated by Polar Airlines crash in Siberia , killing 25 passengers and three crew .
Based on reporting by Interfax and RIA Novosti

A Russian military helicopter has crashed in Russia's northeastern Chukotka Peninsula, killing four people.
The Defense Ministry said the crash early on the morning of May 26 most likely was caused by a technical malfunction.
Chukotka Governor Roman Kopin said the aircraft crashed at the Ugolnyye Kopi airport near the city of Anadyr.
Emergency crews are now at the site, he added.
"There were three crew members and a technician aboard. All died," Kopin said.
The Mi-8 is a Soviet-designed twin-turbine helicopter that is widely flown in Russia and some 50 countries around the world.
It is used largely for the transportation of military personnel and civilians and has been involved in several crashes in recent times.
On May 19, an Mi-8 military helicopter crashed near Moscow, killing three crew members.
In 2018, an Mi-8 helicopter crashed after takeoff in Siberia, killing all 18 people on board including three crew members.
In 2013, a Mi-8 helicopter operated by Polar Airlines crash in Siberia, killing 25 passengers and three crew.
Based on reporting by Interfax and RIA Novosti