rferl--2020-02-04--Bulgaria's President Blasts Government Over 'Lack Of Will' To Fight Graft

Bulgarian President Rumen Radev has accused the center-right government of endangering the survival of the country by failing to tackle endemic corruption amid a scandal over water shortages that cost Environment Minister Neno Dimov his job .
Radev said in a nationally televised address on February 4 he was `` withdrawing my confidence '' in the government of Prime Minister Boyko Borisov , in a mainly symbolic act that carries no constitutional effect .
The president in Bulgaria has a largely ceremonial role with few actual powers , but he can use the office to attempt to sway public opinion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leading to the collapse of the state and depriving us of our future as a nation , '' said Radev , a former air-force commander who was backed by the Moscow-friendly opposition Socialists .
`` Today , we are witnessing an acute crisis in governance at all levels , a lack of will to reform and fight corruption . ''
Borisov dismissed Radev 's criticism as `` direct interference into the independence of the authorities . ''
He told reporters that Radev , who has been a frequent critic of the prime minister @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the government ... .
We have n't worked together on any topic , so I do n't feel harmed from not having his support . ''
Borisov 's center-right government on January 29 survived a tight no-confidence vote called by the opposition over the water crisis , the fourth such attempt to bring down the government in three years .
Borisov returned to power in 2017 for his third term since 2009 , vowing to wipe out graft and bolster economic growth in the European Union 's poorest member state .
The country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but his government has also been criticized for slow progress in the fight against corruption and a perceived failure to hold corrupt officials and businessmen accountable .
The European Commission has slammed Bulgaria over its record in the areas of rule of law and white-collar crime .
Former President Rosen Plevneliev , a vocal Kremlin critic , suggested there was a connection between the pro-Russian president 's accusation and `` a war on the government to stop it from joining '' the euro single-currency zone .
Political tensions in the country intensified @ @ @ @ @ @ @ post on January 10 after he was criminally charged with deliberate mismanagement of water supplies in a western region of the country .
Prosecutors accuse him of providing water supplies to industrial users even when he had been informed that the water in a dam -- the only source of drinking water for the town of Pernik and surrounding area -- had dramatically decreased .
He has denied any wrongdoing .
Separately , the head of the Bulgaria 's Gambling Commission resigned after being detained in connection with an investigation into gambling tycoon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ violations in the industry .
With reporting by Reuters , Bloomberg , and dpa

Bulgarian President Rumen Radev has accused the center-right government of endangering the survival of the country by failing to tackle endemic corruption amid a scandal over water shortages that cost Environment Minister Neno Dimov his job.
Radev said in a nationally televised address on February 4 he was "withdrawing my confidence" in the government of Prime Minister Boyko Borisov, in a mainly symbolic act that carries no constitutional effect.
The president in Bulgaria has a largely ceremonial role with few actual powers, but he can use the office to attempt to sway public opinion.
"This government and administration are leading to the collapse of the state and depriving us of our future as a nation," said Radev, a former air-force commander who was backed by the Moscow-friendly opposition Socialists.
"Today, we are witnessing an acute crisis in governance at all levels, a lack of will to reform and fight corruption."
Borisov dismissed Radev's criticism as "direct interference into the independence of the authorities."
He told reporters that Radev, who has been a frequent critic of the prime minister, is "looking for confrontation with the government.... We haven't worked together on any topic, so I don't feel harmed from not having his support."
Borisov's center-right government on January 29 survived a tight no-confidence vote called by the opposition over the water crisis, the fourth such attempt to bring down the government in three years.
Borisov returned to power in 2017 for his third term since 2009, vowing to wipe out graft and bolster economic growth in the European Union's poorest member state.
The country has experienced steady economic growth under Borisov, but his government has also been criticized for slow progress in the fight against corruption and a perceived failure to hold corrupt officials and businessmen accountable.
The European Commission has slammed Bulgaria over its record in the areas of rule of law and white-collar crime.
Former President Rosen Plevneliev, a vocal Kremlin critic, suggested there was a connection between the pro-Russian president's accusation and "a war on the government to stop it from joining" the euro single-currency zone.
Political tensions in the country intensified when Environment Minister Dimov resigned from his post on January 10 after he was criminally charged with deliberate mismanagement of water supplies in a western region of the country.
Prosecutors accuse him of providing water supplies to industrial users even when he had been informed that the water in a dam -- the only source of drinking water for the town of Pernik and surrounding area -- had dramatically decreased. He has denied any wrongdoing.
Separately, the head of the Bulgaria's Gambling Commission resigned after being detained in connection with an investigation into gambling tycoon Vasil Bozhkov over allegations of serious financial violations in the industry.
With reporting by Reuters, Bloomberg, and dpa


rferl--2020-02-04--EU Proposes Greater Role For Member States In Enlargement Process

BRUSSELS -- The European Commission has drafted a new methodology to handle the bloc 's enlargement process that would give member states a stronger role in accession talks with EU hopefuls , according to a document seen by RFE/RL .
The proposed plan is to be made public on February 5 , more than three months after the EU again halted the opening of membership talks with North Macedonia and Albania .
It comes as a direct response to France -- the main driving force behind the October decision that has sparked disappointment and concern among the six Western Balkan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Paris has argued Skopje and Tirana had not made sufficient progress with reforms to cut corruption and strengthen the rule of law , and demanded changes to the EU enlargement process .
In the document , titled Enhancing The Accession Process -- A Credible EU Perspective For The Western Balkans , the European Commission proposes that EU member states `` contribute more systematically to the accession process , including via monitoring on the ground through their experts , through direct contributions to the annual reports , and through sectoral expertise . ''
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to review and monitor overall progress more regularly , '' the draft document says .
It calls for more incentives for well-performing aspirant states , including increased funding `` through a performance-based and reform-oriented instrument for preaccession support and closer cooperation with international financial institutions to leverage support . ''
Backsliding or delays on required reforms could lead to sanctions , such as the suspension of funding or negotiations .
`` Already closed chapters could be reopened or reset if issues need to be reassessed , '' according to the document .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could be adjusted downward , with the exception of support to civil society , '' it says , while `` benefits of closer integration , e.g .
access to EU programs , unilateral concessions for market access could be paused or withdrawn . ''
Speaking to reporters on February 4 , EU spokeswoman Ana Pisonero insisted that the proposals will attempt to make the accession process `` more predictable '' and `` dynamic '' without changing the conditions to join the EU .
The proposed plan is to be discussed by EU member @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at a Brussels summit in March , ahead of the Zagreb summit with Western Balkan leaders in May .
If approved , the new methodology would apply to Albania , Bosnia-Herzegovina , Kosovo , and North Macedonia -- but not to Serbia or Montenegro , which have already started accession talks with Brussels .
For these two countries , `` the proposed changes could be accommodated within the existing frameworks with the agreement '' of Belgrade and Podgorica , according to the draft document .

BRUSSELS -- The European Commission has drafted a new methodology to handle the bloc's enlargement process that would give member states a stronger role in accession talks with EU hopefuls, according to a document seen by RFE/RL.
The proposed plan is to be made public on February 5, more than three months after the EU again halted the opening of membership talks with North Macedonia and Albania.
It comes as a direct response to France -- the main driving force behind the October decision that has sparked disappointment and concern among the six Western Balkan states aspiring to join the EU.
Paris has argued Skopje and Tirana had not made sufficient progress with reforms to cut corruption and strengthen the rule of law, and demanded changes to the EU enlargement process.
In the document, titled Enhancing The Accession Process -- A Credible EU Perspective For The Western Balkans, the European Commission proposes that EU member states "contribute more systematically to the accession process, including via monitoring on the ground through their experts, through direct contributions to the annual reports, and through sectoral expertise."
"Member states will also have the opportunity to review and monitor overall progress more regularly," the draft document says.
It calls for more incentives for well-performing aspirant states, including increased funding "through a performance-based and reform-oriented instrument for preaccession support and closer cooperation with international financial institutions to leverage support."
Backsliding or delays on required reforms could lead to sanctions, such as the suspension of funding or negotiations.
"Already closed chapters could be reopened or reset if issues need to be reassessed," according to the document.
"The scope and intensity of EU funding could be adjusted downward, with the exception of support to civil society," it says, while "benefits of closer integration, e.g. access to EU programs, unilateral concessions for market access could be paused or withdrawn."
Speaking to reporters on February 4, EU spokeswoman Ana Pisonero insisted that the proposals will attempt to make the accession process "more predictable" and "dynamic" without changing the conditions to join the EU.
The proposed plan is to be discussed by EU member states to have it ready for approval at a Brussels summit in March, ahead of the Zagreb summit with Western Balkan leaders in May.
If approved, the new methodology would apply to Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosovo, and North Macedonia -- but not to Serbia or Montenegro, which have already started accession talks with Brussels.
For these two countries, "the proposed changes could be accommodated within the existing frameworks with the agreement" of Belgrade and Podgorica, according to the draft document.
With reporting by AFP


rferl--2020-02-04--More Russian LGBT Supporters Injured In Attacks In 2019, Watchdog Says

A prominent Moscow-based watchdog says the number of casualties in attacks on members of the lesbian , gay , bisexual , and transgender ( LGBT ) community in Russia increased in 2019 , while it also said its research showed that ethnic-based hate crimes declined .
The Sova Center , a respected research organization that tracks hate crimes and extremist movements in Russia , also said in its annual report released on February 4 that the number of attacks by pro-government groups against their opponents declined in 2019 .
Sova said one LGBT activist was killed and seven injured in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one member of the LGBT community was killed and five injured in apparent hate-based attacks .
The report said that victims in 2019 were mainly participants in rallies or other events associated with the LGBT community , but it added that `` there were also attacks on passersby to such events [ and ] on those who were mistaken to be LGBT in appearance . ''
`` In addition to physical attacks , LGBT activists regularly face threats from homophobic citizens and right-wing radicals of all kinds , '' the reported added Sova @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such attacks and that it remained impossible to gauge the actual level of homophobia in the country .
Members of Russia 's LGBT community and advocates for their rights have been the targets of worsening threats in recent years .
President Vladimir Putin has asserted that Russia does not discriminate against gay people , but rights activists strenuously dispute that claim .
The most high-profile killing in 2019 of an LGBT activist was the murder of Yelena Grigoryeva in St. Petersburg .
Before her death , Grigoryeva received numerous threats from unknown individuals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so-called `` black list '' of a homophobic group -- Saws Against LGBT .
However , investigators did not label her killing as a hate crime .
Sova noted Grigoryeva had contacted law enforcement about the threats but that `` there was no reaction . ''
The Sova report also said that four attacks by pro-government groups against government critics were registered in Russia in 2019 , down from 19 in 2018 .
Also , the number of ethnically motivated attacks in 2019 was 45 , down from 55 in 2018 .
Five @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2019 .
The majority of the attacks were in Moscow and St. Petersburg , with the main targets being individuals from Central Asia and the Caucasus , the report said .

A prominent Moscow-based watchdog says the number of casualties in attacks on members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community in Russia increased in 2019, while it also said its research showed that ethnic-based hate crimes declined.
The Sova Center, a respected research organization that tracks hate crimes and extremist movements in Russia, also said in its annual report released on February 4 that the number of attacks by pro-government groups against their opponents declined in 2019.
Sova said one LGBT activist was killed and seven injured in 2019. In the previous year, one member of the LGBT community was killed and five injured in apparent hate-based attacks.
The report said that victims in 2019 were mainly participants in rallies or other events associated with the LGBT community, but it added that "there were also attacks on passersby to such events [and] on those who were mistaken to be LGBT in appearance."
"In addition to physical attacks, LGBT activists regularly face threats from homophobic citizens and right-wing radicals of all kinds," the reported added
Sova stressed there were no official statistics on such attacks and that it remained impossible to gauge the actual level of homophobia in the country.
Members of Russia's LGBT community and advocates for their rights have been the targets of worsening threats in recent years.
President Vladimir Putin has asserted that Russia does not discriminate against gay people, but rights activists strenuously dispute that claim.
The most high-profile killing in 2019 of an LGBT activist was the murder of Yelena Grigoryeva in St. Petersburg.
Before her death, Grigoryeva received numerous threats from unknown individuals and her name was included to the so-called "black list" of a homophobic group -- Saws Against LGBT. However, investigators did not label her killing as a hate crime.
Sova noted Grigoryeva had contacted law enforcement about the threats but that "there was no reaction."
The Sova report also said that four attacks by pro-government groups against government critics were registered in Russia in 2019, down from 19 in 2018.
Also, the number of ethnically motivated attacks in 2019 was 45, down from 55 in 2018. Five people were killed in such attacks in 2019.
The majority of the attacks were in Moscow and St. Petersburg, with the main targets being individuals from Central Asia and the Caucasus, the report said.


rferl--2020-02-04--Three Iranian Journalists Convicted Of Defamation, Spreading False News

The Committee to Protect Journalists ( CPJ ) is urging the Iranian authorities to drop the cases against the editors of three news outlets convicted of defamation and spreading false news .
Tehran 's Media Court on February 2 found three editors in chief of the semiofficial ISNA news agency , the Bultannews news website , and the energy news website NeftEMA guilty of the charges , according to the official judicial news agency , Mizan .
`` If the Iranian government has a credible case against the editors of ISNA , NeftEMA , and Bultannews , they should try @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mansour , CPJ 's Middle East and North Africa program coordinator , said in a statement on February 3 .
`` Closed-door trials of journalists can not be considered fair or impartial , '' Mansour said , adding that the Iranian judiciary had `` a history of holding opaque judicial proceedings that lack credibility . ''
Neither the court nor Mizan 's report disclosed the names of those convicted , details surrounding the case , or the potential sentences the editors may receive .
It was unclear whether they were being held in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the spokesman of Iran 's Media Court system , as saying that the ISNA and Bultannews editors were eligible to be spared from sentencing , without explaining why .
According to ISNA , the case is related to a complaint filed by a subsidiary of the Oil Ministry against NeftEMA , accusing its editor in chief of `` spreading misinformation , defamation , and insult . ''

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--2020-02-04--Afghan Media Protest Lack Of Access To State-Held Information

KABUL -- Dozens of Afghan media outlets have joined their voices to denounce the `` deterioration '' of access to government-related information in the country .
In a joint statement issued on February 4 , 30 media outlets including privately owned national TV channels , local broadcasters , and newspapers blamed the `` carelessness '' of the government for endangering media freedom in recent years .
The protest was supported by media-freedom watchdogs , the UN mission in Afghanistan , and Western embassies in Kabul , which said access to information for citizens will make Afghan democracy stronger .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outlets said that all government institutions had `` shortcomings '' when it comes to providing access to information , but cited the Supreme Court , the Attorney General 's Office , the National Directorate of Security , the president 's office , the Finance Ministry , the central bank , and the Defense Ministry as being `` the worst ones . ''
It urged the Afghan government and the international community to `` act in the strongest possible ways to safeguard the free flow of information , our press freedom , and our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ responded by calling on `` all the government organizations to cooperate and share information with the citizens . ''
Abdullah said that `` freedom of speech and freedom of media is one of the most important national achievements of the people of Afghanistan , '' adding that `` honoring and respecting this achievement is the responsibility of government officials . ''
In a statement , Paris-based Reporters Without Borders ( RSF ) said it supported the protest by the 30 media outlets and criticized the Afghan authorities ' `` failure '' to fully @ @ @ @ @ @ @ information .
The European Union office in Afghanistan also called for the law to be `` implemented in full , '' saying the `` free flow of information is crucial for any democracy & progressive society . ''
The Afghan government `` needs to respond to calls of media and fully implement '' the law , according to Britain 's embassy in Kabul .
The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan ( UNAMA ) said that `` open and healthy societies promote access to information for citizens , '' which it said was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ corruption , improving government performance and efficiency , encouraging investment , and empowering citizens in public life .
Ross Wilson , charge d'affaires at the U.S. Embassy , said the authorities `` must work with the press to make Afghan democracy stronger . ''
The German ambassador in Kabul , Peter Prugel , said the Afghan government `` must assure free & indiscriminate access to information . ''
`` FreeMedia , # pressfreedom & # access2information are key to # accountability & # GoodGovernance and an open , transparent & democratic society in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The French Embassy said it `` stands by Afghan journalists , who demonstrate on a daily basis courage , professionnalism ( sic ) and commitment to the information of [ the Afghan ] people and the world , often in difficult circumstances . ''

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


rferl--2020-02-04--Belarusian President Reveals Details Of Mysterious Disappearances Of Sugar-Plant Directors

DOBRUSH , Belarus -- Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka has said the directors of all four of the country 's sugar-producing @ @ @ @ @ been unknown for more than a week , are being held by the Committee for @ @ @ @ @ on corruption charges .
Lukashenka said on February 4 that a statement from the KGB @ @ @ @ @ `` soon . ''
`` They created a fake company in Moscow , a trade @ @ @ @ @ people to run it .
They were selling Belarusian sugar at dumping prices and then @ @ @ @ @ Russian ] market for much higher prices .
The price difference then was given back @ @ @ @ @ plants as bribes , '' Lukashenka said .
On January 27 , local media reports @ @ @ @ @ the four sugar plants failed to show up for work .
Some reports said that @ @ @ @ @ to the sugar plants were detained for questioning .
There was no official comment on @ @ @ @ @ Investigative Committee or the KGB .

DOBRUSH, Belarus -- Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka has said the directors of all four of the country's sugar-producing plants, whose whereabouts have been unknown for more than a week, are being held by the Committee for State Security (KGB) on corruption charges.
Lukashenka said on February 4 that a statement from the KGB concerning the case will follow "soon."
"They created a fake company in Moscow, a trade house, and put their people to run it. They were selling Belarusian sugar at dumping prices and then reselling it in the [Russian] market for much higher prices. The price difference then was given back to the directors of the plants as bribes," Lukashenka said.
On January 27, local media reports said that the directors of the four sugar plants failed to show up for work. Some reports said that at least 11 people linked to the sugar plants were detained for questioning.
There was no official comment on the situation either from the Investigative Committee or the KGB.
With reporting by BelTA


rferl--2020-02-04--North Macedonia Hopes For NATO Accession Ratification In March

Macedonian President Stevo Pendarovski has said that he expects Spain , the last country that needs to ratify its North @ @ @ @ @ ) accession , to be ready to do so next month .
`` If everything @ @ @ @ @ the political process , around March 10 that process should finish .
There will remain @ @ @ @ @ parliament in Skopje will have to deal with , '' Pendarovski told reporters during a @ @ @ @ @ 4 .
North Macedonia was granted a protocol on accession to NATO membership in February @ @ @ @ @ 2018 agreement with Greece that changed the former Yugoslav republic 's name from Macedonia , @ @ @ @ @ Skopje and Athens .
So far , 28 of NATO 's 29 member states have @ @ @ @ @

Macedonian President Stevo Pendarovski has said that he expects Spain, the last country that needs to ratify its North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) accession, to be ready to do so next month.
"If everything goes according to plan concerning the political process, around March 10 that process should finish. There will remain some technical details that our parliament in Skopje will have to deal with," Pendarovski told reporters during a visit to Poland on February 4.
North Macedonia was granted a protocol on accession to NATO membership in February last year, after a 2018 agreement with Greece that changed the former Yugoslav republic's name from Macedonia, resolving a decades-long dispute between Skopje and Athens.
So far, 28 of NATO's 29 member states have ratified the accession protocol.
Based on reporting by Reuters


rferl--2020-02-04--Moscow Court Extends Detention Of Former U.S. Marine Until March 29

MOSCOW -- The Moscow City Court has upheld a decision to keep former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan in pretrial detention until March 29 , pending trial on charges of espionage .
The court announced the ruling on February 4 , upholding the extension that was first handed down in December .
The 49-year-old Whelan , who holds U.S. , British , Canadian , and Irish passports , was arrested in a hotel room in Moscow in December 2018 and accused of receiving classified information .
He was charged with espionage , which carries a sentence of up to 20 years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and says he was framed .
His family said he was in Moscow at the time for a wedding .
After visiting Whelan last week , the U.S. ambassador to Russia , John Sullivan , urged Moscow to release Whelan and slammed Russian authorities for their `` shameful treatment '' of him .
`` Despite the Russian government 's immediate claims that they caught Paul , quote 'red-handed ' unquote , the investigators have shown no evidence .
Zero .
Paul 's case has gone on far too long , shielded in secrecy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said days after taking up his new post .

MOSCOW -- The Moscow City Court has upheld a decision to keep former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan in pretrial detention until March 29, pending trial on charges of espionage.
The court announced the ruling on February 4, upholding the extension that was first handed down in December.
The 49-year-old Whelan, who holds U.S., British, Canadian, and Irish passports, was arrested in a hotel room in Moscow in December 2018 and accused of receiving classified information.
He was charged with espionage, which carries a sentence of up to 20 years in prison. Whelan denies the charges and says he was framed.
His family said he was in Moscow at the time for a wedding.
After visiting Whelan last week, the U.S. ambassador to Russia, John Sullivan, urged Moscow to release Whelan and slammed Russian authorities for their "shameful treatment" of him.
"Despite the Russian government's immediate claims that they caught Paul, quote 'red-handed' unquote, the investigators have shown no evidence. Zero. Paul's case has gone on far too long, shielded in secrecy and hidden from view," Sullivan said days after taking up his new post.


rferl--2020-02-04--Fire Kills Two Children As Kazakhstan Marks Year Since Deadly Blaze That Shook Nation

ALMATY , Kazakhstan -- A fire in a village near Kazakhstan 's largest city , Almaty , has killed two young children on the eve of the first anniversary of a similar fire that killed five children from onee family , which sparked a series of anti-government protests over the state 's failure to take care of ordinary citizens .
The fire on February 3 raced through a one-story house in the village of Ostemir , 50 kilometers from Almaty , the Interior Ministry 's Emergencies Committee said .
According to the committee , two children , born in 2016 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the burning house by neighbors , died while being transported to hospital by an ambulance .
The tragedy took place as people prepared to commemorate the five children killed in a similar fire on February 4 , 2019 , in the Kazakh capital .
Marking the first anniversary of a person 's death is a tradition in many former Soviet republics .
The predawn fire a year ago destroyed a tiny family home and killed five girls aged 3 months to 13 years while both parents were away working overnight shifts .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the energy-rich Central Asian country , at which demonstrators accused the government of ignoring the needs and demands of ordinary people and families .

ALMATY, Kazakhstan -- A fire in a village near Kazakhstan's largest city, Almaty, has killed two young children on the eve of the first anniversary of a similar fire that killed five children from onee family, which sparked a series of anti-government protests over the state's failure to take care of ordinary citizens.
The fire on February 3 raced through a one-story house in the village of Ostemir, 50 kilometers from Almaty, the Interior Ministry's Emergencies Committee said.
According to the committee, two children, born in 2016 and 2017, who were pulled from the burning house by neighbors, died while being transported to hospital by an ambulance.
The tragedy took place as people prepared to commemorate the five children killed in a similar fire on February 4, 2019, in the Kazakh capital.
Marking the first anniversary of a person's death is a tradition in many former Soviet republics.
The predawn fire a year ago destroyed a tiny family home and killed five girls aged 3 months to 13 years while both parents were away working overnight shifts.
The tragedy sparked a series of protests across the energy-rich Central Asian country, at which demonstrators accused the government of ignoring the needs and demands of ordinary people and families.


rferl--2020-02-04--Live And Don't Let Dye: A Gray Day For Turkmen

TURKMENABAT , Turkmenistan -- Males working at state organizations in Turkmenistan 's northeastern region of Lebap have been ordered not to dye their hair ahead of an expected visit by the Central Asian nation 's autocratic leader , Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov .
Several employees at local schools , medical institutions , and municipal offices told RFE/RL on February 4 that all men over the age of 40 were told to refrain from dyeing their hair to conceal any graying .
Anyone found breaking the edict will not be allowed to attend public meetings with the president during his upcoming visit , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ provided for the move , but many believe that the ban is linked to Berdymukhammedov ’ s decision to stop coloring his hair in 2018 .
After that , authorities in the capital , Ashgabat , ordered all hairdressers in the city to stop providing dyeing services to men .
When Berdymukhammedov took over the former Soviet republic following the death of his authoritarian predecessor , Saparmurat Niyazov , in 2006 , he had touches of gray in his hair .
He later started dyeing his hair black , but stopped in 2018 @ @ @

TURKMENABAT, Turkmenistan -- Males working at state organizations in Turkmenistan's northeastern region of Lebap have been ordered not to dye their hair ahead of an expected visit by the Central Asian nation's autocratic leader, Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov.
Several employees at local schools, medical institutions, and municipal offices told RFE/RL on February 4 that all men over the age of 40 were told to refrain from dyeing their hair to conceal any graying.
Anyone found breaking the edict will not be allowed to attend public meetings with the president during his upcoming visit, the employees added.
No explanation was provided for the move, but many believe that the ban is linked to Berdymukhammedov’s decision to stop coloring his hair in 2018.
After that, authorities in the capital, Ashgabat, ordered all hairdressers in the city to stop providing dyeing services to men.
When Berdymukhammedov took over the former Soviet republic following the death of his authoritarian predecessor, Saparmurat Niyazov, in 2006, he had touches of gray in his hair.
He later started dyeing his hair black, but stopped in 2018 without explanation.


rferl--2020-02-05--Moscow Prosecutor Offers Apologies To Journalist Golunov For False Prosecution

The prosecutor 's office of Moscow 's Western district has apologized to Russian investigative journalist Ivan Golunov for his illegal prosecution , in a case that has embarrassed the city 's police department .
`` The prosecutor 's office of the Western administrative district of Moscow has sent journalist Ivan Golunov an official apology in connection with his unreasonable criminal prosecution , '' the office said in a statement on February 5 .
The 37-year-old Golunov , who works for the Latvia-based online news outlet Meduza , was arrested in June last year in Moscow for allegedly attempting to sell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dropped and police officers involved in his arrest were themselves arrested last week .
In late January , Golunov filed a complaint with newly appointed Prosecutor-General Igor Krasnov saying that nobody had apologized for his wrongful arrest last year .
Golunov 's lawyer , Sergei Badamshin , said on February 4 that the Prosecutor-General 's Office had refused to apologize directly to his client and ordered a lower entity to do so .
Interfax quoted Golunov as saying on February 5 that he had not received any apology over the case .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But it ’ s rather strange that the press service first sends a press release .
They could call and spend three minutes talking with me and then send out a press release , '' Golunov told Interfax .
On January 30 , a Moscow court said that five former officers of the Moscow drug enforcement unit who arrested Golunov were placed in pretrial detention after they were charged with abuse of service duties , falsification of evidence , and the illegal handling of drugs .
Golunov 's arrest last year sparked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him and launched an investigation into his detainment over the charges and also into why Golunov suffered bruises , cuts , a concussion , and a broken rib during the ordeal .
In mid-July , three police officers and their supervisor were fired for violating Golunov 's rights while detaining him .
After Golunov ’ s release , Russian President Vladimir Putin fired Major General Yury Devyatkin , the head of the Moscow police department 's drug control directorate , and Major General Andrei Puchkov , the police chief in Moscow 's West @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Authorities announced in November that the case had been classified , a decision harshly criticized by Golunov 's lawyers , who called the move an attempt to cover up the `` wrongful arrest '' of their client .
With reporting by Interfax and RIA Novosti

The prosecutor's office of Moscow's Western district has apologized to Russian investigative journalist Ivan Golunov for his illegal prosecution, in a case that has embarrassed the city's police department.
"The prosecutor's office of the Western administrative district of Moscow has sent journalist Ivan Golunov an official apology in connection with his unreasonable criminal prosecution," the office said in a statement on February 5.
The 37-year-old Golunov, who works for the Latvia-based online news outlet Meduza, was arrested in June last year in Moscow for allegedly attempting to sell illegal drugs. The charges were later dropped and police officers involved in his arrest were themselves arrested last week.
In late January, Golunov filed a complaint with newly appointed Prosecutor-General Igor Krasnov saying that nobody had apologized for his wrongful arrest last year.
Golunov's lawyer, Sergei Badamshin, said on February 4 that the Prosecutor-General's Office had refused to apologize directly to his client and ordered a lower entity to do so.
Interfax quoted Golunov as saying on February 5 that he had not received any apology over the case.
“I haven’t received anything yet. But it’s rather strange that the press service first sends a press release. They could call and spend three minutes talking with me and then send out a press release," Golunov told Interfax.
On January 30, a Moscow court said that five former officers of the Moscow drug enforcement unit who arrested Golunov were placed in pretrial detention after they were charged with abuse of service duties, falsification of evidence, and the illegal handling of drugs.
Golunov's arrest last year sparked a public outcry. Moscow authorities released him and launched an investigation into his detainment over the charges and also into why Golunov suffered bruises, cuts, a concussion, and a broken rib during the ordeal.
In mid-July, three police officers and their supervisor were fired for violating Golunov's rights while detaining him.
After Golunov’s release, Russian President Vladimir Putin fired Major General Yury Devyatkin, the head of the Moscow police department's drug control directorate, and Major General Andrei Puchkov, the police chief in Moscow's West administrative region, over the case.
Authorities announced in November that the case had been classified, a decision harshly criticized by Golunov's lawyers, who called the move an attempt to cover up the "wrongful arrest" of their client.
With reporting by Interfax and RIA Novosti


rferl--2020-02-05--Romania's Center-Right Government Faces No-Confidence Vote

Romanian Prime Minister Ludovic Orban 's center-right minority government faces a no-confidence vote brought by the leftist opposition on February 5 .
It is the first test of parliamentary support for Orban 's minority cabinet since taking power on an anti-corruption ticket in November .
The opposition Social Democrats ( PSD ) , who were themselves ousted in a no-confidence vote in October , have criticized Orban for pushing to alter electoral laws without public debate ahead of a mayoral ballot scheduled in late spring .
The PSD , which has the backing of the ethnic Hungarian party UDMR , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what is required to topple the government but has said it will try to recruit other lawmakers .
The PSD and the UDMR hold 228 seats in parliament , five short of the 233 votes needed to topple the government .
In case the no-confidence vote fails , Orban 's cabinet will have a green light to reintroduce electing local officials in two rounds of voting instead of the current first-past-the-post system introduced in 2012 .
Both PSD and the UDMR would lose a high number of local positions if local officials will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ If the no-confidence vote is successful , early elections are likely to be called at the latest in June together with the local polls .
Orban 's Liberals , who have upped their popularity ratings from 30 percent to some 47 percent since November , would have a better chance to form a coalition government after snap polls rather than wait until regular parliamentary elections due later this year .
PSD has halved its popularity over the same period of time to about 20 percent .
Orban has voiced confidence that his government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Frankly , I do not expect the PSD to be able to garner enough votes to topple this government , '' Orban said .
With reporting by RFE/RL 's Romanian Service , g4media.ro , digi.24.ro , and Reuters

Romanian Prime Minister Ludovic Orban's center-right minority government has been dismissed after losing a no-confidence vote brought by the leftist opposition.
The no-confidence motion was put forward on February 5 by the opposition Social Democrats (PSD), who were themselves ousted by parliament in October, and the ethnic Hungarian party UDMR.
The PSD and UDMR had criticized Orban for pushing to alter electoral laws without public debate ahead of a mayoral ballot scheduled in late spring.
Lawmakers voted 261-139 to dismiss the government, comfortably above the 233-vote threshold needed.
It was the first test of parliamentary support for Orban's minority cabinet since taking power on an anti-corruption ticket in November.
The PSD and the UDMR hold 228 seats in parliament, which indicates that a number of lawmakers from the center-right USR and center-left Pro Romania parties voted against a government that they initially supported in November.
Early elections are likely to be called by June at the latest.
If the vote had failed, Orban's cabinet would have had a green light to reintroduce electing local officials in two rounds of voting instead of the current first-past-the-post system introduced in 2012. Both PSD and the UDMR would have stood to lose a high number of local positions if local officials will again be elected in two rounds.
However, Orban's Liberals, who have upped their popularity ratings from 30 percent to some 47 percent since November, have a better chance to form a coalition government after snap polls rather than wait until regular parliamentary elections due later this year.
Orban said after the vote, "The government has fallen, but it has fallen on its feet."
PSD has seen its popularity halved over the same period of time to about 20 percent.
With reporting by RFE/RL's Romanian Service, g4media.ro, digi.24.ro, and Reuters


rferl--2020-02-05--Moscow Court Prolongs Pretrial Detention Of Young Mathematician

MOSCOW -- A court in Moscow has prolonged the pretrial detention of Azat Miftakhov , a mathematician who says he was tortured while being detained a year ago on hooliganism charges .
The Moscow City Court late on February 4 extended Miftakhov 's detention until April 7 , rejecting his lawyers ' request to transfer their client to house arrest or release him on bail .
Miftakhov , 25 , a postgraduate mathematics student at the Moscow State University , was arrested on February 1 , 2019 , and accused of helping make an improvised bomb found in January in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Public Monitoring Commission , a human rights group , has said that Miftakhov 's body bore the signs of torture , which the student claimed were the result of investigators unsuccessfully attempting to force him to confess to the bomb-making charge .
Others who were detained along with Miftakhov , but later released , have also claimed to have been beaten by police .
Miftakhov was released on February 7 , 2019 after the initial charge failed to hold , but he was rearrested immediately and charged with involvement in an arson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ office in Moscow in January 2018 .
Miftakhov has rejected all of the charges and believes he may have been targeted by police because of his anarchist views .
A prominent Russian human rights organization , Memorial , has recognized Miftakhov as a political prisoner .
A series of demonstrations demanding Miftakhov 's immediate release have been held in Moscow and other cities in Russia since his arrest .

MOSCOW -- A court in Moscow has prolonged the pretrial detention of Azat Miftakhov, a mathematician who says he was tortured while being detained a year ago on hooliganism charges.
The Moscow City Court late on February 4 extended Miftakhov's detention until April 7, rejecting his lawyers' request to transfer their client to house arrest or release him on bail.
Miftakhov, 25, a postgraduate mathematics student at the Moscow State University, was arrested on February 1, 2019, and accused of helping make an improvised bomb found in January in the city of Balashikha near Moscow.
The Public Monitoring Commission, a human rights group, has said that Miftakhov's body bore the signs of torture, which the student claimed were the result of investigators unsuccessfully attempting to force him to confess to the bomb-making charge. Others who were detained along with Miftakhov, but later released, have also claimed to have been beaten by police.
Miftakhov was released on February 7, 2019 after the initial charge failed to hold, but he was rearrested immediately and charged with involvement in an arson attack on the ruling United Russia's office in Moscow in January 2018.
Miftakhov has rejected all of the charges and believes he may have been targeted by police because of his anarchist views.
A prominent Russian human rights organization, Memorial, has recognized Miftakhov as a political prisoner.
A series of demonstrations demanding Miftakhov's immediate release have been held in Moscow and other cities in Russia since his arrest.
With reporting by Novaya Gazeta


rferl--2020-02-05--WTO Delivers Mixed Ruling In Russia, Ukraine Rail Feud

The World Trade Organization ( WTO ) on February 4 ruled largely in favor of Ukraine in a dispute with Russia over railway equipment exports -- one of several rows between the two rival neighbors in their broader geopolitical spat .
The ruling stems from an appeal by Ukraine to the WTO ’ s appeals panel , often seen as the supreme court of world trade , regarding Russia imposing a virtual ban on imports of Ukrainian railway carriages and equipment in 2013 .
Russia had annulled export certificates for a number of Ukrainian companies , including at the country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Poltava region .
Kyiv initiated litigation in 2015 , a year after Russia annexed Ukraine ’ s Crimean Peninsula and started backing separatists in eastern Ukraine .
Exports to Russia by the affected group of Ukrainian companies had shrunk from $ 1.7 billion in 2013 to $ 51 million in January-July 2015 .
Kyiv in July 2018 argued Russia was in violation of international trade agreements and was systemically blocking imports .
However , “ Ukraine failed to demonstrate that Russia systemically prevented the importation of Ukrainian railway products into Russia , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ findings and conclusions .
Still , the WTO ’ s appellate body agreed with Ukraine that Russia discriminated against it by blocking market access for Ukrainian manufacturers in comparison with Russian and European ones .
Ukraine and Russia are at odds on a number of economic issues , including debt owed by Kyiv to Moscow , misappropriated and destroyed assets in territories that Ukraine no longer controls due to either Russian occupation or alleged intervention , and natural gas supplies .
With reporting by Interfax and Reuters

The World Trade Organization (WTO) on February 4 ruled largely in favor of Ukraine in a dispute with Russia over railway equipment exports -- one of several rows between the two rival neighbors in their broader geopolitical spat.
The ruling stems from an appeal by Ukraine to the WTO’s appeals panel, often seen as the supreme court of world trade, regarding Russia imposing a virtual ban on imports of Ukrainian railway carriages and equipment in 2013.
Russia had annulled export certificates for a number of Ukrainian companies, including at the country’s Kryukivskiy carriage maker based in the Poltava region.
Kyiv initiated litigation in 2015, a year after Russia annexed Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula and started backing separatists in eastern Ukraine.
Exports to Russia by the affected group of Ukrainian companies had shrunk from $1.7 billion in 2013 to $51 million in January-July 2015.
Kyiv in July 2018 argued Russia was in violation of international trade agreements and was systemically blocking imports.
However, “Ukraine failed to demonstrate that Russia systemically prevented the importation of Ukrainian railway products into Russia,” the WTO said in its key findings and conclusions.
Still, the WTO’s appellate body agreed with Ukraine that Russia discriminated against it by blocking market access for Ukrainian manufacturers in comparison with Russian and European ones.
Ukraine and Russia are at odds on a number of economic issues, including debt owed by Kyiv to Moscow, misappropriated and destroyed assets in territories that Ukraine no longer controls due to either Russian occupation or alleged intervention, and natural gas supplies.
With reporting by Interfax and Reuters


rferl--2020-02-05--Ukrainian Parliament Paves Way Toward Slashing Number Of Mandates By 33 Percent

Ukraine ’ s parliament on February 4 approved a bill in one of two readings that would amend the constitution and reduce the number of lawmakers in the chamber from 450 to 300 .
A slim majority of 236 lawmakers voted for President Volodymyr Zelenskiy ’ s draft law that would amend two articles of the constitution .
The other change would enshrine a purely proportional electoral system and eliminate single-seat constituencies .
Single-mandate districts currently make up half of parliament ’ s 450 seats and have often been used as a way for oligarchs , sports stars , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the legislation still could be changed before a final second reading but in its current form the bill stipulates that citizens who ’ ve lived at least five years in the country and fluently speak the Ukrainian language qualify for a parliamentary seat .
A constitutional majority of 300 votes is needed for the bill to pass in its final reading .
The Constitutional Court on December 17 ruled that the legislation is in conformity with two articles of the constitution but with reservations .
Opposition lawmakers have criticized the bill because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ elections `` on the basis of universal , equal , and direct suffrage by secret ballot , '' which may lead to opportunities for legitimizing any form of election other than those currently specified in the constitution .

Ukraine’s parliament on February 4 approved a bill in one of two readings that would amend the constitution and reduce the number of lawmakers in the chamber from 450 to 300.
A slim majority of 236 lawmakers voted for President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s draft law that would amend two articles of the constitution.
The other change would enshrine a purely proportional electoral system and eliminate single-seat constituencies.
Single-mandate districts currently make up half of parliament’s 450 seats and have often been used as a way for oligarchs, sports stars, and celebrities to get elected.
The language of the legislation still could be changed before a final second reading but in its current form the bill stipulates that citizens who’ve lived at least five years in the country and fluently speak the Ukrainian language qualify for a parliamentary seat.
A constitutional majority of 300 votes is needed for the bill to pass in its final reading.
The Constitutional Court on December 17 ruled that the legislation is in conformity with two articles of the constitution but with reservations.
Opposition lawmakers have criticized the bill because it removes a provision that stipulates holding elections "on the basis of universal, equal, and direct suffrage by secret ballot," which may lead to opportunities for legitimizing any form of election other than those currently specified in the constitution.


rferl--2020-02-05--Trump Touts U.S. 'Comeback' During State Of The Union Address

President Donald Trump on February 4 touted the U.S. economy ’ s achievements under his leadership during his third State of the Union address and said he would protect social and health-care benefits as he seeks reelection later this year .
Trump , who ran in 2016 on the election slogan `` Make America Great Again , '' recapped for Congress what he claimed was the country 's `` comeback '' under his leadership .
`` Jobs are booming , incomes are soaring , poverty is plummeting , crime is falling , confidence is surging , and our country is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said , before rolling off wage , employment , and stock-market statistics .
Trump said he delivered on his campaign promise to replace the North American Free Trade Agreement , which he claimed led to the loss of one in four manufacturing jobs in the United States .
Trump signed the new trade deal with Canada and Mexico last week .
`` This is the first major trade deal in many years to earn the strong backing of America 's labor unions , '' he said , claiming it will create 100,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ economy during the first 20 minutes of his speech before taking up health care and illegal immigration , the two other key topics of his speech .
This year 's address comes amid the Ukraine-focused impeachment trial of Trump that has sharpened the already bitter partisan divide not only inside Congress but inside the nation .
The Democratic-controlled House of Representatives approved two articles of impeachment against Trump , a Republican , in December 2019 .
The Republican-controlled Senate is expected to acquit him of those charges on February 5 .
WATCH : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ America 's Longest War ' in Afghanistan That partisan tension could be felt even before Trump started his address .
After handing a copy of his speech to Vice President Mike Pence and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ( Democrat-California ) standing behind him , Trump quickly turned away , either missing or ignoring Pelosi 's attempt to shake his hand .
After the speech , Pelosi was seen ripping what was thought to be the speech that Trump gave her when he walked onto the podium .
Pelosi gave the go-ahead in September @ @ @ @ @ @ @ impeachment inquiry of Trump and the two have reportedly not spoken since October .
During the speech Trump made no mention of the impeachment trial that has consumed much of Congress 's time over the past half-year .
He also spoke little about foreign policy .
Democrats sat stone-faced during the speech with some shaking their heads .
Some Republicans chanted `` four more years '' and gave standing ovations .
Trump is seeking reelection this year and his address resembled many of his campaign speeches around the country with its focus on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The race to determine the Democratic candidate who will face Trump on November 3 kicked off yesterday in Iowa .
Trump has a job-approval rating of 49 percent , according to a poll published by Gallup before his address .
It represents his highest rating since taking office in 2017 .
However , only 7 percent of Democrats approve of his performance compared with 94 percent of Republicans .
That is the widest gap ever recorded by Gallup for a sitting president and underscores the country 's sharp partisan divide .
Trump , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2016 , used his speech to boast about his administration 's progress in arresting undocumented immigrants and preventing them from entering the country .
The president said the wall being built along the U.S. border with Mexico will reach 800 kilometers by the beginning of next year .
He blasted politicians that have prevented U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement ( ICE ) officers from deporting undocumented immigrants .
He also criticized a Democratic bill that offers free health care to undocumented immigrants , saying it was `` a powerful lure for illegal immigration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ benefits of older Americans .
Trump also spent much of his address on improving the country 's health-care system , including lowering drug prices .
Aside from foreign-trade deals , the president spent little time on foreign policy .
Trump said he is willing to end sanctions against Iran if the nation abandons its pursuit of nuclear weapons and stops financing terrorism .
`` We can help them make [ the economy ] very good in a short period of time , but perhaps they are too proud or too foolish to ask @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Let 's see which road they choose , '' he said .
Trump also said he is working on a peace agreement to end the 18-year-long war in Afghanistan and bring home more U.S. troops .
In a surprise move , Trump invited to his address Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido , the main adversary of Russian-backed President Nicolas Maduro .
`` Maduro 's grip of tyranny will be smashed and broken , '' Trump said as he acknowledged Guaido in the crowd .
James Carafano , a foreign-policy analyst at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a debate within the administration over whether to invite Guaido and his appearance is a sign that Trump is `` doubling down '' on his support .
`` It is a pretty powerful statement that the policy in Venezuela is driving on , '' he said .

President Donald Trump on February 4 touted the U.S. economy’s achievements under his leadership during his third State of the Union address and said he would protect retirement benefits and private healthcare as he seeks reelection later this year.
Trump, who ran in 2016 on the election slogan "Make America Great Again," recapped for Congress what he claimed was the country's "comeback" under his leadership.
"Jobs are booming, incomes are soaring, poverty is plummeting, crime is falling, confidence is surging, and our country is thriving and highly respected again," he said, before rolling off wage, employment, and stock-market statistics.
Trump said he delivered on his campaign promise to replace the North American Free Trade Agreement, which he claimed led to the loss of one in four manufacturing jobs in the United States. Trump signed the new trade deal with Canada and Mexico last week.
"This is the first major trade deal in many years to earn the strong backing of America's labor unions," he said, claiming it will create 100,000 new jobs.
Trump spoke about the economy during the first 20 minutes of his speech before taking up health care and illegal immigration, the two other key topics of his speech.
Impeachment Trial
This year's address comes amid the Ukraine-focused impeachment trial of Trump that has sharpened the already bitter partisan divide not only inside Congress but inside the nation.
The Democratic-controlled House of Representatives approved two articles of impeachment against Trump, a Republican, in December 2019. The Republican-controlled Senate is expected to acquit him of those charges on February 5.
WATCH: Trump: U.S. Working To 'End America's Longest War' in Afghanistan
That partisan tension could be felt even before Trump started his address.
After handing a copy of his speech to Vice President Mike Pence and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (Democrat-California) standing behind him, Trump quickly turned away, either missing or ignoring Pelosi's attempt to shake his hand. After the speech, Pelosi was seen ripping what was thought to be the speech that Trump gave her when he walked onto the podium.
Pelosi gave the go-ahead in September 2019 for the House to launch its impeachment inquiry of Trump and the two have reportedly not spoken since October.
During the speech Trump made no mention of the impeachment trial that has consumed much of Congress's time over the past half-year. He also spoke little about foreign policy.
Democrats sat stone-faced during the speech with some shaking their heads. Some Republicans chanted "four more years" and gave standing ovations.
Reelection
Trump is seeking reelection this year and his address resembled many of his campaign speeches around the country with its focus on economic growth and fighting illegal immigration.
WATCH: Pelosi Rips Up Trump Speech
The race to determine the Democratic candidate who will face Trump on November 3 kicked off yesterday in Iowa.
Trump has a job-approval rating of 49 percent, according to a poll published by Gallup before his address. It represents his highest rating since taking office in 2017.
However, only 7 percent of Democrats approve of his performance compared with 94 percent of Republicans. That is the widest gap ever recorded by Gallup for a sitting president and underscores the country's sharp partisan divide.
Illegal Immigration
Trump, whose anti-immigration platform helped him win in 2016, used his speech to boast about his administration's progress in arresting undocumented immigrants and preventing them from entering the country.
The president said the wall being built along the U.S. border with Mexico will reach 800 kilometers by the beginning of next year.
He blasted politicians that have prevented U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers from deporting undocumented immigrants.
He also criticized a Democratic bill that offers free health care to undocumented immigrants, saying it was "a powerful lure for illegal immigration" and would "raid" the benefits of older Americans.
Trump also spent much of his address on improving the country's health-care system, including lowering drug prices.
Iran, Afghanistan
Aside from foreign-trade deals, the president spent little time on foreign policy.
Trump said he is willing to end sanctions against Iran if the nation abandons its pursuit of nuclear weapons and stops financing terrorism.
"We can help them make [the economy] very good in a short period of time, but perhaps they are too proud or too foolish to ask for that help. We are here. Let's see which road they choose," he said.
WATCH: Trump Offers Iran 'Short-Time Recovery' From Sanctions
Trump also said he is working on a peace agreement to end the 18-year-long war in Afghanistan and bring home more U.S. troops.
In a surprise move, Trump invited to his address Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido, the main adversary of Russian-backed President Nicolas Maduro.
"Maduro's grip of tyranny will be smashed and broken," Trump said as he acknowledged Guaido in the crowd.
James Carafano, a foreign-policy analyst at the Washington-based Heritage Foundation, said there was a debate within the administration over whether to invite Guaido and his appearance is a sign that Trump is "doubling down" on his support.
"It is a pretty powerful statement that the policy in Venezuela is driving on," he said.


rferl--2020-02-05--U.S. Deploys New Nuclear Submarine Warhead To Deter Russia

WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Navy announced it has put into operation a low-yield , nuclear ballistic missile aboard a submarine as it seeks to deter adversaries like Russia .
“ This supplemental capability strengthens deterrence and provides the United States a prompt , more survivable low-yield strategic weapon ; supports our commitment to extended deterrence , ” Under Secretary of Defense for Policy John Rood said in a statement on February 4 .
The administration of President Donald Trump first announced its intention to deploy the W76-2 low-yield weapon in February 2018 after a review concluded there was a perception @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Nuclear Posture Review concluded that Russia has a strategy known as `` escalate to de-escalate , '' in which the Kremlin would use or threaten to use low-yield nuclear weapons in a limited conventional conflict in Europe to compel the United States and NATO to back down .
`` Recent Russian statements on this evolving nuclear weapons doctrine appear to lower the threshold for Moscow 's first-use of nuclear weapons , '' the 2018 review said .
Democrats in the House of Representatives criticized the deployment of the W76-2 as “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ refused to answer Congressional questions about the weapon .
“ The deployment of this warhead does nothing to make Americans safer .
Instead , this destabilizing deployment further increases the potential for miscalculation during a crisis , ” House Armed Services Committee Chairman Adam Smith ( Democrat-Washington ) said in a statement .
Russia would not be able to determine if a weapon launched from a nuclear submarine is low-yield or not , adversaries say .
The Federation of American Scientists ( FAS ) estimates the W76-2 has an explosive yield of about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the W76-1 .
The atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima had a yield of about 15 kilotons .
The United States already has about 1,000 low-yield , nuclear weapons that can be delivered by fighter jets , FAS said .
Advocates for the new submarine-based weapon say that the fighters might not be able to penetrate Russian airspace .
FAS said that despite the focus on deploying the weapon to deter Russian aggression , the real target “ is much more likely ” to be North Korea or Iran .

A former top FBI counterintelligence agent pleaded guilty to charges related to his work for notorious Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska, changing his plea after federal prosecutors filed new, reduced charges of conspiring to violate U.S. sanctions on Russia by working for the billionaire industrialist.
The move by Charles McGonigal, made on August 15 before a federal judge in New York City, ends a prosecution that had stunned the FBI, where McGonigal had investigated Russian influence operations for years while climbing the bureau’s ranks.
The 55-year-old also still faces a separate set of foreign agent charges in Washington, D.C., related to work he did for Albanian officials.
McGonigal, who retired as head counterintelligence in the FBI's New York bureau in 2018, was originally indicted in January by a grand jury on more serious charges of money laundering and violating U.S. sanctions.
Prosecutors alleged that McGonigal and a former Russian diplomat with whom he was associated, were paid more than $200,000 to do work for Deripaska, a wealthy Russian metals tycoon who has long been seen as a Kremlin insider. Deripaska was hit with sanctions by the U.S. Treasury Department in 2018.
U.S. authorities said McGonigal was hired to dig up negative information on Vladimir Potanin, a rival oligarch to Deripaska. McGonigal and the former diplomat, Sergei Shestakov, also worked to try and get Deripaska removed from U.S. sanctions lists.
Shestakov has pleaded not guilty to the more serious charges than had been originally filed against McGonigal.
They "attempted to conceal Deripaska's involvement by, among other means, not directly naming Deripaska in electronic communications, using shell companies as counterparties in the contract that outlined the services to be performed, using a forged signature on that contract, and using the same shell companies to send and receive payment from Deripaska," the Justice Department said in a press release after McGonigal entered his plea.
McGonigal could receive up to five years in prison when he is sentenced in December.
The separate case filed in Washington, D.C., by federal prosecutors centers on work McGonigal allegedly did on behalf of a former Albanian intelligence officer, for which he was paid $225,000.
McGonigal also allegedly lied to the FBI about his contacts with foreign nationals and foreign travel while he was still employed by the bureau.
Deripaska also faces charges of violating U.S. sanctions through real estate deals and a complicated scheme under which he allegedly arranged for his girlfriend to travel to the United States to give birth to two of their children.


rferl--2020-02-04--Trial Begins Of Russian Soldier Charged With Killing Armenian Woman, Without Defendant

YEREVAN -- The trial of a Russian soldier charged with beating a woman to death has begun in the Armenian city of Gyumri , although the defendant was not transported from the Russian military base to the court for the proceedings .
As the trial began on February 4 , 24-year-old Andrei Razgildeyev remained on the Russian military base in Armenia where he was stationed and where he has been detained for more than a year since his arrest .
The trial was adjourned for a month , court officials said after the day 's proceedings .
Razgildeyev was arrested @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Julietta Ghukasian , a 57-year-old street cleaner from Gyumri .
He was charged by Armenian law enforcement with assault and involuntary manslaughter , but a possible motive remains unclear .
If convicted , he faces five to 10 years in prison .
The refusal to transfer the defendant to Armenian authorities has angered the victim 's family and rights activists .
Aleksandr Gladyshev , a representative of the Russian military base , said the base commander had in a letter prohibited Razgildeyev from being transported off the territory of the facility until @ @ @ @ @ @ @ soldier in writing , something the Russian Defense Ministry says has not yet occurred .
Gladyshev asserted that `` since this is a high-profile case , any transfer of the Russian serviceman to the territory of Armenia raises concerns . ''
`` This issue was raised by the Russian Defense Ministry .
We are still waiting for permission from the commanders regarding [ Razgildeyev 's ] movement in the territory of Armenia , '' he said .
The trial had originally been expected to open on September 6 , but it has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Ghukasian 's daughter , Anahit , demanded that the defendant be brought to the court , saying : `` Bring the Russian here so we can finally see what this trial is going to be like .
I have lost a parent , not a chicken . ''
Her lawyer , Arayik Chaylian , petitioned that the court ensure Razgildeyev 's presence at the next hearing .
`` The fact is that Razgildeyev has failed to appear in court for ungrounded reasons , '' he said .
Rights activist Artur Sakunts , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Russian commander 's stance as `` an exceptionally contemptuous attitude toward the sovereignty of the Republic of Armenia . ''
Armenian lawyer Narine Rshtuni , who is representing Razgildeyev , said she knew nothing about the base commander 's decision before the start of the hearing .
But she said of her client , `` I can only say that he does not plead guilty .
You will see the rest during the trial . ''
The northwestern Armenian city of Gyumri , where Russia maintains a garrison , was the site @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Russian soldier based there .
A local court in 2016 sentenced Private Valery Permyakov to life in prison for the killing of seven members of an Armenian family .
Permyakov was held in detention at the Russian base before and during his trial and was later transferred to Russia to serve his sentence .
The case sparked protests in Gyumri and elsewhere in Armenia .

YEREVAN -- The trial of a Russian soldier charged with beating a woman to death has begun in the Armenian city of Gyumri, although the defendant was not transported from the Russian military base to the court for the proceedings.
As the trial began on February 4, 24-year-old Andrei Razgildeyev remained on the Russian military base in Armenia where he was stationed and where he has been detained for more than a year since his arrest.
The trial was adjourned for a month, court officials said after the day's proceedings.
Razgildeyev was arrested in December 2018 following the violent death of Julietta Ghukasian, a 57-year-old street cleaner from Gyumri. He was charged by Armenian law enforcement with assault and involuntary manslaughter, but a possible motive remains unclear.
If convicted, he faces five to 10 years in prison.
The refusal to transfer the defendant to Armenian authorities has angered the victim's family and rights activists.
Aleksandr Gladyshev, a representative of the Russian military base, said the base commander had in a letter prohibited Razgildeyev from being transported off the territory of the facility until Armenian authorities provided security guarantees for the soldier in writing, something the Russian Defense Ministry says has not yet occurred.
Gladyshev asserted that "since this is a high-profile case, any transfer of the Russian serviceman to the territory of Armenia raises concerns."
"This issue was raised by the Russian Defense Ministry. We are still waiting for permission from the commanders regarding [Razgildeyev's] movement in the territory of Armenia," he said.
The trial had originally been expected to open on September 6, but it has been postponed at least three times without explanation.
Ghukasian's daughter, Anahit, demanded that the defendant be brought to the court, saying: "Bring the Russian here so we can finally see what this trial is going to be like. I have lost a parent, not a chicken."
Her lawyer, Arayik Chaylian, petitioned that the court ensure Razgildeyev's presence at the next hearing. "The fact is that Razgildeyev has failed to appear in court for ungrounded reasons," he said.
Rights activist Artur Sakunts, who also represents Anahit Ghukasian, described the Russian commander's stance as "an exceptionally contemptuous attitude toward the sovereignty of the Republic of Armenia."
Armenian lawyer Narine Rshtuni, who is representing Razgildeyev, said she knew nothing about the base commander's decision before the start of the hearing.
But she said of her client, "I can only say that he does not plead guilty. You will see the rest during the trial."
The northwestern Armenian city of Gyumri, where Russia maintains a garrison, was the site of a 2015 deadly attack attributed to a Russian soldier based there.
A local court in 2016 sentenced Private Valery Permyakov to life in prison for the killing of seven members of an Armenian family.
Permyakov was held in detention at the Russian base before and during his trial and was later transferred to Russia to serve his sentence. The case sparked protests in Gyumri and elsewhere in Armenia.


rferl--2020-02-05--U.S. Says 'Sea Change' In Central Asian Cooperation Opens Up 'New Possibilities'

WASHINGTON -- The United States says new leadership in Central Asia and better interstate cooperation are opening up more opportunities for Washington to deepen ties with the resource-rich region .
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asian Affairs Alice Wells said on February 5 that the United States has updated its regional strategy to take into account new developments over the past five years .
“ We absolutely see that we are in an era of new possibilities , ” Wells said a day after she returned from a trip to the region with Secretary of State Mike @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump is seeking to expand U.S. influence in Central Asia -- a key land route between Europe and Asia filled with large oil and gas deposits -- in part as a counterweight to global rivals Russia and China .
The administration is also leaning on Central Asia for support as it tries to end the nearly two-decade-old war in neighboring Afghanistan .
Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoev , who took over the region ’ s largest nation by population in 2016 , has used his “ visionary leadership ” to drive internal reforms and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ five leaders of Central Asia – which also includes Kazakhstan , Kyrgyzstan , Tajikistan , and Turkmenistan -- met on their own in 2018 to discuss cooperation for the first time in a decade and followed that up with another meeting the following year , a development Wells called important .
“ We have simply seen a sea change in attitude toward a regional identity , ” she said .
Lisa Curtis , who oversees Central and South Asian affairs at the White House National Security Council , said such interregional cooperation “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” The officials said the United States is supporting projects that will help weave the region tightly together , like the formation of a unified electricity grid .
It is also working with the five nations to standardize visa and customs procedures and lower non-tariff trade barriers to boost cross-border relations and business .
They expressed hope for plans to export hydropower from Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan to Afghanistan and Pakistan , which could help bring economic growth and stability to Afghanistan as it recovers from war , a key tenet of the U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officials said the overarching goals of Washington ’ s strategy toward Central Asia remain the same - to ensure the region is stable and free from dependency on any one power .
China 's leverage over the region has increased as Beijing finances infrastructure projects that poorer nations like Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan can struggle to pay back .
Washington is offering assistance to the nations to determine whether infrastructure projects are worth the debt burden .
The officials said increased foreign investment into Central Asia will depend on the nations carrying out further @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Curtis called on the leaders to improve democratic freedoms with “ inclusive political systems including regular elections .
”


rferl--2020-02-05--Georgian TV Channel’s Deputy Director Resigns Due To 'Political Pressure'

Reporters Without Borders ( RSF ) says the resignation of a Georgian regional public TV channel ’ s deputy director this week is the latest example of “ political pressure '' undermining media pluralism and free speech in the South Caucasus country .
On February 2 , Natia Zoidze announced her resignation from Adjara TV , based in the Black Sea port city of Batumi , saying it was the result of a “ political process.
” She had accused the TV channel ’ s new director , Georgi Kokhreidze , of applying pressure for a change in editorial policies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ indicative of the growing political pressure on state-owned media in Georgia , ” Jeanne Cavelier , the head of RSF ’ s Eastern Europe and Central Asia desk , said in a statement on February 5 .
Meanwhile , “ government allies are increasingly getting control of critical or independent media , ” said Cavelier , who called on the Georgian authorities to guarantee media independence and pluralism in the run-up to the October parliamentary elections .
Georgia ’ s TV channels suffer from “ politically-biased government measures , ” according to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the case of a popular opposition TV station , Rustavi 2 , which `` turned into the government ’ s mouthpiece '' following a change in ownership last year .
The change led to the departure of most of Rustavi 2 ’ s staff .
Its Director-General Nika Gvaramia has been fired and prosecuted on a charge of “ abuse of power.
” Georgia is ranked 60th out of 180 countries in RSF ’ s 2019 World Press Freedom Index .

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) says the resignation of a Georgian regional public TV channel's deputy director this week is the latest example of "political pressure" undermining media pluralism and free speech in the South Caucasus country.
On February 2, Natia Zoidze announced her resignation from Ajara TV, based in the Black Sea port city of Batumi, saying it was the result of a "political process."
She had accused the TV channel's new director, Georgi Kokhreidze, of applying pressure for a change in editorial policies.
Zoidze's resignation is "indicative of the growing political pressure on state-owned media in Georgia," Jeanne Cavelier, the head of RSF's Eastern Europe and Central Asia desk, said in a statement on February 5.
Meanwhile, "government allies are increasingly getting control of critical or independent media," said Cavelier, who called on the Georgian authorities to guarantee media independence and pluralism in the run-up to the October parliamentary elections.
Georgia's TV channels suffer from "politically biased government measures," according to the Paris-based media-freedom watchdog.
It cited the case of a popular opposition TV station, Rustavi-2, which "turned into the government's mouthpiece" following a change in ownership last year.
The change led to the departure of most of Rustavi-2's staff. Director-General Nika Gvaramia has been fired and prosecuted on a charge of "abuse of power."
Georgia is ranked 60th out of 180 countries in RSF's 2019 World Press Freedom Index.