rferl--2020-10-26--Warring Sides In Conflict Over Nagorno-Karabakh Accuse Each Other Of Violating Latest Cease-Fire

BAKU/YEREVAN -- Armenia and Azerbaijan accused each other of violating a new humanitarian cease-fire to halt fighting over Nagorno-Karabakh shortly after it took effect on October 26 .
The Armenian Defense Ministry said the cease-fire was violated twice by shelling from Azerbaijani forces .
`` The regular ceasefire violation has been recorded at approximately 9.10 a.m. , '' Shushan Stepanian , press secretary of the Armenian Defense Ministry , said on Twitter .
`` Azerbaijani side targeted positions located in south-eastern direction , firing 5 artillery shells in that direction . ''
An earlier violation occurred at 8:45 a.m. when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , she said on Facebook .
However , Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian said on Facebook that `` despite several provocations , the cease-fire is generally being maintained . ''
He added that the Armenian side `` will continue to strictly adhere to the cease-fire regime . ''
Azerbaijan 's Defense Ministry said its forces also complied with the cease-fire and said Armenian forces had “ once again grossly violated ” the cease-fire .
Ethnic tensions in the region between Christian Armenians and their mainly Muslim neighbors have flared in Nagorno-Karabakh for decades @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recognized as part of Azerbaijan , but the ethnic Armenians , who make up the vast majority of the population , reject Azerbaijani rule .
They have been governing their own affairs , with support from Armenia , since Azerbaijan 's troops were pushed out of the breakaway region in a war in the 1990s .
The renewed fighting that broke out on September 27 has quickly became the deadliest since the 1990s .
President Ilham Aliyev said in an address to the nation on October 26 that Azerbaijan wanted to resolve the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or military means .
He also reiterated a demand that ethnic Armenian forces should leave the region in order for the conflict to stop .
`` This issue needs to be resolved , either militarily or peacefully .
I again suggested that we continue to resolve the conflict peacefully , but only if Armenia gave us a schedule of the withdrawal of illegal weapons on the occupied territories , '' Aliyev said .
The cease-fire was announced in a joint statement from the U.S. State Department and the two governments on October 25 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the cease-fire – the third attempt to establish a pause in hostilities after four weeks of fighting .
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo met with the foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan in Washington two days earlier in a new push for peace .
Earlier on October 25 , President Donald Trump was encouraged by the two sides ' commitment to the cease-fire .
“ Congratulations to Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev , who just agreed to adhere to a cease fire effective at midnight .
Many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said , praising Pompeo and his team for “ getting the deal done !
” The United States , France , and Russia -- co-chairs of the Minsk Group of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe ( OSCE ) -- said its foreign ministers would meet on October 29 in Geneva to discuss the Nagorno-Karabakh issue .
The Minsk Group , formed to mediate the conflict , said its co-chairs said the meeting would be held `` to discuss , reach agreement on , and begin implementation , in accordance with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of all steps necessary to achieve a peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict . ''
`` During their intensive discussions , the co-chairs and foreign ministers discussed implementing an immediate humanitarian cease-fire , possible parameters for monitoring the cease-fire , and initiating discussion of core substantive elements of a comprehensive solution , '' a statement from the Minsk Group said .
But new fighting erupted on October 25 between Azerbaijan and ethnic Armenian forces as both sides blamed each other for blocking a peaceful settlement to the conflict .
Armenia accused the Azerbaijani @ @ @ @ @ @ @ denied targeting civilians and said it was ready to implement a cease-fire , provided that Armenian forces withdrew from the battlefield .
The leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan have hardened their positions in recent days despite two Russian-brokered cease-fires , which both collapsed soon after being agreed upon .
At least some 1,000 people have been reported killed since fighting erupted on September 27 , raising fears of a wider conflict in the South Caucasus drawing in NATO member Turkey , which is an ally of Azerbaijan , and Russia , which has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forces and the Azerbaijani military claim to have inflicted devastating losses on each other .
But reports from the opposing sides are often contradictory and hard to verify .
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on October 22 that Moscow believes nearly 5,000 people have been killed in the latest fighting .
With reporting by Reuters , AFP , and dpa

BAKU/YEREVAN -- Armenia and Azerbaijan accused each other of violating a new humanitarian cease-fire to halt fighting over Nagorno-Karabakh shortly after it took effect on October 26.
The Armenian Defense Ministry said the cease-fire was violated twice by shelling from Azerbaijani forces.
"The regular ceasefire violation has been recorded at approximately 9.10 a.m.," Shushan Stepanian, press secretary of the Armenian Defense Ministry, said on Twitter. "Azerbaijani side targeted positions located in south-eastern direction, firing 5 artillery shells in that direction."
An earlier violation occurred at 8:45 a.m. when combat positions northeast of Artsakh were shelled, she said on Facebook.
However, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian said on Facebook that "despite several provocations, the cease-fire is generally being maintained."
He added that the Armenian side "will continue to strictly adhere to the cease-fire regime."
Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry said its forces also complied with the cease-fire and said Armenian forces had “once again grossly violated” the cease-fire.
Ethnic tensions in the region between Christian Armenians and their mainly Muslim neighbors have flared in Nagorno-Karabakh for decades.
Under international law, Nagorno-Karabakh is recognized as part of Azerbaijan, but the ethnic Armenians, who make up the vast majority of the population, reject Azerbaijani rule. They have been governing their own affairs, with support from Armenia, since Azerbaijan's troops were pushed out of the breakaway region in a war in the 1990s.
The renewed fighting that broke out on September 27 has quickly became the deadliest since the 1990s.
President Ilham Aliyev said in an address to the nation on October 26 that Azerbaijan wanted to resolve the conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, either by political or military means.
He also reiterated a demand that ethnic Armenian forces should leave the region in order for the conflict to stop.
"This issue needs to be resolved, either militarily or peacefully. I again suggested that we continue to resolve the conflict peacefully, but only if Armenia gave us a schedule of the withdrawal of illegal weapons on the occupied territories," Aliyev said.
The cease-fire was announced in a joint statement from the U.S. State Department and the two governments on October 25 said the two sides had committed to the cease-fire – the third attempt to establish a pause in hostilities after four weeks of fighting.
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo met with the foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan in Washington two days earlier in a new push for peace.
Earlier on October 25, President Donald Trump was encouraged by the two sides' commitment to the cease-fire.
“Congratulations to Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, who just agreed to adhere to a cease fire effective at midnight. Many lives will be saved,” Trump said, praising Pompeo and his team for “getting the deal done!”
The United States, France, and Russia -- co-chairs of the Minsk Group of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) -- said its foreign ministers would meet on October 29 in Geneva to discuss the Nagorno-Karabakh issue.
The Minsk Group, formed to mediate the conflict, said its co-chairs said the meeting would be held "to discuss, reach agreement on, and begin implementation, in accordance with a timeline to be agreed upon, of all steps necessary to achieve a peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict."
"During their intensive discussions, the co-chairs and foreign ministers discussed implementing an immediate humanitarian cease-fire, possible parameters for monitoring the cease-fire, and initiating discussion of core substantive elements of a comprehensive solution," a statement from the Minsk Group said.
But new fighting erupted on October 25 between Azerbaijan and ethnic Armenian forces as both sides blamed each other for blocking a peaceful settlement to the conflict.
Armenia accused the Azerbaijani military of shelling civilian settlements. Azerbaijan denied targeting civilians and said it was ready to implement a cease-fire, provided that Armenian forces withdrew from the battlefield.
The leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan have hardened their positions in recent days despite two Russian-brokered cease-fires, which both collapsed soon after being agreed upon.
At least some 1,000 people have been reported killed since fighting erupted on September 27, raising fears of a wider conflict in the South Caucasus drawing in NATO member Turkey, which is an ally of Azerbaijan, and Russia, which has a military pact with Armenia.
Armenian forces and the Azerbaijani military claim to have inflicted devastating losses on each other. But reports from the opposing sides are often contradictory and hard to verify.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on October 22 that Moscow believes nearly 5,000 people have been killed in the latest fighting.
With reporting by Reuters, AFP, and dpa


rferl--2020-10-26--Tsikhanouskaya Calls For National Strike To Go Ahead In Belarus After Crackdown On Protesters

The Belarusian opposition has called for a general strike across the country on October 26 to step up the pressure on Alyaksandr Lukashenka to step down after the strongman defied an ultimatum to surrender power by midnight on October 25 , setting security forces upon protesters instead .
Opposition leader Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya called for the strike to go ahead after the crackdown on protests in Minsk and other cities on October 25 , which saw riot police use stun grenades and rubber bullets against tens of thousands of protesters in the capital , Minsk , and other cities across Belarus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 26 , more than 1,000 pensioners and hundreds of university students marched in Minsk , demanding Lukashenka 's resignation .
Similar protests took place in other cities .
Workers at some industrial facilities across the country continued their strikes on October 26 .
An unknown number of protesters were detained during the day .
Belarus has been rocked by protests since Lukashenka , in power since 1994 , was declared the winner of the country ’ s August 9 presidential election amid allegations of widespread vote-rigging .
The Belarusian opposition says the results @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that Tsikhanouskaya was the legitimate winner .
She left Belarus for Lithuania shortly after the election amid threats to her and her family .
The United States , European Union , Britain , and Canada have refused to recognize Lukashenka 's victory and imposed travel bans and asset freezes against a string of Belarusian officials accused of election fraud and human rights abuses .
In calling for the strike from exile in Lithuania , Tsikhanouskaya urged people to think about the future of their children and to fight for a life in freedom @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Belarusians that force is the only thing it is capable of , '' she wrote in a statement .
`` That 's why tomorrow , October 26 , a national strike will begin . ''
Tsikhanouskaya has urged Belarusians to block roads , shut down workplaces , stop using government shops and services , and withdraw all money from their bank accounts .
She said earlier on October 25 that she supported each Belarusian who went to the streets to protest peacefully and each government official , law enforcement official , and security @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Together we are stronger than any regime & we will return the law to Belarus , ” she said on Twitter .
Lukashenka has scoffed at the calls , asking , `` Who will feed the kids ? ''
if workers at state-owned enterprises go on strike .
More than 100,000 protesters turned out in Minsk for the 11th Sunday on Octobrer 25 in a row despite a warning by authorities against attending demonstrations for which no permit had been issued .
The government responded with stun grenades and rubber bullets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flashes lit up the city 's streets after nightfall , videos showed .
At least one person was wounded as the result of the use of stun grenades .
Rubber bullets were also used to disperse the column , and one person was wounded in the stomach .
The Interior Ministry said on October 26 that , in total , more than 500 protesters were detained in the demonstrations across the country a day earlier , including 160 people in Minsk , adding that 350 individuals will face administrative charges .
Police authorities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ used and detentions had taken place , the TASS and RIA Novosti news agencies reported .
Ahead of the protests , mobile Internet was reportedly disrupted and 12 metro stations were closed in the capital due to `` security reasons '' until early afternoon , when all of them reopened .
Such measures had been reported during past protests in what appeared to be an attempt to disrupt the free flow of information .
Rights campaigners said arrests were made in several cities , including Minsk , Hrodna , Homel , Brest , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , security forces used tear gas against protesters .
In addition to Lukashenka ’ s resignation , the opposition movement is calling for an end to police violence , the release of all political prisoners , and a new election .
A UN human rights investigator said last month that thousands of people had been `` savagely beaten '' and there were more than 500 reports of torture , which the authorities deny .
With reporting by Reuters , dpa , AFP , and AP

Belarusian opposition candidate Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya says a nationwide strike to ratchet up pressure on Alyaksandr Lukashenka to step down "has only just begun and will continue to strengthen," after thousands of workers, students, and pensioners took to the streets across Belarus.
"I am proud of every Belarusian who found strength and courage and went on strike today," Tsikhanouskaya said in an interview with RFE/RL in the evening of October 26, urging all her countrymen to join the protest.
"Join the nationwide strike! This is the only way we can finally overthrow this regime and all together, all Belarusians, build a new country, safe and free," she said via Zoom from neighboring Lithuania, where she has been living since shortly after Belarus’s August 9 presidential election amid threats to her and her family.
"The strike did not fail, no matter what the supporters of the regime -- whom there are fewer and fewer -- say about it," the opposition leader also said.
Instead of accepting the opposition’s call to leave by midnight on October 25, Lukashenka responded with another show of power, setting security forces upon the protesters on October 26.
More than 320 people were detained in Minsk, Hrodna, Brest, Mahilyou, Lida, and other Belarusian cities, according to the Vyasna human rights group, a day after riot police used stun grenades and rubber bullets against tens of thousands of protesters gathered across Belarus and detained hundreds.
Students in some universities on October 26 refused to attend lectures and marched in Minsk in protest, joining retirees in their regular Monday protest. Many shops and cafes were closed, with their owners and employees forming human chains in the capital.
Strikes also targeted large plants in Minsk and elsewhere, including national oil company Belarusneft, the world's largest producer of potash Belaruskali, and the MAZ truck-manufacturing plant.
According to Alyaksandr Yaroshuk, leader of the Belarusian Congress of Democratic Unions, the authorities responded by detaining protesters in the streets and outside factories, and threatening workers with jail or being fired if they went on strike.
"We see with shock and dismay how this regime, which has unleashed weeks of unspeakable violence against protesters in streets and prisons, today sent masked riot police to beat and arrest striking workers at their workplaces,” said Denis Krivosheev, Amnesty International's acting director for Eastern Europe and Central Asia.
“A frank disregard is being shown for the most basic of human rights, and the right to strike is now one more that is being mercilessly crushed with police boots and batons," he added.
Belarus has been rocked by protests since Lukashenka, in power since 1994, was declared the winner of the country’s August 9 presidential election amid allegations of widespread vote-rigging.
The Belarusian opposition says the results of the August vote were fraudulent and that Tsikhanouskaya was the legitimate winner.
The United States, the European Union, Britain, and Canada have refused to recognize Lukashenka's victory and imposed travel bans and asset freezes against a string of Belarusian officials accused of election fraud and human rights abuses.
In calling for the strike from exile in Lithuania, Tsikhanouskaya urged people to think about the future of their children and to fight for a life in freedom.
"The regime once again showed Belarusians that force is the only thing it is capable of," she wrote in a statement.
Tsikhanouskaya has urged Belarusians to block roads, shut down workplaces, stop using government shops and services, and withdraw all money from their bank accounts.
She said on October 25 that she supported each Belarusian who went to the streets to protest peacefully and each government official, law enforcement official, and security worker who expressed solidarity with the people.
“Together we are stronger than any regime & we will return the law to Belarus,” she said on Twitter.
Lukashenka has scoffed at the calls, asking, "Who will feed the kids?" if workers at state-owned enterprises go on strike.
More than 100,000 protesters turned out in Minsk for the 11th Sunday on Octobrer 25 in a row despite a warning by authorities against attending demonstrations for which no permit had been issued.
The government responded with stun grenades and rubber bullets.
Protesters scattered as loud bangs and flashes lit up the city's streets after nightfall, videos showed. At least one person was wounded as the result of the use of stun grenades.
Rubber bullets were also used to disperse the column, and one person was wounded in the stomach.
The Interior Ministry said on October 26 that, in all, more than 500 protesters were detained in the demonstrations across the country a day earlier, including 160 people in Minsk. Some 350 individuals will face administrative charges, the ministry said.
Police authorities confirmed that riot control weapons had been used and detentions had taken place.
Ahead of the protests, mobile Internet was reportedly disrupted and 12 subway stations were closed in the capital due to "security reasons" until early afternoon, when all of them reopened.
Such measures had been reported during past protests in what appeared to be an attempt to disrupt the free flow of information.
In addition to Lukashenka’s resignation, the opposition movement is calling for an end to police violence, the release of all political prisoners, and a new election.
A UN human rights investigator said last month that thousands of people had been "savagely beaten" and there were more than 500 reports of torture, which the authorities deny.
With reporting by Reuters, dpa, AFP, and AP


rferl--2020-10-26--Early Results Show Blow To Zelenskiy, Servant Of The People Party In Ukraine's Local Elections

KYIV -- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and the Servant Of The People Party appear to have suffered a blow in local elections , with early exit polls showing Zelenskiy 's pro-Moscow and pro-Western rivals leading in Kyiv , the capital , and the majority of major cities across the country .
Exit polls conducted by several groups from the October 25 election show that the Servant Of The People party , which backs Zelenskiy , has lost seven of nine major Ukrainian cities , including his hometown and Kyiv , where Mayor Vitali Klitschko , leader of the Ukrainian Democratic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the poll with almost 50 percent of the votes .
The local elections were considered historic because they were the first held under a new Electoral Code that decentralizes power from Kyiv to local governing bodies .
If they hold , the results would be a sharp blow to Zelenskiy , whose popularity has suffered in the year and a half since he came unexpectedly to power .
`` [ It ] is a catastrophe for a party which won 56 percent of seats in the national parliament just over a year ago @ @ @ @ @ @ @ undermines their position in the Rada ( parliament ) , '' said Alex Kokcharov , a country risk analyst who follows Ukraine .
Recent public opinion polls show that about 70 percent of Ukrainians believe the country is headed in the wrong direction , while Zelenskiy ’ s personal approval rating has dipped below 50 percent .
Exit polls showed that incumbent mayors of the major cities holding elections – Kyiv , Kharkiv , Odesa , Dnipro , and Lviv – should retain their seats , although some races could go to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these incumbents is a member of Servant Of The People , and all of them oppose Zelenskiy .
The OPORA civic group , which had observers in all regions of Ukraine , said on October 26 that , in general , the elections had been held without violations and in accordance with the election law .
The Central Election Commission ( TsVK ) said that the most widespread violation was the continuation of campaigning on election day .
The violations were not severe enough to significantly distort the results , the TsVK said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ turnout was 37 percent .
Final results of the local elections in Ukraine will be summed up in three to five days .
On October 26 , Zelenskiy issued a statement congratulating Ukrainians for holding the elections .
`` We state that the election campaign , the voting process , and the election process , in general , met the highest democratic standards and current legislation .
All political forces -- participants in the election process , as well as candidates -- had a full range of opportunities to communicate their position to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , adding that `` the key achievement today is that Ukrainians have elected their representatives to local governments . ''
Ukraine 's electoral reforms have been lauded as a significant step away from the top-down administration the country inherited from the Soviet Union , a system that has remained largely unchanged over almost three decades of independence .
Voting was not held in the Black Sea region of Crimea , which was forcibly annexed by Russia in 2014 , and in parts of the eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions where Russia-backed separatist formations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ October 26 statement , Zelenskiy vowed to `` return the constitutional order to all the districts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions '' and Crimea .

KYIV -- International observers say local elections in Ukraine, in which Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and the Servant Of The People party appear to have suffered a blow, were "well-organized and transparent,” but cite concerns such as “widespread” allegations of vote-buying and lack of objectivity in the domestic media.
"In the limited number of polling stations visited, the voting process was generally calm, well-organized and transparent," observers from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) said in a statement on October 26, adding that "party observers interfered with or participated in the [vote] counting process in several cases.”
The mission with 66 observers across Ukraine said candidates "were able to campaign freely,” but “cases of abuse of state resources and of office” to unfairly promote certain candidates, as well as “widespread allegations of vote-buying” were of concern.
Voters were also hindered from making an informed choice on which candidates to vote for due to a lack of “unbiased and balanced coverage” in the media and “a high volume of unmarked promotional materials in broadcast media,” the observers said.
The elections were considered historic because they were the first held under a new electoral code that decentralizes power from Kyiv to local governing bodies.
Exit polls conducted by several groups from the October 25 elections showed that Zelenskiy's pro-Moscow and pro-Western rivals leading in the capital, Kyiv, and the majority of major cities across the country.
The Servant Of The People party, which backs Zelenskiy, lost seven of nine major Ukrainian cities, including his hometown and Kyiv, where Mayor Vitali Klitschko, leader of the Ukrainian Democratic Alliance For Reform party, leads in the poll with almost 50 percent of the votes, according to the exit polls.
If they hold, the results would be a sharp blow to Zelenskiy, whose popularity has suffered in the year and a half since he came unexpectedly to power.
"[It] is a catastrophe for a party which won 56 percent of seats in the national parliament just over a year ago. This is terrible indeed -- and undermines their position in the Rada (parliament)," said Alex Kokcharov, a country risk analyst who follows Ukraine.
Recent public opinion polls show that about 70 percent of Ukrainians believe the country is headed in the wrong direction, while Zelenskiy’s personal approval rating has dipped below 50 percent.
Exit polls showed that incumbent mayors of the major cities holding elections – Kyiv, Kharkiv, Odesa, Dnipro, and Lviv – should retain their seats, although some races could go to a second round of voting. None of these incumbents is a member of Servant Of The People, and all of them oppose Zelenskiy.
The OPORA civic group, which had observers in all regions of Ukraine, said on October 26 that, in general, the elections had been held without violations and in accordance with the election law.
The Central Election Commission (TsVK) said that the most widespread violation was the continuation of campaigning on election day. The violations were not severe enough to significantly distort the results, the TsVK said.
According to the TsVK, the turnout was 37 percent. Final results of the local elections in Ukraine will be summed up in three to five days.
On October 26, Zelenskiy issued a statement congratulating Ukrainians for holding the elections.
"We state that the election campaign, the voting process, and the election process, in general, met the highest democratic standards and current legislation. All political forces -- participants in the election process, as well as candidates -- had a full range of opportunities to communicate their position to voters," Zelenskiy's statement said, adding that "the key achievement today is that Ukrainians have elected their representatives to local governments."
Ukraine's electoral reforms have been lauded as a significant step away from the top-down administration the country inherited from the Soviet Union, a system that has remained largely unchanged over almost three decades of independence.
Voting was not held in the Black Sea region of Crimea, which was forcibly annexed by Russia in 2014, and in parts of the eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions where Russia-backed separatist formations are fighting against Kyiv.
In his October 26 statement, Zelenskiy vowed to "return the constitutional order to all the districts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions" and Crimea.


rferl--2020-10-26--Hundreds Of KGB Devices, Other Cold War-Era Artifacts Up For Auction

American auction house Julien 's is putting up hundreds of artifacts from the Cold War-era up for auction early next year .
Julien ’ s said the auction will be the “ world 's first and most comprehensive auction event offering some of the rarest and most important artifacts from the U.S , Soviet Union , and Cuba during the Cold War era ever to be assembled and offered at auction.
” Some 400 artifacts will be sold online and then in-person from mid-January to February 13 , 2021 .
Among the items are a gun designed to look like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with a hidden camera , and a hotel-room listening device used by Soviet intelligence .
The items were recently displayed at the KGB Espionage Museum in New York -- a private museum opened in 2019 by Lithuanian historian Julius Urbaitis that has closed due to the coronavirus pandemic .
`` We are not aware of any similar auction for this genre .
There is going to be a massive follow up on this because people are so fascinated by all this , '' said Julien 's CFO Martin Nolan .
Estimates for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to $ 12,000 , which is the estimate for a rare Soviet version of the Enigma code cipher machine known as the Fialka .
`` This is not massively expensive stuff , this is fun stuff that ... can trigger a fascinating conversation at a dinner party , '' said Nolan .

American auction house Julien's is putting up hundreds of artifacts from the Cold War-era up for auction early next year.
Julien’s said the auction will be the “world's first and most comprehensive auction event offering some of the rarest and most important artifacts from the U.S, Soviet Union, and Cuba during the Cold War era ever to be assembled and offered at auction.”
Some 400 artifacts will be sold online and then in-person from mid-January to February 13, 2021.
Among the items are a gun designed to look like a tube of lipstick, a purse with a hidden camera, and a hotel-room listening device used by Soviet intelligence.
The items were recently displayed at the KGB Espionage Museum in New York -- a private museum opened in 2019 by Lithuanian historian Julius Urbaitis that has closed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
"We are not aware of any similar auction for this genre. There is going to be a massive follow up on this because people are so fascinated by all this," said Julien's CFO Martin Nolan.
Estimates for the items range from a few hundred dollars to $12,000, which is the estimate for a rare Soviet version of the Enigma code cipher machine known as the Fialka.
"This is not massively expensive stuff, this is fun stuff that...can trigger a fascinating conversation at a dinner party," said Nolan.
With reporting by AFP


rferl--2020-10-26--Russia Urged To Free Activist Jailed In Putin Effigy Case

A Russian court is set to hear on October 27 the appeal of an activist who was jailed over a satirical video featuring a mannequin of President Vladimir Putin .
Aleksandr Shabarchin will have his appeal heard by Perm Krai Court after being sentenced in August to two years in a penal colony for “ premeditated violation of the public order committed by a group of people.
” Ahead of the hearing , Amnesty International called for Shabarchin ’ s immediate and unconditional release , saying the activist was “ a prisoner of conscience , imprisoned solely for the exercise @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” The London-based human rights group also called for the conviction of fellow activist Danila Vasiliev to be overturned .
Vasiliev , who was under 18 at the time of the incident , received a one-year suspended sentence and a year ’ s probation in the same case .
Shabarchin and Vasiliev were arrested in November 2018 after they taped a mannequin wearing a mask of Putin to a lamppost in Perm ’ s city center .
The words “ liar ” and “ war criminal ” were written on the mannequin .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the mannequin was later uploaded to YouTube .
The prosecutor alleged that the activists disrupted social order by actions motivated by political , ideological , and social hatred .
But Natalia Prilutskaya , Amnesty International ’ s Russia researcher , said that although the video “ may have been offensive or disturbing to some , [ Shabarchin ’ s ] action falls within the scope of the right to freedom of expression.
” “ He did not call for violence and his arrest is typical of the Russian authorities ’ harsh response to @ @ @ @ @ @

A Russian court is set to hear on October 27 the appeal of an activist who was jailed over a satirical video featuring a mannequin of President Vladimir Putin.
Aleksandr Shabarchin will have his appeal heard by Perm Krai Court after being sentenced in August to two years in a penal colony for “premeditated violation of the public order committed by a group of people.”
Ahead of the hearing, Amnesty International called for Shabarchin’s immediate and unconditional release, saying the activist was “a prisoner of conscience, imprisoned solely for the exercise of his right to freedom of expression.”
The London-based human rights group also called for the conviction of fellow activist Danila Vasiliev to be overturned.
Vasiliev, who was under 18 at the time of the incident, received a one-year suspended sentence and a year’s probation in the same case.
Shabarchin and Vasiliev were arrested in November 2018 after they taped a mannequin wearing a mask of Putin to a lamppost in Perm’s city center.
The words “liar” and “war criminal” were written on the mannequin.
A video featuring actors “interrogating” the mannequin was later uploaded to YouTube.
The prosecutor alleged that the activists disrupted social order by actions motivated by political, ideological, and social hatred.
But Natalia Prilutskaya, Amnesty International’s Russia researcher, said that although the video “may have been offensive or disturbing to some, [Shabarchin’s] action falls within the scope of the right to freedom of expression.”
“He did not call for violence and his arrest is typical of the Russian authorities’ harsh response to criticism,” Prilutskaya added.


rferl--2020-10-26--Reports: Russian Air Strikes Kill Dozens In Northwestern Syria

Suspected Russian air strikes on a camp in northwestern Syria run by Turkish-backed militia fighters have reportedly killed at least 50 people and wounded scores of others .
Youssef Hammud , a spokesman for Syrian opposition groups , blamed Russia for the October 26 air strikes in the mainly rebel-held province of Idlib that targeted a military training camp for the Islamist group Faylaq Al-Sham .
The British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights put the number of dead at 78 , with nearly 90 wounded .
The group said it suspected that the air strike in the Harem region northwest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Russia , Syrian President Bashar al-Assad ’ s main ally in the country 's nine-year-long civil war .
There was no immediate comment from Moscow or Ankara , which although they support opposite sides in the conflict , have worked together to maintain a cease-fire in Idlib Province .
The strike was said to be the deadliest in Idlib since the truce came into effect in March , bringing to a halt a Syrian government offensive on the region .
After the cease-fire was announced , Turkey said it reserved the right to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against any attack by forces allied to Assad .
Based on reporting by the BBC , AP , and AFP

Suspected Russian air strikes on a camp in northwestern Syria run by Turkish-backed militia fighters have reportedly killed at least 50 people and wounded scores of others.
Youssef Hammud, a spokesman for Syrian opposition groups, blamed Russia for the October 26 air strikes in the mainly rebel-held province of Idlib that targeted a military training camp for the Islamist group Faylaq Al-Sham.
The British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights put the number of dead at 78, with nearly 90 wounded.
The group said it suspected that the air strike in the Harem region northwest of Idlib City was carried out by Russia, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s main ally in the country's nine-year-long civil war.
There was no immediate comment from Moscow or Ankara, which although they support opposite sides in the conflict, have worked together to maintain a cease-fire in Idlib Province.
The strike was said to be the deadliest in Idlib since the truce came into effect in March, bringing to a halt a Syrian government offensive on the region.
After the cease-fire was announced, Turkey said it reserved the right to "retaliate with all its strength" against any attack by forces allied to Assad.
Based on reporting by the BBC, AP, and AFP


rferl--2020-10-26--Workers And Students Walk Out As Strikes Begin In Belarus

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In Belarus , @ @ @ @ @ their plants , students left their classes , and motorists slowed traffic after a call @ @ @ @ @ .
The strikes on October 26 came after Alyaksandr Lukashenka ignored an ultimatum by opposition @ @ @ @ @ power .

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In Belarus, factory workers walked out of their plants, students left their classes, and motorists slowed traffic after a call for a nationwide general strike. The strikes on October 26 came after Alyaksandr Lukashenka ignored an ultimatum by opposition leader Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya to surrender power.


rferl--2020-10-26--Russian FM Says Moscow To Continue Cooperation With Ankara

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says his country will continue to cooperate with Turkey on solving international issues .
Lavrov told reporters in Athens after holding talks with his Greek counterpart , Nikos Dendias , on October 26 that although `` our approaches to some problems do not coincide in many cases , we find common ground '' with Ankara .
`` We have good relations with Turkey , but not without problems ... .
But we manage to unite our efforts for good results and help each other to move towards creation of conditions necessary for normalization of critical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with Turkey , '' Lavrov said .
Talking about an ongoing stand-off between Ankara and Athens over a disputed part of the eastern Mediterranean , Lavrov said the issue should be resolved through diplomacy .
`` Any problems , should they arise between countries , must be resolved via dialogue , however difficult the situation might be , including between Turkey and Greece , '' Lavrov said .
`` We will be interested if these problems are discussed and resolved through direct dialogue , '' he added .
Recent tensions between Greece and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dispatch a research vessel to contested waters , which reignited tensions between the two NATO member states over sea boundaries and drilling rights .
Based on reporting by RIA Novosti and TASS

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says his country will continue to cooperate with Turkey on solving international issues.
Lavrov told reporters in Athens after holding talks with his Greek counterpart, Nikos Dendias, on October 26 that although "our approaches to some problems do not coincide in many cases, we find common ground" with Ankara.
"We have good relations with Turkey, but not without problems.... But we manage to unite our efforts for good results and help each other to move towards creation of conditions necessary for normalization of critical situations. We will continue our cooperation with Turkey," Lavrov said.
Talking about an ongoing stand-off between Ankara and Athens over a disputed part of the eastern Mediterranean, Lavrov said the issue should be resolved through diplomacy.
"Any problems, should they arise between countries, must be resolved via dialogue, however difficult the situation might be, including between Turkey and Greece," Lavrov said.
"We will be interested if these problems are discussed and resolved through direct dialogue," he added.
Recent tensions between Greece and Turkey stem from Ankara's decision to dispatch a research vessel to contested waters, which reignited tensions between the two NATO member states over sea boundaries and drilling rights.
Based on reporting by RIA Novosti and TASS


rferl--2020-10-26--'Iranian YouTube' CEO Sentenced To 10 Years Over Video Uploaded By User

The founder and manager of Iran ’ s main video-sharing platform , referred to by some as Iran 's YouTube , has been sentenced to 10 years in prison after being convicted of “ encouraging corruption ” over a video posted by a user .
In the video posted on Aparat.com last year , children were asked whether they know how they were born , Iranian media reported .
The verdict against Aparat Chief Executive Officer Mohammad Javad Shakuri Moghadam was reported by domestic media on October 25 .
The sentence was reportedly issued in mid-October by Branch 28 of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mohammad Moghiseh , who is known for handing down harsh sentences .
Moghiseh was last year blacklisted by the U.S. State Department for miscarriage of justice .
Shakuri Moghadam , who was awarded a government medal of honor as one of the country 's top enterpreneurs about two years ago , can appeal the sentence .
The controversial video was said to have been removed an hour after being posted on Aparat , which has millions of Iranian users .
The producers of the video were also arrested with authorities then claiming that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and families .
The BBC reported that seven others accused in the case have been each sentenced to 11 years in prison after being convicted of “ encouraging corruption ” and “ publishing vulgar content.
” The case has raised concerns that other similar platforms in the country could face action over content published by users .
Aparat says on its website that uploaded videos should not violate moral and Islamic norms of the society .
It also says that users should avoid publishing videos that could cause “ political tensions.
” Tens @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Iran , including YouTube .

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--2020-10-26--Acting Kyrgyz President Japarov Announces Move To Become Eligible For New Vote

BISHKEK -- Acting Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov says he will step down before the end of the year to become eligible to run in a presidential election in January 2021 .
The move , which Japarov announced during a meeting with people in the central Naryn region on October 25 , allows him to skirt a law that prohibits acting presidents from seeking the presidential office .
`` A presidential election will take place on January 10 .
I will step down in early December and take part in the poll .
I will participate in the race as an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ then I will be president , if not I will remain an ordinary citizen , '' Japarov said .
The Kyrgyz parliament named Japarov , 51 , prime minister earlier this month after mass protests against the official results of October 4 parliamentary elections ousted the government and led to the resignation of President Sooronbai Jeenbekov , the third popular revolt to topple a leader in the Central Asian nation since 2005 .
After Jeenbekov 's resignation in mid-October , the parliament handed presidential powers to Japarov , who was released in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prison , where he served a lengthy term on kidnapping charges .
On October 24 , the Central Election Commission ( BShK ) set January 10 , 2021 , as the date of the early presidential election .
Japarov has already signed changes to the elections law that delayed parliamentary and presidential votes , after parliament approved the measures to pave the way for further legal changes that would allow him to run for the presidency .
By stepping down in December , such changes would n't be necessary for him to run @ @ @ @ @ @ @ say changing Kyrgyzstan ’ s constitution could require a national referendum .

BISHKEK -- Acting Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov says he will step down before the end of the year to become eligible to run in a presidential election in January 2021.
The move, which Japarov announced during a meeting with people in the central Naryn region on October 25, allows him to skirt a law that prohibits acting presidents from seeking the presidential office.
"A presidential election will take place on January 10. I will step down in early December and take part in the poll. I will participate in the race as an ordinary citizen. If I win, then I will be president, if not I will remain an ordinary citizen," Japarov said.
The Kyrgyz parliament named Japarov, 51, prime minister earlier this month after mass protests against the official results of October 4 parliamentary elections ousted the government and led to the resignation of President Sooronbai Jeenbekov, the third popular revolt to topple a leader in the Central Asian nation since 2005.
After Jeenbekov's resignation in mid-October, the parliament handed presidential powers to Japarov, who was released in the wake of the protests from a Bishkek prison, where he served a lengthy term on kidnapping charges.
On October 24, the Central Election Commission (BShK) set January 10, 2021, as the date of the early presidential election.
Japarov has already signed changes to the elections law that delayed parliamentary and presidential votes, after parliament approved the measures to pave the way for further legal changes that would allow him to run for the presidency. By stepping down in December, such changes wouldn't be necessary for him to run.
Many politicians and some legal experts say changing Kyrgyzstan’s constitution could require a national referendum.


rferl--2020-10-26--Tsikhanouskaya: 'National Strike' In Belarus Has Only Just Begun

Belarusian opposition candidate Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya says a nationwide strike to ratchet up pressure on Alyaksandr Lukashenka to step down `` has only just begun and will continue to strengthen , '' after thousands of workers , students , and pensioners took to the streets across Belarus .
`` I am proud of every Belarusian who found strength and courage and went on strike today , '' Tsikhanouskaya said in an interview with RFE/RL in the evening of October 26 , urging all her countrymen to join the protest .
`` Join the nationwide strike !
This is the only way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all together , all Belarusians , build a new country , safe and free , '' she said via Zoom from neighboring Lithuania , where she has been living since shortly after Belarus ’ s August 9 presidential election amid threats to her and her family .
`` The strike did not fail , no matter what the supporters of the regime -- whom there are fewer and fewer -- say about it , '' the opposition leader also said .
Instead of accepting the opposition ’ s call to leave by midnight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ another show of power , setting security forces upon the protesters on October 26 .
More than 320 people were detained in Minsk , Hrodna , Brest , Mahilyou , Lida , and other Belarusian cities , according to the Vyasna human rights group , a day after riot police used stun grenades and rubber bullets against tens of thousands of protesters gathered across Belarus and detained hundreds .
Students in some universities on October 26 refused to attend lectures and marched in Minsk in protest , joining retirees in their regular Monday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ closed , with their owners and employees forming human chains in the capital .
Strikes also targeted large plants in Minsk and elsewhere , including national oil company Belarusneft , the world 's largest producer of potash Belaruskali , and the MAZ truck-manufacturing plant .
According to Alyaksandr Yaroshuk , leader of the Belarusian Congress of Democratic Unions , the authorities responded by detaining protesters in the streets and outside factories , and threatening workers with jail or being fired if they went on strike .
`` We see with shock and dismay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weeks of unspeakable violence against protesters in streets and prisons , today sent masked riot police to beat and arrest striking workers at their workplaces , ” said Denis Krivosheev , Amnesty International 's acting director for Eastern Europe and Central Asia .
“ A frank disregard is being shown for the most basic of human rights , and the right to strike is now one more that is being mercilessly crushed with police boots and batons , '' he added .
Belarus has been rocked by protests since Lukashenka , in power @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the country ’ s August 9 presidential election amid allegations of widespread vote-rigging .
The Belarusian opposition says the results of the August vote were fraudulent and that Tsikhanouskaya was the legitimate winner .
The United States , the European Union , Britain , and Canada have refused to recognize Lukashenka 's victory and imposed travel bans and asset freezes against a string of Belarusian officials accused of election fraud and human rights abuses .
In calling for the strike from exile in Lithuania , Tsikhanouskaya urged people to think about the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for a life in freedom .
`` The regime once again showed Belarusians that force is the only thing it is capable of , '' she wrote in a statement .
Tsikhanouskaya has urged Belarusians to block roads , shut down workplaces , stop using government shops and services , and withdraw all money from their bank accounts .
She said on October 25 that she supported each Belarusian who went to the streets to protest peacefully and each government official , law enforcement official , and security worker who expressed solidarity with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stronger than any regime & we will return the law to Belarus , ” she said on Twitter .
Lukashenka has scoffed at the calls , asking , `` Who will feed the kids ? ''
if workers at state-owned enterprises go on strike .
More than 100,000 protesters turned out in Minsk for the 11th Sunday on Octobrer 25 in a row despite a warning by authorities against attending demonstrations for which no permit had been issued .
The government responded with stun grenades and rubber bullets .
Protesters scattered as loud @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's streets after nightfall , videos showed .
At least one person was wounded as the result of the use of stun grenades .
Rubber bullets were also used to disperse the column , and one person was wounded in the stomach .
The Interior Ministry said on October 26 that , in all , more than 500 protesters were detained in the demonstrations across the country a day earlier , including 160 people in Minsk .
Some 350 individuals will face administrative charges , the ministry said .
Police authorities confirmed that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ detentions had taken place .
Ahead of the protests , mobile Internet was reportedly disrupted and 12 subway stations were closed in the capital due to `` security reasons '' until early afternoon , when all of them reopened .
Such measures had been reported during past protests in what appeared to be an attempt to disrupt the free flow of information .
In addition to Lukashenka ’ s resignation , the opposition movement is calling for an end to police violence , the release of all political prisoners , and a new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said last month that thousands of people had been `` savagely beaten '' and there were more than 500 reports of torture , which the authorities deny .
With reporting by Reuters , dpa , AFP , and AP


rferl--2020-10-26--Monitors Say Ukraine's Local Vote Was Generally Transparent, Cite 'Widespread' Allegations Of Vote-B

Monitors Say Ukraine's Local Vote Was Generally Transparent, Cite 'Widespread' Allegations Of Vote-Buying

KYIV -- International observers say local elections in Ukraine , in which Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and the Servant Of The People party appear to have suffered a blow , were `` well-organized and transparent , ” but cite concerns such as “ widespread ” allegations of vote-buying and lack of objectivity in the domestic media .
`` In the limited number of polling stations visited , the voting process was generally calm , well-organized and transparent , '' observers from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights ( ODIHR ) said in a statement on October 26 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with or participated in the [ vote ] counting process in several cases.
” The mission with 66 observers across Ukraine said candidates `` were able to campaign freely , ” but “ cases of abuse of state resources and of office ” to unfairly promote certain candidates , as well as “ widespread allegations of vote-buying ” were of concern .
Voters were also hindered from making an informed choice on which candidates to vote for due to a lack of “ unbiased and balanced coverage ” in the media and “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in broadcast media , ” the observers said .
The elections were considered historic because they were the first held under a new electoral code that decentralizes power from Kyiv to local governing bodies .
Exit polls conducted by several groups from the October 25 elections showed that Zelenskiy 's pro-Moscow and pro-Western rivals leading in the capital , Kyiv , and the majority of major cities across the country .
The Servant Of The People party , which backs Zelenskiy , lost seven of nine major Ukrainian cities , including his hometown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , leader of the Ukrainian Democratic Alliance For Reform party , leads in the poll with almost 50 percent of the votes , according to the exit polls .
If they hold , the results would be a sharp blow to Zelenskiy , whose popularity has suffered in the year and a half since he came unexpectedly to power .
`` [ It ] is a catastrophe for a party which won 56 percent of seats in the national parliament just over a year ago .
This is terrible indeed -- and undermines @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) , '' said Alex Kokcharov , a country risk analyst who follows Ukraine .
Recent public opinion polls show that about 70 percent of Ukrainians believe the country is headed in the wrong direction , while Zelenskiy ’ s personal approval rating has dipped below 50 percent .
Exit polls showed that incumbent mayors of the major cities holding elections – Kyiv , Kharkiv , Odesa , Dnipro , and Lviv – should retain their seats , although some races could go to a second round of voting .
None of these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The People , and all of them oppose Zelenskiy .
The OPORA civic group , which had observers in all regions of Ukraine , said on October 26 that , in general , the elections had been held without violations and in accordance with the election law .
The Central Election Commission ( TsVK ) said that the most widespread violation was the continuation of campaigning on election day .
The violations were not severe enough to significantly distort the results , the TsVK said .
According to the TsVK , the turnout @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the local elections in Ukraine will be summed up in three to five days .
On October 26 , Zelenskiy issued a statement congratulating Ukrainians for holding the elections .
`` We state that the election campaign , the voting process , and the election process , in general , met the highest democratic standards and current legislation .
All political forces -- participants in the election process , as well as candidates -- had a full range of opportunities to communicate their position to voters , '' Zelenskiy 's statement said , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is that Ukrainians have elected their representatives to local governments . ''
Ukraine 's electoral reforms have been lauded as a significant step away from the top-down administration the country inherited from the Soviet Union , a system that has remained largely unchanged over almost three decades of independence .
Voting was not held in the Black Sea region of Crimea , which was forcibly annexed by Russia in 2014 , and in parts of the eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions where Russia-backed separatist formations are fighting against Kyiv .
In his October @ @ @ @ @ @ @ return the constitutional order to all the districts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions '' and Crimea .


rferl--2020-10-27--Former Kyrgyz Security Council Chief Dismisses New Government's Anti-Corruption Efforts As A 'Theatr

Former Kyrgyz Security Council Chief Dismisses New Government's Anti-Corruption Efforts As A 'Theatrical Show'

BISHKEK -- The former chief of Kyrgyzstan 's Security Council , Keneshbek Duishobaev , has resigned in protest of anti-corruption efforts by the Central Asian nation 's new government that he called little more than `` a theatrical show . ''
Talking to reporters in Bishkek on October 27 just hours after his removal from the post was announced , Duishobaev said that last week 's detainment and house arrest of the former deputy chief of the Customs Service , Raimbek Matraimov , had raised more questions than it answered .
“ The State Committee for National Security ( UKMK @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Raimbek Matraimov caused damage to the state .
Therefore , there are questions : When and by whom criminal cases were initiated against him ; when criminal activity was established ; by whom was the economic harm revealed ?
Seeing all this , I decided to resign , ” Duishobaev said .
Immediately after Duishobaev 's press conference , the UKMK rejected his statement .
`` The UKMK is actively implementing measures against corruption and criminal groups .
All the efforts are based on the law .
Proper activities are under way to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by such schemes , and eradicate criminal activities , '' the UKMK statement said .
Duishobaev 's resignation comes as the Central Asian nation , which borders China and is closely allied with Russia , reels from protests earlier this month against the results of October 4 parliamentary elections that awarded most seats to two establishment parties amid allegations of vote-buying and other improprieties .
In the wake of the results , protesters seized government buildings and forced the cabinet and President Sooronbai Jeenbekov to resign and the vote to be annulled .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ from prison , allowing him first to be elected prime minister and then to take over as acting president .
Japarov , who had been convicted of kidnapping a political rival , has since vowed to root out corruption , which is seen as rampant in the country .
Last year , a joint investigation by RFE/RL 's Kyrgyz Service , the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project , and the Kyrgyz news site Kloop implicated Matraimov in a corruption scheme involving the transfer of hundreds of millions of dollars out of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who was assassinated in Istanbul in November 2019 .
A day after Matraimov was placed under house arrest on October 20 , Japarov announced an `` economic amnesty '' for former officials who illegally enriched themselves through corruption .
Many people in Kyrgyzstan , however , saw this as a thinly veiled way to exonerate Matraimov , a powerful tycoon and an ally of former President Jeenbekov , who resigned in the wake of protests in mid-October .
`` All the activities announced as a fight against criminal groups and corruption have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Matraimov 's case , '' Duishobaev added .
Matraimov is one of three brothers from what is rumored to be one of the wealthiest and most powerful families in Kyrgyzstan .
He was a key financial backer for political parties and presidents , including Jeenbekov .
Duishobaev also said at his press conference that he expects that the notorious organized crime figure Kamchy Kolbaev , who was detained in Bishkek last week , will be released soon .
Kolbaev , who was added by Washington to a list of major global drug-trafficking suspects @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` thief-in-law '' -- a title traditionally given to kingpins among criminal groups in former Soviet republics .
The Kyrgyz State Committee for National Security ( UKMK ) said last week that he had been detained on suspicion of organizing a criminal group and participating in the activities of an organized criminal group .
The U.S. Embassy in Bishkek said it welcomed Kolbaev 's detention and added that it hoped the Kyrgyz authorities would `` prosecute and continue to detain this dangerous criminal leader in the interest of public safety . ''

BISHKEK -- The former chief of Kyrgyzstan's Security Council, Keneshbek Duishobaev, has resigned in protest of anti-corruption efforts by the Central Asian nation's new government that he called little more than "a theatrical show."
Talking to reporters in Bishkek on October 27 just hours after his removal from the post was announced, Duishobaev said that last week's detainment and house arrest of the former deputy chief of the Customs Service, Raimbek Matraimov, had raised more questions than it answered.
“The State Committee for National Security (UKMK) declared to the whole world that Raimbek Matraimov caused damage to the state. Therefore, there are questions: When and by whom criminal cases were initiated against him; when criminal activity was established; by whom was the economic harm revealed? Seeing all this, I decided to resign,” Duishobaev said.
Immediately after Duishobaev's press conference, the UKMK rejected his statement.
"The UKMK is actively implementing measures against corruption and criminal groups. All the efforts are based on the law. Proper activities are under way to eliminate corruption schemes, mend damages caused by such schemes, and eradicate criminal activities," the UKMK statement said.
Duishobaev's resignation comes as the Central Asian nation, which borders China and is closely allied with Russia, reels from protests earlier this month against the results of October 4 parliamentary elections that awarded most seats to two establishment parties amid allegations of vote-buying and other improprieties.
In the wake of the results, protesters seized government buildings and forced the cabinet and President Sooronbai Jeenbekov to resign and the vote to be annulled. They also released nationalist politician Sadyr Japarov from prison, allowing him first to be elected prime minister and then to take over as acting president.
Japarov, who had been convicted of kidnapping a political rival, has since vowed to root out corruption, which is seen as rampant in the country.
SPECIAL REPORT: The Matraimov Kingdom
Last year, a joint investigation by RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service, the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project, and the Kyrgyz news site Kloop implicated Matraimov in a corruption scheme involving the transfer of hundreds of millions of dollars out of the country by Chinese-born Uyghur businessman Aierken Saimaiti, who was assassinated in Istanbul in November 2019.
A day after Matraimov was placed under house arrest on October 20, Japarov announced an "economic amnesty" for former officials who illegally enriched themselves through corruption.
Many people in Kyrgyzstan, however, saw this as a thinly veiled way to exonerate Matraimov, a powerful tycoon and an ally of former President Jeenbekov, who resigned in the wake of protests in mid-October.
"All the activities announced as a fight against criminal groups and corruption have turned into a theatrical show, including Matraimov's case," Duishobaev added.
Matraimov is one of three brothers from what is rumored to be one of the wealthiest and most powerful families in Kyrgyzstan. He was a key financial backer for political parties and presidents, including Jeenbekov.
Duishobaev also said at his press conference that he expects that the notorious organized crime figure Kamchy Kolbaev, who was detained in Bishkek last week, will be released soon.
Kolbaev, who was added by Washington to a list of major global drug-trafficking suspects in 2011, is known as a "thief-in-law" -- a title traditionally given to kingpins among criminal groups in former Soviet republics.
The Kyrgyz State Committee for National Security (UKMK) said last week that he had been detained on suspicion of organizing a criminal group and participating in the activities of an organized criminal group.
The U.S. Embassy in Bishkek said it welcomed Kolbaev's detention and added that it hoped the Kyrgyz authorities would "prosecute and continue to detain this dangerous criminal leader in the interest of public safety."


rferl--2020-10-27--Russian Court Refuses To Release Jailed Jehovah's Witness, Calls Him 'Malicious Violator'

A court in Russia has refused to release a Jehovah 's Witness , Danish citizen Dennis Christensen , who was sentenced to six years in prison on extremism charges that have been condemned by rights groups in Russia and abroad .
The Jehovah ’ s Witnesses ' website said that a court in Russia 's western region of Kursk on October 26 refused to replace Christensen 's unserved term with a fine despite the fact that the same court had approved such a move in June .
Christensen was arrested in May 2017 and sentenced in February 2019 .
On @ @ @ @ @ @ @ paroled Christensen after he served half of his sentence and ordered him to pay a fine of 400,000 rubles ( $ 5,250 ) in place of serving the rest of his sentence .
However , that ruling was overturned by the Kursk Regional Court and sent for retrial after local prosecutors had appealed the parole , insisting that Christensen had violated prison rules .
The religious group 's website said that the administration of the penal colony in the town of Lgov in September had labeled him a `` malicious violator '' of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the website , Christensen was placed in solitary confinement three times as punishment for his refusal to carry out work , due to his medical condition .
Russia banned the Jehovah ’ s Witnesses in 2017 and declared the religious group an extremist organization .
According to human rights groups , hundreds of the religion 's adherents are facing criminal cases in Russia , with dozens either imprisoned or awaiting trials .
In July , Human Rights Watch said in a statement that Russia “ has absolutely nothing to gain from the pointless @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jehovah ’ s Witnesses , ” urging the authorities to “ immediately free Christensen and stop wasting time and resources on these prosecutions.
” In September 2019 , the United States banned two high-ranking regional officers from Russia 's Investigative Committee from entering the United States over the alleged torture of seven detainees who are Jehovah 's Witnesses .

A court in Russia has refused to release a Jehovah's Witness, Danish citizen Dennis Christensen, who was sentenced to six years in prison on extremism charges that have been condemned by rights groups in Russia and abroad.
The Jehovah’s Witnesses' website said that a court in Russia's western region of Kursk on October 26 refused to replace Christensen's unserved term with a fine despite the fact that the same court had approved such a move in June.
Christensen was arrested in May 2017 and sentenced in February 2019.
On June 23, the Lgov district court paroled Christensen after he served half of his sentence and ordered him to pay a fine of 400,000 rubles ($5,250) in place of serving the rest of his sentence.
However, that ruling was overturned by the Kursk Regional Court and sent for retrial after local prosecutors had appealed the parole, insisting that Christensen had violated prison rules.
The religious group's website said that the administration of the penal colony in the town of Lgov in September had labeled him a "malicious violator" of the penitentiary's regulations.
According to the website, Christensen was placed in solitary confinement three times as punishment for his refusal to carry out work, due to his medical condition.
Russia banned the Jehovah’s Witnesses in 2017 and declared the religious group an extremist organization.
According to human rights groups, hundreds of the religion's adherents are facing criminal cases in Russia, with dozens either imprisoned or awaiting trials.
In July, Human Rights Watch said in a statement that Russia “has absolutely nothing to gain from the pointless, cruel, and abusive persecution of Jehovah’s Witnesses,” urging the authorities to “immediately free Christensen and stop wasting time and resources on these prosecutions.”
In September 2019, the United States banned two high-ranking regional officers from Russia's Investigative Committee from entering the United States over the alleged torture of seven detainees who are Jehovah's Witnesses.


rferl--2020-10-27--Armenia, Azerbaijan Accuse Each Other Of Breaking U.S.-Brokered Cease-Fire

BAKU/YEREVAN -- Armenia and Azerbaijan have again blamed each other for the collapse of a U.S.-brokered cease-fire in the month-long fighting in the separatist Nagorno-Karabakh region .
`` I would like to state that the efforts of the international community , this time brokered by the United States , to establish a cease-fire , have failed .
As a result of continuous shelling by Azerbaijan , civilians were killed and wounded in Artsakh ( the Armenian name for Nagorno-Karabakh ) today , '' Pashinian said on Twitter on October 27 .
Meanwhile , the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry on October 27 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to comply with the humanitarian cease-fire .
`` Armenian armed forces during the day on October 26 and overnight into October 27 fired at the positions of Azerbaijani army units in different directions at the front and at our settlements near the front line with various weapons .
The fighting continued mainly in the frontline directions of Khojavend , Fizuli , and Gubadli , '' the ministry said in a statement , adding Azerbaijani forces had fought off the attacks .
WATCH : A Bitter Past -- Memories Of Old Conflict Make Peace @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a joint statement from the U.S. State Department and the two governments on October 25 -- the third attempt to establish a pause in the hostilities that broke out on September 27 .
Two previous Russian-brokered cease-fires also collapsed soon after being agreed upon .
Ethnic tensions in the region between Christian Armenians and their mainly Muslim neighbors have flared in Nagorno-Karabakh for decades .
Under international law , Nagorno-Karabakh is recognized as part of Azerbaijan , but the ethnic Armenians , who make up the vast majority of the population , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ governing their own affairs , with support from Armenia , since Azerbaijan 's troops were pushed out of the breakaway region in a war in the 1990s .
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said in an address to the nation on October 26 that Azerbaijan wanted to resolve the conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh either by political or military means .
He also reiterated a demand that ethnic Armenian forces should leave the region in order for the conflict to stop .
The United States , France , and Russia -- cochairs of the Minsk Group @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Europe ( OSCE ) -- said its foreign ministers would meet on October 29 in Geneva to discuss the Nagorno-Karabakh issue .
The Minsk Group , formed to mediate the conflict , said the meeting would `` discuss , reach agreement on , and begin implementation , in accordance with a timeline to be agreed upon , of all steps necessary to achieve a peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict . ''
At least some 1,000 people have been reported killed since fighting erupted on September 27 , raising fears of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in NATO member Turkey , which is an ally of Azerbaijan , and Russia , which has a military pact with Armenia .
Armenian forces and Azerbaijan 's military claim to have inflicted devastating losses on each other .
But reports from the opposing sides are often contradictory and hard to verify .
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on October 22 that Moscow believes nearly 5,000 people have been killed in the latest fighting .
With reporting by Reuters , AFP , and TASS

BAKU/YEREVAN -- Armenia and Azerbaijan have exchanged blame for the collapse of a U.S.-brokered cease-fire as a month-long war over the separatist Nagorno-Karabakh region intensified near the border with Iran.
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called on the leaders of Azerbaijan and Armenia on October 27 to abide by the cease-fire, which collapsed minutes after it was meant to go into effect the day before.
In separate phone calls with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, Pompeo "pressed the leaders to abide by their commitments to cease hostilities and pursue a diplomatic solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict," the State Department said.
He also told the two leaders that "there is no military solution to this conflict," the State Department said.
Fighting was reported along several parts of the front line on October 27, with heavy clashes reported in the southern sector near the border with Iran.
Armenia accused Azerbaijan of using drones and artillery to strike border guard positions along its internationally recognized border in the southeast near Iran, compelling Armenian forces to strike back.
Azerbaijan denied violating the cease-fire in the area, accusing Armenian forces of firing mortars at its positions in Zangilan, Khojavend, Fizuli, and Gubadli.
Armenian Defense Ministry official Artsrun Hovhannisian said in a news conference late on October 26 that ethnic Armenian forces had given up the settlement of Gubadli, which lies south of the enclave and just seven kilometers from the Armenian border.
He said the settlement was given up "to avoid unnecessary losses," but the situation was "not critical."
Meanwhile, the head of Karabakh’s Armenia-backed defense forces, Lieutenant General Jalal Harutiunian, was replaced after reportedly being wounded in action.
Azerbaijan also accused Armenian forces of shelling the Azerbaijani town of Tartar and adjacent villages in the north.
"Armenian armed forces during the day on October 26 and overnight into October 27 fired at the positions of Azerbaijani Army units in different directions at the front and at our settlements near the front line with various weapons," the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said in a statement.
Pashinian said the cease-fire had collapsed.
"I would like to state that the efforts of the international community, this time brokered by the United States, to establish a cease-fire, have failed. As a result of continuous shelling by Azerbaijan, civilians were killed and wounded in Artsakh (the Armenian name for Nagorno-Karabakh) today," Pashinian said on Twitter on October 27.
The cease-fire was announced in a joint statement from the U.S. State Department and the two governments on October 25 -- the third attempt to establish a pause in the hostilities that broke out on September 27.
Two previous Russian-brokered cease-fires also collapsed soon after being agreed upon.
Ethnic tensions in the region between Christian Armenians and their mainly Muslim neighbors have flared in Nagorno-Karabakh for decades.
Under international law, Nagorno-Karabakh is recognized as part of Azerbaijan, but the ethnic Armenians, who make up the vast majority of the population, reject Azerbaijani rule. They have been governing their own affairs, with support from Armenia, since Azerbaijan's troops were pushed out of the breakaway region in a war in the 1990s.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said in an address to the nation on October 26 that Azerbaijan wanted to resolve the conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh either by political or military means.
He also reiterated a demand that that Nagorno-Karabakh be returned to Azerbaijan along with seven surrounding districts controlled by Armenian forces.
The United States, France, and Russia -- co-chairs of the Minsk Group of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) -- said its foreign ministers would meet on October 29 in Geneva to discuss the Nagorno-Karabakh issue.
The Minsk Group, formed to mediate the conflict, said the meeting would "discuss, reach agreement on, and begin implementation, in accordance with a timeline to be agreed upon, of all steps necessary to achieve a peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict."
Turkey has demanded a bigger role in the mediating body.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke on the phone on October 27 about Nagorno-Karabakh, as well as Syria and Libya
At least some 1,000 people have been reported killed since fighting erupted on September 27, raising fears of a wider conflict in the South Caucasus drawing in NATO member Turkey, which is an ally of Azerbaijan, and Russia, which has a military pact with Armenia.
Armenian forces and the Azerbaijani's military claim to have inflicted devastating losses on each other.
But reports from the opposing sides are often contradictory and hard to verify.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on October 22 that Moscow believes nearly 5,000 people have been killed in the latest fighting.
With reporting by Reuters, AFP, and TASS


rferl--2020-10-27--Jailed Former Kyrgyz President Atambaev On Hunger Strike To Protest Detention Conditions

BISHKEK -- Jailed former Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambaev has started a hunger strike to protest his transfer to Bishkek 's central detention center from the holding facility at the State Committee of the National Security ( UKMK ) .
Atambaev 's lawyer , Zamir Jooshev , told reporters in Bishkek on October 26 that his client has heart problems and bronchitis and his transfer to `` the tougher penitentiary '' might worsen his medical condition .
`` He is now being kept in an underground cell where they used to keep inmates on death row .
The cell has n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The heating in the cell was turned on only today , the sewage system does n't work , the cell 's door is kept open .
Due to this , Almazbek Atambaev stated he has gone on a hunger strike , '' Jooshev said .
UKMK officials confirmed to RFE/RL that Atambaev was transferred to the central detention center in Bishkek , citing a court decision .
The State Penitentiary Service ( GSIN ) on October 26 said it had not been informed officially of Atambaev 's decision to start a hunger strike @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sewage system and heating in Atambaev 's cell are working properly , while the cell 's door is locked and the former president is under constant surveillance via a video camera installed in his cell .
It added that Atambaev 's possible transfer to another detention center will be decided soon .
On October 6 , during mass protests against official results from parliamentary elections two days earlier , Atambaev was released from the UKMK detention center in Bishkek .
He was rearrested on October 10 and additionally charged with organizing an illegal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Earlier in June , Atambaev was sentenced to 11 years and two months in prison for his involvement in the illegal release of notorious crime boss Aziz Batukaev in 2013 .
Aziz Batukaev , who was unexpectedly released from prison in 2013 and immediately left the Central Asian nation for Russia , was convicted of several notorious crimes -- including the murders of a Kyrgyz lawmaker and an Interior Ministry official .
Atambaev was arrested in early August 2019 after he surrendered to police following a deadly two-day standoff between security forces and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Atambaev was sparked by his refusal to obey three summons to appear at the Interior Ministry for questioning involving Batukaev ’ s release .
The standoff between security forces and his supporters resulted in the death of a senior security officer and more than 170 injuries -- 79 of them sustained by law enforcement officers .
Atambaev is currently also on trial in another case linked to last year 's violence , in which he and 13 others were charged with murder , attempted murder , threatening or assaulting representatives of authorities , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of power .

BISHKEK -- Jailed former Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambaev has started a hunger strike to protest his transfer to Bishkek's central detention center from the holding facility at the State Committee of the National Security (UKMK).
Atambaev's lawyer, Zamir Jooshev, told reporters in Bishkek on October 26 that his client has heart problems and bronchitis and his transfer to "the tougher penitentiary" might worsen his medical condition.
"He is now being kept in an underground cell where they used to keep inmates on death row. The cell hasn't been used in a long time. The heating in the cell was turned on only today, the sewage system doesn't work, the cell's door is kept open. Due to this, Almazbek Atambaev stated he has gone on a hunger strike," Jooshev said.
UKMK officials confirmed to RFE/RL that Atambaev was transferred to the central detention center in Bishkek, citing a court decision.
The State Penitentiary Service (GSIN) on October 26 said it had not been informed officially of Atambaev's decision to start a hunger strike.
According to the GSIN, the sewage system and heating in Atambaev's cell are working properly, while the cell's door is locked and the former president is under constant surveillance via a video camera installed in his cell.
It added that Atambaev's possible transfer to another detention center will be decided soon.
On October 6, during mass protests against official results from parliamentary elections two days earlier, Atambaev was released from the UKMK detention center in Bishkek.
He was rearrested on October 10 and additionally charged with organizing an illegal demonstration in Bishkek on October 9.
Earlier in June, Atambaev was sentenced to 11 years and two months in prison for his involvement in the illegal release of notorious crime boss Aziz Batukaev in 2013.
Aziz Batukaev, who was unexpectedly released from prison in 2013 and immediately left the Central Asian nation for Russia, was convicted of several notorious crimes -- including the murders of a Kyrgyz lawmaker and an Interior Ministry official.
Atambaev was arrested in early August 2019 after he surrendered to police following a deadly two-day standoff between security forces and his supporters.
The move to detain Atambaev was sparked by his refusal to obey three summons to appear at the Interior Ministry for questioning involving Batukaev’s release.
The standoff between security forces and his supporters resulted in the death of a senior security officer and more than 170 injuries -- 79 of them sustained by law enforcement officers.
Atambaev is currently also on trial in another case linked to last year's violence, in which he and 13 others were charged with murder, attempted murder, threatening or assaulting representatives of authorities, hostage taking, and the forcible seizure of power.