rferl--2020-07-12--Four Afghan Soldiers Killed In Suspected Taliban Attack

An Afghan official said four government soldiers were killed after suspected Taliban militants attacked a security post in central Afghanistan .
The attack occurred early on July 12 in the Pato district of Daikundi Province , a relatively peaceful area in the central highlands .
Abbas Kamyar , the provincial governor ’ s spokesman , said 12 militants were killed in the clashes .
Pato district borders the southern province of Uruzgan , one of the most volatile regions in the country .
There was no claim of responsibility for the attack .
On July 11 , at least 15 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the provinces of Ghazni , Faryab , and Maidan Wardak .
Hundreds of members of Afghanistan ’ s security forces and civilians have been killed in recent weeks as the Taliban continues to launch attacks across the country .
President Ashraf Ghani on July 6 warned that the spike in violence poses a `` serious '' threat to the peace process with the Taliban .
A peace deal signed by the Taliban and the United States in February calls for direct negotiations between the militant group and the Western-backed government in Kabul aimed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two-decade-old war in Afghanistan .
Based on reporting by TOLOnews and Radio Killid

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


rferl--2020-07-12--Russian Officials Reportedly Close Investigation Into Mysterious 1959 Hiking Disaster

A Russian prosecutor said the mysterious deaths of a group of hikers killed six decades ago in the Ural Mountains was due to hypothermia , disorientation , and an avalanche , and that the newly reopened investigation was now closed .
The comments , reported on July 11 by RIA Novosti news agency , were the latest effort to try and dispel the conspiracies regarding the notorious Dyatlov Pass incident , which has captivated Russians for decades .
Last year , the Prosecutor-General 's Office announced it was reopening the investigation into how the hikers died on February 1-2 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ later named after the group 's leader , Igor Dyatlov .
Information about the case was classified by the Soviet authorities until the 1970s .
Soviet investigators concluded that during the night , an `` unknown , compelling force '' prompted the two women and seven men to cut their way out of their tents and flee the campsite without shoes or warm clothing , despite the freezing cold .
They determined that six of the hikers died of hypothermia , while three had signs of physical trauma including skull fractures and chest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her tongue and eyes removed .
That conclusion of `` an unknown , compelling force '' spawned dozens of theories and conspiracies including animal attacks , infrasound-induced panic , military testing , and even alien forces .
Numerous articles and TV news segments have examined the incident over the years .
But Andrei Kuryakov , a top official in the Ural regional prosecutor ’ s office , told RIA Novosti that officials concluded that the hikers had left their tents in the night during brutal weather conditions to avoid a possible avalanche , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ The cause of the hikers ’ death was natural forces , which the hikers were not able to overcome , ” he said .

A Russian prosecutor said the mysterious deaths of a group of hikers killed six decades ago in the Ural Mountains was due to hypothermia, disorientation, and an avalanche, and that the newly reopened investigation was now closed.
The comments, reported on July 11 by RIA Novosti news agency, were the latest effort to try and dispel the conspiracies regarding the notorious Dyatlov Pass incident, which has captivated Russians for decades.
Last year, the Prosecutor-General's Office announced it was reopening the investigation into how the hikers died on February 1-2, 1959, at a place that was later named after the group's leader, Igor Dyatlov.
Information about the case was classified by the Soviet authorities until the 1970s.
Soviet investigators concluded that during the night, an "unknown, compelling force" prompted the two women and seven men to cut their way out of their tents and flee the campsite without shoes or warm clothing, despite the freezing cold.
They determined that six of the hikers died of hypothermia, while three had signs of physical trauma including skull fractures and chest injuries. One of the women had her tongue and eyes removed.
That conclusion of "an unknown, compelling force" spawned dozens of theories and conspiracies including animal attacks, infrasound-induced panic, military testing, and even alien forces. Numerous articles and TV news segments have examined the incident over the years.
But Andrei Kuryakov, a top official in the Ural regional prosecutor’s office, told RIA Novosti that officials concluded that the hikers had left their tents in the night during brutal weather conditions to avoid a possible avalanche, but then became disoriented and froze.
“The cause of the hikers’ death was natural forces, which the hikers were not able to overcome,” he said.


rferl--2020-07-12--EU: Serbia-Kosovo Talks 'Back On Track' After Virtual Meeting Between Leaders

The European Union said long-stalled talks between Serbia and Kosovo were “ back on track ” after a video meeting between the two countries ’ leaders .
The video summit was aimed at setting up the first face-to-face meeting of the Balkan leaders since November 2018 under an EU-backed dialogue process .
EU special envoy Miroslav Lajcak , who also took part in the meeting , said Vucic and Hoti were scheduled to meet in Brussels on July 16 .
“ The EU-facilitated dialogue on [ a ] comprehensive normalization of relations between Serbia and Kosovo is back on track @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after the end of the virtual meeting .
“ We agreed on the main elements of the process .
We also agreed on the agenda of our next meeting that will take place this coming Thursday , in Brussels , in person .
I want to thank our partners for their constructive engagement today , ” Lajcak said .
On July 10 , the two Balkan nations agreed to resume talks after a video summit hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel .
In those talks , Vucic and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Vucic said the EU-backed process will be “ meaningless ” if they focus on whether Belgrade should recognize Kosovo ’ s independence .
Hoti said “ mutual recognition between the two countries is the only way to normalize relations.
” '' The talks will require political courage from both sides , '' Borrell said in a statement earlier .
`` It has never been easy to find solutions to problems that lasted for so long and were so painful . ''
In a joint statement after the July 10 talks , France and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to resume the dialogue and said the two agreed to “ deepen cooperation ” in various areas to help rebuild trust .
The statement noted that “ the normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia is extremely important for security and stability in the region and , beyond that , of great significance for the EU membership prospects of both countries . ''
Kosovo , a former province of Serbia , declared independence in 2008 in a move rejected by Belgrade .
Five of the EU ’ s 27 countries – Romania , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Spain – also don ’ t recognize Kosovo ’ s independence .
EU-mediated negotiations between Pristina and Belgrade broke down in 2018 over reports of a proposed land swap and after Kosovo imposed a 100-percent tax on Serbian imports .
Both Kosovo and Serbia , which aspire to join the EU , have been facing mounting pressure from the West to reboot negotiations .
The new push comes after prosecutors in The Hague charged Kosovar President Hashim Thaci with war crimes , leading to the postponement of a planned June 27 White House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

The European Union said long-stalled talks between Serbia and Kosovo were “back on track” after a video meeting between the two countries’ leaders.
Kosovo's Prime Minister Avdullah Hoti and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic held a virtual meeting mediated by EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell.
The video summit was aimed at setting up the first face-to-face meeting of the Balkan leaders since November 2018 under an EU-backed dialogue process.
EU special envoy Miroslav Lajcak, who also took part in the meeting, said Vucic and Hoti were scheduled to meet in Brussels on July 16.
“The EU-facilitated dialogue on [a] comprehensive normalization of relations between Serbia and Kosovo is back on track after 20 months,” said Lajcak after the end of the virtual meeting.
“We agreed on the main elements of the process. We also agreed on the agenda of our next meeting that will take place this coming Thursday, in Brussels, in person. I want to thank our partners for their constructive engagement today,” Lajcak said.
On July 10, the two Balkan nations agreed to resume talks after a video summit hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
In those talks, Vucic and Hoti held firm to their positions. Vucic said the EU-backed process will be “meaningless” if they focus on whether Belgrade should recognize Kosovo’s independence. Hoti said “mutual recognition between the two countries is the only way to normalize relations.”
"The talks will require political courage from both sides," Borrell said in a statement earlier. "It has never been easy to find solutions to problems that lasted for so long and were so painful."
In a joint statement after the July 10 talks, France and Germany said that Vucic and Hoti agreed to resume the dialogue and said the two agreed to “deepen cooperation” in various areas to help rebuild trust.
The statement noted that “the normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia is extremely important for security and stability in the region and, beyond that, of great significance for the EU membership prospects of both countries."
Kosovo, a former province of Serbia, declared independence in 2008 in a move rejected by Belgrade. Five of the EU’s 27 countries – Romania, Cyprus, Greece, Slovakia, and Spain – also don’t recognize Kosovo’s independence.
EU-mediated negotiations between Pristina and Belgrade broke down in 2018 over reports of a proposed land swap and after Kosovo imposed a 100-percent tax on Serbian imports.
Both Kosovo and Serbia, which aspire to join the EU, have been facing mounting pressure from the West to reboot negotiations.
The new push comes after prosecutors in The Hague charged Kosovar President Hashim Thaci with war crimes, leading to the postponement of a planned June 27 White House summit between Thaci and his Serbian counterpart.
With reporting by AP


rferl--2020-07-13--COVID-19: Armenia Again Extends Emergency State Over Coronavirus

The global death toll from the coronavirus is over 565,000 , with more than 12.9 million infections confirmed , causing mass disruptions as governments continue to try to slow the spread of the respiratory illness .
The Armenian government on July 13 moved to extend its state of emergency by another month due to the continuing coronavirus crisis in the country .
This is the fourth time Armenia , which has one of the highest coronavirus infection rates in the world , has extended the state of emergency that was first declared in March .
The state of emergency allows @ @ @ @ @ @ @ face masks in public areas as well as other antivirus measures .
At a special government meeting , Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian said that Armenia ’ s current legislation leaves no other option for the government to continue to fight the outbreak in an effective way .
“ The constitution of our country requires that emergency measures be taken in case of threats to public health , but besides the state of emergency we have no other effective instrument .
Consequently , if we do not extend the state of emergency , our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ force de jure .
That ’ s why we simply have to extend it , '' Pashinian said .
However , Pashinian said that his government plans legislative changes that will make it possible to continue to fight the virus beyond August 12 without again extending the state of emergency .
`` We understand that the state of emergency can not and should not be extended indefinitely , and we have decided that a legislative package will be drafted in the meantime to enable us to use these instruments [ against the outbreak @ @ @ @ @ @ @ emergency , but under an emergency situation which will imply a much lighter regime in terms of restrictions and will focus on anti-epidemic measures , ” Pashinian said .
The extension of the state of emergency is scheduled to be discussed in parliament where Pashinian ’ s My Step bloc has a commanding majority .
Armenia , a country of about 3 million , has more than 32,000 confirmed cases so far .
The official COVID-19 death toll stands at 573 as of July 13 .
The figure does not include 183 deaths @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been caused by preexisting conditions .
Kazakhstan is observing a national day of mourning to honor victims of COVID-19 amid a spike of coronavirus cases across Central Asia .
National flags flew at half-staff , entertainment programs on television were suspended , and a minute of silence was held across the country at noon on July 13 , while special ceremonies for deceased COVID-19 patients were held at mosques , churches , and synagogues .
Kazakh President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev issued decrees posthumously awarding two Kazakh physicians , Oleg Isaev from the northern city @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the northwestern city of Aqtobe , with medals of honor .
Both physicians died of COVID-19 , which they contracted while treating coronavirus patients .
In all , 28 medical personnel have died of COVID-19 in Kazakhstan since mid-March , health authorities said .
As of July 13 , the number of coronavirus cases in Kazakhstan was reported at 59,899 , including 375 deaths .
In Kyrgyzstan , police detained on July 13 at least six activists who demanded the postponement of upcoming parliamentary elections scheduled for October 4 .
The activists had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the front of the presidential office in Bishkek , but after the city authorities warned that due to coronavirus restrictions the crowd could be no larger than 100 people , only dozens turned up to the site on July 13 .
The activists also demanded the government impose a state of emergency over the coronavirus and hold all officials who fail to curb the virus 's spread as responsible .
The protest came days after the office of Kyrgyz President Sooronbai Jeenbekov had to remove the president ’ s video statement on YouTube @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to unite in fighting coronavirus in the country .
More than 4,000 Internet users disliked the July 9 video , adding comments harshly criticizing Jeenbekov for poor efforts to tackle the virus spread .
The video was removed from YouTube hours later and placed back the next day without the possibility for comments and the like/dislike option switched off .
Nargiza Mansurova , chief of the presidential office 's information policy department , told RFE/RL that the video was replaced with the comments option disabled because the majority of dislikes and `` destructive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` fake accounts . ''
Kyrgyz health authorities said on July 13 that the number of coronavirus cases in the country reached 11,117 , including 147 deaths .
However , officials also say that since March , 452 individuals whose coronavirus tests had come back negative , died of pneumonia .
In Uzbekistan , where a second three-week lockdown was imposed on July 10 to slow the spread of the coronavirus , health authorities announced a list of special centers for COVID-19 tests that started functioning in the capital , Tashkent .
According @ @ @ @ @ @ @ number of coronavirus cases in Uzbekistan has reached 12,855 , including 59 deaths .
In Tajikistan , as of July 12 , the number of coronavirus cases was reported as 6,522 , including 55 deaths .
However , an investigative report by RFE/RL ’ s Tajik Service last month revealed that the real number of lethal cases of COVID-19 in the country might be several hundreds .
Turkmenistan is the only country in the region that has not officially registered any coronavirus cases , but RFE/RL correspondents have reported that local hospitals have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , some of whom , including medical personnel , have died .
In some parts of the country , so-called quarantine zones have been established , some industrial facilities are being shut down , RFE/RL correspondents report .
On July 6 , a long-delayed mission from the World Health Organization arrived in the country with a 10-day visit to assess the situation and work with Turkmen officials to prevent any spread of the coronavirus in the country .
With reporting by RFE/RL 's Armenian , Kazakh , Kyrgyz , Uzbek , Tajik , @ @ @

The global death toll from the coronavirus is over 570,000, with more than 12.9 million infections confirmed, causing mass disruptions as governments continue to try to slow the spread of the respiratory illness.
Here's a roundup of COVID-19 developments in RFE/RL's broadcast regions.
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan has extended its second coronavirus lockdown as the country observes a national day of mourning to honor victims of COVID-19 amid a spike of positive cases across Central Asia.
"There are first signs now that the situation is beginning to improve," said President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev in a tweet on July 13. "The next two weeks are important for the full stabilization of the situation."
National flags flew at half-staff, entertainment programs on television were suspended, and a minute of silence was held across the country at noon on July 13, while special ceremonies for deceased COVID-19 patients were held at mosques churches, and synagogues.
Toqaev issued decrees posthumously giving national Hero of Labor awards to two Kazakh physicians, Oleg Isaev from the northern city of Kokshetau, and Qalikhan Qozbagharov from the northwestern city of Aqtobe.
Both physicians died of COVID-19, which they contracted while treating coronavirus patients. In all, 28 medical personnel have died of COVID-19 in Kazakhstan since mid-March, health authorities said.
As of July 13, the number of coronavirus cases in Kazakhstan was reported to be 59,899, including 375 deaths.
Kyrgyzstan
In Kyrgyzstan, police detained on July 13 at least six activists who demanded the postponement of upcoming parliamentary elections scheduled for October 4.
The activists had planned to bring some 500 protesters to the front of the presidential office in Bishkek, but after the city authorities warned that due to coronavirus restrictions the crowd could be no larger than 100 people, only dozens turned up to the site on July 13.
The activists also demanded that the government impose a state of emergency over the coronavirus and hold all officials who fail to curb the virus's spread as responsible.
The protest came days after the office of Kyrgyz President Sooronbai Jeenbekov removed the president’s video statement on YouTube in which he addressed citizens calling them to unite in fighting the coronavirus in the country.
More than 4,000 Internet users disliked the July 9 video, adding comments harshly criticizing Jeenbekov for poor efforts to tackle the spread of the virus.
The video was removed from YouTube hours later and placed back the next day with the comments and like/dislike options switched off.
Nargiza Mansurova, the chief of the presidential office's information policy department, told RFE/RL that the video was replaced with the comments option disabled because the majority of dislikes and "destructive comments" came from what she called "fake accounts."
Kyrgyz health authorities said on July 13, that the number of coronavirus cases in the country had reached 11,117, including 147 deaths.
However, officials also say that since March,452 individuals whose coronavirus tests had come back negative, died of pneumonia.
Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan
In Uzbekistan, where a second three-week lockdown was imposed on July 10 to slow the spread of the coronavirus, health authorities announced a list of special centers for COVID-19 tests that have started functioning In Tashkent, the capital.
According to the latest official data, the number of coronavirus cases in Uzbekistan has reached 12,855, including 59 deaths.
In Tajikistan, as of July 12, the number of coronavirus cases was reported as 6,522, including 55 deaths.
However, an investigative report by RFE/RL’s Tajik Service last month revealed that the real number of lethal cases of COVID-19 in the country might be several hundreds.
Turkmenistan is the only country in the region that did not officially register any coronavirus cases, but RFE/RL correspondents have reported that local hospitals have been overwhelmed with patients with pneumonia symptoms, some of whom, including medical personnel, have died.
In some parts of the country, so-called quarantine zones have been established and some industrial facilities are being shut down, RFE/RL correspondents report.
On July 6, a long-delayed mission from the World Health Organization arrived in the country with a 10-day visit to assess the situation and work with Turkmen officials to prevent any spread of the coronavirus in the country.
Iran
An Iranian lawmaker has died from the coronavirus, state media reported.
Issa Jafari is the third member of parliament to die of COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic in February.
The 59-year-old's death was confirmed on July 13, according to the semiofficial ISNA news agency.
Fatemeh Rahbar, a lawmaker from the capital Tehran, and Mohammad Ali Ramezani, a lawmaker from northern Gilan Province, were two other lawmakers who died after contracting COVID-19.
Former Parliamentary Speaker Ali Larijani tested positive while he still held the post in April but has since recovered.
On July 13, Iran's Health Ministry reported a total of 13,032 deaths and 259,652 cases from the coronavirus.
Iran is one of the world's worst-hit countries, and there are concerns that the actual figures are much higher.
Since the easing of lockdown restrictions mid-May, safety rules have increasingly been ignored, leading to a sharp rise in positive cases.
Armenia
The Armenian government on July 13 moved to extend its state of emergency by another month due to the continuing coronavirus crisis in the country.
This is the fourth time Armenia, which has one of the highest coronavirus infection rates in the world, has extended the state of emergency that was first declared in March.
The state of emergency allows authorities to enforce the mandatory wearing of face masks in public areas as well as other antivirus measures.
At a special government meeting, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian said that Armenia’s current legislation leaves no other option for the government to continue to fight the outbreak in an effective way.
“The constitution of our country requires that emergency measures be taken in case of threats to public health, but besides the state of emergency we have no other effective instrument. Consequently, if we do not extend the state of emergency, our anti-epidemic package of measures will lose its force de jure. That’s why we simply have to extend it," Pashinian said.
However, Pashinian said that his government plans legislative changes that will make it possible to continue to fight the virus beyond August 12 without again extending the state of emergency.
"We understand that the state of emergency cannot and should not be extended indefinitely, and we have decided that a legislative package will be drafted in the meantime to enable us to use these instruments [against the outbreak] not under an extended state of emergency, but under an emergency situation which will imply a much lighter regime in terms of restrictions and will focus on anti-epidemic measures,” Pashinian said.
The extension of the state of emergency is scheduled to be discussed in parliament where Pashinian’s My Step bloc has a commanding majority.
Armenia, a country of about 3 million, has more than 32,000 confirmed cases so far.
The official COVID-19 death toll stands at 573 as of July 13.
The figure does not include 183 deaths that the Armenian Health Ministry says have been caused by preexisting conditions.
With reporting by RFE/RL Radio Farda, RFE/RL's Armenian, Kazakh, Kyrgyz, Uzbek, Tajik, and Turkmen services, and dpa


rferl--2020-07-13--Attack On Afghan Provincial Government Compound

Afghan security forces have clashed with militants in the northern Afghan province of Samangan after a car bomb exploded near a government compound .
Abdul Latif Ebrahimi , the governor of Samangan , told RFE/RL that several assailants inside the National Security Directorate , the main intelligence agency , and a nearby municipal building in the capital , Aybek , had been killed in the clashes .
He did not elaborate on how many people may have died in the incident , the number of casualties , but added that the blast was very powerful and that even the windows @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It 's a complex attack that started with a car bomb .
Clashes with the attackers are still going on , '' according to Mohammad Sediq Azizi , a spokesman for the provincial government in Samangan .
Reuters quoted the province 's health director , Khalil Musadeq , as saying 43 civilians and members of the security forces had been wounded in the attack , with that number expected to rise .
No one has claimed responsibility for the attack but hundreds of members of Afghanistan ’ s security forces and civilians have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Taliban continued to launch attack across the country .
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on July 6 warned that the spike in violence poses a `` serious '' threat to the peace process with the Taliban .
A peace deal signed by the Taliban and the United States in February calls for direct negotiations between the militant group and the Western-backed government in Kabul aimed at putting an end to the nearly two-decade-old war in Afghanistan .


rferl--2020-07-13--Kosovo's Thaci In The Hague For War Crimes Inquiry

Kosovar President Hashim Thaci has arrived in The Hague , where he is set to be interviewed by international war crimes prosecutors .
The Kosovo Specialist Chambers ( SPO ) announced on June 24 that Thaci and other prominent Kosovars were the subject of an indictment on suspicion of serious crimes including `` nearly 100 murders , '' enforced disappearances , and torture .
Thaci was a top commander of the Kosovo Liberation Army ( UCK ) , which fought a guerrilla war for independence from Serbia in the 1990s .
`` Today I am here out of respect for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A free , independent Kosovo based on equal rights , a multiethnic society based on the rule of law , '' Thaci said upon arrival at the Specialist Prosecutor 's Office .
On July 8 , Thaci said on Facebook that he would go to The Hague at the invitation of the SPO to be interviewed .
He said many former combatants have been interviewed by the SPO inside and outside of Kosovo in the past two years .
“ While my compatriots as well as me will face international justice with dignity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to stand united in dealing with the challenges that our country is facing , ” Thaci said on Facebook .
A pretrial judge in the SPO has yet to decide whether to put Thaci and the others on trial or throw out the case .
Thaci has told Kosovars that if he is tried , he will immediately resign and face the accusations .
Thaci ’ s indictment forced the cancellation of U.S.-sponsored talks scheduled to take place last month at the White House between Kosovar and Serbian leaders .
But the European @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into long-stalled EU-sponsored talks , announcing on July 12 that they were “ back on track ” after a video meeting between Kosovar Prime Minister Avdullah Hoti and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic mediated by EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell .
EU special envoy Miroslav Lajcak , who also took part in the meeting , said Vucic and Hoti are scheduled to meet again , this time face to face , in Brussels on July 16 .
Kosovo , a former province of Serbia , declared independence in 2008 in a move rejected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s 27 countries -- Romania , Cyprus , Greece , Slovakia , and Spain -- also don ’ t recognize Kosovo ’ s independence , and statehood remains the biggest stumbling block .
EU-mediated negotiations between Pristina and Belgrade broke down in 2018 over reports of a proposed land swap and after Kosovo imposed a 100 percent tax on Serbian imports .
Both Kosovo and Serbia , which aspire to join the EU , have been facing mounting pressure from the West to reboot negotiations .

Kosovar President Hashim Thaci has faced questioning by international war-crimes prosecutors at The Hague.
The Kosovo Specialist Chambers (SPO) announced on June 24 that Thaci and other prominent Kosovars were the subject of an indictment on suspicion of serious crimes including "nearly 100 murders," enforced disappearances, and torture.
Thaci was a top commander of the Kosovo Liberation Army (UCK), which fought a guerrilla war for independence from Serbia in the 1990s.
Thaci was quizzed for around six hours at the SPO on July 13. As he left the SPO building, he said he would also be questioned on July 14.
Thaci said there were “exchanges over various technicalities” between his lawyer Pierre Richard Prosper and the war-crimes prosecutors about "explanatory, technical issues."
He added that the questioning also covered the UCK.
The prosecutors did not provide any details about the questioning.
"Today I am here out of respect for what I dreamed and fought for. A free, independent Kosovo based on equal rights, a multiethnic society based on the rule of law," Thaci said upon arriving earlier in the day at the Specialist Prosecutor's Office (SPO) on July 13.
"Nobody can rewrite history," Thaci added. "This is the price for freedom. I believe in peace, truth, reconciliation and justice. I believe in dialogue and good relations with all nations."
Several dozen Thaci supporters congregated outside the court for his arrival, chanting his name, holding up Kosovo flags, and waving banners.
On July 8, Thaci said on Facebook that he would go to The Hague at the invitation of the SPO to be interviewed.
He said many former combatants have been interviewed by the SPO inside and outside of Kosovo in the past two years.
“While my compatriots as well as me will face international justice with dignity and integrity, I call upon you to stand united in dealing with the challenges that our country is facing,” Thaci said on Facebook.
A pretrial judge in the SPO has yet to decide whether to put Thaci and the others on trial or throw out the case.
Thaci has told Kosovars that if he is tried, he will immediately resign and face the accusations.
Thaci’s indictment forced the cancellation of U.S.-sponsored talks scheduled to take place last month at the White House between Kosovar and Serbian leaders.
But the European Union appears to have breathed new life into long-stalled EU-sponsored talks, announcing on July 12 that they were “back on track” after a video meeting between Kosovar Prime Minister Avdullah Hoti and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic mediated by EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell.
EU special envoy Miroslav Lajcak, who also took part in the meeting, said Vucic and Hoti are scheduled to meet again, this time face to face, in Brussels on July 16.
Kosovo, a former province of Serbia, declared independence in 2008 in a move rejected by Belgrade. Five of the EU’s 27 countries -- Romania, Cyprus, Greece, Slovakia, and Spain -- also don’t recognize Kosovo’s independence, and statehood remains the biggest stumbling block.
EU-mediated negotiations between Pristina and Belgrade broke down in 2018 over reports of a proposed land swap and after Kosovo imposed a 100 percent tax on Serbian imports.
Both Kosovo and Serbia, which aspire to join the EU, have been facing mounting pressure from the West to reboot negotiations.
With reporting by AP and AFP


rferl--2020-07-13--Bulgarians Vow To Continue Protests Against Government Corruption

Thousands of Bulgarians held a fourth day of protests in Sofia and several other cities on July 12 against government corruption and said more similar rallies are scheduled to take place July 13 ahead of another nationwide protest later in the week .
Thousands of people filled a central area in Sofia near the presidency and the Council of Ministers demanding the resignation of the conservative government .
Protests also took place in Burgas , Plovdiv , Varna , Blagoevgrad , and Gabrovo , according to a Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reporter .
In Sofia , Burgas , and Varna @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with people shouting `` Resign !
, '' `` Mafia !
, '' and demanding the ouster of Prosecutor-General Ivan Geshev .
The protests were sparked by a raid on July 9 by the Prosecutor-General 's Office on the presidential headquarters .
President Rumen Radev 's legal affairs and anti-corruption secretary and his security and defense adviser were detained for questioning and their offices searched as part of two separate probes into influence-peddling and disclosure of state secrets .
The searches sparked public anger and brought thousands of demonstrators onto the streets of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attack by the government and the prosecutor-general against Radev .
Radev responded two days later by calling on the government and the prosecutor-general to step down .
The searches came after Radev said the National Protection Service ( NSO ) -- which is responsible for guarding the president , prime minister , and other high officials -- should stop protecting Ahmed Dogan , the honorary chairman of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms ( DPS ) .
Protesters were also angered when people were barred from a state beach located near Dogan ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ beach was restored on July 11 under pressure from the center-right Democratic Bulgaria opposition .
Radev is an outspoken critic of the cabinet of Prime Minister Boyko Borisov , accusing it of `` links with oligarchs . ''
Borisov has refused to resign but opponents launched an online petition aiming to gather as many as 1 million signatures to demand his ouster .
The Socialist opposition in parliament also said on July 12 that they would propose a no-confidence motion against the cabinet for `` corruption '' on July 15 and appealed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ say their nationwide demonstration will take place the next day .

Thousands of Bulgarians held a fourth day of protests in Sofia and several other cities on July 12 against government corruption and said more similar rallies are scheduled to take place July 13 ahead of another nationwide protest later in the week.
Thousands of people filled a central area in Sofia near the presidency and the Council of Ministers demanding the resignation of the conservative government. Protests also took place in Burgas, Plovdiv, Varna, Blagoevgrad, and Gabrovo, according to a Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reporter.
In Sofia, Burgas, and Varna, the protests turned into marches, with people shouting "Resign!," "Mafia!," and demanding the ouster of Prosecutor-General Ivan Geshev.
The protests were sparked by a raid on July 9 by the Prosecutor-General's Office on the presidential headquarters.
President Rumen Radev's legal affairs and anti-corruption secretary and his security and defense adviser were detained for questioning and their offices searched as part of two separate probes into influence-peddling and disclosure of state secrets.
Demonstrations
The searches sparked public anger and brought thousands of demonstrators onto the streets of Sofia to condemn the raids as an attack by the government and the prosecutor-general against Radev.
Radev responded two days later by calling on the government and the prosecutor-general to step down.
The searches came after Radev said the National Protection Service (NSO) -- which is responsible for guarding the president, prime minister, and other high officials -- should stop protecting Ahmed Dogan, the honorary chairman of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS).
Protesters were also angered when people were barred from a state beach located near Dogan’s summer residence. Access to the beach was restored on July 11 under pressure from the center-right Democratic Bulgaria opposition.
Radev is an outspoken critic of the cabinet of Prime Minister Boyko Borisov, accusing it of "links with oligarchs."
Borisov has refused to resign but opponents launched an online petition aiming to gather as many as 1 million signatures to demand his ouster.
The Socialist opposition in parliament also said on July 12 that they would propose a no-confidence motion against the cabinet for "corruption" on July 15 and appealed to protesters to back them. The protesters say their nationwide demonstration will take place the next day.
With reporting by dpa


rferl--2020-07-13--Anti-Government Protests Against Corruption Intensify Across Bulgaria

Thousands of protesters took to the streets of the Bulgarian capital of Sofia for a fifth-straight day on July 13 demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Boyko Borisov 's government over corruption .
Protests were also held in at least ten other cities , including Varna and Burgas on the Black Sea and the country ’ s second-largest city Plovdiv .
In Sofia , protests denouncing corruption and mafia-like behavior in the EU member took place near the presidency and Council of Ministers .
Later they centered on the Interior Ministry , where demonstrators denounced alleged police violence at a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Minister of Interior Mladen Marinov .
The ministry said it is investigating the incident .
Protesters are also demanding the resignation of Prosecutor-General Ivan Geshev .
The opposition Socialists , which back President Rumen Radev and the protests , have said they will put forward a motion of no confidence in the government on July 15 , the same day mass demonstrations are planned .
Hristo Ivanov , the co-chair of the opposition Democratic Bulgaria , which is supporting the protests , told RFE/RL that they want the government to resign within two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ People are taking to the streets and demanding change .
The first step toward this change is the resignation of the government and the parliament and the convening of new elections , '' Ivanov said .
The protests were sparked by a raid on July 9 by the Prosecutor-General 's Office on the presidential headquarters .
Radev 's legal affairs and anti-corruption secretary and his security and defense adviser were detained for questioning and their offices searched as part of two separate probes into influence-peddling and disclosure of state secrets .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of demonstrators onto the streets of Sofia to condemn the raids as an attack by the government and the prosecutor-general against Radev .
Radev responded two days later by calling on the government and the prosecutor-general to step down .
The searches came after Radev said the National Protection Service ( NSO ) -- which is responsible for guarding the president , prime minister , and other high officials -- should stop protecting Ahmed Dogan , the honorary chairman of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms ( DPS ) .
Dogan is one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Many people consider his DPS , a largely ethnic minority Turkish party , to have control over the nation ’ s judiciary , including the prosecutor ’ s office .
Protesters were also angered when NSO members prevented people from a public beach located near Dogan ’ s summer residence on the Black Sea .
Access to the beach was restored on July 11 under pressure from the center-right Democratic Bulgaria opposition .
The protests come amid rising political tension between Radev and the center-right government led by Borisov 's GERB party @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2021 .
Radev has often criticized Borisov 's government for doing too little to uproot endemic corruption and has blasted prosecutors for cherry-picking their probes and colluding with the government .
Borisov , who has been prime minister almost without interruption since 2009 , said at the weekend that his cabinet would not resign .

Thousands of protesters took to the streets of the Bulgarian capital of Sofia for a fifth-straight day on July 13 demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Boyko Borisov's government over corruption.
Protests were also held in at least 10 other cities, including Varna and Burgas on the Black Sea and the country’s second-largest city of Plovdiv.
In Sofia, protests denouncing corruption and mafia-like behavior in the EU member took place near the presidency and Council of Ministers.
Later they centered on the Interior Ministry, where demonstrators denounced alleged police violence at a previous protest and demanded the resignation of Interior Minister Mladen Marinov. The ministry said it is investigating the incident.
Protesters are also demanding the resignation of Prosecutor-General Ivan Geshev.
The opposition Socialists, which back President Rumen Radev and the protests, have said they will put forward a motion of no confidence in the government on July 15, the same day mass demonstrations are planned.
Hristo Ivanov, the cochair of the opposition Democratic Bulgaria, which is supporting the protests, told RFE/RL that they want the government to resign within two weeks and elections to be called.
“People are taking to the streets and demanding change. The first step toward this change is the resignation of the government and the parliament and the convening of new elections," Ivanov said.
The protests were sparked by a raid on July 9 by the Prosecutor-General's Office on the presidential headquarters.
Public Anger
Radev's legal affairs and anti-corruption secretary and his security and defense adviser were detained for questioning and their offices searched as part of two separate probes into influence-peddling and disclosure of state secrets.
The searches sparked public anger and brought thousands of demonstrators onto the streets of Sofia to condemn the raids as an attack by the government and the prosecutor-general against Radev.
Radev responded two days later by calling on the government and the prosecutor-general to step down.
The searches came after Radev said the National Protection Service (NSO) -- which is responsible for guarding the president, prime minister, and other high officials -- should stop protecting Ahmed Dogan, the honorary chairman of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS).
Dogan is one of the most powerful people in Bulgaria. Many people consider his DPS, a largely ethnic minority Turkish party, to have control over the nation’s judiciary, including the prosecutor’s office.
Protesters were also angered when NSO members prevented people from going to a public beach located near Dogan’s summer residence on the Black Sea. Access to the beach was restored on July 11 under pressure from the center-right Democratic Bulgaria opposition.
The protests come amid rising political tension between Radev and the center-right government led by Borisov's GERB party ahead of general elections scheduled for March 2021.
Radev has often criticized Borisov's government for doing too little to uproot endemic corruption and has blasted prosecutors for cherry-picking their probes and colluding with the government.
Borisov, who has been prime minister almost without interruption since 2009, said at the weekend that his cabinet would not resign.


rferl--2020-07-13--Kyiv Court Eases Pretrial Restrictions For Suspect In Killing Of Journalist Pavel Sheremet

KYIV -- A Kyiv court has eased pretrial restrictions for one of the suspects in the high-profile 2016 killing of journalist Pavel Sheremet in the Ukrainian capital .
The Kyiv Court of Appeals on July 13 agreed to lift curfew restrictions for military paramedic Yana Duhar .
The court also said Duhar no longer needed to wear an electronic monitoring bracelet .
But the court said she is still banned from communicating with witnesses in the high-profile case and must be present when summoned by investigators or prosecutors .
The court on July 13 also remanded Andriy Antonenko , another @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suspect , Yulia Kuzmenko , a pediatric surgeon , is also being held in pretrial detention .
Vladyslav and Inna Hryshchenko , a married couple who are suspected in another unrelated case , have been declared persons of interest in the case .
All five took part in military operations in different capacities in Ukraine 's east , where government forces are fighting against Russia-backed separatists .
The Interior Ministry and the National Police said in December that the group 's goal was `` to destabilize the political and social situation in Ukraine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Belarusian-born Russian citizen who had made Kyiv his permanent home , was leaving his apartment to head to the studio where he hosted a morning radio program when an improvised explosive device planted under his vehicle exploded on July 20 , 2016 , killing him instantly .
Duhar , Antonenko , and Kuzmenko were arrested in December as suspects in the case .
Sheremet 's killing underscored concerns of a climate of impunity for attacks on journalists and others who challenge the authorities , while the government has faced persistent criticism over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the case .
In January , Ukrainian Prosecutor-General Ruslan Ryaboshapka said additional evidence was needed for the Sheremet murder case to go to trial .
Sheremet 's mother , Lyudmila Sheremet , told RFE/RL in December that she does not know if the suspects are guilty or not , but that she is afraid `` innocent people may be hurt '' as officials try to show they 're making headway in the case .

KYIV -- A Kyiv court has eased pretrial restrictions for one of the suspects in the high-profile 2016 killing of journalist Pavel Sheremet in the Ukrainian capital.
The Kyiv Court of Appeals on July 13 agreed to lift curfew restrictions for military paramedic Yana Duhar.
The court also said Duhar no longer needed to wear an electronic monitoring bracelet.
But the court said she is still banned from communicating with witnesses in the high-profile case and must be present when summoned by investigators or prosecutors.
The court on July 13 also remanded Andriy Antonenko, another suspect, in custody.
The third suspect, Yulia Kuzmenko, a pediatric surgeon, is also being held in pretrial detention.
Vladyslav and Inna Hryshchenko, a married couple who are suspected in another unrelated case, have been declared persons of interest in the case.
All five took part in military operations in different capacities in Ukraine's east, where government forces are fighting against Russia-backed separatists.
The Interior Ministry and the National Police said in December that the group's goal was "to destabilize the political and social situation in Ukraine" by killing Sheremet.
Sheremet, a Belarusian-born Russian citizen who had made Kyiv his permanent home, was leaving his apartment to head to the studio where he hosted a morning radio program when an improvised explosive device planted under his vehicle exploded on July 20, 2016, killing him instantly.
Duhar, Antonenko, and Kuzmenko were arrested in December as suspects in the case.
Sheremet's killing underscored concerns of a climate of impunity for attacks on journalists and others who challenge the authorities, while the government has faced persistent criticism over a perceived lack of progress in solving the case.
In January, Ukrainian Prosecutor-General Ruslan Ryaboshapka said additional evidence was needed for the Sheremet murder case to go to trial.
Sheremet's mother, Lyudmila Sheremet, told RFE/RL in December that she does not know if the suspects are guilty or not, but that she is afraid "innocent people may be hurt" as officials try to show they're making headway in the case.


rferl--2020-07-13--Deadly Clashes Along Azerbaijan-Armenia Border Enter Second Day Amid Calls For Restraint

Deadly border clashes between Armenia and Azerbaijan entered a second day , as the European Union and Russia urged restraint .
Azerbaijan ’ s Defense Ministry said three of its soldiers were killed on July 12 and one on July 13 , adding that both sides used artillery , mortars , and tanks in the northern area of their border .
The Armenian Foreign Ministry said the artillery fire from Azerbaijan `` receded '' later on July 13 , claiming Yerevan was `` fully controlling '' the situation .
`` Armenia 's political and military leadership will bear the entire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said on July 13 .
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian accused Azerbaijan of `` provocations '' that would `` not go unanswered . ''
In a statement on July 13 , the EU urged both sides to `` stop the armed confrontation , refrain from action and rhetoric that provoke tension , and undertake immediate measures to prevent further escalation . ''
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov held phone conversations with his Armenian and Azerbaijani counterparts , urging de-escalation .
Russia ’ s Foreign Ministry expressed `` serious concerns '' over the clashes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ region 's stability , '' urging the countries to `` show restraint . ''
The two neighbors have been locked in a conflict over Azerbaijan 's breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh for years .
But the clashes over the past two days were far from Nagorno-Karabakh and directly between the two nations , which occurs rarely .
The clashes came days after Aliyev raised the possibility of a new war with Armenia and denounced stalled peace talks .
On July 7 , Aliyev threatened to withdraw from negotiations `` if they yield no results @ @ @ @ @ @ @ details .
Mainly Armenian populated Nagorno-Karabakh declared independence from Azerbaijan amid a 1988-94 war that claimed an estimated 30,000 lives and displaced hundreds of thousands of people .
Since 1994 , it has been under the control of ethnic-Armenian forces that Azerbaijan says include troops supplied by Armenia .
The region 's claim to independence has not been recognized by any country .
Negotiations involving the Minsk Group of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe ( OSCE ) , co-chaired by Russia , the United States , and France , helped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which is not always honored , but have failed to produce a lasting settlement of the conflict .
With reporting by AFP 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--2020-07-13--Tajik Court Suspends Activities Of Independent Pollster Citing Violations Of Group's Charter

DUSHANBE -- A court in Dushanbe has suspended the operations of one of the few remaining independent pollsters in Tajikistan , the Zerkalo ( Mirror ) Center For Social Studies .
Deputy Justice Minister Asadullo Hakimzoda told reporters on July 13 that the Ismoili Somoni district court had suspended Zerkalo 's operations for two months .
Hakimzoda said that the court made the decision on the ministry 's request after Zerkalo `` failed to correct shortcomings , '' namely violations of its charter by the group 's leadership , including hiring people without the necessary documentation and making decisions without @ @ @ @ @ @ @ members of the organization .
Qahramon Baqozoda , Zerkalo 's director , told RFE/RL that the Justice Ministry 's move to suspend his organization 's operations `` might have been based on a misunderstanding , '' adding that his organization hires people by signing work contracts with all of them and requesting labor booklets from them , as required by law .
`` If some of future employees do not have labor booklets , we issue such booklets for them .
The Justice Ministry has checked us since 2010 and there have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
According to Baqozoda , the ministry 's last inspection was in late 2019 , after which it asked him `` to correct all violations '' and report back in one month .
`` Because we do n't have a lawyer , we submitted our report to the ministry in March , which was too late as the ministry had filed its request to suspend our operations by that time , '' Baqozoda said .
Hakimzoda told journalists that Zerkalo could be allowed to resume its operations if the ministry finds that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been operating in Tajikistan for almost 20 years .
Its numerous polls and surveys on various issues and developments in the Central Asian nation have always differed from surveys conducted by government or pro-government agencies .
Many experts in Tajikistan have said that Zerkalo 's surveys reflect the real situation in the country and some international organizations in their reports on Tajikistan use data collected by Zerkalo 's polls .

DUSHANBE -- A court in Dushanbe has suspended the operations of one of the few remaining independent pollsters in Tajikistan, the Zerkalo (Mirror) Center For Social Studies.
Deputy Justice Minister Asadullo Hakimzoda told reporters on July 13 that the Ismoili Somoni district court had suspended Zerkalo's operations for two months.
Hakimzoda said that the court made the decision on the ministry's request after Zerkalo "failed to correct shortcomings," namely violations of its charter by the group's leadership, including hiring people without the necessary documentation and making decisions without taking into account the opinions of other members of the organization.
Qahramon Baqozoda*, Zerkalo's director, told RFE/RL that the Justice Ministry's move to suspend his organization's operations "might have been based on a misunderstanding," adding that his organization hires people by signing work contracts with all of them and requesting labor booklets from them, as required by law.
"If some of future employees do not have labor booklets, we issue such booklets for them. The Justice Ministry has checked us since 2010 and there have been no problems before," Baqozoda said.
According to Baqozoda, the ministry's last inspection was in late 2019, after which it asked him "to correct all violations" and report back in one month.
"Because we don't have a lawyer, we submitted our report to the ministry in March, which was too late as the ministry had filed its request to suspend our operations by that time," Baqozoda said.
Hakimzoda told journalists that Zerkalo could be allowed to resume its operations if the ministry finds that the violations have been corrected.
Zerkalo has been operating in Tajikistan for almost 20 years. Its numerous polls and surveys on various issues and developments in the Central Asian nation have always differed from surveys conducted by government or pro-government agencies.
Many experts in Tajikistan have said that Zerkalo's surveys reflect the real situation in the country and some international organizations in their reports on Tajikistan use data collected by Zerkalo's polls.
*Qahramon Baqozoda is the brother of Khiramon Baqozoda, who works in RFE/RL's Tajik Service.


rferl--2020-07-13--Ex-Journalist Safronov Formally Indicted For High Treason By Russian Investigators

MOSCOW -- Investigators of the Federal Security Service have formally charged an aide to the chief of Russia 's Roskosmos space agency , journalist Ivan Safronov , with high treason .
Safronov 's lawyer Ivan Pavlov said his client was indicted on July 13 , adding that he reiterated his previous not guilty plea .
Moscow police on July 13 detained about 20 supporters of Safronov near the Lefortovo detention center in the Russian capital , where Safronov is being held .
Among the detained supporters of Safronov were a member of the journalists ' labor union , Sofia Rusova @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Karpenko , Olga Alenova , Alla Pugachyova , and Taisia Bekbulatova .
Safronov , who has worked since May as an adviser to Roskosmos head Dmitry Rogozin , is a prominent journalist who covered the military-industrial complex for the newspapers Kommersant and Vedomosti .
He was arrested on July 7 amid allegations that he had passed secret information to the Czech Republic in 2017 about Russian arms sales in the Middle East .
Safronov has rejected the accusations and many of his supporters have held pickets in Moscow and other cities , demanding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ issued statements demanding Safronov ’ s release and expressing concerns over the intensifying crackdown on dissent in Russia .
The chairman of the Union of Journalists of Russia , Vladimir Solovyov , said on July 13 that his organization will `` continue to closely monitor Safronov 's case '' With reporting by TASS and Interfax

MOSCOW -- Investigators of the Federal Security Service have formally charged an aide to the chief of Russia's Roskosmos space agency, journalist Ivan Safronov, with high treason.
Safronov's lawyer Ivan Pavlov said his client was indicted on July 13, adding that he reiterated his previous not guilty plea.
Moscow police on July 13 detained about 20 supporters of Safronov near the Lefortovo detention center in the Russian capital, where Safronov is being held.
Among the detained supporters of Safronov were a member of the journalists' labor union, Sofia Rusova, and reporters Pyotr Parkhomenko, Maria Karpenko, Olga Alenova, Alla Pugachyova, and Taisia Bekbulatova.
Safronov, who has worked since May as an adviser to Roskosmos head Dmitry Rogozin, is a prominent journalist who covered the military-industrial complex for the newspapers Kommersant and Vedomosti.
He was arrested on July 7 amid allegations that he had passed secret information to the Czech Republic in 2017 about Russian arms sales in the Middle East.
Safronov has rejected the accusations and many of his supporters have held pickets in Moscow and other cities, demanding his release.
Human rights organizations have issued statements demanding Safronov’s release and expressing concerns over the intensifying crackdown on dissent in Russia.
The chairman of the Union of Journalists of Russia, Vladimir Solovyov, said on July 13 that his organization will "continue to closely monitor Safronov's case"
With reporting by TASS and Interfax


rferl--2020-07-13--In About-Face, Russian Prosecutors Press Murder Charges Against Sisters Accused Of Killing Abusive F

In About-Face, Russian Prosecutors Press Murder Charges Against Sisters Accused Of Killing Abusive Father

MOSCOW -- Russian prosecutors have confirmed murder charges against three sisters accused of killing their abusive father in 2018 , the sisters ' defense team says , reversing their earlier calls for charges to be dropped and dealing a blow to women 's rights activists who see the case as a litmus test for Russia 's approach to domestic violence .
Attorney Aleksei Liptser , a member of the defense team , told RFE/RL on July 13 that the indictment had been finalized and the case would now go to trial .
In July 2018 , investigators say , Krestina @ @ @ @ @ @ @ then 19 , 18 , and 17 years old , respectively -- killed their father , Mikhail Khachaturyan , at their home in Moscow 's outskirts .
Materials gathered by investigators included substantial evidence of protracted sexual and physical abuse by Khachaturyan against his daughters .
The case has garnered widespread attention from Russian media and civil society and has pitted defenders of conservative values , backed by the Russian Orthodox Church , against women 's rights activists who have been calling for the introduction of legislation on domestic violence as a way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ justice and enabling their victims to plead self-defense .
In early December , investigators finalized their indictment against the three sisters and sent it to the prosecutor 's office to prepare for trial .
Krestina , Angelina , and Maria had acted with premeditation , it concluded , governed by `` a strong personal enmity toward their father '' due to continued physical and sexual abuse .
Later in December , Deputy Prosecutor-General Viktor Grin cited flaws in the investigation and asked officials to reclassify the sisters ' actions as self-defense , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be set free .
But last week , according to the defense team , Grin confirmed the original murder charges in an apparent volte-face , meaning the case will almost certainly go to trial .
`` Clearly , something has changed in his position during this period , '' Liptser , who represents Krestina , told state news agency TASS .
`` We now await the start of the trial . ''
'The Government Has Chosen Its Path ' Aleksei Parshin , who represents Angelina , denounced the latest development and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had preceded it .
`` The Investigative Committee did not follow prosecutor 's orders , but prosecutors shut their eyes to this and confirmed the indictment , '' he wrote on Facebook .
`` That is all one needs to know about the state of a [ government ] organ responsible for upholding the constitution and adherence to laws . ''
Mari Davtyan , another member of the sisters ' defense team , suggested that Grin 's reversal was an indication that the political climate in Russia has shifted since the July 1 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that were proposed and endorsed by Putin , and give him a path to extending his rule until 2036 .
Their official introduction on July 4 was followed by a series of arrests and prosecutions targeting Russian journalists and officials , prompting fears of a major crackdown on dissent by a government looking to shore up its power .
`` It 's impossible not to notice what is happening , '' Davtyan wrote on Facebook , responding to the latest twist in the Khachaturyan case .
`` The government has chosen its path @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trial for Krestina and Angelina Khachaturyan , looking to increase their chance of acquittal .
But Liptser said the trial would probably be closed to the public due to the nature of the alleged abuse of the sisters by their father .
This is a typical practice in Russia for cases that involve sexual harassment and other intimate information relating to defendants .
Maria Khachaturyan , who was 17 when the alleged crime took place , will be tried separately at a district-level court in the Russian capital , her lawyer Yaroslav Pakulin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ found her mentally unsound at the time of the crime , and she was recommended for psychological treatment .

MOSCOW -- Russian prosecutors have confirmed murder charges against three sisters accused of killing their abusive father in 2018, the sisters' defense team says, reversing their earlier calls for charges to be dropped and dealing a blow to women's rights activists who see the case as a litmus test for Russia's approach to domestic violence.
Attorney Aleksei Liptser, a member of the defense team, told RFE/RL on July 13 that the indictment had been finalized and the case would now go to trial.
In July 2018, investigators say, Krestina, Angelina, and Maria Khachaturyan -- then 19, 18, and 17 years old, respectively -- killed their father, Mikhail Khachaturyan, at their home in Moscow's outskirts. Materials gathered by investigators included substantial evidence of protracted sexual and physical abuse by Khachaturyan against his daughters.
The case has garnered widespread attention from Russian media and civil society and has pitted defenders of conservative values, backed by the Russian Orthodox Church, against women's rights activists who have been calling for the introduction of legislation on domestic violence as a way of bringing alleged perpetrators like Khachaturyan to justice and enabling their victims to plead self-defense.
In early December, investigators finalized their indictment against the three sisters and sent it to the prosecutor's office to prepare for trial. Krestina, Angelina, and Maria had acted with premeditation, it concluded, governed by "a strong personal enmity toward their father" due to continued physical and sexual abuse.
Later in December, Deputy Prosecutor-General Viktor Grin cited flaws in the investigation and asked officials to reclassify the sisters' actions as self-defense, which would pave the way for the women to be set free. But last week, according to the defense team, Grin confirmed the original murder charges in an apparent volte-face, meaning the case will almost certainly go to trial.
"Clearly, something has changed in his position during this period," Liptser, who represents Krestina, told state news agency TASS. "We now await the start of the trial."
'The Government Has Chosen Its Path'
Aleksei Parshin, who represents Angelina, denounced the latest development and the apparent conflict between prosecutors and investigators that had preceded it.
"The Investigative Committee did not follow prosecutor's orders, but prosecutors shut their eyes to this and confirmed the indictment," he wrote on Facebook. "That is all one needs to know about the state of a [government] organ responsible for upholding the constitution and adherence to laws."
Mari Davtyan, another member of the sisters' defense team, suggested that Grin's reversal was an indication that the political climate in Russia has shifted since the July 1 confirmation of controversial amendments to the constitution that were proposed and endorsed by Putin, and give him a path to extending his rule until 2036.
Their official introduction on July 4 was followed by a series of arrests and prosecutions targeting Russian journalists and officials, prompting fears of a major crackdown on dissent by a government looking to shore up its power.
"It's impossible not to notice what is happening," Davtyan wrote on Facebook, responding to the latest twist in the Khachaturyan case. "The government has chosen its path."
Attorneys have requested a jury trial for Krestina and Angelina Khachaturyan, looking to increase their chance of acquittal. But Liptser said the trial would probably be closed to the public due to the nature of the alleged abuse of the sisters by their father. This is a typical practice in Russia for cases that involve sexual harassment and other intimate information relating to defendants.
Maria Khachaturyan, who was 17 when the alleged crime took place, will be tried separately at a district-level court in the Russian capital, her lawyer Yaroslav Pakulin said. An assessment following the killing found her mentally unsound at the time of the crime, and she was recommended for psychological treatment.


rferl--2020-07-13--Protesters In Russia's Far East Demand Release Of Regional Governor Charged With Murders

KHABAROVSK , Russia -- Hundreds of demonstrators have continued to peacefully protest in Russia 's Far Eastern city of Khabarovsk , demanding the release of the region 's governor Sergei Furgal , who was arrested last week on charges of attempted murder and ordering the killings of two businessmen in 2004-2005 .
The protesters marched across the city on July 13 demanding Furgal 's release .
They had planned to hold a big gathering on the central Lenin Square , but local officials started washing the cobblestones and therefore the protesters decided to march across the city .
After police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for public transportation , the protesters began marching on sidewalks , holding posters saying `` We Are For Furgal , '' `` Freedom To Furgal , '' `` We Are The Power Here . ''
Some protesters chanted slogans against Russian President Vladimir Putin .
Other people were joining the protesters as they marched , while drivers of vehicles signaled their support .
The number of protesters was less than that at previous rallies , where tens of thousands gathered in support of Furgal over the weekend in Khabarovsk .
Following the rallies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ East Territory , Deputy Prime Minister Yury Trutnev , arrived in Khabarovsk and met with local authorities .
Reports in the Kommersant daily said Trutnev had accused local officials of organizing the mass protests over the weekend .
According to some estimates , as many as 35,000 people participated in the rallies .
After the meeting with local officials , Trutnev told reporters that he arrived to the region `` to check on the work of regional officials in the governor 's absence . ''
Trutnev said that law enforcement structures would not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reason , '' adding though that ordinary citizens `` have a right to express their opinions freely . ''
On July 12 , thousands of demonstrators in Khabarovsk , the capital of the Khabarovsk region , marched to the regional headquarters of the Federal Security Service ( FSB ) , chanting `` Free Furgal . ''
The street protests and angry political sentiment against the Kremlin were unusual given how far Khabarovsk is from the Russian capital and given how the Kremlin has marginalized all political opposition in the country .
The protests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ since a national vote that has set the stage for Putin to remain in power until 2036 .
Smaller rallies were also held in the military industrial city of Komsomolsk-on-Amur and other towns in the region .
On July 10 , a Moscow court ordered Furgal to be held in pretrial detention for two months .
The 50-year-old member of the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia ( LDPR ) , led by nationalist politician Vladimir Zhirinovsky , has pleaded not guilty to the attempted murder of businessman Aleksandr Smolsky and ordering the murders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Oleg Bulatov in 2004-2005 .
Zhirinovsky wrote on Telegram on July 13 that Furgal 's arrest was linked to his being a member of `` an opposition party [ and ] one of the five most popular regional governors in Russia . ''
In another post , Zhirinovsky wrote his party supports the protesters in Khabarovsk , but added that the LDPR would never call on people to take part in unsanctioned demonstrations .
Furgal won a surprise victory over the Kremlin favorite Vyacheslav Shport in 2018 in a major upset for the @ @ @ @ @

KHABAROVSK, Russia -- Hundreds of demonstrators have continued to peacefully protest in Russia's Far Eastern city of Khabarovsk, demanding the release of the region's governor Sergei Furgal, who was arrested last week on charges of attempted murder and ordering the killings of two businessmen in 2004-2005.
The protesters marched across the city on July 13 demanding Furgal's release. They had planned to hold a big gathering on the central Lenin Square, but local officials started washing the cobblestones and therefore the protesters decided to march across the city.
After police asked them not to block the streets for public transportation, the protesters began marching on sidewalks, holding posters saying "We Are For Furgal," "Freedom To Furgal," "We Are The Power Here."
Some protesters chanted slogans against Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Other people were joining the protesters as they marched, while drivers of vehicles signaled their support.
The number of protesters was less than that at previous rallies, where tens of thousands gathered in support of Furgal over the weekend in Khabarovsk.
Following the rallies, the presidential envoy to the Far East Territory, Deputy Prime Minister Yury Trutnev, arrived in Khabarovsk and met with local authorities.
Reports in the Kommersant daily said Trutnev had accused local officials of organizing the mass protests over the weekend. According to some estimates, as many as 35,000 people participated in the rallies.
After the meeting with local officials, Trutnev told reporters that he arrived to the region "to check on the work of regional officials in the governor's absence."
Trutnev said that law enforcement structures would not arrest Furgal "without a 100 percent reason," adding though that ordinary citizens "have a right to express their opinions freely."
On July 12, thousands of demonstrators in Khabarovsk, the capital of the Khabarovsk region, marched to the regional headquarters of the Federal Security Service (FSB), chanting "Free Furgal."
The street protests and angry political sentiment against the Kremlin were unusual given how far Khabarovsk is from the Russian capital and given how the Kremlin has marginalized all political opposition in the country. The protests were also the largest in the country since a national vote that has set the stage for Putin to remain in power until 2036.
Smaller rallies were also held in the military industrial city of Komsomolsk-on-Amur and other towns in the region.
On July 10, a Moscow court ordered Furgal to be held in pretrial detention for two months.
WATCH: Thousands March In Support Of Arrested Khabarovsk Governor (July 11)
The 50-year-old member of the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia (LDPR), led by nationalist politician Vladimir Zhirinovsky, has pleaded not guilty to the attempted murder of businessman Aleksandr Smolsky and ordering the murders of two businessmen, Yevgeny Zorya and Oleg Bulatov in 2004-2005.
Zhirinovsky wrote on Telegram on July 13 that Furgal's arrest was linked to his being a member of "an opposition party [and] one of the five most popular regional governors in Russia."
In another post, Zhirinovsky wrote his party supports the protesters in Khabarovsk, but added that the LDPR would never call on people to take part in unsanctioned demonstrations.
Furgal won a surprise victory over the Kremlin favorite Vyacheslav Shport in 2018 in a major upset for the ruling United Russia party.
With reporting by Kommersant


rferl--2020-07-13--COVID-19:  Kazakhstan Holds National Day Of Mourning For Victims, Third Iranian Deputy Dies Of Virus

The global death toll from the coronavirus is over 570,000 , with more than 12.9 million infections confirmed , causing mass disruptions as governments continue to try to slow the spread of the respiratory illness .
Kazakhstan has extended its second coronavirus lockdown as the country observes a national day of mourning to honor victims of COVID-19 amid a spike of positive cases across Central Asia .
`` There are first signs now that the situation is beginning to improve , '' said President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev in a tweet on July 13 .
`` The next two weeks are important @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
National flags flew at half-staff , entertainment programs on television were suspended , and a minute of silence was held across the country at noon on July 13 , while special ceremonies for deceased COVID-19 patients were held at mosques churches , and synagogues .
Toqaev issued decrees posthumously giving national Hero of Labor awards to two Kazakh physicians , Oleg Isaev from the northern city of Kokshetau , and Qalikhan Qozbagharov from the northwestern city of Aqtobe .
Both physicians died of COVID-19 , which they contracted while treating coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ personnel have died of COVID-19 in Kazakhstan since mid-March , health authorities said .
As of July 13 , the number of coronavirus cases in Kazakhstan was reported to be 59,899 , including 375 deaths .
In Kyrgyzstan , police detained on July 13 at least six activists who demanded the postponement of upcoming parliamentary elections scheduled for October 4 .
The activists had planned to bring some 500 protesters to the front of the presidential office in Bishkek , but after the city authorities warned that due to coronavirus restrictions the crowd @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , only dozens turned up to the site on July 13 .
The activists also demanded that the government impose a state of emergency over the coronavirus and hold all officials who fail to curb the virus 's spread as responsible .
The protest came days after the office of Kyrgyz President Sooronbai Jeenbekov removed the president ’ s video statement on YouTube in which he addressed citizens calling them to unite in fighting the coronavirus in the country .
More than 4,000 Internet users disliked the July 9 video , adding comments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tackle the spread of the virus .
The video was removed from YouTube hours later and placed back the next day with the comments and like/dislike options switched off .
Nargiza Mansurova , the chief of the presidential office 's information policy department , told RFE/RL that the video was replaced with the comments option disabled because the majority of dislikes and `` destructive comments '' came from what she called `` fake accounts . ''
Kyrgyz health authorities said on July 13 , that the number of coronavirus cases in the country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
However , officials also say that since March,452 individuals whose coronavirus tests had come back negative , died of pneumonia .
In Uzbekistan , where a second three-week lockdown was imposed on July 10 to slow the spread of the coronavirus , health authorities announced a list of special centers for COVID-19 tests that have started functioning In Tashkent , the capital .
According to the latest official data , the number of coronavirus cases in Uzbekistan has reached 12,855 , including 59 deaths .
In Tajikistan , as of July 12 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reported as 6,522 , including 55 deaths .
However , an investigative report by RFE/RL ’ s Tajik Service last month revealed that the real number of lethal cases of COVID-19 in the country might be several hundreds .
Turkmenistan is the only country in the region that did not officially register any coronavirus cases , but RFE/RL correspondents have reported that local hospitals have been overwhelmed with patients with pneumonia symptoms , some of whom , including medical personnel , have died .
In some parts of the country , so-called quarantine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ facilities are being shut down , RFE/RL correspondents report .
On July 6 , a long-delayed mission from the World Health Organization arrived in the country with a 10-day visit to assess the situation and work with Turkmen officials to prevent any spread of the coronavirus in the country .
An Iranian lawmaker has died from the coronavirus , state media reported .
Issa Jafari is the third member of parliament to die of COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic in February .
The 59-year-old 's death was confirmed on July 13 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agency .
Fatemeh Rahbar , a lawmaker from the capital Tehran , and Mohammad Ali Ramezani , a lawmaker from northern Gilan Province , were two other lawmakers who died after contracting COVID-19 .
Parliamentary Speaker Ali Larijani tested positive in April but has since recovered .
On July 13 , Iran 's Health Ministry reported a total of 13,032 deaths and 259,652 cases from the coronavirus .
Iran is one of the world 's worst-hit countries , and there are concerns that the actual figures are much higher .
Since the easing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have increasingly been ignored , leading to a sharp rise in positive cases .
The Armenian government on July 13 moved to extend its state of emergency by another month due to the continuing coronavirus crisis in the country .
This is the fourth time Armenia , which has one of the highest coronavirus infection rates in the world , has extended the state of emergency that was first declared in March .
The state of emergency allows authorities to enforce the mandatory wearing of face masks in public areas as well as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government meeting , Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian said that Armenia ’ s current legislation leaves no other option for the government to continue to fight the outbreak in an effective way .
“ The constitution of our country requires that emergency measures be taken in case of threats to public health , but besides the state of emergency we have no other effective instrument .
Consequently , if we do not extend the state of emergency , our anti-epidemic package of measures will lose its force de jure .
That ’ s why @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Pashinian said .
However , Pashinian said that his government plans legislative changes that will make it possible to continue to fight the virus beyond August 12 without again extending the state of emergency .
`` We understand that the state of emergency can not and should not be extended indefinitely , and we have decided that a legislative package will be drafted in the meantime to enable us to use these instruments [ against the outbreak ] not under an extended state of emergency , but under an emergency situation which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ terms of restrictions and will focus on anti-epidemic measures , ” Pashinian said .
The extension of the state of emergency is scheduled to be discussed in parliament where Pashinian ’ s My Step bloc has a commanding majority .
Armenia , a country of about 3 million , has more than 32,000 confirmed cases so far .
The official COVID-19 death toll stands at 573 as of July 13 .
The figure does not include 183 deaths that the Armenian Health Ministry says have been caused by preexisting conditions .
With reporting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Armenian , Kazakh , Kyrgyz , Uzbek , Tajik , and Turkmen services , and dpa


rferl--2020-07-13--Taliban Attack On Intelligence Agency Office Kills At Least 11, Wounds Dozens In North Afghanistan

A major Taliban attack on the offices of Afghanistan ’ s main intelligence agency has killed at least 11 security personnel and wounded dozens of others , mostly civilians .
A group of militants detonated a car bomb at the entrance of the National Security Directorate ( NDS ) offices in Aybak , the capital of the northern province of Samangan , and then stormed the building .
Provincial Governor Abdul Latif Ibrahimi told RFE/RL that the ensuing hours-long gunbattle ended with the death of all four attackers .
Ibrahimi said all 11 government personnel killed in the clashes were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 63 people , mostly civilians , were wounded in the attack .
Mohammad Hashim Sarwari , deputy chief for the provincial council , said a suicide car bomber targeted the NDS office and the blast was a signal for other Taliban fighters to storm the building .
The Taliban routinely stages such complex attacks on government targets in urban centers .
Zabihullah Mujahid , a Taliban spokesman , claimed both the bombing and the subsequent attack .
The attack came as the Taliban intensified attacks in northern Afghanistan .
On July 12 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Province , killing at least 14 members of the Afghan security forces , according to Esmatullah Muradi , a spokesman for the provincial governor .
Overnight , local officials also accused the Taliban of attacking several security checkpoints , killing seven personnel in the northeastern province of Badakhshan and four in the northern province of Parwan .
A peace deal signed by the Taliban and the United States in February calls for direct negotiations between the militant group and the Western-backed government in Kabul aimed at putting an end to the nearly two-decade-old @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government forces have been exchanging accusations over a recent surge in attacks across Afghanistan -- even as efforts continue to try and bring about the start of direct peace talks between Kabul and the militants .
Mujahid on July 12 accused the government of delaying the start of talks , saying the militant group was `` left with no option but to continue the war . ''
President Ashraf Ghani warned on July 6 that the spike in violence posed a `` serious '' threat to the peace process with the Taliban .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ AP , and AFP


rferl--2020-07-13--Kosovo's Thaci Questioned By War-Crimes Prosecutors At The Hague

Kosovar President Hashim Thaci has faced questioning by international war-crimes prosecutors at The Hague .
The Kosovo Specialist Chambers ( SPO ) announced on June 24 that Thaci and other prominent Kosovars were the subject of an indictment on suspicion of serious crimes including `` nearly 100 murders , '' enforced disappearances , and torture .
Thaci was a top commander of the Kosovo Liberation Army ( UCK ) , which fought a guerrilla war for independence from Serbia in the 1990s .
Thaci was quizzed for around six hours at the SPO on July 13 .
As he left @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would also be questioned on July 14 .
Thaci said there were “ exchanges over various technicalities ” between his lawyer Pierre Richard Prosper and the war-crimes prosecutors about `` explanatory , technical issues . ''
He added that the questioning also covered the UCK .
The prosecutors did not provide any details about the questioning .
`` Today I am here out of respect for what I dreamed and fought for .
A free , independent Kosovo based on equal rights , a multiethnic society based on the rule of law , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the day at the Specialist Prosecutor 's Office ( SPO ) on July 13 .
`` Nobody can rewrite history , '' Thaci added .
`` This is the price for freedom .
I believe in peace , truth , reconciliation and justice .
I believe in dialogue and good relations with all nations . ''
Several dozen Thaci supporters congregated outside the court for his arrival , chanting his name , holding up Kosovo flags , and waving banners .
On July 8 , Thaci said on Facebook that he would go @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the SPO to be interviewed .
He said many former combatants have been interviewed by the SPO inside and outside of Kosovo in the past two years .
“ While my compatriots as well as me will face international justice with dignity and integrity , I call upon you to stand united in dealing with the challenges that our country is facing , ” Thaci said on Facebook .
A pretrial judge in the SPO has yet to decide whether to put Thaci and the others on trial or throw out the case @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he is tried , he will immediately resign and face the accusations .
Thaci ’ s indictment forced the cancellation of U.S.-sponsored talks scheduled to take place last month at the White House between Kosovar and Serbian leaders .
But the European Union appears to have breathed new life into long-stalled EU-sponsored talks , announcing on July 12 that they were “ back on track ” after a video meeting between Kosovar Prime Minister Avdullah Hoti and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic mediated by EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell .
EU special envoy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the meeting , said Vucic and Hoti are scheduled to meet again , this time face to face , in Brussels on July 16 .
Kosovo , a former province of Serbia , declared independence in 2008 in a move rejected by Belgrade .
Five of the EU ’ s 27 countries -- Romania , Cyprus , Greece , Slovakia , and Spain -- also don ’ t recognize Kosovo ’ s independence , and statehood remains the biggest stumbling block .
EU-mediated negotiations between Pristina and Belgrade broke down in 2018 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and after Kosovo imposed a 100 percent tax on Serbian imports .
Both Kosovo and Serbia , which aspire to join the EU , have been facing mounting pressure from the West to reboot negotiations .
With reporting by AP and AFP