rferl--2020-01-23--International Rights Campaign Calls For Pressure On Turkmen Officials Over Missing Inmates

The Prove They Are Alive !
rights campaign has called on the international community to pressure Turkmen authorities to curtail the practice of enforced disappearances in the Central Asian nation 's prison system .
The group said in a statement that `` hundreds of people have become victims of enforced disappearance '' in Turkmenistan and called the situation `` a gross violation of Turkmenistan ’ s national legislation and of its international obligations '' and `` a human rights crime . ''
Rights groups say that , in many cases , prisoners who have disappeared in the custody of Turkmen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ charges and have been perceived as a potential threat to the authorities in Ashgabat .
The Prove They Are Alive !
campaign says it has documented over 120 cases of disappearances in Turkmenistan 's prisons .
`` Inhuman conditions in the prisons where the disappeared are held correspond to torture .
At least 27 individuals from this list have died in prison ; the real number of those who have disappeared and died in isolation during these years is likely much higher , '' the statement says , adding that `` this is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the campaign , there are men held incommunicado in unknown prisons across Turkmenistan , whose terms have already expired or will expire in the next two years .
The statement says that the campaign sent a letter to Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov regarding the disappeared men in December .
`` The campaign hopes that President Berdymukhammedov will take positive steps to resolve this critical situation in the nearest future , '' the statement says .
`` The international community must continue to attentively follow this situation and demand real action from the Turkmen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ international cooperation with the government of Turkmenistan must be contingent upon positively resolving the problems of the disappeared in Turkmenistan ’ s prisons , '' the statement concludes .
Turkmenistan -- where every facet of society is tightly controlled by the president -- is at the bottom of international ratings that measure freedom and democracy .
In Freedom House 's index on basic freedoms , Turkmenistan is rated worse than North Korea and only ahead of Syria .

The Prove They Are Alive! rights campaign has called on the international community to pressure Turkmen authorities to curtail the practice of enforced disappearances in the Central Asian nation's prison system.
The group said in a statement that "hundreds of people have become victims of enforced disappearance" in Turkmenistan and called the situation "a gross violation of Turkmenistan’s national legislation and of its international obligations" and "a human rights crime."
Rights groups say that, in many cases, prisoners who have disappeared in the custody of Turkmen authorities have been convicted on politically motivated charges and have been perceived as a potential threat to the authorities in Ashgabat.
The Prove They Are Alive! campaign says it has documented over 120 cases of disappearances in Turkmenistan's prisons.
"Inhuman conditions in the prisons where the disappeared are held correspond to torture. At least 27 individuals from this list have died in prison; the real number of those who have disappeared and died in isolation during these years is likely much higher," the statement says, adding that "this is an ongoing crime."
According to the campaign, there are men held incommunicado in unknown prisons across Turkmenistan, whose terms have already expired or will expire in the next two years.
The statement says that the campaign sent a letter to Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov regarding the disappeared men in December.
"The campaign hopes that President Berdymukhammedov will take positive steps to resolve this critical situation in the nearest future," the statement says.
"The international community must continue to attentively follow this situation and demand real action from the Turkmen leadership to stop enforced disappearances. Any international cooperation with the government of Turkmenistan must be contingent upon positively resolving the problems of the disappeared in Turkmenistan’s prisons," the statement concludes.
Turkmenistan -- where every facet of society is tightly controlled by the president -- is at the bottom of international ratings that measure freedom and democracy.
In Freedom House's index on basic freedoms, Turkmenistan is rated worse than North Korea and only ahead of Syria.


rferl--2020-01-23--Suspect Detained After Gunshots Fired At Yerevan Business Center

YEREVAN -- Armenian police have detained a suspect after gunshots were fired inside a business center in the capital , Yerevan .
According to preliminary information , no one was hurt in the incident inside Erebuni Plaza near the central Republic Square .
Police spokesperson Ashot Aharonian said that people inside the building were now safe .
`` At this moment the situation is under control , there is no problem .
Circumstances will be clarified [ later ] and additional information will be provided , '' he said .
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian wrote in a Facebook post @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any reason is unacceptable .
No to violence . ''
The area was sealed off after police were alerted about the incident at around 2.40 p.m. local time .
Police said the person who had fired the shots gave up his gun up before being detained .
His identity was not immediately disclosed .
Erebuni Plaza houses offices of a number of companies and organizations , including the office of former Armenian President Robert Kocharian and the editorial office of Fifth Channel , a TV company believed to be controlled by Kocharian .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ that he was involved in a 2008 post-election crackdown by authorities in which 10 people , including two police officers , were killed .

YEREVAN -- Armenian police have detained a suspect after gunshots were fired inside a business center in the capital, Yerevan.
According to preliminary information, no one was hurt in the incident inside Erebuni Plaza near the central Republic Square.
Police spokesperson Ashot Aharonian said that people inside the building were now safe.
"At this moment the situation is under control, there is no problem. Circumstances will be clarified [later] and additional information will be provided," he said.
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian wrote in a Facebook post that "any manifestation of violence for any reason is unacceptable. No to violence."
The area was sealed off after police were alerted about the incident at around 2.40 p.m. local time.
Police said the person who had fired the shots gave up his gun up before being detained.
His identity was not immediately disclosed.
Erebuni Plaza houses offices of a number of companies and organizations, including the office of former Armenian President Robert Kocharian and the editorial office of Fifth Channel, a TV company believed to be controlled by Kocharian.
Kocharian is currently in custody facing charges that he was involved in a 2008 post-election crackdown by authorities in which 10 people, including two police officers, were killed.
With reporting by Interfax


rferl--2020-01-23--Kurdish Iran Man Sentenced To Death After 'Unfair' Trial

Amnesty International says a man from Iran 's Kurdish minority is at risk of execution after he was sentenced to death last month following what the human rights watchdog called an `` unfair trial . ''
During Houshmand Alipour ’ s trial , the court relied on a false `` confession , '' which he says was extracted from him under torture and other ill-treatment , the London-based group said on January 23 .
Alipour was tried before the Revolutionary Court in Sanandaj , Kurdistan Province , and was sentenced to death for alleged `` armed rebellion against the state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of `` spreading propaganda against the system , '' `` membership of a group with the purpose of disrupting national security , '' and other charges for which he received a total of 16 years in prison .
Mohammad Ostadghader , also an Iranian Kurd , was sentenced to 11 years ' imprisonment in the same trial .
Under Iran 's Islamic Penal Code , he will be required to serve five years in prison .
The two men ’ s lawyer has filed an appeal with the Supreme Court against their convictions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ August 2018 on suspicion of taking part in an armed attack against a security base in Saqqez , an accusation they both deny .
Days later , Iranian state media broadcast a `` propaganda '' video in which the two men were shown `` confessing '' to the attack .
Alipour has said that they were tortured into making the `` confessions '' during interrogations when they had no access to a lawyer .

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--2020-01-23--Turkmenistan's Authoritarian Leader Reprimands Ministers Of National Security, Defense

Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov has handed down a `` severe '' reprimand to his national security chief and the defense minister over perceived shortcomings in their performance .
According to the state media , Berdymukhammedov issued `` a severe rebuke with a final warning '' to the National Security Minister Yaylym Berdiev and Defense Minister Begench Gundogdyev `` for improperly carrying out their service duties and shortcomings committed during their official activities . ''
The Turkmen leader did not give any further details .
Berdymukhammedov also announced at the session of the State Security Council 's session in Ashgabat on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the rank of major general from colonel general and that he had been removed from the post of secretary of the State Security Council .
Berdiev was publicly reprimanded by Berdymukhammedov for `` mistakes '' in November in the wake of an international outcry around a gay Turkmen doctor , who along with his family members , faced pressure following an interview with RFE/RL in which he detailed his tormented life as a homosexual in a conservative society .
Berdymukhammedov has ruled the gas-rich former Soviet republic in Central Asia with an iron @ @ @ @ @ @ @ predecessor , Saparmurat Niyazov , in December 2006 .

Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov has handed down a "severe" reprimand to his national security chief and the defense minister over perceived shortcomings in their performance.
According to the state media, Berdymukhammedov issued "a severe rebuke with a final warning" to the National Security Minister Yaylym Berdiev and Defense Minister Begench Gundogdyev "for improperly carrying out their service duties and shortcomings committed during their official activities." The Turkmen leader did not give any further details.
Berdymukhammedov also announced at the session of the State Security Council's session in Ashgabat on January 22 that Berdiev was demoted to the rank of major general from colonel general and that he had been removed from the post of secretary of the State Security Council.
Berdiev was publicly reprimanded by Berdymukhammedov for "mistakes" in November in the wake of an international outcry around a gay Turkmen doctor, who along with his family members, faced pressure following an interview with RFE/RL in which he detailed his tormented life as a homosexual in a conservative society.
Berdymukhammedov has ruled the gas-rich former Soviet republic in Central Asia with an iron fist since the death of his autocratic predecessor, Saparmurat Niyazov, in December 2006.


rferl--2020-01-23--Kyrgyz Foreign Minister Says Possible U.S. Travel Ban Inclusion May Be Linked To Biometric Passport

Kyrgyz Foreign Minister Says Possible U.S. Travel Ban Inclusion May Be Linked To Biometric Passport Delay

BISHKEK -- Kyrgyzstan 's top diplomat says his country 's possible addition to the U.S. travel ban list might be linked to the Central Asian nation 's delay in fully switching to a biometric passport system .
Foreign Minister Chyngyz Aidarbekov told reporters in Bishkek on January 23 that he held talks with U.S .
Ambassador to Kyrgyzstan Donald Lu regarding recent media reports in the United States and that the White House is considering adding Kyrgyzstan and five other countries to its travel ban list .
According to Aidarbekov , Ambassador Lu did not confirm that the U.S. will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nationals .
`` According to the information we obtained , the proposal [ to add Kyrgyzstan to the travel ban list ] was made by U.S. law enforcement .
In 2017 , the U.S. president signed a law , according to which , citizens of the countries that do not issue biometric passports will not be allowed to enter the United States .
Kyrgyzstan is one of the countries ... that do not provide their citizens with biometric passports , '' Aidarbekov said .
The minister also expressed hope that , when making @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will take into account that Kyrgyzstan has been unable to fully switch to biometric passport system due to `` objective reasons . ''
The issuance of biometric passports in the Central Asian country was delayed last year after the Kyrgyz State Committee for National Security ( UKMK ) cancelled the results of a tender on printing blank biometric passports for Kyrgyzstan .
In February 2019 , Kyrgyzstan 's State Registration Service ( MKK ) announced that a Lithuanian company , Garsu Pasaulis , had won the tender .
But in April , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ launched an investigation into alleged irregularities that bolstered the Lithuanian firm 's bid .
The current U.S. travel ban , signed by President Donald Trump in 2018 , closed the country 's borders to citizens from seven countries , most with Muslim majorities .
Under the ban , Libya , Iran , Somalia , Syria , Yemen , North Korea , and Venezuela are affected .

BISHKEK -- Kyrgyzstan's top diplomat says his country's possible addition to the U.S. travel ban list might be linked to the Central Asian nation's delay in fully switching to a biometric passport system.
Foreign Minister Chyngyz Aidarbekov told reporters in Bishkek on January 23 that he held talks with U.S. Ambassador to Kyrgyzstan Donald Lu regarding recent media reports in the United States and that the White House is considering adding Kyrgyzstan and five other countries to its travel ban list.
According to Aidarbekov, Ambassador Lu did not confirm that the U.S. will introduce restrictions on issuing visas to Kyrgyz nationals.
"According to the information we obtained, the proposal [to add Kyrgyzstan to the travel ban list] was made by U.S. law enforcement. In 2017, the U.S. president signed a law, according to which, citizens of the countries that do not issue biometric passports will not be allowed to enter the United States. Kyrgyzstan is one of the countries...that do not provide their citizens with biometric passports," Aidarbekov said.
The minister also expressed hope that, when making its final decision, the United States will take into account that Kyrgyzstan has been unable to fully switch to biometric passport system due to "objective reasons."
The issuance of biometric passports in the Central Asian country was delayed last year after the Kyrgyz State Committee for National Security (UKMK) cancelled the results of a tender on printing blank biometric passports for Kyrgyzstan.
In February 2019, Kyrgyzstan's State Registration Service (MKK) announced that a Lithuanian company, Garsu Pasaulis, had won the tender.
But in April, the UKMK annulled the tender's results and launched an investigation into alleged irregularities that bolstered the Lithuanian firm's bid.
The current U.S. travel ban, signed by President Donald Trump in 2018, closed the country's borders to citizens from seven countries, most with Muslim majorities.
Under the ban, Libya, Iran, Somalia, Syria, Yemen, North Korea, and Venezuela are affected.


rferl--2020-01-23--Russian Stand-Up Comedian Who Joked About Church, Putin Flees Country

Russian stand-up comedian Aleksandr Dolgopolov has fled Russia fearing for his safety after learning police had started investigating videos taken at his performances in different clubs .
Dolgopolov ’ s lawyer Leonid Solovyov and his concert director Armen Gandilyan confirmed with Current Time on January 23 that the comedian had decided to leave his homeland , though they did not say where .
Police officials in Moscow said a day earlier that Dolgopolov 's performances caught the eye of law enforcement after an unidentified resident of the city of Orekhovo-Zuyevo near Moscow had filed a complaint against the comedian , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of believers '' in God .
No details were given on what exactly in Dolgopolov ’ s act offended the man .
Dolgopolov told Current Time on January 22 that he had to cancel a performance in a Moscow bar after he learned that a man in civilian clothes asked the bar 's managers whether the comedian was already inside the establishment .
The comedian added that after he was informed about the man , he and his team decided to leave the bar immediately .
He later left the country .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I didn ’ t plan to be persecuted for just joking , '' he said .
Dolgopolov wrote on Instagram that Moscow police had sent a formal letter to the HopHead standup club in St. Petersburg , asking to confirm if it was the venue for Dolgopolov 's performance called An Hour of Jokes in February 2019 .
In the show , Dolgopolov tells expletive-laden jokes about a Slavic name -- Bogdan ( which translates from Russian to God given ) -- and why Mary chose the name Jesus for her child .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the church in general .
Dolgopolov also takes shots at President Vladimir Putin in some of his shows .
`` If Putin issues a decree , ordering all Russians to jump into lava , they will say : 'Oh , God , where will we find lava , we do n't have it in our yard .
What shall we do , our wise chief ? ''
Dolgopolov jokes in the performance in question .

Russian stand-up comedian Aleksandr Dolgopolov has fled Russia fearing for his safety after learning police had started investigating videos taken at his performances in different clubs.
Dolgopolov’s lawyer Leonid Solovyov and his concert director Armen Gandilyan confirmed with Current Time on January 23 that the comedian had decided to leave his homeland, though they did not say where.
Police officials in Moscow said a day earlier that Dolgopolov's performances caught the eye of law enforcement after an unidentified resident of the city of Orekhovo-Zuyevo near Moscow had filed a complaint against the comedian, accusing him of "insulting the feelings of believers" in God. No details were given on what exactly in Dolgopolov’s act offended the man.
Dolgopolov told Current Time on January 22 that he had to cancel a performance in a Moscow bar after he learned that a man in civilian clothes asked the bar's managers whether the comedian was already inside the establishment.
The comedian added that after he was informed about the man, he and his team decided to leave the bar immediately. He later left the country.
"I just speak, tell jokes, I didn’t plan to be persecuted for just joking," he said.
Dolgopolov wrote on Instagram that Moscow police had sent a formal letter to the HopHead standup club in St. Petersburg, asking to confirm if it was the venue for Dolgopolov's performance called An Hour of Jokes in February 2019.
In the show, Dolgopolov tells expletive-laden jokes about a Slavic name -- Bogdan (which translates from Russian to God given) -- and why Mary chose the name Jesus for her child. He also mocks his childhood religious beliefs and the church in general.
Dolgopolov also takes shots at President Vladimir Putin in some of his shows.
"If Putin issues a decree, ordering all Russians to jump into lava, they will say: 'Oh, God, where will we find lava, we don't have it in our yard. What shall we do, our wise chief?" Dolgopolov jokes in the performance in question.


rferl--2020-01-23--Putin Assures Mother Of Detained Traveler Her Daughter 'Will Be Okay'

Russian President Vladimir Putin has assured the mother of an Israeli woman being held on drug charges in Moscow that her daughter “ will be okay.
” Putin met on January 23 with the mother of Naama Issachar , who was arrested at a Moscow airport in April 2019 en route to another country .
Police at the time said they found a small amount of marijuana in Naama Issachar ’ s luggage and charged her with drug smuggling .
Issachar , who was born in New Jersey and also holds U.S. citizenship , has denied the charges .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to 7 1/2 years in prison .
`` I have just met with Naama 's mother ; it is clear to me that Naama comes from a good and very decent family , ” Putin said after the meeting , which was also attended by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu .
`` Her mother is very worried , I can see that .
I have told her , and I am saying this again : all will be well , '' he added .
While Putin gave no further details , Issachar 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was optimistic a resolution was close at hand .
`` Given the president 's statement , of course , we are expecting her release to happen in the near future , ” he was quoted as saying by the Russian news agency Interfax .
“ The president did not specify the method by which all will be made well , so I think we should be patient and wait , '' Klyuvgant added .
Issachar told a Moscow court during a failed appeal in December that she did not buy the drugs and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bag .
An earlier admission of guilt , she added , was due to a bad translation .
Many Israelis were outraged by the sentence which Netanyahu , who has cultivated good relations with Putin , has criticized as being disproportionate .
Issacher ’ s relatives , meanwhile , have publicly accused Russian authorities of holding the 27-year-old Issachar as a bargaining chip to persuade Netanyahu to turn over Aleksei Burkov , who was the subject of a three-year diplomatic scuffle between the Kremlin , Israel , and the United States , to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2015 while leaving Israel and was extradited to the United States in November .
Putin was in Jerusalem to participate in a private forum connected to the anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz death camp .
The forum is being hosted and paid for by Russian-Israeli oligarch Moshe Kantor , who has been identified by the United States as having close Kremlin connections .

Russian President Vladimir Putin has assured the mother of an Israeli woman being held on drug charges in Moscow that her daughter “will be okay.”
Putin met on January 23 with the mother of Naama Issachar, who was arrested at a Moscow airport in April 2019 en route to another country.
Police at the time said they found a small amount of marijuana in Naama Issachar’s luggage and charged her with drug smuggling. Issachar, who was born in New Jersey and also holds U.S. citizenship, has denied the charges. In October, a Russian court sentenced her to 7 1/2 years in prison.
"I have just met with Naama's mother; it is clear to me that Naama comes from a good and very decent family,” Putin said after the meeting, which was also attended by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
"Her mother is very worried, I can see that. I have told her, and I am saying this again: all will be well," he added.
While Putin gave no further details, Issachar's lawyer, Vadim Klyuvgant, said he was optimistic a resolution was close at hand.
"Given the president's statement, of course, we are expecting her release to happen in the near future,” he was quoted as saying by the Russian news agency Interfax.
“The president did not specify the method by which all will be made well, so I think we should be patient and wait," Klyuvgant added.
Issachar told a Moscow court during a failed appeal in December that she did not buy the drugs and did not know they were in her bag. An earlier admission of guilt, she added, was due to a bad translation.
Many Israelis were outraged by the sentence which Netanyahu, who has cultivated good relations with Putin, has criticized as being disproportionate.
Issacher’s relatives, meanwhile, have publicly accused Russian authorities of holding the 27-year-old Issachar as a bargaining chip to persuade Netanyahu to turn over Aleksei Burkov, who was the subject of a three-year diplomatic scuffle between the Kremlin, Israel, and the United States, to Russia.
Burkov was arrested in December 2015 while leaving Israel and was extradited to the United States in November.
Putin was in Jerusalem to participate in a private forum connected to the anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz death camp.
The forum is being hosted and paid for by Russian-Israeli oligarch Moshe Kantor, who has been identified by the United States as having close Kremlin connections.
With reporting by Interfax


rferl--2020-01-23--Russian Lawmakers Give Rapid First Approval To Putin Reforms

Russian lawmakers have unanimously approved in its first reading a sweeping constitutional reform bill put forward by President Vladimir Putin .
All 432 lawmakers present in the State Duma voted in favor of the bill on January 23 , just three days after the amendments were presented to parliament .
`` This was a powerful show of unity , '' Duma speaker Vyacheslav Volodin said after the vote .
Volodin said the second reading was expected on February 11 .
The bill will then face a third reading , but with parliament dominated by Kremlin-loyal lawmakers it is unlikely to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ three readings in the Duma , the bill will go to the Federation Council -- the upper house of parliament -- before being signed into law by Putin .
Putin 's announcement of the reforms during his state-of-the-nation address on January 15 was quickly followed by the resignation of Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev 's government and the appointment of a new premier and cabinet .
The rapid sequence of changes has prompted observers to say that Putin may be laying the groundwork to hold on to power after his current term expires in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ under the plan , more responsibilities will be given to parliament and other state bodies , while also maintaining a strong presidency .
The president has promised a referendum on the reforms , with some officials suggesting it could take place within weeks .
Putin suggested altering the constitution because `` things have changed dramatically '' since it was adopted in 1993 .
He outlined some proposals , including strengthening the State Council , currently an advisory body and giving more authority to parliament .
Some analysts have suggested Putin could head the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on power .
The text of the bill on the parliament 's website provides for lawmakers confirming the prime minister rather than the president , although the president can still reject any candidate .
Putin formed a `` working group '' of 75 people that includes athletes and celebrities to work on the amendments .
Based on reporting by AFP , Interfax , and TASS

Russian lawmakers have unanimously approved in its first reading a sweeping constitutional reform bill put forward by President Vladimir Putin.
All 432 lawmakers present in the State Duma voted in favor of the bill on January 23, just three days after the amendments were presented to parliament.
"This was a powerful show of unity," Duma speaker Vyacheslav Volodin said after the vote. Volodin said the second reading was expected on February 11.
The bill will then face a third reading, but with parliament dominated by Kremlin-loyal lawmakers it is unlikely to face much pushback.
Once approved in three readings in the Duma, the bill will go to the Federation Council -- the upper house of parliament -- before being signed into law by Putin.
Putin's announcement of the reforms during his state-of-the-nation address on January 15 was quickly followed by the resignation of Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev's government and the appointment of a new premier and cabinet.
The rapid sequence of changes has prompted observers to say that Putin may be laying the groundwork to hold on to power after his current term expires in 2024.
The Russian leader says that under the plan, more responsibilities will be given to parliament and other state bodies, while also maintaining a strong presidency.
The president has promised a referendum on the reforms, with some officials suggesting it could take place within weeks.
Putin suggested altering the constitution because "things have changed dramatically" since it was adopted in 1993.
He outlined some proposals, including strengthening the State Council, currently an advisory body and giving more authority to parliament.
Some analysts have suggested Putin could head the Council after 2024 to maintain his grip on power.
The text of the bill on the parliament's website provides for lawmakers confirming the prime minister rather than the president, although the president can still reject any candidate.
Putin formed a "working group" of 75 people that includes athletes and celebrities to work on the amendments.
Based on reporting by AFP, Interfax, and TASS


rferl--2020-01-23--U.S. Congressmen Express Concern Over Georgian Reforms

TBILISI -- Georgia 's government has released a letter written by four U.S .
Congressmen expressing concerns over the government 's failure to deliver on promises of democratic reforms and a police crackdown on protesters over the issue .
Congressmen Adam Kinzinger , Gerald Connoly , Eliot Engel , and Michael McCaul , also wrote in the letter dated January 21 and made public the next day that they are `` alarmed by politicization of the Anaklia Deep Sea Port project . ''
The U.S. congressmen said it was `` unacceptable '' that with parliamentary elections approaching later this year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ funded `` an extensive networks of accounts '' on Facebook `` apparently spreading anti-democratic , anti-Western sentiments . ''
`` Additionally , we are troubled by reports that prosecutors appointed by Georgian Dream are reopening old legal cases against the party 's opponents .
While some of these cases may have merits , others are perceived as targeting leading opposition political figures , news operators , international corporations , and civil society members .
Respect for the rule of law and an impartial justice system are key to a healthy democracy and to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are guaranteed by your party , '' the letter , addressed to Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia , says .
The congressmen also expressed concerns over `` a sharp decline in foreign direct investments in Georgia as American and European companies have suffered harassment , causing many to reconsider their business ventures . ''
The letter also criticizes the Georgian Dream party for `` perceived political targeting of the U.S.-backed Anaklia Development Consortium '' that is in charge of Georgia 's massive transcontinental port project on the Black Sea , which `` deterred or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ adding that the situation `` could deter future U.S. investment in Georgia . ''
`` Decreased foreign investment not only hurts the Georgian people and their hopes for deeper integration with Western institutions , but it also strengthens [ Russian President ] Vladimir Putin 's hand in the region , '' the letter says .
The congressmen also expressed hopes that Georgia 's government will work with the United States , the European Union , and NGOs `` to strengthen democratic institutions and enhance economic prosperity for the Georgian people so that Georgia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the United States for many years to come . ''
Over the summer , several mass protests held in Tbilisi were violently dispersed by police .
Opposition parties have complained that Georgia 's electoral system unfairly favors the ruling Georgian Dream party .
Changing it to a proportional one from 2020 was one of the demands of the thousands of demonstrators who rallied for weeks in Tbilisi in June and July .
The Georgian Dream party , including its billionaire founder and leader Bidzina Ivanishvili , backed the reforms but the constitutional @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in mid-November .
The United States and the European Union have called on the Georgian government , political parties , and civil society to engage in a `` calm and respectful dialogue . ''

TBILISI -- Georgia's government has released a letter written by four U.S. Congressmen expressing concerns over the government's failure to deliver on promises of democratic reforms and a police crackdown on protesters over the issue.
Congressmen Adam Kinzinger, Gerald Connoly, Eliot Engel, and Michael McCaul, also wrote in the letter dated January 21 and made public the next day that they are "alarmed by politicization of the Anaklia Deep Sea Port project."
The U.S. congressmen said it was "unacceptable" that with parliamentary elections approaching later this year, the ruling Georgian Dream party had funded "an extensive networks of accounts" on Facebook "apparently spreading anti-democratic, anti-Western sentiments."
"Additionally, we are troubled by reports that prosecutors appointed by Georgian Dream are reopening old legal cases against the party's opponents. While some of these cases may have merits, others are perceived as targeting leading opposition political figures, news operators, international corporations, and civil society members. Respect for the rule of law and an impartial justice system are key to a healthy democracy and to ensuring free and fair elections, which are guaranteed by your party," the letter, addressed to Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia, says.
The congressmen also expressed concerns over "a sharp decline in foreign direct investments in Georgia as American and European companies have suffered harassment, causing many to reconsider their business ventures."
The letter also criticizes the Georgian Dream party for "perceived political targeting of the U.S.-backed Anaklia Development Consortium" that is in charge of Georgia's massive transcontinental port project on the Black Sea, which "deterred or prevented investment from American companies," adding that the situation "could deter future U.S. investment in Georgia."
"Decreased foreign investment not only hurts the Georgian people and their hopes for deeper integration with Western institutions, but it also strengthens [Russian President] Vladimir Putin's hand in the region," the letter says.
The congressmen also expressed hopes that Georgia's government will work with the United States, the European Union, and NGOs "to strengthen democratic institutions and enhance economic prosperity for the Georgian people so that Georgia can continue to be a strategic partner of the United States for many years to come."
Over the summer, several mass protests held in Tbilisi were violently dispersed by police.
Opposition parties have complained that Georgia's electoral system unfairly favors the ruling Georgian Dream party.
Changing it to a proportional one from 2020 was one of the demands of the thousands of demonstrators who rallied for weeks in Tbilisi in June and July.
The Georgian Dream party, including its billionaire founder and leader Bidzina Ivanishvili, backed the reforms but the constitutional amendments still failed to pass in parliament in mid-November.
The United States and the European Union have called on the Georgian government, political parties, and civil society to engage in a "calm and respectful dialogue."


rferl--2020-01-23--U.S. Judge Throws Out Libel Lawsuit By Khodorkovsky’s Wife Over D.C. Play

A U.S. judge has thrown out a libel lawsuit filed by the wife of former Russian oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky , over a play staged in the United States that she asserted was part of a Kremlin campaign to malign Khodorkovsky .
The ruling , issued January 22 by U.S. District Judge Dabney Friedrich , ends for now legal questions regarding Kleptocracy , which had a brief run at Washington , D.C. ’ s Arena Stage theater last year .
In the lawsuit filed last year , Inna Khodorkovskaya argued that the production depicted her as a `` prostitute and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ highly inaccurate and [ offensive ] play that sacrifices the truth to support the Kremlin 's agenda '' and `` an integral part of the efforts of the Russian government to malign Mr. Khodorkovsky.
” `` This action is brought to restore Ms. Khodorkovskaya 's good name and expose the false and malicious campaign being conducted by the Russian government and the Defendants , '' the complaint said .
The action was filed in March , less than a month after the play ended its run at Arena Stage .
A representative for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's written ruling before commenting .
Barbara Wahl , a lawyer for the playwright , Kenneth Lin , and director , Jacquelyn Gay , could not immediately be reached for comment .
But the judge ’ s ruling agreed with Wahl ’ s earlier motions that argued , among other things : “ the play is a work of fiction , which is clearly shown by not only its tagline but also by the context and content of the work itself [ and ] the First Amendment allows breathing room for the dramatization @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Once among Russia ’ s richest tycoons , Khodorkovsky clashed with President Vladimir Putin early in Putin ’ s tenure .
He was arrested in 2003 and convicted on tax and fraud charges that he and his supporters were politically motivated .
He served 10 years in detention before being pardoned by Putin in December 2013 .
In recent years , after fleeing Russia to live in London in exile , Khodorkovsky has become an outspoken opponent of Putin , funding an online media organization and backing opposition groups .
In 2015 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ equivalent of the FBI -- filed new criminal charges against Khodorkovsky , accusing him of ordering the murder of a Siberian mayor during the time when Khodorkovsky was building up his oil company , Yukos .
Yukos was dismantled after Khodokovsky 's 2003 arrest and its main production assets were sold at auction and ended up in the hands of state oil company Rosneft .

A U.S. judge has thrown out a libel lawsuit filed by the wife of former Russian oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky, over a play staged in the United States that she asserted was part of a Kremlin campaign to malign Khodorkovsky.
The ruling, issued January 22 by U.S. District Judge Dabney Friedrich, ends for now legal questions regarding Kleptocracy, which had a brief run at Washington, D.C.’s Arena Stage theater last year.
In the lawsuit filed last year, Inna Khodorkovskaya argued that the production depicted her as a "prostitute and a murderer” and was a "highly inaccurate and [offensive] play that sacrifices the truth to support the Kremlin's agenda" and "an integral part of the efforts of the Russian government to malign Mr. Khodorkovsky.”
"This action is brought to restore Ms. Khodorkovskaya's good name and expose the false and malicious campaign being conducted by the Russian government and the Defendants," the complaint said.
The action was filed in March, less than a month after the play ended its run at Arena Stage.
A representative for Khodorkovsky said they were awaiting the judge's written ruling before commenting.
Barbara Wahl, a lawyer for the playwright, Kenneth Lin, and director, Jacquelyn Gay, could not immediately be reached for comment.
But the judge’s ruling agreed with Wahl’s earlier motions that argued, among other things: “the play is a work of fiction, which is clearly shown by not only its tagline but also by the context and content of the work itself [and] the First Amendment allows breathing room for the dramatization of the events and characters depicted.”
Once among Russia’s richest tycoons, Khodorkovsky clashed with President Vladimir Putin early in Putin’s tenure. He was arrested in 2003 and convicted on tax and fraud charges that he and his supporters were politically motivated. He served 10 years in detention before being pardoned by Putin in December 2013.
In recent years, after fleeing Russia to live in London in exile, Khodorkovsky has become an outspoken opponent of Putin, funding an online media organization and backing opposition groups.
In 2015, the federal Investigative Committee -- the Russian equivalent of the FBI -- filed new criminal charges against Khodorkovsky, accusing him of ordering the murder of a Siberian mayor during the time when Khodorkovsky was building up his oil company, Yukos.
Yukos was dismantled after Khodokovsky's 2003 arrest and its main production assets were sold at auction and ended up in the hands of state oil company Rosneft.


rferl--2020-01-23--Watchdog Faults Eastern Europe, Central Asia On Failure To Fight Corruption

Countries in Eastern Europe and Central Asia continue to experience `` limited separation of powers , abuse of state resources for electoral purposes , opaque political party financing , and conflicts of interest , '' anti-corruption watchdog Transparency International says in its latest annual report .
The 2019 Corruption Perceptions Index ( CPI ) report , published on January 23 , ranks 180 nations based on aggregated survey and assessment data from 13 different global institutions .
Denmark and New Zealand retained their place at the top of the index .
It says that the Eastern Europe and Central Asia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ CPI , with an average score of 35 on its 0-100 scale .
The lower the number , the more corrupt a country is perceived to be .
More than two-thirds of countries around the world scored below 50 .
The grouping for Eastern Europe and Central Asia includes Albania , Bosnia-Herzegovina , Kosovo , Macedonia , Montenegro , Serbia , Armenia , Azerbaijan , Belarus , Georgia , Moldova , Russia , Ukraine , Turkey , Kazakhstan , Kyrgyzstan , Tajikistan , Uzbekistan , and Turkmenistan .
Only three countries in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 43 -- Georgia ( 56 ) , Belarus ( 45 ) , and Montenegro ( 45 ) , while Turkmenistan ( 19 ) , Uzbekistan ( 25 ) , and Tajikistan ( 25 ) rank at the bottom of the region .
The report notes that the scores of the six Western Balkan countries have not improved , despite their aspirations to join the European Union .
It singles out Bosnia and Herzegovina , whose score of 36 declined six points since 2012 .
During the same eight-year period , Belarus ( 45 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Uzbekistan ( 25 ) , have shown significant improvement on the CPI .
However , the three former Soviet states `` continue to experience state capture and a failure to preserve checks and balances , '' the report says .
With a score of 32 , Moldova , one of Europe 's poorest and most corrupt countries , came 120th .
Two countries -- Armenia and Montenegro -- have made notable progress since last year .
Armenia has made a seven-point improvement since last year , reaching a score of 42 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ formation of a new parliament .
Armenia `` has demonstrated promising developments in advancing anti-corruption policy reforms , '' the report says , warning at the same time that `` conflicts of interests and nontransparent and unaccountable public operations remain impediments to ending corruption in the country . ''
Kosovo , with a score of 36 , is currently going through `` a shift in parliamentary power that could offer the opportunity for change . ''
It says that the winner of the latest parliamentary elections , the Self-Determination ( Vetevendosje ) party @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that responded to requests to disclose campaign costs . ''
Afghanistan ( 16 ) , came last in RFE/RL 's broadcast region , while Pakistan ranked 120 with a score of 32 .
With the same score as the previous year , 28 , Russia ranked 137th in the world , one notch higher than in 2018 , while Ukraine came 126th with a score of 30 , compared to 32 the previous year .
`` Strong political influence over oversight institutions , insufficient judicial independence and limited press freedoms serve to create @ @ @ @ @ @ @ across the region , '' the report concluded .
Bulgaria ( 43 ) , Romania ( 44 ) and Hungary ( 44 ) , come at the bottom of the Western Europe and European Union region .
`` Hungary , Poland , and Romania , have taken steps to undermine judicial independence , which weakens their ability to prosecute cases of high-level corruption , '' the report said .
Western European and EU member states tended to score highest , while countries such as Somalia , South Sudan , and Syria came at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the report warned that even the high-scoring Nordic countries were implicated in transnational corruption scandals .
It also renewed its 2018 criticism of the United States , which ranked 23rd with its lowest score in eight years , saying that a `` pay-to-play culture has only become more entrenched '' during Donald Trump 's presidency .

Countries in Eastern Europe and Central Asia continue to experience "limited separation of powers, abuse of state resources for electoral purposes, opaque political party financing, and conflicts of interest," anti-corruption watchdog Transparency International says in its latest annual report.
The 2019 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) report, published on January 23, ranks 180 nations based on aggregated survey and assessment data from 13 different global institutions.
Denmark and New Zealand retained their place at the top of the index.
It says that the Eastern Europe and Central Asia remains the second-lowest performing region on the CPI, with an average score of 35 on its 0-100 scale. The lower the number, the more corrupt a country is perceived to be.
More than two-thirds of countries around the world scored below 50.
The grouping for Eastern Europe and Central Asia includes Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Russia, Ukraine, Turkey, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan.
Only three countries in the region score above the global average of 43 -- Georgia (56), Belarus (45), and Montenegro (45), while Turkmenistan (19), Uzbekistan (25), and Tajikistan (25) rank at the bottom of the region.
The report notes that the scores of the six Western Balkan countries have not improved, despite their aspirations to join the European Union. It singles out Bosnia and Herzegovina, whose score of 36 declined six points since 2012.
During the same eight-year period, Belarus (45), Kyrgyzstan (30), and Uzbekistan (25), have shown significant improvement on the CPI.
However, the three former Soviet states "continue to experience state capture and a failure to preserve checks and balances," the report says.
With a score of 32, Moldova, one of Europe's poorest and most corrupt countries, came 120th.
Two countries -- Armenia and Montenegro -- have made notable progress since last year. Armenia has made a seven-point improvement since last year, reaching a score of 42, following a revolution in 2018 and the formation of a new parliament.
Armenia "has demonstrated promising developments in advancing anti-corruption policy reforms," the report says, warning at the same time that "conflicts of interests and nontransparent and unaccountable public operations remain impediments to ending corruption in the country."
Kosovo, with a score of 36, is currently going through "a shift in parliamentary power that could offer the opportunity for change." It says that the winner of the latest parliamentary elections, the Self-Determination (Vetevendosje) party, "was one of a few that responded to requests to disclose campaign costs."
Afghanistan (16), came last in RFE/RL's broadcast region, while Pakistan ranked 120 with a score of 32.
With the same score as the previous year, 28, Russia ranked 137th in the world, one notch higher than in 2018, while Ukraine came 126th with a score of 30, compared to 32 the previous year.
"Strong political influence over oversight institutions, insufficient judicial independence and limited press freedoms serve to create an over-concentration of power in many countries across the region," the report concluded.
Bulgaria (43), Romania (44) and Hungary (44), come at the bottom of the Western Europe and European Union region. "Hungary, Poland, and Romania, have taken steps to undermine judicial independence, which weakens their ability to prosecute cases of high-level corruption," the report said.
Western European and EU member states tended to score highest, while countries such as Somalia, South Sudan, and Syria came at the bottom of the rankings.
However, the report warned that even the high-scoring Nordic countries were implicated in transnational corruption scandals.
It also renewed its 2018 criticism of the United States, which ranked 23rd with its lowest score in eight years, saying that a "pay-to-play culture has only become more entrenched" during Donald Trump's presidency.


rferl--2020-01-23--At Start Of 75th Anniversary Of Auschwitz Liberation, Israeli President Says Anti-Semitism 'Malignan

At Start Of 75th Anniversary Of Auschwitz Liberation, Israeli President Says Anti-Semitism 'Malignant'

Israeli President Reuven Rivlin has thanked world leaders for expressing their `` solidarity with the Jewish people '' by attending the World Holocaust Forum in Jerusalem that marks the 75th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz concentration camp .
Speaking on January 23 at the start of the ceremony , Rivlin said that `` anti-Semitism does not stop with the Jews , '' and called anti-Semitism and racism a `` malignant disease . ''
He added that `` no democracy is immune . ''
The event at the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial comes amid a spike in anti-Jewish violence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ More than 1 million people , most of them Jews , were killed at the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp during Nazi Germany 's wartime occupation of Poland .
Six million Jews died in the Holocaust .
Rivlin cited a first-hand account by a Red Army soldier who had seen the horrors of the Auschwitz death camp .
`` The Earth is sighing with the atrocities that those victims suffered , '' Rivlin quoted the soldier 's words .
`` In the name of the Jewish people ... thank you for your solidarity , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you for your commitment to the memory of the Holocaust , to the citizens of the world who believe in freedom and the dignity of man . ''
Russian President Vladimir Putin , French President Emmanuel Macron , Britain 's Prince Charles , U.S. Vice President Mike Pence , and the presidents of Germany , Italy , and Austria were among the more than 40 dignitaries attending the World Holocaust Forum , the largest-ever gathering focused on commemorating the Holocaust and combating modern-day anti-Semitism .
However , Polish President Andrzej Duda refused to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't been allowed to address the gathering while representatives of Russia , France , Britain , the United States , and Germany would deliver speeches .
Israeli organizers said only the four World War II allies , and Germany , would speak at the event .
Poland , which has also been upset by comments made by Putin last month suggesting Poland shared responsibility for the war , will host its own commemorative event at the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum south of the country on January 27 .
Speaking at Yad Vashem , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ War II that are still being used to fuel modern political rivalries .
`` Unfortunately the memory of this war , its lessons , and aftermath are ever more often becoming objects of political competition , '' he said .
In his speech , Macron told world leaders that anti-Semitism is `` once again rearing its violent head '' and is not only a problem for Jews .
He said anti-Semitism is `` first and foremost the problem of others . ''
`` In our history , anti-Semitism always preceded the weakening of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Ahead of the ceremony , Putin inaugurated a monument in the heart of Jerusalem -- named the Memorial Candle -- commemorating the nearly 900-day Nazi siege of Leningrad .
Estimates of casualties vary , but some sources state that 1 million residents of the Russian city died from hunger , disease , exposure , and shelling .
`` The blockade [ of Leningrad ] and the Holocaust are things that ca n't be compared to anything else , '' Putin said .
At a reception he hosted on the eve of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on world leaders to “ leave history for the historians . ''
`` The role of political leaders , of all of us , is to shape the future , '' Rivlin said .
`` I hope and pray ... that the leaders of the world will stand united in the fight against racism , anti-Semitism , and extremism , in defending democracy and democratic values .
This is our challenge .
This is our choice , '' he said .
In advance of the forum , statements from world leaders sending delegations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a climate some said was reminiscent of that before World War II .
“ I express my fervent hope that by continued vigilance and positive education , the iniquities perpetrated during one of the darkest periods in our history will be eliminated from the face of the earth , ” Pope Francis wrote .
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau specifically mentioned “ the scourge of anti-Semitism and hatred that is becoming all too common once again.
” “ The murder of 6 million Jews by the brutal and anti-Semitic Nazi regime started with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the normalization of discrimination , ” he wrote .
“ We can not permit the passage of time to diminish our resolve never to allow such horrors to happen again . ''
The event marks one of the largest political gatherings in Israeli history .
More than 10,000 police officers were deployed in Jerusalem while major highways and large parts of the city were shut down ahead of the event .
With reporting by Reuters , AP , dpa , and AFP

Israeli President Reuven Rivlin has thanked world leaders for expressing their "solidarity with the Jewish people" by attending the World Holocaust Forum in Jerusalem that marks the 75th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz concentration camp.
Speaking on January 23 at the start of the ceremony, Rivlin said that "anti-Semitism does not stop with the Jews," and called anti-Semitism and racism a "malignant disease." He added that "no democracy is immune."
The event at the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial comes amid a spike in anti-Jewish violence in Europe and around the world.
More than 1 million people, most of them Jews, were killed at the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp during Nazi Germany's wartime occupation of Poland. Six million Jews died in the Holocaust.
Rivlin cited a first-hand account by a Red Army soldier who had seen the horrors of the Auschwitz death camp. "The Earth is sighing with the atrocities that those victims suffered," Rivlin quoted the soldier's words.
"In the name of the Jewish people... thank you for your solidarity," he told the audience. "Thank you for your commitment to the memory of the Holocaust, to the citizens of the world who believe in freedom and the dignity of man."
Russian President Vladimir Putin, French President Emmanuel Macron, Britain's Prince Charles, U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, and the presidents of Germany, Italy, and Austria were among the more than 40 dignitaries attending the World Holocaust Forum, the largest-ever gathering focused on commemorating the Holocaust and combating modern-day anti-Semitism.
However, Polish President Andrzej Duda refused to attend, voicing dissatisfaction that he hadn't been allowed to address the gathering while representatives of Russia, France, Britain, the United States, and Germany would deliver speeches.
Israeli organizers said only the four World War II allies, and Germany, would speak at the event.
Poland, which has also been upset by comments made by Putin last month suggesting Poland shared responsibility for the war, will host its own commemorative event at the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum south of the country on January 27.
Speaking at Yad Vashem, Putin spoke out against views of World War II that are still being used to fuel modern political rivalries.
"Unfortunately the memory of this war, its lessons, and aftermath are ever more often becoming objects of political competition," he said.
In his speech, Macron told world leaders that anti-Semitism is "once again rearing its violent head" and is not only a problem for Jews.
He said anti-Semitism is "first and foremost the problem of others."
"In our history, anti-Semitism always preceded the weakening of democracy," the French leader added.
Ahead of the ceremony, Putin inaugurated a monument in the heart of Jerusalem -- named the Memorial Candle -- commemorating the nearly 900-day Nazi siege of Leningrad. Estimates of casualties vary, but some sources state that 1 million residents of the Russian city died from hunger, disease, exposure, and shelling.
"The blockade [of Leningrad] and the Holocaust are things that can't be compared to anything else," Putin said.
At a reception he hosted on the eve of the gathering, Israeli President Reuven Rivlin called on world leaders to “leave history for the historians."
"The role of political leaders, of all of us, is to shape the future," Rivlin said.
"I hope and pray...that the leaders of the world will stand united in the fight against racism, anti-Semitism, and extremism, in defending democracy and democratic values. This is our challenge. This is our choice," he said.
In advance of the forum, statements from world leaders sending delegations to Jerusalem projected a commitment to quelling a climate some said was reminiscent of that before World War II.
“I express my fervent hope that by continued vigilance and positive education, the iniquities perpetrated during one of the darkest periods in our history will be eliminated from the face of the earth,” Pope Francis wrote.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau specifically mentioned “the scourge of anti-Semitism and hatred that is becoming all too common once again.”
“The murder of 6 million Jews by the brutal and anti-Semitic Nazi regime started with a slow erosion of rights, and the normalization of discrimination,” he wrote. “We cannot permit the passage of time to diminish our resolve never to allow such horrors to happen again."
The event marks one of the largest political gatherings in Israeli history. More than 10,000 police officers were deployed in Jerusalem while major highways and large parts of the city were shut down ahead of the event.
With reporting by Reuters, AP, dpa, and AFP


rferl--2020-01-23--U.S. Envoy Urges Kosovo, Serbia To Focus On Jobs, Economic Development

PRISTINA -- The U.S. special envoy for Serbia and Kosovo has urged leaders in both countries to overcome their differences and to focus on economic development .
Richard Grenell , who also serves as President Donald Trump ’ s U.S. ambassador to Germany , said on January 23 in Kosovo 's capital , Pristina , that Kosovo should scrap a 100 percent tariff on Serbia ’ s goods and services , while Belgrade should curb a campaign to reverse the recognition of its former province that declared independence in 2008 .
European Union mediation has looked to increase dialogue between @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s move in November 2018 to set the tariff on Serbian goods and services disrupted reconciliation efforts .
“ I ’ m trying to ignore the political fights and to concentrate on economic development .
And because of that I asked [ Prime Minister-designate Albin ] Kurti and I am going to ask every single political leader here that it ’ s very important if we want to move forward in economic development , that the 100 percent tariffs be dropped , '' Grenell said after a meeting with Kurti .
Belgrade has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ until Kosovo lifts or suspends the tariff .
`` At the same time that the de-recognition campaign in Serbia should also be dropped .
And I think that both of these things have to happen in order for businesses to grow , for us to create jobs for young people .
And so , I 'm going to be carrying the same message to Belgrade ” , said Grenell , who is also scheduled to visit Serbia .
Kurti ’ s Self-Determination Movement ( Vetvendosje ) party won the most votes in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Democratic League of Kosovo ( LDK ) , are negotiating an agreement to form a coalition government , but the two parties have been disagreeing on who will fill the posts of president and speaker of the parliament .
On January 22 , Grenell said ahead of a meeting with Kosovar President Hashim Thaci that jobs creation for Kosovo 's young people `` is the mantra of the Trump administration.
” “ We are going to push both governments and the leaders of Kosovo and Serbia and say 'look at the people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Grenell said .
Grenell was appointed by Trump as the special envoy for Kosovo and Serbia in October in an effort to bring the two bitter rivals closer together .
The European Union has linked Serbia ’ s potential membership with its demands that Belgrade normalize ties with Kosovo , which broke away from Serbia following the 1999 NATO-led war .
Kosovo 's independence has not been recognized by Belgrade , Russia , and five EU nations .
The United States and more than 110 other countries have recognized Kosovo ’ s @ @

PRISTINA -- The U.S. special envoy for Serbia and Kosovo has urged leaders in both countries to overcome their differences and to focus on economic development.
Richard Grenell, who also serves as President Donald Trump’s U.S. ambassador to Germany, said on January 23 in Kosovo's capital, Pristina, that Kosovo should scrap a 100 percent tariff on Serbia’s goods and services, while Belgrade should curb a campaign to reverse the recognition of its former province that declared independence in 2008.
European Union mediation has looked to increase dialogue between the two countries, but Kosovo’s move in November 2018 to set the tariff on Serbian goods and services disrupted reconciliation efforts.
“I’m trying to ignore the political fights and to concentrate on economic development. And because of that I asked [Prime Minister-designate Albin] Kurti and I am going to ask every single political leader here that it’s very important if we want to move forward in economic development, that the 100 percent tariffs be dropped," Grenell said after a meeting with Kurti.
Belgrade has said there will be no further talks until Kosovo lifts or suspends the tariff.
"At the same time that the de-recognition campaign in Serbia should also be dropped. And I think that both of these things have to happen in order for businesses to grow, for us to create jobs for young people. And so, I'm going to be carrying the same message to Belgrade”, said Grenell, who is also scheduled to visit Serbia.
Kurti’s Self-Determination Movement (Vetvendosje) party won the most votes in a snap October election. His party and the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), are negotiating an agreement to form a coalition government, but the two parties have been disagreeing on who will fill the posts of president and speaker of the parliament.
On January 22, Grenell said ahead of a meeting with Kosovar President Hashim Thaci that jobs creation for Kosovo's young people "is the mantra of the Trump administration.”
“We are going to push both governments and the leaders of Kosovo and Serbia and say 'look at the people, start moving forward with jobs," Grenell said.
Grenell was appointed by Trump as the special envoy for Kosovo and Serbia in October in an effort to bring the two bitter rivals closer together.
The European Union has linked Serbia’s potential membership with its demands that Belgrade normalize ties with Kosovo, which broke away from Serbia following the 1999 NATO-led war.
Kosovo's independence has not been recognized by Belgrade, Russia, and five EU nations. The United States and more than 110 other countries have recognized Kosovo’s independence.
With reporting by AP


rferl--2020-01-23--Trump, Iraqi President Agree On Need For Continued U.S. Troop Presence

U.S. President Donald Trump and his Iraqi counterpart Barham Salih have agreed on the need for U.S. military to maintain its presence in the Middle Eastern country , the White House says following a meeting of the two in Switzerland .
`` The two leaders agreed on the importance of continuing the United States-Iraq economic and security partnership , including the fight against [ the Islamic State terror group ] , '' the White House said on January 22 .
`` President Trump reaffirmed the United States ' unwavering commitment to a sovereign , stable , and prosperous Iraq .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos -- their first meeting since the United States killed a top Iranian commander , Major General Qasem Soleimani , in Baghdad , angering many Iraqi politicians and leading to a call by the country ’ s parliament to expel U.S. troops .
Before the meeting , Salih said that Washington and Baghdad “ have had an enduring relationship , and the United States has been a partner to Iraq and in the war ” against Islamic State .
He later told Trump that `` this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I believe you and I share the same mission for a stable , sovereign Iraq that is at peace with itself and at peace with its neighbors . ''
Since the U.S.-led invasion that ousted Saddam Hussein in 2003 , Iraq has attempted to balance relations with Washington and Tehran , which maintains strong influence with Shi ’ ite militias , although recent street protests have expressed anger about foreign influence in the country .
Separately , U.S. Major General Alexus Grynkewich , the No .
2 commander for the international anti-IS coalition @ @ @ @ @ @ @ extremist group has been weakened but that a resurgence is possible should the United States leaves Iraq .
He told a Pentagon news conference that the extremists `` certainly still remain a threat .
They have the potential to resurge if we take pressure off of them for too long , '' although he said he did not see a threat of an immediate comeback .
`` But the more time we take pressure off of them , the more of that threat will continue to grow , '' he said .
With @ @ @ @ @

U.S. President Donald Trump and his Iraqi counterpart Barham Salih have agreed on the need for U.S. military to maintain its presence in the Middle Eastern country, the White House says following a meeting of the two in Switzerland.
"The two leaders agreed on the importance of continuing the United States-Iraq economic and security partnership, including the fight against [the Islamic State terror group]," the White House said on January 22.
"President Trump reaffirmed the United States' unwavering commitment to a sovereign, stable, and prosperous Iraq."
The two presidents met on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos -- their first meeting since the United States killed a top Iranian commander, Major General Qasem Soleimani, in Baghdad, angering many Iraqi politicians and leading to a call by the country’s parliament to expel U.S. troops.
Before the meeting, Salih said that Washington and Baghdad “have had an enduring relationship, and the United States has been a partner to Iraq and in the war” against Islamic State.
He later told Trump that "this mission needs to be accomplished, and I believe you and I share the same mission for a stable, sovereign Iraq that is at peace with itself and at peace with its neighbors."
Since the U.S.-led invasion that ousted Saddam Hussein in 2003, Iraq has attempted to balance relations with Washington and Tehran, which maintains strong influence with Shi’ite militias, although recent street protests have expressed anger about foreign influence in the country.
Separately, U.S. Major General Alexus Grynkewich, the No. 2 commander for the international anti-IS coalition in Iraq and Syria, said the extremist group has been weakened but that a resurgence is possible should the United States leaves Iraq.
He told a Pentagon news conference that the extremists "certainly still remain a threat. They have the potential to resurge if we take pressure off of them for too long," although he said he did not see a threat of an immediate comeback.
"But the more time we take pressure off of them, the more of that threat will continue to grow," he said.
With reporting by AFP and dpa


rferl--2020-01-23--WHO Praises China’s Anti-Virus Efforts, May Declare Global Emergency

The World Health Organization ( WHO ) has praised the commitment of authorities in China to “ minimize ” risks of the spread of the deadly coronavirus , a day ahead of a decision by the UN agency on whether to declare a rare global emergency over the outbreak .
“ What they are doing is a very , very strong measure and with full commitment .
So based on the situation they are taking the action they deem is appropriate , is very important , '' WHO Director-General Tedros Ahanom Ghebreyesus said on January 22 .
`` We stressed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ action not only they will control the outbreak in their country but they will also minimize the chances of this outbreak spreading internationally .
So they recognize that , '' he said .
Among the measures China has taken was a decision to prevent people from leaving the city of Wuhan , considered the center of the outbreak that has sickened hundreds of people and killed at least 17 .
Authorities have said residents will not be able to leave the city of some 11 million people , with outbound flights , trains @ @ @ @ @ @ @ halted .
WHO on January 22 said it will decide on January 23 whether to declare a global emergency .
If it does , it would be only the sixth international public health emergency called over the past decade .
Previous emergencies have been declared for epidemics such as the Ebola outbreak in Congo and the Zika virus in the Americas in 2016 .
The coronavirus outbreak has shaken global stock markets , raising concerns about the economy .
The 2003 SARS crisis caused an estimated $ 50 billion in losses from reduced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is one I take extremely seriously , and one I am only prepared to make with appropriate consideration of all the evidence , '' WHO chief Adhanom Ghebreyesus said .
`` This is an evolving and complex situation .
Our team in China is working with local experts and officials to investigate the outbreak . ''
Countries around the world have taken precautions to limit the spread of the virus that has already reached Thailand , Japan , Taiwan , South Korea , Hong Kong , and the United States .
President Donald @ @ @ @ @ @ @ States has a plan in place to contain the outbreak , after a first case was confirmed the previous day in the northwestern U.S. state of Washington .
Speaking on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum ( WEF ) annual meeting in Davos , Switzerland , Trump said , `` We do have a plan and we think it is going to be handled very well .
We 've already handled it very well .
The CDC [ Center for Disease Control ] is terrific .
Very professional . ''
The Washington @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Wuhan was hospitalized near Seattle after seeking medical treatment .
Testing from the CDC on January 20 confirmed that he was infected with the Wuhan coronavirus , which can cause pneumonia-like symptoms .
He is reported to be in good condition and in isolation at a medical clinic .
Russia on January 21 said it was stepping up checks at borders and airports to prevent the spread of the virus from China , with which it shares a border of more than 4,200 kilometers .
Some 1.5 million Chinese tourists visit Russia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told AFP that additional sanitation-control measures would be used to screen passengers on flights from China , with heat scanners used to measure passengers ' body temperature while they are still on the arriving plane .
With reporting by Reuters , AFP , AP , and dpa

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--2020-01-23--U.S. Set To Announce New Restrictions On ‘Birth Tourism’

The U.S. administration plans to announce new visa restrictions aimed at eliminating so-called “ birth tourism ” in which pregnant women travel to the United States to give birth so their children will receive automatic citizenship , a system reportedly used by hundreds of Russian women each year .
Guidance sent out by the State Department on January 22 said the new guidelines will not automatically prevent pregnant women from receiving visas but that U.S. consular officers will have the authority to determine whether a woman is planning a visit solely for the purpose of giving birth .
The announcement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ confirm press reports that his administration is planning to add `` a couple '' of countries to its travel-ban list and that the final decision would be announced `` very shortly . ''
State Department officials said the changes on “ birth tourism ” would be publicized on January 23 but that details will be released only on January 24 .
It was not clear if the expanded travel ban would also be revealed at that time .
During his presidential campaign and into his term of office , Trump has taken a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those illegally entering the country or overstaying their visas .
He has slammed the policy of birthright citizenship and threatened to try to end it , but constitutional scholars , opponents , and members of his administration have said it would not be easy to do .
Under the U.S. Constitution , anyone born in the United States is considered to be a citizen .
Although there are no official figures on how many foreign women travel to the United States specifically to give birth , the Center for Immigration Studies in 2012 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the United States , then left the country .
In March 2019 , USA Today reported that hundreds of pregnant Russian women travel to the United States each year to give birth so that their child can acquire American citizenship .
Arrivals also come from China , Nigeria , and other countries , the paper said .
They pay from $ 20,000 to $ 50,000 to brokers who arrange travel documents , accommodation , and hospital stays , often in the state of Florida , the newspaper reported .
Meanwhile , speaking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Switzerland , where he attended the annual World Economic Forum , Trump suggested more countries would soon be added to a partial travel ban from a select group of nations .
`` You see what 's going on in the world , our country has to be safe , '' he told reporters .
The comments came a day after U.S. media reported that Washington was considering adding Belarus , Kyrgyzstan , and five other countries -- Burma , Eritrea , Nigeria , Sudan , and Tanzania -- to the list .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ years ago , targeted citizens of seven majority-Muslim countries , but it was later modified as it went through legal challenges .
The courts eventually allowed restrictions on the entry of some citizens from Iran , Libya , Somalia , Syria , and Yemen , along with Venezuela and North Korea .
The Wall Street Journal quoted officials as saying on January 21 that the countries added to the travel-ban list would n't all face blanket bans on travel to the United States , but could have restrictions placed on specific types of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ NBC , The Washington Post , The Wall Street Journal , Politico , and Voice of America

The U.S. administration has published new visa restrictions aimed at eliminating so-called "birth tourism" in which pregnant women travel to the United States to give birth so their children will receive automatic citizenship, a system reportedly used by hundreds of Russian women each year.
The new guidelines will not automatically prevent pregnant women from receiving visas, but U.S. consular officers will have the authority to determine whether a woman is planning a visit primarily for the purpose of giving birth, according to the rules published in the Federal Register on January 23.
White House spokeswoman Stephanie Grisham said in a statement that the move will "combat these endemic abuses and ultimately protect the United States from the national security risks created by this practice."
It will also "defend American taxpayers from having their hard-earned dollars siphoned away to finance the direct and downstream costs associated with birth tourism. The integrity of American citizenship must be protected," Grisham added.
Under the U.S. Constitution, anyone born in the United States is considered to be a citizen.
During his presidential campaign and into his term of office, U.S. President Donald Trump has taken a hard line on immigration, along with those illegally entering the country or overstaying their visas.
He has slammed the policy of birthright citizenship and threatened to try to end it, but constitutional scholars, opponents, and members of his administration have said it would not be easy to do.
Although there are no official figures on how many foreign women travel to the United States specifically to give birth, the Center for Immigration Studies in 2012 estimated that 36,000 foreign-born women gave birth in the United States, then left the country.
In March 2019, USA Today reported that hundreds of pregnant Russian women travel to the United States each year to give birth so that their child can acquire American citizenship. Arrivals also come from China, Nigeria, and other countries, the paper said.
They pay from $20,000 to $50,000 to brokers who arrange travel documents, accommodation, and hospital stays, often in the state of Florida, the newspaper reported.
With reporting by AP, NBC, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, Politico, and Voice of America


rferl--2020-01-22--RFE/RL: Government 'Impeding' It From Functioning In Tajikistan

RFE/RL President Jamie Fly has told the Tajik government it failed to honor its commitments to allow the organization 's Tajik Service , known locally as Radio Ozodi , to function without obstruction .
RFE/RL may have to consider alternatives to its current operations as a result , Fly said in a letter to Foreign Minister Sirojiddin Muhriddin on January 21 , after the ministry granted six-month accreditations to four members of the Tajik Service .
The move falls short of the year-long accreditations mandated by Tajik law , and does not address the circumstances of seven Ozodi correspondents who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who were granted partial accreditations in October .
`` These partial accreditations , together with the continued harassment of Ozodi colleagues , fail to demonstrate your government 's sincerity to allow Radio Ozodi to function unimpeded , '' and to `` fulfill Tajikistan 's international obligations to respect independent media , '' Fly wrote in his letter .
The credentials of the 18 RFE/RL journalists and staff members were withheld by the ministry or expired on November 1 .
The OSCE , The Washington Post , the Committee to Protect Journalists , Human @ @ @ @ @ @ @ groups have decried the government 's withholding of accreditation as a violation of media freedom and a means of censorship .
Members of the U.S. Congress have sent letters to Tajik President Emomali Rahmon criticizing the use of accreditation to restrict Radio Ozodi 's independent reporting , and saying that a failure to allow RFE/RL to operate freely could affect U.S.-Tajik relations .
Tajik law prohibits foreign-media journalists from working without accreditation .
RFE/RL , which is funded by a grant from the U.S. Congress through the U.S. Agency for Global Media , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tajikistan .

RFE/RL President Jamie Fly has told the Tajik government it failed to honor its commitments to allow the organization's Tajik Service, known locally as Radio Ozodi, to function without obstruction.
RFE/RL may have to consider alternatives to its current operations as a result, Fly said in a letter to Foreign Minister Sirojiddin Muhriddin on January 21, after the ministry granted six-month accreditations to four members of the Tajik Service.
The move falls short of the year-long accreditations mandated by Tajik law, and does not address the circumstances of seven Ozodi correspondents who remain without credentials, or another seven who were granted partial accreditations in October.
"These partial accreditations, together with the continued harassment of Ozodi colleagues, fail to demonstrate your government's sincerity to allow Radio Ozodi to function unimpeded," and to "fulfill Tajikistan's international obligations to respect independent media," Fly wrote in his letter.
The credentials of the 18 RFE/RL journalists and staff members were withheld by the ministry or expired on November 1.
The OSCE, The Washington Post, the Committee to Protect Journalists, Human Rights Watch, and local Tajik media-advocacy groups have decried the government's withholding of accreditation as a violation of media freedom and a means of censorship.
Members of the U.S. Congress have sent letters to Tajik President Emomali Rahmon criticizing the use of accreditation to restrict Radio Ozodi's independent reporting, and saying that a failure to allow RFE/RL to operate freely could affect U.S.-Tajik relations.
Tajik law prohibits foreign-media journalists from working without accreditation. RFE/RL, which is funded by a grant from the U.S. Congress through the U.S. Agency for Global Media, operates as an international media organization in Tajikistan.


rferl--2020-01-22--Chechen Minister Says Reading Of Koran Therapeutic For Lesbian

A minister in Russia 's Chechnya region has said it would be `` remedial '' for an openly gay woman to read the Koran , following beatings she accused her parents of orchestrating over her homosexuality .
`` You can express yourself as you like , but reading the Koran in a certain setting , situation , and with certain conversations really is therapeutic in traditional Islamic medicine , '' Dzambulat Umarov , Chechen minister of national policy , foreign relations , press , and information , told the 360 channel on January 22 .
He refused to believe the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 22-year-old native of Grozny , that she was tormented and beaten .
Such `` absurd information , '' according to the minister , is related to the lesbian , gay , bisexual , and transgender ( LGBT ) community and is deliberately `` thrown into the media landscape . ''
Lorsanova the previous day filed a report with the Russian Investigative Committee demanding a criminal case be opened into her parents , their acquaintance , and doctors of a medical clinic in Grozny .
According to the woman , she was sent to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 25 days after which she spent an additional four months at a neuropsychiatric dispensary in Grozny .
Several times during her stays at the clinics , Lorsanova said her father 's acquaintance would come and beat her with a cane while reading the Koran in front of her parents , saying he was `` driving the genie out of her . ''
According to the alleged victim , the man would repeatedly strike her in the solar-plexus area and pressed his fingers in the area , causing her more pain .
During this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ times forcibly injected her with tranquilizers .
Since early 2017 , there have been reports of a coordinated campaign of violence and intimidation of homosexuals in Chechnya , including by law enforcement authorities .
Russia has faced international criticism for its record on LGBT rights , including a 2013 law signed by Putin that banned disseminating `` propaganda of nontraditional sexual relations '' to minors .
Putin denies the law is discriminatory , saying it is aimed only at protecting children .

A minister in Russia's Chechnya region has said it would be "remedial" for an openly gay woman to read the Koran, following beatings she accused her parents of orchestrating over her homosexuality.
"You can express yourself as you like, but reading the Koran in a certain setting, situation, and with certain conversations really is therapeutic in traditional Islamic medicine," Dzambulat Umarov, Chechen minister of national policy, foreign relations, press, and information, told the 360 channel on January 22.
He refused to believe the accusations made by Aminat Lorsanova, a 22-year-old native of Grozny, that she was tormented and beaten.
Such "absurd information," according to the minister, is related to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community and is deliberately "thrown into the media landscape."
Lorsanova the previous day filed a report with the Russian Investigative Committee demanding a criminal case be opened into her parents, their acquaintance, and doctors of a medical clinic in Grozny.
According to the woman, she was sent to a medical clinic in August 2018 for 25 days after which she spent an additional four months at a neuropsychiatric dispensary in Grozny.
Several times during her stays at the clinics, Lorsanova said her father's acquaintance would come and beat her with a cane while reading the Koran in front of her parents, saying he was "driving the genie out of her."
According to the alleged victim, the man would repeatedly strike her in the solar-plexus area and pressed his fingers in the area, causing her more pain.
During this period, Lorsanova said her father six times forcibly injected her with tranquilizers.
Since early 2017, there have been reports of a coordinated campaign of violence and intimidation of homosexuals in Chechnya, including by law enforcement authorities.
Russia has faced international criticism for its record on LGBT rights, including a 2013 law signed by Putin that banned disseminating "propaganda of nontraditional sexual relations" to minors. Putin denies the law is discriminatory, saying it is aimed only at protecting children.