rferl--2020-03-21--Russian PM Warns Companies Against Firing Employees During Crisis

Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin has warned Russia 's companies to keep people employed and pay them their salaries even as they struggle amid the worst economic crisis in years .
Mishustin told a government meeting on March 21 called to deal with the impact of the coronavirus that firings should only be `` an extreme measure . ''
Companies that cut staff will be closely watched and could face inspections , he said .
`` If someone is tempted to use the noise around the coronavirus to solve their current problems by firing staff , such enterprises will be visited @ @ @ @ @ @ @ service and the prosecutor 's office , '' he said .
Russia temporarily halted inspections of small and medium-size businesses as one of the measures to support the economy .
However , the moratorium could be lifted if salaries are n't paid on time or people are fired , he said .
Enterprises should seek to move employees to shorter work days or have them work from home , he said .
Mishustin said the government will be monitoring the labor market in the regions on a weekly basis , especially in cities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or industry .
Many major Russian towns in the Urals and Siberia are dependent on one industry , such as steel , coal , and iron , and have suffered significantly in previous downturns as large unemployment pressures the local budget .
Raspadskaya , a Russian producer of coking coal for the steel industry , said it was preparing for a possible halt to sales for six months to a year .
Separately , Mishustin said the Central Bank was launching preferential lending programs to help companies caught in a liquidity crunch .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ was preparing an aid package for restaurants and tour operators , which have been among the hardest-hit sectors .
He also said his ministry was preparing a bill that would impose a moratorium on bankruptcies .
With reporting by Vedomosti and Interfax

Russia's prime minister has warned companies to keep people employed and pay them their salaries even as they struggle amid a growing economic crisis caused by the coronavirus and the plummet in global oil prices.
Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin told a government meeting on March 21 called to deal with the impact of the virus that firings should only be "an extreme measure." Companies that cut staff will be closely watched and could face inspections, he said.
"If someone is tempted to use the noise around the coronavirus to solve their current problems by firing staff, such enterprises will be visited by the labor inspection, federal tax service and the prosecutor's office," he said.
Russia temporarily halted inspections of small and medium-size businesses as one of the measures to support the economy. However, the moratorium could be lifted if salaries aren't paid on time or people are fired, he said.
Enterprises should seek to move employees to shorter work days or have them work from home, he said. Mishustin said the government will be monitoring the labor market in the regions on a weekly basis, especially in cities and towns that have one major employer or industry.
Many major Russian towns in the Urals and Siberia are dependent on one industry, such as steel, coal, and iron, and have suffered significantly in previous downturns as large unemployment pressures the local budget.
Raspadskaya, a Russian producer of coking coal for the steel industry, said it was preparing for a possible halt to sales for six months to a year.
Separately, Mishustin said the Central Bank was launching preferential lending programs to help companies caught in a liquidity crunch.
Economy Minister Maksim Reshetnikov said his ministry was preparing an aid package for restaurants and tour operators, which have been among the hardest-hit sectors.
He also said his ministry was preparing a bill that would impose a moratorium on bankruptcies.
With reporting by Vedomosti and Interfax


rferl--2020-03-21--Russia, Belarus Discuss Oil Deliveries Amid Pricing Dispute

Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin has spoken with his Belarusian counterpart , Syarhey Rumas , about oil deliveries as they seek to resolve a three-month price dispute between the two countries .
Mishustin 's office said on March 21 in a statement that the two had `` noted the achievement of fundamental agreements '' on cooperation in the oil sphere that -- if carried out -- would allow Russia to deliver oil to Belarusian refineries .
Minsk and Moscow have been at odds since the start of the year , when they failed to agree on terms for oil deliveries @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suspended oil shipments to Belarus .
Russia had been supplying crude oil to Belarus with no export fee under a trade deal between the two countries .
However , Russia amended its Tax Code in 2019 and damaged the profitability of Belarusian refineries -- some of the country 's most important companies -- sparking anger in Minsk .
Russian tycoon Mikhail Gutseriyev , who owns Russneft and Neftisoy , has been supplying the Belarusian refineries in the meantime until a solution to the pricing problem is found .
With reporting by Interfax and @

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


rferl--2020-03-21--COVID-19: Russian Disease Specialist May Have Spread Virus; Georgia Declares State Of Emergency

The top infectious-disease specialist in a Russian region may have coronavirus and could have spread it to students and doctors after she failed to quarantine herself following a vacation in Spain , the daily Kommersant has reported .
Stavropol Governor Vladimir Vladimirov said on March 19 in an Instagram post that the region had its first suspected case of coronavirus and that a final determination will be made following a laboratory test in Novosibirsk .
He immediately announced that all kindergartens and universities would be closed as of March 23 and that additional measures to contain its spread would be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ person that tested positive , but Kommersant said people on social media immediately identified the individual as Irina Sannikova , the region ’ s leading infectious-disease specialist .
Sannikova reportedly returned earlier this month from Spain , one of the hardest-hit countries by the virus , and did not quarantine herself , the paper said .
She held a few lectures at the medical university for students and resident physicians , people on social media said .
The medical university was immediately put under quarantine on March 19 while students and professors who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suspected of having the novel coronavirus infection '' have been asked to take tests and isolate themselves in the meantime at home , Kommersant reported .
Stavropol 's infectious-disease hospital , Sannikova 's main workplace , has also been put under quarantine , Kommersant reported , citing social media .
Kommersant said it could not confirm that because it could not get through on any of the hospital 's telephone numbers .
During a press conference on March 20 , Stavropol Deputy Health Minister Olga Drozdetskaya confirmed that the person that tested positive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had returned from vacation in Spain .
Drozdetskaya said the doctor had taken part in a few events at the Health Ministry and that some participants had now been quarantined .
The infected doctor was in stable condition and no longer on oxygen , Drozdetskaya said .
Russia 's official tally early on March 21 showed the total number of infections at 253 , a day after Moscow 's coronavirus crisis center announced 54 confirmed new cases across the country .
One coronavirus patient , a 79-year-old woman , has died .
Russian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was not officially registered as COVID-19 because an autopsy revealed she had died of a blood clot .
But a global resource center at Johns Hopkins University early on March 21 was listing the woman as Russia 's only confirmed coronavirus death .
Russia 's Federal Service for the Oversight of Consumer Protection and Welfare said on March 21 that more than 36,000 people were under medical observation in the country due to the situation with coronavirus .
Russia has temporarily barred entry into the country of foreigners because of the pandemic .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ passenger flights and public gatherings .
Russia 's national health watchdog has decreed that `` all individuals arriving in Russia '' must be isolated for medical observation .
Georgia 's parliament has approved a presidential decree that imposes a one-month nationwide state of emergency in an attempt to slow the spread of the coronavirus .
President Salome Zurabishvili on March 21 sent the decree to parliament as the number of cases in the former Soviet republic rose to 49 .
The parliament passed it later that evening .
Zurabishvili told the parliament deputies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with still relatively few cases , but that it 's `` better this way than an epidemic starting and entering an acute phase . ''
She warned that the measures were not meant to infringe upon freedom of expression , media freedom , or political rights and expressed hope it would not delay elections planned for October .
Under Georgia 's constitution , a national election can only be held six months after the end of a state of emergency .
The president called on citizens to follow the recommendations of the World @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in order to slow the spread of the virus and avoid a `` new level '' of restrictions .
So far , there have not been any deaths in Georgia from the virus .
Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia had earlier initiated the call for the state of emergency to battle the disease .
`` Our main task today is preventing a fast spread of coronavirus among the population , '' Gakharia said , adding that punishments should be imposed against those who violate `` quarantine and self-isolation regulations during the state of emergency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , except for the transport of cargo , also should be imposed .
He also said property rights for individuals and legal entities could be restricted during the state of emergency .
A few lawmakers expressed disappointment that the state of emergency -- as it now stands -- would extend into the Easter holiday , which will be celebrated this year in Georgia on April 19 .
Ukrainian Interior Minister Arsen Avakov has called for a nationwide quarantine to slow the spread of coronavirus as its largest city , Kyiv , said it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ noncritical personnel .
Avakov , one of the most powerful officials in Ukraine , said the measures already put in place to fight the spread will be `` significantly toughened '' in the coming days .
He said only `` critical '' industries should remain open and everyone else sent home .
`` A total , full quarantine is my position , which I want to ask each of you .
And I will insist on it , according to the power of my position , '' Avakov said in a Facebook post @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Shmyhal said on March 20 that a state of emergency had been declared in the city of Kyiv , the east-central Dnipropetrovsk region , and the western Ivano-Fankivsk region .
`` No new restrictions are yet to be expected .
The emergency mode is designed to mobilize efforts to combat the spread of COVID-19 , '' he wrote on Telegram .
Earlier , states of emergency were declared in the Kyiv and Zhytomyr regions in the north-central part of the country and the southwestern region of Chernivtsi .
Under the state of emergency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are expected to implement coordinated measures to curtail the spread of the virus and to submit daily reports to the Health Ministry .
Ukraine had reported 41 coronavirus infections and three fatalities as of the end of March 20 , prompting the country to declare a state of emergency to better mobilize efforts to fight the virus .
The total represents a rise of 15 cases over the past 24 hours .
However , the country has done limited testing , suggesting the number of people infected could be much greater .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , gyms , theaters , shopping malls , and schools to close .
It has also essentially sealed its border to foreign travel and domestic long-distance travel by means of bus , rail and plane .
Kyiv Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko said in a March 21 video post that only people whose work was vital to the city will be allowed to use public transport .
The new measure goes into effect as of March 23 , he said Kyiv shut down its subway on March 17 , causing chaos as tens of thousands @ @ @ @ @ @ @ via other means .
Transportation by private cars will still be permitted .
Supermarkets , pharmacies , banks , gas stations , post offices , and parcel companies will remain open in Ukraine , officials said .
The number of coronavirus cases in Armenia has risen to 160 , an increase of 24 infections during the previous 24 hours , according to the country 's heath authorities .
Armenian Health Minister Arsen Torosyan said in a live broadcast on Facebook on March 21 that there were 11 patients among those infected with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Torosyan said three patients required intensive care .
But he said none of the patients were in critical danger .
Details about new cases had not been released by the afternoon of March 21 .
Armenia has not reported any fatalities from the disease .
Yerevan declared a national emergency on March 16 in an attempt to slow the spread of the pandemic disease .
Kyrgyzstan 's Security Council has recommended that Prime Minister Mukhammedkalyi Abylgaziev declare a national state of emergency beginning on March 22 due to the coronavirus pandemic .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Council meeting in Bishkek on March 21 , was announced by President Sooronbai Jeenbekov 's office .
Local officials in Kyrgyzstan have already declared a state of emergency in the southern district of Nookat , where three coronavirus cases were reported on March 20 .
A state of emergency has also been announced by local officials in the Suzak district , where three men have tested positive for coronavirus .
All six confirmed cases in Kyrgyzstan are people who recently returned to Kyrgyzstan from Saudi Arabia .
Uzbekistan 's Health Ministry announced four @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , raising the total number in the country to 37 .
The ministry said a total of 3,200 people who had contact with the infected patients have been placed in quarantine .
All kindergartens , schools , and universities in Uzbekistan have been temporarily closed and public gatherings have been prohibited .
The Transport Ministry said on March 20 that it had suspended international travel into the country for 40 days .
The regulation does not affect cargo shipments , it said .
In Kazakhstan , five more coronavirus cases were reported on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases outside Nur-Sultan , the capital , and the country 's largest city , Almaty .
With three more cases in Almaty and two in the central city of Qaraghandy , the total number of coronavirus infections in Kazakhstan on March 21 was 49 .
Nur-Sultan and Almaty have been sealed off since March 19 , with police , security forces , and military personnel blocking roads and highways within and around the two cities .
In Tajikistan , the government suspended all international flights starting on March 20 .
No coronavirus cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so far .
In Turkmenistan , RFE/RL correspondents report that the capital , Ashgabat , has been surrounded with security checkpoints since March 19 in an attempt by authorities to regulate entries into the city .
Only residents of Ashgabat are allowed to enter the city now , and travel between cities has been restricted , RFE/RL correspondents report .
Turkmenistan also had not officially confirmed any cases of coronavirus as of March 21 .
Pakistan says it has suspended all international flights for two weeks in an attempt to limit the spread @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other countries that have taken similar measures .
The Civil Aviation Authority of Pakistan said in a statement on March 21 that the ban would go into effect that evening and last until April 4 .
The ban includes charter flights as well , officials said .
Diplomats and cargo will be allowed to land in the country .
Individuals who have had their flight canceled can either get a refund or rebook for other dates without any charge , officials at Pakistan International Airlines said .
The announcement comes after Pakistan said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the country jumped to 531 as of March 21 with three deaths .
The death toll from coronavirus outbreak is nearly 11,500 people around the world , with Europe at the center of the pandemic as the number of confirmed cases globally topped 275,000 .
Iran 's official death toll was the third-highest in the world on March 21 with 123 newly reported deaths raising the total across the country to 1,556 .
Health Ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour said on March 21 that an additional 966 infections had been confirmed during the previous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ number of confirmed infections in Iran to more than 20,600 , according to officials in Tehran .
Many Iranians believe the government in Tehran is underreporting the extent of the outbreak there .
According to a tally by Johns Hopkins University early on March 21 , the confirmed number of cases worldwide had reached 275,434 -- including 11,399 deaths .
With reporting by RFE/RL 's Georgian , Kazakh , Kyrgyz , Russian , Tajik , Turkmen , Ukrainian , Uzbek services , AFP , Reuters , TASS , UNIAN , Interfax , Ukrayinska @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Times

The top infectious-disease specialist in a Russian region may have coronavirus and could have spread it to students and doctors after she failed to quarantine herself following a vacation in Spain, the daily Kommersant has reported.
Stavropol Governor Vladimir Vladimirov said on March 19 in an Instagram post that the region had its first suspected case of coronavirus and that a final determination will be made following a laboratory test in Novosibirsk.
He immediately announced that all kindergartens and universities would be closed as of March 23 and that additional measures to contain its spread would be taken.
Vladimirov did not name the person that tested positive, but Kommersant said people on social media immediately identified the individual as Irina Sannikova, the region’s leading infectious-disease specialist.
Sannikova reportedly returned earlier this month from Spain, one of the hardest-hit countries by the virus, and did not quarantine herself, the paper said. She held a few lectures at the medical university for students and resident physicians, people on social media said.
The medical university was immediately put under quarantine on March 19 while students and professors who came into contact with a person "suspected of having the novel coronavirus infection" have been asked to take tests and isolate themselves in the meantime at home, Kommersant reported.
Stavropol's infectious-disease hospital, Sannikova's main workplace, has also been put under quarantine, Kommersant reported, citing social media. Kommersant said it could not confirm that because it could not get through on any of the hospital's telephone numbers.
During a press conference on March 20, Stavropol Deputy Health Minister Olga Drozdetskaya confirmed that the person that tested positive for coronavirus was a female doctor that had returned from vacation in Spain. Drozdetskaya said the doctor had taken part in a few events at the Health Ministry and that some participants had now been quarantined.
The infected doctor was in stable condition and no longer on oxygen, Drozdetskaya said.
Russia's official tally early on March 21 showed the total number of infections at 253, a day after Moscow's coronavirus crisis center announced 54 confirmed new cases across the country.
One coronavirus patient, a 79-year-old woman, has died. Russian authorities said the cause of her death was not officially registered as COVID-19 because an autopsy revealed she had died of a blood clot.
But a global resource center at Johns Hopkins University early on March 21 was listing the woman as Russia's only confirmed coronavirus death.
Russia's Federal Service for the Oversight of Consumer Protection and Welfare said on March 21 that more than 36,000 people were under medical observation in the country due to the situation with coronavirus.
Russia has temporarily barred entry into the country of foreigners because of the pandemic. Russian officials also have imposed restrictions on passenger flights and public gatherings.
Russia's national health watchdog has decreed that "all individuals arriving in Russia" must be isolated for medical observation.
Georgia
Georgia's parliament has approved a presidential decree that imposes a one-month nationwide state of emergency in an attempt to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
President Salome Zurabishvili on March 21 sent the decree to parliament as the number of cases in the former Soviet republic rose to 49. The parliament passed it later that evening.
Zurabishvili told the parliament deputies that the monthlong measure might seem excessive with still relatively few cases, but that it's "better this way than an epidemic starting and entering an acute phase."
She warned that the measures were not meant to infringe upon freedom of expression, media freedom, or political rights and expressed hope it would not delay elections planned for October.
Under Georgia's constitution, a national election can only be held six months after the end of a state of emergency.
The president called on citizens to follow the recommendations of the World Health Organization and the Georgian Health Ministry in order to slow the spread of the virus and avoid a "new level" of restrictions.
So far, there have not been any deaths in Georgia from the virus.
Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia had earlier initiated the call for the state of emergency to battle the disease.
"Our main task today is preventing a fast spread of coronavirus among the population," Gakharia said, adding that punishments should be imposed against those who violate "quarantine and self-isolation regulations during the state of emergency."
Gahkharia said restrictions on traffic, except for the transport of cargo, also should be imposed.
He also said property rights for individuals and legal entities could be restricted during the state of emergency.
A few lawmakers expressed disappointment that the state of emergency -- as it now stands -- would extend into the Easter holiday, which will be celebrated this year in Georgia on April 19.
North Macedonia
The government of North Macedonia on March 21 said it has decided to impose a curfew from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. beginning on March 22 in the battle against the coronavirus pandemic, the first time such a step has been taken since the country’s independence in 1991.
In an emergency address, Prime Minister Oliver Spasovski said that "we have decided to introduce the most radical measures in order to protect the health of citizens.”
“Starting [March 22], we will restrict the movement of all citizens. It is forbidden for the population to move outside between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. every day. There is no compromise when it comes to the health of citizens,” Spasovski warned.
The prohibitions exclude persons who need medical assistance or whose lives are endangered. Those who need dialysis are allowed to arrive for treatment with up to two other people.
Employees in health-care facilities are also excluded from the curfew, as are members of the Ministry of Interior, the army, fire crews, and workers in municipal hygiene.
North Macedonia has registered 85 cases and no deaths.
Romania
The Romanian government on March 21 announced a curfew that will restrict the movement of people from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. and go into effect on March 23. It is expected to last through the 30-day state of emergency declared on March 16.
Those exempted include people going to work and those requiring medical assistance.
Interior Minister Marcel Vela and other officials said the measures will also prohibit gatherings of more than three persons outside the home and will mandate the closing of shopping malls and dental clinics. Restaurants and other gathering places were ordered closed earlier in the week.
During the night curfew hours, the only people allowed to move about are medical professionals, those engaging in work activities, shopping for necessary items, and caring for children or the elderly or people walking their pets.
“Everything we have decided to implement is meant to limit the risks to the population,” Vela said.
He also warned those who are price-gouging or taking other actions to profit from the crisis.
“We have taken strong actions against those who have tried to speculate on the situation in order to get rich. It's not just illegal -- it's also cynical,” he said.
Romania has registered 367 coronavirus cases with no deaths.
Serbia
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said the government will extend a curfew that is already in effect by three hours as the country attempts to curtail the spread of the COVID-19 virus, making it a 12-hour ban from 5 p.m. to 5 a.m.
He said the steps are necessary “for our survival,” and he threatened a 24-hour curfew if residents continue to ignore orders to remain indoors.
Serbia has registered 171 cases and one death related to the coronavirus.
Ukraine
Ukrainian Interior Minister Arsen Avakov has called for a nationwide quarantine to slow the spread of coronavirus as its largest city, Kyiv, said it would shut down all public transportation for noncritical personnel.
Avakov, one of the most powerful officials in Ukraine, said the measures already put in place to fight the spread will be "significantly toughened" in the coming days. He said only "critical" industries should remain open and everyone else sent home.
"A total, full quarantine is my position, which I want to ask each of you. And I will insist on it, according to the power of my position," Avakov said in a Facebook post on March 21.
Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said on March 20 that a state of emergency had been declared in the city of Kyiv, the east-central Dnipropetrovsk region, and the western Ivano-Fankivsk region.
"No new restrictions are yet to be expected. The emergency mode is designed to mobilize efforts to combat the spread of COVID-19," he wrote on Telegram.
Earlier, states of emergency were declared in the Kyiv and Zhytomyr regions in the north-central part of the country and the southwestern region of Chernivtsi.
Under the state of emergency, the heads of the affected regions are expected to implement coordinated measures to curtail the spread of the virus and to submit daily reports to the Health Ministry.
Ukraine had reported 41 coronavirus infections and three fatalities as of the end of March 20, prompting the country to declare a state of emergency to better mobilize efforts to fight the virus.
The total represents a rise of 15 cases over the past 24 hours. However, the country has done limited testing, suggesting the number of people infected could be much greater.
The country has already ordered restaurants, bars, gyms, theaters, shopping malls, and schools to close. It has also essentially sealed its border to foreign travel and domestic long-distance travel by means of bus, rail and plane.
Kyiv Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko said in a March 21 video post that only people whose work was vital to the city will be allowed to use public transport. The new measure goes into effect as of March 23, he said
Kyiv shut down its subway on March 17, causing chaos as tens of thousands of people struggled to get to work via other means. Transportation by private cars will still be permitted.
Supermarkets, pharmacies, banks, gas stations, post offices, and parcel companies will remain open in Ukraine, officials said.
Armenia
The number of coronavirus cases in Armenia has risen to 160, an increase of 24 infections during the previous 24 hours, according to the country's heath authorities.
Armenian Health Minister Arsen Torosyan said in a live broadcast on Facebook on March 21 that there were 11 patients among those infected with the coronavirus who have been diagnosed with pneumonia.
Torosyan said three patients required intensive care. But he said none of the patients were in critical danger.
Details about new cases had not been released by the afternoon of March 21.
Armenia has not reported any fatalities from the disease.
Yerevan declared a national emergency on March 16 in an attempt to slow the spread of the pandemic disease.
Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyzstan's Security Council has recommended that Prime Minister Mukhammedkalyi Abylgaziev declare a national state of emergency beginning on March 22 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The recommendation, made during a Security Council meeting in Bishkek on March 21, was announced by President Sooronbai Jeenbekov's office.
Local officials in Kyrgyzstan have already declared a state of emergency in the southern district of Nookat, where three coronavirus cases were reported on March 20.
A state of emergency has also been announced by local officials in the Suzak district, where three men have tested positive for coronavirus.
All six confirmed cases in Kyrgyzstan are people who recently returned to Kyrgyzstan from Saudi Arabia.
Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan's Health Ministry announced four more confirmed coronavirus infections on March 21, raising the total number in the country to 37.
The ministry said a total of 3,200 people who had contact with the infected patients have been placed in quarantine.
All kindergartens, schools, and universities in Uzbekistan have been temporarily closed and public gatherings have been prohibited.
The Transport Ministry said on March 20 that it had suspended international travel into the country for 40 days. The regulation does not affect cargo shipments, it said.
Kazakhstan
In Kazakhstan, five more coronavirus cases were reported on March 20, including the first two cases outside Nur-Sultan, the capital, and the country's largest city, Almaty.
With three more cases in Almaty and two in the central city of Qaraghandy, the total number of coronavirus infections in Kazakhstan on March 21 was 49.
Nur-Sultan and Almaty have been sealed off since March 19, with police, security forces, and military personnel blocking roads and highways within and around the two cities.
In Tajikistan, the government suspended all international flights starting on March 20. No coronavirus cases have been reported by authorities in Tajikistan so far.
In Turkmenistan, RFE/RL correspondents report that the capital, Ashgabat, has been surrounded with security checkpoints since March 19 in an attempt by authorities to regulate entries into the city.
Only residents of Ashgabat are allowed to enter the city now, and travel between cities has been restricted, RFE/RL correspondents report.
Turkmenistan also had not officially confirmed any cases of coronavirus as of March 21.
Pakistan
Pakistan says it has suspended all international flights for two weeks in an attempt to limit the spread of the coronavirus, joining dozens of other countries that have taken similar measures.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Pakistan said in a statement on March 21 that the ban would go into effect that evening and last until April 4.
The ban includes charter flights as well, officials said. Diplomats and cargo will be allowed to land in the country.
Individuals who have had their flight canceled can either get a refund or rebook for other dates without any charge, officials at Pakistan International Airlines said.
The announcement comes after Pakistan said the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the country jumped to 531 as of March 21 with three deaths.
Iran
The death toll from coronavirus outbreak is nearly 11,500 people around the world, with Europe at the center of the pandemic as the number of confirmed cases globally topped 275,000.
Iran's official death toll was the third-highest in the world on March 21 with 123 newly reported deaths raising the total across the country to 1,556.
Health Ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour said on March 21 that an additional 966 infections had been confirmed during the previous 24 hours.
That raised the total number of confirmed infections in Iran to more than 20,600, according to officials in Tehran.
Many Iranians believe the government in Tehran is underreporting the extent of the outbreak there.
According to a tally by Johns Hopkins University early on March 21, the confirmed number of cases worldwide had reached 275,434 -- including 11,399 deaths.
With reporting by RFE/RL's Georgian, Kazakh, Kyrgyz, Russian, Tajik, Turkmen, Ukrainian, Uzbek services, AFP, Reuters, TASS, UNIAN, Interfax, Ukrayinska pravda, Financial Times, and Khaleej Times


rferl--2020-03-22--Abkhazia Pushes Forward With Presidential Vote Despite Coronavirus Anxiety

Voters in Abkhazia are going to the polls to choose a new leader for the breakaway Georgian region , as election organizers push forward despite anxiety over coronavirus .
The March 22 rerun vote is the latest effort to sort out the Black Sea region 's government , which has been in flux since a January Supreme Court ruling annulled the election victory of Raul Khajimba three months earlier .
That ruling sparked violent protests and ultimately led to Khajimba stepping down .
Three candidates were in the running : Vice President Adgur Ardzinba , opposition lawmaker Aslan Bzhania , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The run-up to the vote was marked by intrigue when Bzhania suffered two mysterious illnesses , which some of his supporters alleged were caused by poisoning .
It was uncertain if the actual vote would take place at all due to fears of coronavirus infection .
As of March 20 , the region had not publicly reported any infections .
Election organizers said polling precincts were being equipped with medical masks and hand sanitizers .
Abkhazia declared independence from Georgia in 1992 , which led to all-out war with Tbilisi .
After Russia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ August 2008 , Moscow recognized Abkhazia as an independent state .
But just a small handful of other countries have followed Russia 's lead .

Separatist officials in the globally unrecognized Abkhaz republic have declared opposition leader Aslan Bzhania as the winner of an election for the de facto presidency in the breakaway region of Georgia.
Tamaz Gogia, chairman of the self-declared republic's Central Election Commission, said on March 23 that Bzhania took 56.5 percent of the 95,109 ballots cast in the vote.
Turnout was 71.6 percent, easily surpassing the 50 percent threshold.
Georgia’s Foreign Ministry criticized the election, saying they “fully contradict the fundamental norms and principles of international law” and violate Georgia’s sovereignty.
After Russia and Georgia fought a brief war in August 2008, Moscow recognized Abkhazia as an independent nation. But only a handful of other countries have followed the Kremlin’s lead.
Economy Minister Adgur Ardzinba garnered 35.4 percent of the votes, former Interior Minister Leonid Dzapshba won 2.2 percent, while 1.75 of voters were against all of the candidates.
Gogia said that Bzhania will be inaugurated in the Moscow-backed breakaway region within 30 days.
The March 22 rerun vote is the latest effort to sort out the Black Sea region's government, which has been in flux since a January Supreme Court ruling annulled the election victory of Raul Khajimba three months earlier.
The ruling came amid violent protests. Ultimately, Khajimba stepped down.
The run-up to the vote was marked by intrigue when Bzhania suffered two mysterious illnesses, which some of his supporters alleged were caused by poisoning.
It had been uncertain if the actual vote would take place at all due to fears of coronavirus infection. As of March 20, the region had not publicly reported any infections from COVID-19.
Abkhazia declared independence from Georgia in 1992, a move which led to all-out war with Tbilisi.
With reporting by TASS and Interfax


rferl--2020-03-22--COVID-19: North Macedonia Sets Curfew; Romania Records First Fatality

Health officials say Iran 's death toll from coronavirus has reached 1,685 , as the country continues to struggle with mounting cases and an overloaded health-care system .
The Health Ministry said on March 22 that another 129 people had died over the past 24 hours .
The ministry also said the country 's overall tally of confirmed cases of COVID-19 was 21,638 .
Iran has been one of the worst-hit countries outside of China and Italy .
With the country reeling from the outbreak , officials have recommended Iranians stay home during the Norouz holiday , which began on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ biggest holidays of the year for Iranians .
Officials have worried that efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19 will be hampered as people travel for the holiday to see friends and relatives .
The government has closed schools at all levels , banned sports and cultural events , and curtailed religious activities .
Many Iranians have also been angered by the temporary closure of Shi'ite sites , prompting some crowds to storm into the courtyards of two major shrines .
In a televised speech to mark Norouz , Iran 's supreme leader @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for assistance in fighting coronavirus .
`` We have many enemies , but the worst is the U.S ... .and now they want to help us , '' Khamenei said .
He said the United States would be better off helping its own people , with hundreds of American deaths being linked to the virus after a spike in cases over the last week .
Khamenei also cited an unfounded conspiracy theory that the virus could be man-made by the United States .
`` Possibly your [ offered ] medicine is a way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said .
The government of North Macedonia says it has decided to impose a curfew from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. beginning on March 22 , the first time such a step has been taken since the country 's independence in 1991 .
Countries throughout the world are instituting dramatic measures in an effort to slow the spread of the coronavirus .
Many have put similar curfews in place , while other cities , states , and provinces have been ordered into near-lockdown conditions .
As of late March 21 , research @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that total infections worldwide had surpassed 300,000 while deaths neared 13,000 .
The same research shows that North Macedonia had registered 85 cases and no deaths .
However , experts caution that it is impossible to get an accurate count of the number of infections because of the lack to testing in many places .
In an emergency address , North Macedonia ’ s prime minister , Oliver Spasovski , said that `` we have decided to introduce the most radical measures in order to protect the health of citizens.
” '' Starting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will restrict the movement of all citizens .
It is forbidden for the population to move outside between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. every day .
There is no compromise when it comes to the health of citizens , '' Spasovski warned .
The prohibitions exclude persons who need medical assistance or whose lives are endangered .
Those who need dialysis are allowed to arrive for treatment with up to two other people .
Employees in health-care facilities are also excluded from the curfew , as are members of the Ministry of Interior @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and workers in municipal hygiene .
Romanian authorities say a 67-year-old man has died of COVID-19 , the disease caused by the coronavirus , the first such death for the country .
The government 's Strategic Communications Group said on March 22 the man had been suffering from terminal cancer .
He was believed to have been infected with coronavirus on March 18 , 12 days after returning to Romania from France , before restrictions on international travel had been imposed .
The government did not say how he had become infected , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a hospital in the southern city of Craiova .
A total of 23 medical workers who were in contact with the man have been tested for coronavirus ; of the 18 tests that have been returned so far , all were negative .
Romania had recorded 367 cases of coronavirus as of March 22..
The government declared a state of emergency on March 16 and on March 21 announced a nighttime curfew .
The curfew will restrict the movement of people from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. and go into effect on March @ @ @ @ @ @ @ through the 30-day state of emergency declared on March 16 .
Those exempted include people going to work and those requiring medical assistance .
Interior Minister Marcel Vela and other officials said the measures will also prohibit gatherings of more than three persons outside the home and will mandate the closing of shopping malls and dental clinics .
Restaurants and other gathering places were ordered closed earlier in the week .
During the night curfew hours , the only people allowed to move about are medical professionals , those engaging in work activities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ caring for children or the elderly or people walking their pets .
`` Everything we have decided to implement is meant to limit the risks to the population , '' Vela said .
He also warned those who are price-gouging or taking other actions to profit from the crisis .
`` We have taken strong actions against those who have tried to speculate on the situation in order to get rich .
It 's not just illegal -- it 's also cynical , '' he said .
President Aleksandar Vucic said the government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in effect by three hours as Serbia attempts to curtail the spread of the coronavirus , making it a 12-hour ban from 5 p.m. to 5 a.m .
He said the steps were necessary `` for our survival , '' and he threatened a 24-hour curfew if residents continued to ignore orders to remain indoors .
Serbia has registered 171 cases of the coronavirus and one death as of late on March 21 .
With reporting by RFE/RL 's Balkan and Romanian services , Reuters , and AP

The global coronavirus pandemic has infected more than 339,000 people and killed nearly 15,000 worldwide, causing mass disruptions as governments continue to try to slow the spread of the new respiratory illness.
Here's a roundup of developments in RFE/RL's broadcast countries.
Afghanistan
Afghanistan's Health Ministry says a 40-year old man has died from coronavirus, becoming the country's first fatality from the disease.
Afghanistan has 34 confirmed cases of the virus.
Iran
Health officials say Iran's death toll from coronavirus has reached 1,685, as the country continues to struggle with mounting cases and an overloaded health-care system.
The Health Ministry said on March 22 that another 129 people had died over the past 24 hours. The ministry also said the country's overall tally of confirmed cases of COVID-19 was 21,638.
Iran has been one of the worst-hit countries outside of China and Italy.
With the country reeling from the outbreak, officials have recommended Iranians stay home during the Norouz holiday, which began on March 20 and is one of the biggest holidays of the year for Iranians.
Officials have worried that efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19 will be hampered as people travel for the holiday to see friends and relatives.
The government has closed schools at all levels, banned sports and cultural events, and curtailed religious activities.
Many Iranians have also been angered by the temporary closure of Shi'ite sites, prompting some crowds to storm into the courtyards of two major shrines.
In a televised speech to mark Norouz, Iran's supreme leader rejected an offer from the United States for assistance in fighting coronavirus.
"We have many enemies, but the worst is the U.S.... and now they want to help us," Khamenei said.
He said the United States would be better off helping its own people, with hundreds of American deaths being linked to the virus after a spike in cases over the last week.
Khamenei also cited an unfounded conspiracy theory that the virus could be manmade by the United States.
"Possibly your [offered] medicine is a way to spread the virus more," he said.
Georgia
Two southern Georgian regions will lock down on March 23 as part of an effort to prevent the spread of coronavirus, the country’s prime minister said the previous day.
Giorgi Gakharia said at an emergency news briefing that the Marneuli and Bolnisi regions, both of which border Azerbaijan, would be closed off for entry and exit.
The regions would be supplied with food and medicine, and only grocery stores and pharmacies are to remain open as well.
Critical infrastructure and services would be available as well.
The decision was made after a woman who had contact with at least 90 people after attending a relative’s death anniversary dinner was diagnosed with the COVID-19 respiratory illness.
At this point, doctors were able to identify at least 85 people with whom the infected woman had contact.
The South Caucasus country of 3.7 million had 54 cases of coronavirus as of March 22, with no deaths.
Georgia's parliament over the weekend approved a presidential decree that imposes a one-month nationwide state of emergency in an attempt to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
President Salome Zurabishvili on March 21 sent the decree to parliament as the number of cases in the former Soviet republic rose to 49. The parliament passed it later that evening.
The president called on citizens to follow the recommendations of the World Health Organization and the Georgian Health Ministry in order to slow the spread of the virus and avoid a "new level" of restrictions.
Kosovo
Local authorities say an 82-year-old man has died from coronavirus, Kosovo's first death from the disease.
The Public Health Institute said in a statement on March 22 that the man, who died in a hospital, had underlying health issues, including chronic cardiac and pulmonary problems.
Officials said the tally of confirmed infections in the country stood at 31 as of March 22.
The death comes as Kosovars grow increasingly impatient with the government, which has struggled to mount a coherent response to the outbreak.
Prime Minister Albin Kurti's shaky coalition government, which took four months to assemble after October elections, is on the verge of collapse because of disagreements over coronavirus measures.
Angry residents of the capital, Pristina, banged pots and pans from their balconies on March 19 to protest the government's actions.
Most of those infected in Kosovo have come from Italy or are related to someone who returned from a European Union member state.
Authorities have closed all schools, borders, bars, and restaurants to curb the spread of the virus. Only supermarkets and pharmacies remain open.
Romania
Romanian authorities report that two people have died from the coronavirus, the first such deaths for the country.
The government's Strategic Communications Group said on March 22 that the number of confirmed cases in the country had risen sharply and now stands at 433, up from 322 just a day earlier.
Officials said the first victim was a 67-year-old man who had been suffering from terminal cancer and who died after having been infected on March 18.
The man had returned to Romania 12 days earlier, on March 6, from France, before restrictions on international travel had been imposed. The government did not say when he died or how he had become infected, saying only that he was being treated at a hospital in the southern city of Craiova.
A total of 23 medical workers who were in contact with the man have been tested for the coronavirus. Of the 18 tests that have been returned so far, all were negative, officials said.
The second victim was a 74-year-old who had been diagnosed just the day before and was already being treated for kidney problems. Officials said that person died in a medical facility in the capital, Bucharest.
The government declared a state of emergency on March 16 and on March 21 announced a nighttime curfew.
The curfew will restrict the movement of people from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. and go into effect on March 23. It is expected to last through the 30-day state of emergency declared on March 16.
Those exempted include people going to work and those requiring medical assistance.
Interior Minister Marcel Vela and other officials said the measures will also prohibit gatherings of more than three persons outside the home and will mandate the closing of shopping malls and dental clinics. Restaurants and other gathering places were ordered closed earlier in the week.
During the night curfew hours, the only people allowed to move about are medical professionals, those engaging in work activities, shopping for necessary items, and caring for children or the elderly or people walking their pets.
"Everything we have decided to implement is meant to limit the risks to the population," Vela said.
He also warned those who are price-gouging or taking other actions to profit from the crisis.
"We have taken strong actions against those who have tried to speculate on the situation in order to get rich. It's not just illegal -- it's also cynical," he said.
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan has 60 confirmed coronavirus cases as of the morning of March 23, following another confirmed infection the previous evening.
The Health Ministry says there are 31 registered cases in the capital, Nur-Sultan, 25 in the largest city, Almaty, and two in the Karaganda and one each in the Almaty and Aktobe regions.
Almaty and Nur-Sultan have been on lockdown since March 19 and a state of emergency was announced earlier this month.
Kazakhstan had already announced the cancelation of Norouz holiday celebrations and a military parade devoted to the 75th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany.
The oil-rich Central Asian country recorded its first cases of COVID-19 on March 13 after three patients tested positive upon returning from separate trips to Germany and Italy.
Kazakhstan shares a 1,800-kilometer border with China where the respiratory illness emerged late last year.
The outbreak has since grown to become a global pandemic, infecting more than 300,000 worldwide and leading to over 14,000 deaths.
Russia
Russia has widened its ban on international flights as the number of registered coronavirus cases in the country reached 367.
As of March 23, Russian airlines will only service foreign capitals or large cities like New York and only from Moscow airports, state agency Rosavia said.
Russia will continue to permit charter flights exclusively for the evacuation of citizens stuck overseas, it said.
Nearly 20,000 Russian citizens have been evacuated from countries suffering from a high number of coronavirus cases.
The flight-ban announcement comes as Russia registered another 61 cases of the coronavirus, bringing the country's total to 367.
However, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said the Russian capital will not close its metro, a step three Ukrainian cities, including Kyiv, took where subways operate. The Moscow metro transports several million people a day to work and its closure would have severe consequences for the city's economy.
The Culture Ministry has recommended that as of March 23 all movie theaters be closed. Earlier in the month, the ministry closed all theaters, philharmonics, circuses, and movie theaters that belong to it.
Russia, the world's ninth-most populous country, has registered relatively few cases of COVID-19 on a per capita basis compared to its European neighbors, raising questions about the accuracy of the tally. Italy has more than 47,000 while Spain has more than 25,000.
Moscow, Europe's largest city with about 12 million inhabitants, has registered just 137 cases of COVID-19. New York City, which has just over 8 million people, has registered more than 8,000 cases.
Russia also shares one of the world's longest borders with China, where the new coronavirus originated. China has registered more than 81,000 cases.
Russian news agency RBK reported last week that the country had experienced a spike in the number of pneumonia cases this year.
While the majority of people who contract COVID-19 suffer only mild symptoms resembling the common cold, severe cases can develop into pneumonia.
Ukraine
Ukraine saw the number confirmed coronavirus cases rise to 73 as the capital, Kyiv, on March 23 is closing all public transportation for noncritical personnel.
The Health Ministry’s Center for Public Health said that as of 10:50 p.m. local time on March 22, there were 26 new cases of the respiratory illness known as COVID-19 in nine regions and the city of Kyiv.
The ministry says it is further monitoring more than 360 suspected cases, including over 239 patients in hospitals.
Health Minister Illya Yemets said on March 22 that he supports declaring a nationwide state of emergency.
“I have been talking about this since the first day of my work in the government. It had to be done from the beginning. If it were to succeed, there would be no such [virus] spread, which is now developing geometrically,” Yemets told 112 TV in an interview.
Meanwhile, one of several planned medical supply flights from China has arrived in Kyiv, the Ukrainian presidential office said on March 23.
It brought an unspecified number of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests as well as 250,000 express tests including different kind of protective medical masks, disinfectants, and “artificial ventilation apparatus and other means necessary to combat the spread of COVID-19,” President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s office said.
Each regional laboratory on March 23 will receive the PCR tests.
The procurement was made with the assistance of large Ukrainian business owners.
“This is only the first batch of medicinal cargo from China. Several more flights are planned for this week,” the presidential office said.
There are three deaths related to the virus as schools have remained closed nationwide. Eateries, bars, gyms, theaters, and shopping malls, as well as subways operating in three cities, have been also been kept closed.
Interior Minister Arsen Avakov the previous day called for a nationwide quarantine to slow the spread of coronavirus as Ukraine's capital and largest city, Kyiv, said it would shut all public transportation for noncritical personnel.
Avakov, one of the most powerful officials in Ukraine, said the measures already put in place to fight the spread will be “significantly toughened” in the coming days. He said only “critical” industries should remain open and everyone else sent home.
“A total, full quarantine is my position, which I want to ask of each of you. And I will insist on it, according to the power of my position,” Avakov said in a Facebook post on March 21.
Kyiv Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko said in a March 21 video post that only people whose work is vital to the city will be allowed to use public transport. The new measure goes into effect on March 23, he said.
Bulgaria
Bulgaria's president has vetoed new nationwide restrictions passed by parliament as part of the state of emergency imposed to fight the spread of coronavirus.
Rumen Radev said on March 22 that he opposed the new proposals, calling them "extremely restrictive" and a threat to civil liberties in the country.
"“The lack of adequate measures will bring about a situation where hunger will prevail over fear and the consequences will be destructive,” he said in a statement that was released announcing his veto.
Parliament passed the proposed measures on March 20 after an initial proposal from the cabinet a week before.
Among the proposed measures that Radev said he opposed were allowing authorities to track mobile-phone users, to ensure people infected with the coronavirus are properly observing quarantine.
The measures also call for giving increased public-safety duties to military units, and for freezing prices for some goods at a three-month average, in an effort to prevent price gouging.
As of March 22, Bulgaria has confirmed 171 cases of people infected with the virus. Three people have died since March 8, when the first death was announced.
Three people have also recovered.
North Macedonia
In neighboring North Macedonia, a 57-year-old woman has become the country's first coronavirus fatality.
The woman had caught the infection during a trip to Italy, which has the most cases in Europe. Her son has been infected, too, and is hospitalized in stable condition, health officials said on March 22.
North Macedonia had 114 registered cases of the novel coronavirus as of March 22, officials said.
On March 21, the government said it had decided to impose a curfew from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. beginning on March 22, the first time such a step has been taken since the country's independence in 1991.
In an emergency address, North Macedonia’s prime minister, Oliver Spasovski, said that "we have decided to introduce the most radical measures in order to protect the health of citizens.”
"Starting [on March 22], we will restrict the movement of all citizens. It is forbidden for the population to move outside between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. every day. There is no compromise when it comes to the health of citizens," Spasovski warned.
The prohibitions exclude persons who need medical assistance or whose lives are endangered. Those who need dialysis are allowed to arrive for treatment with up to two other people.
Employees in health-care facilities are also excluded from the curfew, as are members of the Ministry of Interior, the army, fire crews, and workers in municipal hygiene.
Serbia
President Aleksandar Vucic said the government will extend a curfew that is already in effect by three hours as Serbia attempts to curtail the spread of the coronavirus, making it a 12-hour ban from 5 p.m. to 5 a.m.
He said the steps were necessary "for our survival," and he threatened a 24-hour curfew if residents continued to ignore orders to remain indoors.
Serbia has registered 171 cases of the coronavirus and one death as of late on March 21.
In neighboring Bosnia-Herzegovina, the governments of the two entities on March 21 imposed nighttime restrictions on people outside their homes, with the Muslim-Croat federation ordering a 6-p.m.-to-5-a.m. curfew, and Republika Srpska restricting people to their homes from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m.
Uzbekistan
Uzbek officials have ordered all companies in the capital, Tashkent, to switch to remote working.
They also made protective masks mandatory in all major cities in order to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
Officials on March 22 said citizens not wearing masks in public in major cities would be fined $22 for the first offense and $67 for repeat offenses.
Uzbekistan, which has a population of 34 million, has just 43 confirmed cases, nearly all in Tashkent.
Pakistan
Sindh, the hardest-hit province in Pakistan, has announced a 15-day lockdown starting March 23.
Sindh has nearly half of the country's 687 registered cases.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, meanwhile, issued orders banning intercity transport starting from March 24.
With reporting by RFE/RL's Balkan, Bulgarian, Romanian, and Ukrainian services and Radio Mashaal, Reuters, AP, RIA Novosti, and TASS


rferl--2020-03-22--Former Detainees In Prisoner Swap Return To France, Iran

Two former detainees released in a prisoner swap between France and Iran have returned to their home countries after each having spent months in confinement .
French researcher Roland Marchal arrived in Paris on March 21 , with his support group releasing a short statement saying , `` Roland has returned . ''
Meanwhile , Iranian engineer Jallal Rohollahnejad , who is wanted in the United States , arrived in Tehran to an emotional meeting with his family .
The two were both released the day before in what Mizan Online , the news site of the Iranian judiciary , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
The detentions had complicated ties between the two countries during a period when French President Emmanuel Macron sought to defuse tensions between Washington and Tehran , and while Iran has sought France 's help to mitigate the economic damage caused by U.S. financial sanctions .
A relative told AFP that Marchal was taken to a military hospital near Paris for medical tests and that the `` analyses were good . ''
Macron had announced that Tehran released Marchal after France freed Rohollahnejad instead of sending him to the United States , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in an attempt to export sensitive industrial equipment to Iran in violation of U.S. sanctions .
Macron 's office said he `` is happy to announce the release of Roland Marchal , imprisoned in Iran since June 2019 '' but that he `` urges the Iranian authorities to immediately free '' fellow researcher Fariba Adelkhah .
Marchal , 64 , a senior researcher at Sciences Po university , was detained in June 2019 along fellow researcher Adelkhah .
The 60-year-old Adelkhah is a citizen of both France and Iran , but Tehran does @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , lawyer for both French detainees , told AFP that Adelkhah was `` very happy '' that her companion had been freed .
Adelkhah faces charges of `` propaganda against the system '' and `` colluding to commit acts against national security , '' according her lawyer , who said that Marchal was accused of similar charges .
The lawyer said in October 2019 that Iranian prosecutors had given no evidence to support the charges against them .
The researchers ' supporters had expressed concerns over the health of the detainees after Iran @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the global coronavirus pandemic .
Late on March 21 , at least 1,556 people had died in Iran from the COVID-19 disease caused by the virus .
In Tehran , state television showed images of a freed Rohollahnejad hugging members of his family during a reunion in the Iranian capital .
`` Thanks be to God , those days have ended , '' Rohollahnejad said of his confinement .
He claimed he had been badly treated while being detained in France .
The French Court of Cassation on March 11 said it had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the U.S. , but the French government freed him , changing this decision . ''
Rohollahnejad was detained under a U.S. extradition warrant at the airport in the southern French city of Nice on February 2 , 2019 .
Iran is still holding U.S. citizens Siamak Namazi his father , Baquer , and environmental expert Morad Tahbaz .
Siamak Namazi was convicted on charges including espionage and collaboration with the U.S. government .
With reporting by AFP and Reuters

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


rferl--2020-03-21--U.S. To Evacuate All Peace Corps Volunteers Due To Coronavirus

The United States has said it is evacuating thousands of Peace Corps volunteers from abroad due to the rapid spread of the deadly coronavirus .
The Peace Corps , a U.S. government-funded agency providing assistance around the world , announced on its website it would temporarily suspend volunteer operations from `` all posts . ''
`` We are acting now to protect the health of volunteers and prevent a situation where volunteers are unable to leave their host countries and return to the United States , '' the agency said .
The Peace Corps did not specify how it was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ foreign countries and told them `` not to share evacuation details with others online , including on social media . ''
The United States has imposed international travel restrictions to help slow the spread of the coronavirus and has advised citizens abroad to return home .
Many other countries have also imposed international travel restrictions that have already left some U.S. citizens stranded abroad .
Peace Corps volunteers work in developing countries where health-care systems are generally underfunded .
The coronavirus is overwhelming some health-care systems in advanced economies and could do the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
The agency said it was returning volunteers to the United States now , even though the country currently has the fourth-largest number of coronavirus cases globally , because it could be difficult to evacuate them for other medical emergencies , such as trauma or surgery , due to airport closures .
The Peace Corps currently has 7,334 volunteers serving in 61 countries , according to the agency 's website .
About 13 percent , or nearly 1,000 volunteers , serve in Eastern Europe and Central Asia , including Albania , Armenia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ serve in jobs that focus on health , education , agriculture , community development , and the environment .
The volunteers , who normally serve for a period of two years , are paid living expenses that are in accordance with local standards and could be just a few hundred dollars a month .
The Peace Corps said it will pay the volunteers an `` evacuation allowance '' that is calculated based on the length of service .
The volunteers will also receive two-month health-care coverage upon their return to the United States @ @ @ @ @ @ @ eligible for unemployment benefits .
The volunteers will be able to reapply for service when the coronavirus threat is over , the agency said on its website .
The Peace Corps said it was not closing paid staff positions .
AmeriCorps , the U.S.-focused equivalent of the Peace Corps , has told some volunteers to pause their work .

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--2020-03-20--Breakaway Abkhazia Holds Election Under Cloud Of Controversy, Coronavirus

Just weeks ago , the leading contender in this election was lying in a Russian hospital bed recovering from the second mysterious bout of the flu to derail his bid to lead Abkhazia , prompting all candidates to suspend their campaigns .
But as voting day in the self-declared but globally unrecognized separatist republic in Georgia approached , even a looming pandemic was not threatening efforts to conclude a messy electoral process that started nearly a year ago .
After being rocked by poisoning scandals , protests , and the resignation of the territory 's de facto president and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appeared that the COVID-19 pandemic would not be enough to delay the March 22 election .
Here 's a look at the candidates , the issues , and the scene as the Moscow-dependent , breakaway Georgian territory takes another stab at electing a leader .
The `` presidency '' in the Black Sea region of Abkhazia is built on sand because the breakaway Georgian territory 's independence is recognized by only a handful of governments outside the Kremlin .
Moscow recognized Abkhazia as independent following the five-day Russia-Georgia war , which was fought @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Georgia has condemned the election as a sham and `` yet another violation of our national sovereignty , '' and Western governments dismiss votes in Abkhazia as illegitimate .
But after a grueling process , three candidates to be de facto president are left standing .
-- This is the candidate who recovered from mysterious illnesses that twice blew his campaign off course and is once again considered the favorite to win .
The Opposition Forces Bloc leader has been a consistent rival of fellow former security service head Raul Khajimba , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last year that he had poisoned his rival to keep him out of the 2019 race .
When Khajimba stepped down in January amid protests and news that his 2019 runoff victory had been annulled , the 56-year-old Bzhania reentered the picture .
-- The 38-year-old is a former `` economy minister '' who has family ties to Abkhazia 's first de facto president , Vladislav Ardzinba , and was tapped to replace Khajimba in the race .
While entering as a virtual unknown , Ardzinba has tried to win voters over by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with Russia , and education -- including the development of the Abkhaz language .
-- Dzapshba finished fourth in the 2014 election and garnered just over 6 percent of the vote in the first round of the annulled 2019 race .
The 59-year-old , who was dogged by embezzlement charges owing to his stint as head of the territory 's soccer federation , served twice as Abkhazia 's `` interior minister , '' and is the head of the fringe Akzaara ( Unity ) party .
The field may be set , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did in May 2019 , when the campaign first kicked off .
At that time , Bzhania 's supporters were taking to the streets to express their anger over his alleged poisoning , which was later determined by a Moscow hospital to have been a bout of pneumonia .
The protests led to the July election date being pushed back a month .
But when Bzhania announced that he was not healthy enough to reenter the race , he pledged his support to Alkhas Kvitsinia of the opposition Amtsakhara party .
Kvitsinia went @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in September , but when the incumbent was named the winner with 47 percent of the vote , compared to Kvitsinia 's 46 percent , appeals were made to invalidate the results because nobody had reached the required majority .
More protests ensued in January as the breakaway territory 's top court prepared to rule on the appeal , leading to the annulment of the vote , the departure of Khajimba , and the return of Bzhania .
Even the opposition candidate 's reentry was not scandal-free , as on March 2 he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Russia , while Russian media reported that he , again , had been poisoned .
Abkhazia has long sought statehood , having declared independence from Georgia in 1992 , before a 1992-93 war with Tbilisi .
Following Moscow 's recognition of Abkhazia as independent in 2008 , the territory has tried to join the international community , but has been shunned by all but a few countries .
Its politics are heavily influenced by Moscow , which sent a delegation and the Kremlin 's top ideologue to calm protests in January that led @ @ @ @ @ @ @ depends on Russia for much of its electricity and economy , and cooperates militarily with Moscow .
Despite its reliance on the regional heavyweight to the north , Abkhazia 's ambitions to carve out its own national , economic , and political identity have all featured in the campaign .
While Russia has a major military presence in Abkhazia , it does not mean that the territory always goes Moscow 's way .
Thomas de Waal , a senior fellow with Carnegie Europe , said in e-mailed comments that `` relations with Moscow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Kremlin 's `` agenda for the place does not extend far into domestic politics , social policy and many other issues . ''
Russia has pledged reforms to the Abkhaz military and staged military exercises , offered to set up field clinics to stave off the spread of the new coronavirus , and pledged emergency electricity amid shortfalls ahead of the election .
But on March 18 the Russian State Duma decided against sending election observers , largely due to coronavirus fears .
Relations with Tbilisi are often a popular campaign topic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on domestic issues , it is customary to take an aggressive stance against Tbilisi , '' de Waal wrote .
But the South Caucasus expert said that currently `` there is a strong feeling in Abkhazia that the overall political and economic situation is deteriorating which may make the next leader more open to dialogue . ''
While Bzhania has been openly supportive of Moscow , he has also expressed a willingness to talk with Georgia .
His main competitor , Ardzinba , has been strongly against any nearing of ties with Tbilisi @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not escaped the Abkhaz .
Officials met this week with a delegation from the World Health Organization , and pledges of aid were accepted .
Border restrictions were tightened , and large events such as concerts canceled .
But the last days of campaigning offered no indication that the territory of 250,000 , which as of March 20 had not reported any cases of COVID-19 , was in the mood to mess with election day .
`` The Abkhaz authorities and main candidates seem determined to press ahead with the elections , come @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` There is footage of big election meetings in crowded rooms , despite the pandemic . ''

Just weeks ago, the leading contender in this election was lying in a Russian hospital bed recovering from the second mysterious bout of the flu to derail his bid to lead Abkhazia, prompting all candidates to suspend their campaigns.
But as voting day in the self-declared but globally unrecognized separatist republic in Georgia approached, even a looming pandemic was not threatening efforts to conclude a messy electoral process that started nearly a year ago.
After being rocked by poisoning scandals, protests, and the resignation of the territory's de facto president and the calling of a fresh vote, it appeared that the COVID-19 pandemic would not be enough to delay the March 22 election.
Here's a look at the candidates, the issues, and the scene as the Moscow-dependent, breakaway Georgian territory takes another stab at electing a leader.
The Field
The "presidency" in the Black Sea region of Abkhazia is built on sand because the breakaway Georgian territory's independence is recognized by only a handful of governments outside the Kremlin.
Moscow recognized Abkhazia as independent following the five-day Russia-Georgia war, which was fought partly on Abkhaz soil in 2008. Georgia has condemned the election as a sham and "yet another violation of our national sovereignty," and Western governments dismiss votes in Abkhazia as illegitimate.
But after a grueling process, three candidates to be de facto president are left standing.
Aslan Bzhania -- This is the candidate who recovered from mysterious illnesses that twice blew his campaign off course and is once again considered the favorite to win. The Opposition Forces Bloc leader has been a consistent rival of fellow former security service head Raul Khajimba, who defeated Bzhania in 2014 and denied allegations last year that he had poisoned his rival to keep him out of the 2019 race. When Khajimba stepped down in January amid protests and news that his 2019 runoff victory had been annulled, the 56-year-old Bzhania reentered the picture.
Adgur Ardzinba -- The 38-year-old is a former "economy minister" who has family ties to Abkhazia's first de facto president, Vladislav Ardzinba, and was tapped to replace Khajimba in the race. While entering as a virtual unknown, Ardzinba has tried to win voters over by promoting Abkhaz national unity, improving ties with Russia, and education -- including the development of the Abkhaz language.
Leonid Dzapshba -- Dzapshba finished fourth in the 2014 election and garnered just over 6 percent of the vote in the first round of the annulled 2019 race. The 59-year-old, who was dogged by embezzlement charges owing to his stint as head of the territory's soccer federation, served twice as Abkhazia's "interior minister," and is the head of the fringe Akzaara (Unity) party.
The Backdrop
The field may be set, but it doesn't look much like it did in May 2019, when the campaign first kicked off. At that time, Bzhania's supporters were taking to the streets to express their anger over his alleged poisoning, which was later determined by a Moscow hospital to have been a bout of pneumonia.
The protests led to the July election date being pushed back a month. But when Bzhania announced that he was not healthy enough to reenter the race, he pledged his support to Alkhas Kvitsinia of the opposition Amtsakhara party.
Kvitsinia went on to face Khajimba in a run-off in September, but when the incumbent was named the winner with 47 percent of the vote, compared to Kvitsinia's 46 percent, appeals were made to invalidate the results because nobody had reached the required majority.
More protests ensued in January as the breakaway territory's top court prepared to rule on the appeal, leading to the annulment of the vote, the departure of Khajimba, and the return of Bzhania.
Even the opposition candidate's reentry was not scandal-free, as on March 2 he was hospitalized for the flu again in Russia, while Russian media reported that he, again, had been poisoned.
The Issues
Abkhazia has long sought statehood, having declared independence from Georgia in 1992, before a 1992-93 war with Tbilisi. Following Moscow's recognition of Abkhazia as independent in 2008, the territory has tried to join the international community, but has been shunned by all but a few countries.
Its politics are heavily influenced by Moscow, which sent a delegation and the Kremlin's top ideologue to calm protests in January that led to Khajimba's resignation. The territory depends on Russia for much of its electricity and economy, and cooperates militarily with Moscow.
Despite its reliance on the regional heavyweight to the north, Abkhazia's ambitions to carve out its own national, economic, and political identity have all featured in the campaign.
Russia's Role
While Russia has a major military presence in Abkhazia, it does not mean that the territory always goes Moscow's way.
Thomas de Waal, a senior fellow with Carnegie Europe, said in e-mailed comments that "relations with Moscow are often quite strained" and that the Kremlin's "agenda for the place does not extend far into domestic politics, social policy and many other issues."