rferl--2020-06-25--Azerbaijani Journalist Convicted Of Hooliganism In ‘Trumped-Up’ Case

Reporters Without Borders ( RSF ) is urging Azerbaijan to quash last week ’ s conviction against reporter Tezehan Miralamli , calling him the `` latest victim '' of the government ’ s practice of fabricating cases against critical journalists .
`` What with arrests , physical attacks and jailing family members , the authorities have been harassing Tezehan Miralamli for eight years for his reporting and his political views , '' Jeanne Cavelier , the head of RSF ’ s Eastern Europe and Central Asia desk , said in a statement on June 25 .
A court in Baku @ @ @ @ @ @ @ works for Azerbaijan 's only remaining opposition newspaper , Azadlig , guilty of `` hooliganism '' for hitting what RSF described as `` an alleged blogger who was clearly used by the authorities '' during an altercation in February .
Miralamli was sentenced to wear an electronic bracelet and stay at home every night from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. for the next 12 months .
He said the restrictions imposed on him would obstruct his reporting by preventing him from covering night-time events or events outside the capital .
Cavelier asked the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against Miralamli and urged the Council of Europe ’ s Commissioner for Human Rights , Dunja Mijatovic , to `` condemn the use of trumped-up charges '' against journalists critical of the government .
She also said that the Council of Europe ’ s Committee of Ministers should `` condition Azerbaijan 's participation in its institutions on respect for its obligations and undertakings . ''
In 2015 and 2016 , the European Court of Human Rights ( ECHR ) ruled against Azerbaijan in two cases involving Miralamli that were not directly linked to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year , the reporter was detained by the police for several hours after interviewing the head of the opposition Popular Front Party , Ali Karimli .
Azerbaijan ranks 168th out of 180 countries in RSF 's 2020 World Press Freedom Index .
The country 's leading critical media outlets have been silenced or have had to relocate abroad , the main independent websites are blocked , and at least five journalists are currently in behind bars , according to RSF .

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) is urging Azerbaijan to quash last week’s conviction against reporter Tezehan Miralamli, calling him the "latest victim" of the government’s practice of fabricating cases against critical journalists.
"What with arrests, physical attacks and jailing family members, the authorities have been harassing Tezehan Miralamli for eight years for his reporting and his political views," Jeanne Cavelier, the head of RSF’s Eastern Europe and Central Asia desk, said in a statement on June 25.
A court in Baku on June 19 found Miralamli, who works for Azerbaijan's only remaining opposition newspaper, Azadlig, guilty of "hooliganism" for hitting what RSF described as "an alleged blogger who was clearly used by the authorities" during an altercation in February.
Miralamli was sentenced to wear an electronic bracelet and stay at home every night from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. for the next 12 months.
He said the restrictions imposed on him would obstruct his reporting by preventing him from covering night-time events or events outside the capital.
Cavelier asked the Azerbaijani judicial system to drop the charges against Miralamli and urged the Council of Europe’s Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatovic, to "condemn the use of trumped-up charges" against journalists critical of the government.
She also said that the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers should "condition Azerbaijan's participation in its institutions on respect for its obligations and undertakings."
In 2015 and 2016, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruled against Azerbaijan in two cases involving Miralamli that were not directly linked to his journalistic activities.
In April this year, the reporter was detained by the police for several hours after interviewing the head of the opposition Popular Front Party, Ali Karimli.
Azerbaijan ranks 168th out of 180 countries in RSF's 2020 World Press Freedom Index.
The country's leading critical media outlets have been silenced or have had to relocate abroad, the main independent websites are blocked, and at least five journalists are currently in behind bars, according to RSF.


rferl--2020-06-25--Kazakh Health Minister Replaced As Coronavirus Cases Surge

NUR-SULTAN -- Kazakh President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev has replaced the Central Asian nation 's health minister amid a surge in coronavirus cases and renewed lockdowns .
Toqaev on June 25 relieved Health Minister Elzhan Birtanov , who is being treated for COVID-19 , of his duties and appointed Aleksei Tsoi as his replacement .
The reshuffle at the Health Ministry comes a week after 79-year-old former Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbaev , who continues to wield influence in the country after his sudden resignation last year , tested positive for the coronavirus .
The former president was only the latest top official @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including the chairman of the parliament 's lower chamber , Nurlan Nyghmatulin , presidential spokesman Berik Uali , and several other government figures .
Prime Minister Asqar Mamin and four members of his government are now self-isolating as a precautionary measure .
Kazakhstan imposed a state of emergency over the pandemic on March 16 and lifted it on May 11 .
But in response to a surge in cases and hospitalizations the government has now again locked down several towns and introduced new health measures .
According to the latest official data , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and 136 deaths , although both figures are believed to be higher .

NUR-SULTAN -- Kazakh President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev has replaced the Central Asian nation's health minister amid a surge in coronavirus cases and renewed lockdowns.
Toqaev on June 25 relieved Health Minister Elzhan Birtanov, who is being treated for COVID-19, of his duties and appointed Aleksei Tsoi as his replacement.
The reshuffle at the Health Ministry comes a week after 79-year-old former Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbaev, who continues to wield influence in the country after his sudden resignation last year, tested positive for the coronavirus.
The former president was only the latest top official to test positive for the coronavirus, including the chairman of the parliament's lower chamber, Nurlan Nyghmatulin, presidential spokesman Berik Uali, and several other government figures.
Prime Minister Asqar Mamin and four members of his government are now self-isolating as a precautionary measure.
Kazakhstan imposed a state of emergency over the pandemic on March 16 and lifted it on May 11.
But in response to a surge in cases and hospitalizations the government has now again locked down several towns and introduced new health measures.
According to the latest official data, Kazakhstan registered more than 31,000 coronavirus infections and 136 deaths, although both figures are believed to be higher.


rferl--2020-06-25--Hungarian Foreign Minister Visits Kyiv Ahead Of Planned Orban-Zelenskiy Summit In July

KYIV – The Ukrainian and Hungarian foreign ministers have met for the second time in less that a month as the two neighboring states seek to overcome an impasse over a restrictive language law in Ukraine .
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba and his Hungarian counterpart , Peter Szijjarto , met in Kyiv on June 25 as they chaired a session of the Ukrainian-Hungarian Economic Cooperation Commission .
After the talks , Kuleba said that officials from both countries will meet to discuss Ukraine 's controversial language law before a summit between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and Hungarian Prime Minister @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in July as scheduled .
The minister said the sides planned to sign a memorandum during the summit that will `` cover the whole range of issues concerning our bilateral cooperation . ''
On May 29 , Kuleba travelled to Budapest where he and Szijjarto discussed , among other things , the Ukrainian language law , which Hungary says restricts the right of Ukraine 's ethnic Hungarian minority of approximately 125,000 people to be educated in their native language .
Budapest has been blocking NATO initiatives aimed at building closer ties with Ukraine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the law that emphasizes the instruction of Ukrainian in publicly funded schools and curtails the teaching of minority languages such as Romanian , Russian , and Hungarian .
Ukraine ’ s ethnic minorities and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe ( PACE ) have criticized the law , which PACE said `` does not appear to strike an appropriate balance between the official language and the languages of national minorities . ''

KYIV – The Ukrainian and Hungarian foreign ministers have met for the second time in less that a month as the two neighboring states seek to overcome an impasse over a restrictive language law in Ukraine.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba and his Hungarian counterpart, Peter Szijjarto, met in Kyiv on June 25 as they chaired a session of the Ukrainian-Hungarian Economic Cooperation Commission.
After the talks, Kuleba said that officials from both countries will meet to discuss Ukraine's controversial language law before a summit between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban can take place in Kyiv in July as scheduled.
The minister said the sides planned to sign a memorandum during the summit that will "cover the whole range of issues concerning our bilateral cooperation."
On May 29, Kuleba travelled to Budapest where he and Szijjarto discussed, among other things, the Ukrainian language law, which Hungary says restricts the right of Ukraine's ethnic Hungarian minority of approximately 125,000 people to be educated in their native language.
Budapest has been blocking NATO initiatives aimed at building closer ties with Ukraine since the country in September 2017 adopted the law that emphasizes the instruction of Ukrainian in publicly funded schools and curtails the teaching of minority languages such as Romanian, Russian, and Hungarian.
Ukraine’s ethnic minorities and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) have criticized the law, which PACE said "does not appear to strike an appropriate balance between the official language and the languages of national minorities."


rferl--2020-06-25--Rights Groups Say Iran's State TV Aired 355 Confessions Extracted Under Duress Over A Decade

A joint report by two rights organizations accuses Iran 's state-controlled television of airing the forced confessions of at least 355 individuals between 2009 and 2019 to create fear and repress dissent .
The report , released on June 25 by the London-based Justice for Iran ( JFI ) and the Paris-based International Federation For Human Rights , highlights the Islamic republic ’ s long-standing practice of forcing detainees to confess to charges dictated to them by their interrogators and the involvement of state TV in the production and broadcast of the coerced statements .
The report says Iran 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a `` means of mass suppression '' that in collaboration with the Intelligence Ministry and the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps ( IRGC ) , is actively involved in human rights violations .
`` IRIB is not simply a media organization and by no means an independent one , but rather an organ of state suppression that uses the tools of mass communication , '' the report says .
Former detainees and others have outlined in the report details of how they were coached by state television reporters to read from whiteboards .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the process was repeated until the interrogators or IRIB reporters were satisfied that the detainee had answered the questions in a 'natural ' manner , '' the report said .
Some recounted being beaten , threatened with sexual violence , and having their loved ones used against them to extract false testimonies later aired on state television news segments , magazines , and programs that masqueraded as documentaries , the report said .
Women ’ s rights activist Farzaneh Jalali told JFI that personal photos of her with her boyfriend were frequently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on her while Swedish-Iranian scholar Ahmadreza Jalali wrote in a letter from prison that his interrogators threatened that they would arrest and hurt his two small children if he refused to make an on-camera confession .
Washington sanctioned a bank supporting IRIB in November 2018 .
It had already imposed sanctions on the broadcaster 's director , Abdulali Ali-Asgari , in May of that year .
The U.S. Treasury says IRIB `` routinely broadcasts false news reports and propaganda , including forced confessions of political detainees . ''
U.S. prosecutors allege that an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Force intelligence analyst for the IRGC .
The June 25 report said the international community should recognize that the broadcast of forced confessions and defamatory content could constitute a form of torture while urging foreign states to adopt laws to prosecute those responsible .
JFI Co-Director Mohammad Nayyeri called on the European Union to suspend the entry of IRIB-affiliated officials and reporters into Europe , as well as their operations , until the practice is stopped .
`` Iran has long escaped responsibility for coercing forced confessions , '' Nayyeri said .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ airing programs that are the product of torture and intimidation , IRIB reporters freely travel and operate in Europe without any consequences , '' he said .
Iranian officials have not publicly reacted to the report .

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


rferl--2020-06-25--COVID-19: WHO Mission Hopes To Visit 'Virus-Free' Turkmenistan; Kyrgyzstan Considering Renewed State

COVID-19: WHO Mission Hopes To Visit 'Virus-Free' Turkmenistan; Kyrgyzstan Considering Renewed State Of Emergency

The global death toll from the coronavirus is over 480,000 , with more than 9.5 million infections confirmed , causing mass disruptions as governments continue to try to slow the spread of the respiratory illness .
Secretive Turkmenistan has approved a World Health Organization ( WHO ) mission to the country as it grapples with coronavirus infections that the government says do n't officially exist .
A spokesperson from the UN health body told RFE/RL that a long-delayed mission to the Central Asian state is expected to occur in early July .
`` The mission has been approved and WHO @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the past weeks to overcome logistical challenges to reach the country , '' the spokesperson said .
`` We are hoping to get the WHO team on the ground in early July . ''
In early May , the WHO was forced to cancel a much-anticipated visit to Turkmenistan after failing to receive an official invitation .
Turkmenistan has not reported any COVID-19 cases , even as there are signs that the pandemic is sweeping through the population .
Doctors in the country are not allowed to talk about the coronavirus , face @ @ @ @ @ @ @ punished for talking about the global pandemic .
Medics who were not authorized to publicly discuss the situation told RFE/RL this week that the outbreak is getting `` out of control , '' with new cases being recorded in almost all regions .
Meanwhile , the authorities have set up several quarantine zones around the country and taken other measures in a bid to prevent the spread of what officials call `` infectious diseases . ''
Borders were shut down , flyers distributed urging people to stay vigilant against unnamed respiratory illnesses , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and bus stops .
Authoritarian Turkmenistan is one of the world ’ s most closed countries , with litte or no independent media or freedom of information .
Kyrgyzstan 's Health Ministry says the government in Bishkek will decide on June 25 whether to declare a state of emergency in two major cities and two provinces due to the resurgent coronavirus outbreak .
Deputy Health Minister Madamin Karatayev said on June 25 that the government was particularly concerned about Bishkek , Kyrgyzstan 's second-biggest city of Osh , and the provinces of Osh @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of emergency that ended in May , Kyrgyzstan locked down several cities and districts -- including the capital Bishkek , where a curfew had been imposed .
Kyrgyz President Sooronbai Jeenbekov missed a June 24 parade in Moscow commemorating the end of World War II because two other people aboard his flight to the Russian capital tested positive for COVID-19 upon their arrival .
Jeenbekov 's office told RFE/RL 's Kyrgyz Service that the head of the presidential office 's foreign-policy unit , Daniyar Sydykov , and a bodyguard had tested positive for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jeenbekov 's office said that the COVID-19 test he took on his trip was negative .
But it said Jeenbekov still would self-isolate and work remotely .
Karatayev said on June 25 that authorities also are considering temporarily closing the shared headquarters of the president and parliament in Bishkek .
According to a global tally maintained by Johns Hopkins University , Kyrgyz authorities had confirmed a total of 3,726 coronavirus infections in the country as of June 25 -- including 43 deaths .
Ukraine ’ s health minister has said that more hospitals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ institutions initially chosen to accept patients no longer have enough beds to cope with a surge in infections .
Ukraine has nearly 40,000 confirmed cases and over 1,000 deaths .
Menwhile , The WHO ’ s Europe region continues to report close to 20,000 new cases and over 700 new deaths daily .
WHO Regional Director for Europe Hans Kluge said on June 25 that warnings about the risk of a resurgence of the virus as countries ease restriction measures have `` now become a reality . ''
`` Thirty countries/territories have seen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ past two weeks , '' he said .
The 11 countries facing accelerated transmission are : Armenia , Sweden , Moldova , North Macedonia , Azerbaijan , Kazakhstan , Albania , Bosnia-Herzegovina , Kyrgyzstan , Ukraine , and Kosovo .
With reporting by RFE/RL 's Kyrgyz Service and Reuters

The global death toll from the coronavirus is over 480,000, with more than 9.5 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.
Turkmenistan
Secretive Turkmenistan has approved a World Health Organization (WHO) mission to the country as it grapples with coronavirus infections that the government says don't officially exist.
A spokesperson from the UN health body told RFE/RL that a long-delayed mission to the Central Asian state is expected to occur in early July.
"The mission has been approved and WHO and the Turkmenistan government have worked in the past weeks to overcome logistical challenges to reach the country," the spokesperson said. "We are hoping to get the WHO team on the ground in early July."
In early May, the WHO was forced to cancel a much-anticipated visit to Turkmenistan after failing to receive an official invitation.
Turkmenistan has not reported any COVID-19 cases, even as there are signs that the pandemic is sweeping through the population.
Doctors in the country are not allowed to talk about the coronavirus, face masks are banned, and citizens are punished for talking about the global pandemic.
Medics who were not authorized to publicly discuss the situation told RFE/RL this week that the outbreak is getting "out of control," with new cases being recorded in almost all regions.
Meanwhile, the authorities have set up several quarantine zones around the country and taken other measures in a bid to prevent the spread of what officials call "infectious diseases."
Borders were shut down, flyers distributed urging people to stay vigilant against unnamed respiratory illnesses, and regular disinfections began of public buildings and bus stops.
Authoritarian Turkmenistan is one of the world’s most closed countries, with litte or no independent media or freedom of information.
Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyzstan's Health Ministry says the government in Bishkek will decide on June 25 whether to declare a state of emergency in two major cities and two provinces due to the resurgent coronavirus outbreak.
Deputy Health Minister Madamin Karatayev said on June 25 that the government was particularly concerned about Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan's second-biggest city of Osh, and the provinces of Osh and Chu.
Under the previous state of emergency that ended in May, Kyrgyzstan locked down several cities and districts -- including the capital Bishkek, where a curfew had been imposed.
Kyrgyz President Sooronbai Jeenbekov missed a June 24 parade in Moscow commemorating the end of World War II because two other people aboard his flight to the Russian capital tested positive for COVID-19 upon their arrival.
Jeenbekov's office told RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service that the head of the presidential office's foreign-policy unit, Daniyar Sydykov, and a bodyguard had tested positive for the coronavirus.
On June 25, Jeenbekov's office said that the COVID-19 test he took on his trip was negative. But it said Jeenbekov still would self-isolate and work remotely.
Karatayev said on June 25 that authorities also are considering temporarily closing the shared headquarters of the president and parliament in Bishkek.
According to a global tally maintained by Johns Hopkins University, Kyrgyz authorities had confirmed a total of 3,726 coronavirus infections in the country as of June 25 -- including 43 deaths.
Ukraine
Ukraine’s health minister has said that more hospitals will open to coronavirus cases as the institutions initially chosen to accept patients no longer have enough beds to cope with a surge in infections.
Ukraine has nearly 40,000 confirmed cases and over 1,000 deaths.
Menwhile, The WHO’s Europe region continues to report close to 20,000 new cases and over 700 new deaths daily.
WHO Regional Director for Europe Hans Kluge said on June 25 that warnings about the risk of a resurgence of the virus as countries ease restriction measures have "now become a reality."
"Thirty countries/territories have seen increases in new cumulative cases over the past two weeks," he said.
The 11 countries facing accelerated transmission are: Armenia, Sweden, Moldova, North Macedonia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kyrgyzstan, Ukraine, and Kosovo.
With reporting by RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service and Reuters


rferl--2020-06-26--Indicted Kosovar President Accuses International Judiciary Of Attempt To 'Rewrite History'

Kosovar President Hashim Thaci , indicted this week for war crimes and crimes against humanity , has accused the international justice system of attempting to rewrite history .
In his first comments since being indicted along with several others for offenses allegedly committed during or after the Kosovo conflict in the late 1990s , Thaci said on June 26 that he was returning to Kosovo after cutting short a trip to Washington and will address the nation in two days .
`` Nobody can rewrite the history of Kosovo , '' he wrote in both English and Albanian in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ province declared independence in 2008 -- a move Serbia , Russia , and a handful of European Union member states refuse to recognize .
Thaci was a commander of the Kosovo Liberation Army ( UCK ) , an ethnic Albanian guerrilla group that fought against Belgrade 's security forces in the 1998-99 war .
On June 24 , the Specialist Prosecutor ’ s Office ( SPO ) said in a statement that Thaci and other suspects were `` criminally responsible for nearly 100 murders , '' as well as the `` enforced disappearance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
The alleged crimes involved `` hundreds of known victims of Kosovo Albanian , Serb , Roma , and other ethnicities and include political opponents , '' according to the SPO .
Thaci has previously denied involvement in any war crimes .
The Kosovar president had been scheduled to meet with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic at the White House on June 27 for talks aimed at leading to a normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia .
Vucic said from Brussels on June 26 that Belgrade would show restraint in its response @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the most important thing is to be restrained .
We know terrible crimes have happened .
In everyting else , we have to show restraint and by it , we will be protecting Serbs in Kosovo from any kind of violence , incidents , and attacks , '' Vucic said .
A 10-count indictment against Thaci and several other unidentified suspects was filed with the Kosovo Specialist Chambers ( KSC ) in The Hague on April 24 , but the prosecutor only decided to unveil them publicly two months later .
Prosecutors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lengthy investigation '' and they were confident they can prove `` all charges beyond a reasonable doubt . ''
A KSC pretrial judge is currently reviewing the indictment to decide on whether to confirm the charges .
The prosecutor accused Thaci of repeated efforts `` to obstruct and undermine the work '' of the tribunal .
Kosovo was part of Serbia until an armed uprising by the ethnic Albanian majority population in 1998-99 triggered a Serbian crackdown .
The conflict ended following a 78-day NATO bombing campaign to force Serbian troops out of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 10,000 dead and over 1,600 are still unaccounted for .
The KSC was established in 2015 to investigate crimes committed during and after the war in Kosovo .

Kosovar President Hashim Thaci, indicted this week for war crimes and crimes against humanity, has accused the international justice system of attempting to rewrite history.
In his first comments since being indicted along with several others for offenses allegedly committed during or after the Kosovo conflict in the late 1990s, Thaci said on June 26 that he was returning to Kosovo after cutting short a trip to Washington and will address the nation in two days.
"Nobody can rewrite the history of Kosovo," he wrote in both English and Albanian in a post on Instagram.
The former Serbian province declared independence in 2008 -- a move Serbia, Russia, and a handful of European Union member states refuse to recognize.
Thaci was a commander of the Kosovo Liberation Army (UCK), an ethnic Albanian guerrilla group that fought against Belgrade's security forces in the 1998-99 war.
On June 24, the Specialist Prosecutor’s Office (SPO) said in a statement that Thaci and other suspects were "criminally responsible for nearly 100 murders," as well as the "enforced disappearance of persons, persecution, and torture."
The alleged crimes involved "hundreds of known victims of Kosovo Albanian, Serb, Roma, and other ethnicities and include political opponents," according to the SPO.
Thaci has previously denied involvement in any war crimes.
The Kosovar president had been scheduled to meet with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic at the White House on June 27 for talks aimed at leading to a normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia.
Vucic said from Brussels on June 26 that Belgrade would show restraint in its response to the news.
"For us, the most important thing is to be restrained. We know terrible crimes have happened. In everyting else, we have to show restraint and by it, we will be protecting Serbs in Kosovo from any kind of violence, incidents, and attacks," Vucic said.
A 10-count indictment against Thaci and several other unidentified suspects was filed with the Kosovo Specialist Chambers (KSC) in The Hague on April 24, but the prosecutor only decided to unveil them publicly two months later.
Prosecutors said the charges resulted from a "lengthy investigation" and they were confident they can prove "all charges beyond a reasonable doubt."
A KSC pretrial judge is currently reviewing the indictment to decide on whether to confirm the charges.
The prosecutor accused Thaci of repeated efforts "to obstruct and undermine the work" of the tribunal.
Kosovo was part of Serbia until an armed uprising by the ethnic Albanian majority population in 1998-99 triggered a Serbian crackdown.
The conflict ended following a 78-day NATO bombing campaign to force Serbian troops out of Kosovo.
The war left more than 10,000 dead and over 1,600 are still unaccounted for.
The KSC was established in 2015 to investigate crimes committed during and after the war in Kosovo.


rferl--2020-06-26--COVID-19: Kyrgyzstan Won't Reimpose State Of Emergency

The global death toll from the coronavirus is over 490,000 , with more than 9.6 million infections confirmed , causing mass disruptions as governments continue to try to slow the spread of the respiratory illness .
The government has decided not to reimpose a state of emergency over coronavirus despite a rise in cases in some cities .
Kyrgyz Deputy Health Minister Madamin Karataev said on June 26 that Prime Minister Kubatbek Boronov had recommended holding off on reimposing the state of emergency , though officials will increase sanitary and epidemiology controls in public places .
The idea of reintroducing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spike in coronavirus cases in the Central Asian country .
Under the previous state of emergency that ended in May , Kyrgyzstan locked down several cities and districts -- including the capital , Bishkek , where a curfew had been imposed .
President Sooronbai Jeenbekov missed a June 24 parade in Moscow commemorating the end of World War II because two people aboard his flight to the Russian capital tested positive for COVID-19 upon their arrival .
Jeenbekov 's office told RFE/RL that the head the presidential office 's foreign-policy unit , Daniyar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ positive for the coronavirus .
On June 25 , Jeenbekov 's office said that the COVID-19 test he took upon his trip was negative .
But it said Jeenbekov still would self-isolate and work remotely as a precaution .
Bishkek city authorities said on June 25 that all public transportation , including taxi services , will be suspended for the coming weekend -- June 27-28 .
According to the Bishkek mayor 's office , if the coronavirus situation continues to worsen , the capital may be locked down for 15 to 20 days @ @ @ @ @ @ @ total number of confirmed positive cases in Kyrgyzstan was 4,204 .
Of these , 2,162 people have been discharged from hospitals after treatment , while 43 people have passed away .

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


rferl--2020-06-26--Kazkah Police Detain Men Picketing Chinese Embassy Over Detained Relatives In Xinjiang

NUR-SULTAN -- Police have detained two men who staged separate pickets outside the Chinese Embassy in Kazakhstan 's capital , Nur-Sultan , demanding the release of relatives being held in custody in China 's northwestern Xinjiang region .
Aqiqat Qaliolla and Zhenis Zarqyn came to an area next to the embassy on June 26 with their hands and legs chained and posters on their bodies with portraits of family members .
Zarqyn chained himself to a metal fence near the embassy .
Both said their relatives are being held in so-called `` reeducation camps '' in Xinjiang and demanded that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forces came to the site and took the two men away shortly after they started their protest .
Many similar protests have taken place in Kazakhstan in recent months , with demonstrators demanding Kazakh authorities officially intervene in the situation faced by ethnic Kazakhs in Xinjiang .
In August 2018 , the United Nations said an estimated 1 million Uyghurs and members of other indigenous ethnic groups in the region were being held in `` counterextremism centers . ''
The UN said millions more had been forced into so-called `` reeducation camps .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ internment camps .
People who have fled the province say that thousands of ethnic Kazakhs , Uyghurs , and other Muslims in Xinjiang are undergoing `` political indoctrination '' at a network of camps .
Kazakhs are the second-largest Turkic-speaking indigenous community in Xinjiang after Uyghurs .
The region is also home to ethnic Kyrgyz , Tajiks , and Hui , also known as Dungans .
Han , China 's largest ethnicity , is the second-largest community in Xinjiang .

NUR-SULTAN -- Police have detained two men who staged separate pickets outside the Chinese Embassy in Kazakhstan's capital, Nur-Sultan, demanding the release of relatives being held in custody in China's northwestern Xinjiang region.
Aqiqat Qaliolla and Zhenis Zarqyn came to an area next to the embassy on June 26 with their hands and legs chained and posters on their bodies with portraits of family members. Zarqyn chained himself to a metal fence near the embassy.
Both said their relatives are being held in so-called "reeducation camps" in Xinjiang and demanded that Chinese authorities release them.
Special police forces came to the site and took the two men away shortly after they started their protest.
Many similar protests have taken place in Kazakhstan in recent months, with demonstrators demanding Kazakh authorities officially intervene in the situation faced by ethnic Kazakhs in Xinjiang.
'Reeducation Camps'
In August 2018, the United Nations said an estimated 1 million Uyghurs and members of other indigenous ethnic groups in the region were being held in "counterextremism centers."
The UN said millions more had been forced into so-called "reeducation camps." China denies that the facilities are internment camps.
People who have fled the province say that thousands of ethnic Kazakhs, Uyghurs, and other Muslims in Xinjiang are undergoing "political indoctrination" at a network of camps.
Kazakhs are the second-largest Turkic-speaking indigenous community in Xinjiang after Uyghurs. The region is also home to ethnic Kyrgyz, Tajiks, and Hui, also known as Dungans. Han, China's largest ethnicity, is the second-largest community in Xinjiang.


rferl--2020-06-26--U.S. Condemns Death Sentences Against Iranian Anti-Government Protesters

The United States has condemned an Iranian court ’ s decision to issue death sentences against three men who took part in anti-government protests last year .
Amir-Hossein Moradi , Saeed Tamjidi , and Mohammad Rajabi were sentenced to death in February in connection with acts of arson that took place during the protests against Iran ’ s government in November 2019 .
A statement tweeted by U.S. State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus on June 26 highlighted their plight , noting reports that they were denied attorneys and had been tortured into giving false confessions .
`` Iran must respect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Ortagus said .
After death sentences were issued against the three men , Amnesty International reported on February 28 that they `` were denied access to lawyers during the investigation phase and say they were tortured . ''
`` Moradi says he was coerced into giving a 'confession ' that was broadcast on state television and used as evidence to convict them , '' Amnesty International reported .
On June 25 , two other human rights organizations accused Iran ’ s state-controlled television of airing the forced confessions of at least 355 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to create fear and repress dissent .
That report by London-based Justice for Iran and the Paris-based International Federation For Human Rights highlighted Iran ’ s long-standing practice of forcing detainees to confess to charges dictated to them by their interrogators and using state television to produce and broadcast video of the forced confessions .
Their report says Iran ’ s state broadcaster , IRIB , has become a `` means of mass suppression '' that , in collaboration with the Intelligence Ministry and the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps ( IRGC ) , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` IRIB is not simply a media organization and by no means an independent one , but rather an organ of state suppression that uses the tools of mass communication , '' the rights groups said .
Washington sanctioned a bank supporting IRIB in November 2018 .
It had already imposed sanctions on the broadcaster 's director , Abdulali Ali-Asgari , in May of that year .
The U.S. Treasury says IRIB `` routinely broadcasts false news reports and propaganda , including forced confessions of political detainees . ''


rferl--2020-06-26--Iraqi Forces Raid Iranian-Backed Militia's HQ Near Baghdad

Iraqi security forces have raided the headquarters of an Iran-backed militia near Baghdad , seizing rockets and detaining more than a dozen pro-Iran fighters .
The militia group targeted was Kataib Hezbollah , also identified as Brigade 45 of the Hashed al-Shaabi military force , Iraqi government officials said on June 26 .
The country ’ s elite Counterterrorism Service ( CTS ) carried out raid , they said .
`` Based on intelligence information , a Counterterrorism Service unit raided a base used by Brigade 45 , seizing three rocket launchers and arresting 13 fighters , '' one of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Iraq 's new prime minister , Mustafa al-Kadhimi , has indicated that he will be tough on militia groups that target U.S. installations .
The raid , which the reports said took place early on June 25 , was the first carried out by Iraqi military forces against a group accused of targeting U.S. facilities .
Since October , nearly three dozen attacks have targeted U.S. interests in Iraq , including military bases , the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad , and U.S. oil companies .
The attacks have killed Iraqi , U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ United States has blamed Kataib Hezbollah for the attacks and has retaliated twice .
It also has pressured Baghdad to take tougher action against the group .
There was no immediate comment from Iraqi militia groups or from Iran .
One of the three leaders detained in the raid was an Iranian , a government official told Reuters .
The official said the three detained leaders were handed over to the U.S. military .
But a spokesman for the U.S.-led coalition in Iraq said he `` doubted '' that Iraqi authorities had handed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the United States killed top Iranian general Qassem Soleimani and Iraqi paramilitary chief Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis in a drone strike at Baghdad airport .
Based on reporting by AFP and Reuters


rferl--2020-06-26--Overall Turnout At 9.2 Percent On First Day Of Russia's Weeklong Constitutional Vote

Russia 's Central Electoral Commision ( CEC ) says overall turnout was about 9 percent on the first day of a weeklong vote for constitutional amendments that could pave the way for an extension of President Vladimir Putin ’ s rule by 12 years .
The CEC said on June 26 that just over 10 million voters casts ballots on June 25 , including remote online voting -- a first-day turnout representing 9.2 percent of all registered voters .
Turnout for online voting by residents of Moscow and the Nizhny Novgorod region was 52.8 percent of those who applied in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or about 618,200 ballots cast , election officials said .
Putin proposed the sweeping constitutional reforms earlier this year and insisted on putting it to a nationwide vote even though it was not required by law .
The plan has sparked sharp criticism from opposition members and human rights groups who call it nothing more than an attempt at a power grab by Putin .
Under current rules , Putin is forbidden from seeking a third consecutive six-year term .
But if the constitutional changes are approved , Putin 's presidential term-limit clock @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the way for him to run for reelection when his current term expires in 2024 , and again in 2030 .
There is no minimum turnout required to make the vote valid .
But analysts say the Kremlin fears a low turnout could undermine the perceived legitimacy of the constitutional changes .
Voting stations opened on June 25 for a week to help avoid crowds on July 1 , the day designated for the nationwide vote , as Russia continues to grapple with the coronavirus pandemic .
The vote already had to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ April 22 due to the virus outbreak .
Early voting has been allowed since June 10 for people who do n't have access to polling stations .
But journalists and opposition figures already are complaining about irregularities in the vote .
In one instance , Pavel Lobkov , a journalist and presenter on TV Rain ( Dozhd ) , said he voted at a Moscow polling station in the morning , then an hour later he was able to cast another ballot online because he had originally registered to participate that way .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Everything is filmed on video .
It is clear that in this way from each state employee there will be 30 votes in favor , ” Russian opposition leader Aleksei Navalny tweeted after Lobkov ’ s video appeared online .
With reporting by Reuters , Interfax , and TASS

Russia's Central Electoral Commision (CEC) says overall turnout was about 9 percent on the first day of a weeklong vote for constitutional amendments that could pave the way for an extension of President Vladimir Putin’s rule by 12 years.
The CEC said on June 26 that just over 10 million voters casts ballots on June 25, including remote online voting -- a first-day turnout representing 9.2 percent of all registered voters.
Turnout for online voting by residents of Moscow and the Nizhny Novgorod region was 52.8 percent of those who applied in advance for permission to vote remotely -- or about 618,200 ballots cast, election officials said.
Putin proposed the sweeping constitutional reforms earlier this year and insisted on putting it to a nationwide vote even though it was not required by law.
The plan has sparked sharp criticism from opposition members and human rights groups who call it nothing more than an attempt at a power grab by Putin.
Under current rules, Putin is forbidden from seeking a third consecutive six-year term.
But if the constitutional changes are approved, Putin's presidential term-limit clock will be reset to zero -- opening the way for him to run for reelection when his current term expires in 2024, and again in 2030.
There is no minimum turnout required to make the vote valid. But analysts say the Kremlin fears a low turnout could undermine the perceived legitimacy of the constitutional changes.
Voting stations opened on June 25 for a week to help avoid crowds on July 1, the day designated for the nationwide vote, as Russia continues to grapple with the coronavirus pandemic.
The vote already had to be postponed from its originally scheduled date of April 22 due to the virus outbreak. Early voting has been allowed since June 10 for people who don't have access to polling stations.
But journalists and opposition figures already are complaining about irregularities in the vote.
In one instance, Pavel Lobkov, a journalist and presenter on TV Rain (Dozhd), said he voted at a Moscow polling station in the morning, then an hour later he was able to cast another ballot online because he had originally registered to participate that way.
“Case closed…The system counted two votes. Everything is filmed on video. It is clear that in this way from each state employee there will be 30 votes in favor,” Russian opposition leader Aleksei Navalny tweeted after Lobkov’s video appeared online.
With reporting by Reuters, Interfax, and TASS


rferl--2020-06-26--Moscow Court Finds Russian Director Serebrennikov Guilty On Fraud Charge He Denies

MOSCOW -- A Moscow court has found acclaimed theater and film director Kirill Serebrennikov guilty on embezzlement charges he denies .
The Meshchansky District Court handed down the verdict on June 26 .
The proceedings continue and sentencing is expected to follow in the coming hours .
The court also found two other defendants , theater producers Yury Itin and Aleksei Malobrodsky , guilty in the high profile case .
Judge Olesya Mendeleyeva said that the fourth defendant , a former employee of the Culture Ministry , Sofia Apfelbaum , was not aware of the embezzlement .
However , Mendeleyeva @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Prosecutor Mikhail Reznichenko said at the trial that it had been proven Serebrennikov and other defendants in the case had embezzled almost 129 million rubles ( more than $ 1.86 million ) .
He has asked the court to sentence the director to six years in prison .
The 50-year-old Serebrennikov and the three other people are accused of embezzling state funds that were granted from 2011 to 2014 to Seventh Studio , a nonprofit organization established by Serebrennikov , for a project called Platforma .
Serebrennikov has taken part in anti-government protests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Russian Orthodox Church .
His arrest in August 2017 drew international attention and prompted accusations that Russian authorities were targeting cultural figures who are at odds with President Vladimir Putin and his government .

MOSCOW -- Acclaimed Russian theater and film director Kirill Serebrennikov and his co-defendants have been found guilty and handed suspended prison sentences on embezzlement charges in a case that critics say is politically motivated and meant to send a chilling message to potential government critics.
The Meshchansky district court on June 26 gave Serebrennikov a suspended, three-year prison term and fined him 800,000 rubles ($11,500).
Serebrennikov was also given three years of probation and ordered to keep his permanent address throughout that time.
"The court believes that the defendants can be reformed without being isolated from society," Judge Olesya Mendeleyeva said when pronouncing the ruling.
Serebrennikov has been hailed as a daring and innovative force on Russia's modern art scene, potentially putting him at odds with cultural conservatives, and has protested government policies in the past.
At his trial, he suggested the security forces and a "culture of loyalty" within the Culture Ministry were behind his prosecution.
Anticipating a harsher sentence from authorities eager to further President Vladimir Putin's perceived crackdown on unorthodox culture, hundreds of Serebrennikov's supporters cheered and applauded after the pronouncement of the sentence, which lasted for several hours.
Serebrennikov's co-defendants, theater producers Yuri Itin and Aleksei Malobrodsky, were also found guilty of embezzlement and received three-year and two-year suspended sentences, respectively. Itin was also fined 200,000 rubles ($2,900) and Malobrodsky 300,000 rubles ($4,300)
The fourth defendant, a former employee of the Culture Ministry, Sofia Apfelbaum, was found guilty of negligence and fined 100,000 rubles but the fine was waived because of the statute of limitations.
The court also ordered Serebrennikov, Itin, and Malobrodsky to repay almost 129 million rubles (more than $1.86 million) that the court concluded they had embezzled.
Lawyers for Serebrennikov and Apfelbaum said they planned to appeal the sentence.
Malobrodsky told RFE/RL that he also planned to appeal.
Prominent Russian and international actors, writers, and directors have expressed their support for Serebrennikov and his colleagues. Many regard it as politically motivated.
Irina Prokhorova, a publisher of New Literary Monitor magazine, told Current Time that this trial, and other similar ones across Russia, were an attempt by the authorities "to revive Stalinism."
"It's a shame that this terrible tradition of a repressive system has not been eradicated and now is growing back in all spheres of our lives," Prokhorova said.
Director Yury Butusov called the trial "a scathing rebuke organized by the authorities to send a signal to the class of creative people."
"In that matter, Kirill [Serebrennikov] is a convenient example for them because he represents both theater and cinema, and modern arts. Unfortunately, many arts people [in Russia] got that message and chose to keep a low profile now.... The message is -- no freedom, no libertinism, everything must be like in the army," Butusov said.
He added that, since the collapse of the Soviet system, the authorities had not interfered in the activities of the arts sector, but Serebrennikov's trial showed that things are going to be like they used to be during the Soviet era.
Opposition politician and Moscow municipal lawmaker Ilya Yashin said that the case against Serebrennikov and his colleagues was "fully fabricated and the defendants are being tried illegally."
Prosecutor Mikhail Reznichenko said at the trial that it had been proven Serebrennikov and other defendants in the case had embezzled almost 129 million rubles (more than $1.86 million). He has asked the court to sentence the director to six years in prison and other defendants to between four and five years.
The 50-year-old Serebrennikov and the three other people were accused of embezzling state funds that were granted from 2011 to 2014 to Seventh Studio, a nonprofit organization established by Serebrennikov, for a project called Platforma.
Serebrennikov has taken part in anti-government protests and voiced concern about the growing influence of the Russian Orthodox Church.
His arrest in August 2017 drew international attention and prompted accusations that Russian authorities were targeting cultural figures who are at odds with President Vladimir Putin and his government.


rferl--2020-06-26--Macron Plans To Raise Ukraine, Other Security Matters In Video Talk With Putin

French President Emmanuel Macron will hold a videoconference with Russian President Vladimir Putin on June 26 .
The coronavirus pandemic and security issues , including the situation in Ukraine , are on the agenda .
The situations in Syria , Iran , and Libya will also be raised as well as `` cooperation in the fields of health and the environment , '' the French presidency said in announcing the call earlier this week .
Macron believes there is `` a need to deal with all the difficult subjects , '' with Russia , the Elysee Palace said .
This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agenda , on Ukraine especially . ''
Macron has called for Europe to reexamine its strategic partnership with Russia , saying that a policy of defiance toward Moscow in recent years has failed .
Clarification and cooperation is necessary , particularly in regards to European security in the face of international cyberattacks , the statement added .
German leader Angela Merkel has expressed concern over several hacking attacks that Berlin believes were carried out by Moscow .
France also has voiced its unease at Russia 's role in Libya , where Moscow has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reportedly has enjoyed the support of the Vagner mercenary group allegedly run by an ally of Putin .
The United Nations recognizes the Government of National Accord ( GNA ) in Tripoli , which is backed by NATO ally Turkey and regional ally Qatar .
Macron planned to attend the events in Red Square last month to mark the 75th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany in World War II , but the commemoration was postponed until June 23 as a result of the coronavirus pandemic and Macron did not attend .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and dpa

In a video call, Russian President Vladimir Putin and his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, have vowed to cooperate more closely to tackle international crisis.
Putin said on June 26 that the discussions touched upon the crises in Ukraine, Syria, and Libya, as well as tensions in the Balkans region, among other matters, and spoke of the need to "combine our efforts" to combat common threats such as the coronavirus pandemic, international terrorism, and climate change.
Macron said that "all regional crises we've experienced shows the importance of making the European space, in a broad sense, from Lisbon to Vladivostok, a real space of cooperation and peace."
Relations between Moscow and the West remain at post-Cold War lows over issues including Russia's aggression of Ukraine, its role in Syria's conflict, its alleged meddling in elections in the United States and other democracies, as well as the poisoning of a Russian ex-spy in Britain in 2018.
But Macron has called on Europe and NATO to reexamine their strategic partnership with Russia, saying that a policy of defiance toward Moscow in recent years has failed – a call that has discomforted some of its Western allies.
Macron is "confident that we can make progress with Russia on a number of subjects," a French presidential official told reporters, adding that the two leaders spent most of their conversation discussing the situation in Libya.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, cited "a common interest in the stabilization of Libya and the reunification of its institutions."
He said that Macron called for an end to foreign interference in the North African country, including by the so-called Vagner group of mostly former Russian service personnel who have been involved in clandestine operations in foreign countries.
Russia and several other countries have backed Libyan strongman Khalifa Haftar in its war against forces backing the UN-recognized Government of National Accord, which is mainly backed by Turkey.
On Ukraine, where fighting between Ukrainian government forces and Russia-backed separatists has killed some 13,200 people since April 2014, Macron emphasized that quickly relaunching the implementation of a road map aimed at ending the conflict that was agreed to during a Paris meeting in December of the leaders of France, Germany, Russia, and Ukraine.
In its readout of the call, the Kremlin said Putin said Ukraine needed to fulfill its obligations under a 2015 deal brokered by France and Germany aimed at putting an end to the fighting in eastern Ukraine.
During the videoconference, the Russian president extended an invitation to Macron to visit Russia.
Macron said he would be happy to visit "so we could spend a lot more time together," but only "if health conditions allow," possibly at the end of summer.
Macron planned to attend the events in Red Square last month to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the World War II victory over Nazi Germany, but that event was postponed until June 23 as a result of the coronavirus pandemic and the French president did not attend.
With reporting by AFP, AP, and Reuters


rferl--2020-06-26--Iran Reports Explosion At Gas-Storage Tank Near Sensitive Military Site

Iran 's Defense Ministry says there has been an explosion at an Iranian gas-storage facility in an area with a sensitive military site to the east of Tehran .
The explosion took place in the `` public area '' of Parchin rather than the military site , Defense Ministry spokesman Davoud Abdi told Iranian state TV on June 26 .
Western intelligence services believe Tehran had carried out tests at the military site more than a decade ago that were relevant to the development of nuclear weapons .
Iran denies those reports .
Abdi said a fire caused by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there were no casualties .
He did not provide any information about the cause of the explosion .
But the Fars news agency , which is close to Iran 's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps ( IRGC ) quoted what it called `` an informed source '' as saying a gas storage tank had exploded near a military base .
According to Fars , the source emphasized that the explosion had nothing to do with the military base itself .
It also said police were investigating the blast .
The Mehr News Agency issued @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sound was heard in eastern Tehran .
Mehr also quoted an official of Iran 's emergency services saying that no requests for ambulances or emergency assistance had been received from the area .
Videos and pictures posted on social media were picked up by local news outlets .
They show an explosion with a bright orange flash occurring to the east of Tehran shortly after midnight on June 26 .
The flash was followed by a large plume of smoke .
One social media channel known to be close to the Quds Force @ @ @ @ @ @ @ IRGC that is responsible for operations outside of Iran , initially reported that the explosion was at Parchin .
But it later retracted that report and said the blast had taken place in Khojir in the same area .
Iranian authorities do not quickly and accurately report security-related incidents .


rferl--2020-06-26--Watchdog Denounces 'Full-Scale Purge' Ahead Of Belarusian Presidential Vote

Amnesty International says the Belarusian authorities are carrying out a `` full-scale purge of dissenting voices '' as part of a crackdown on freedom of expression ahead of a presidential election set for August 9 .
The authorities are using `` repressive laws to stifle criticism ahead of the elections , where President Alyaksandr Lukashenka is running for the sixth consecutive term , '' the London-based human rights group 's senior campaigner on Belarus , Aisha Jung , said on June 26 .
Jung was responding to news that at least three prominent Belarusian bloggers -- Ihar Losik , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ technologies , Syarhey Pyatrukhin , and Syarhey Sparish -- were arrested the day before on what she called `` spurious '' charges .
`` Opposition candidates , supporters , and independent media have faced arbitrary arrest , hefty fines , and incarceration .
Now those active on social media are being targeted , '' she said .
Jung noted that at least two more popular bloggers -- Uladzimer Nyaronski and Uladzimer Tsyhanovich -- are already under arrest and facing criminal charges .
She called for all of the bloggers to be immediately and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should be punished for using the Internet to express opinions about the government and its policies . ''
The Belarusian authorities `` need reminding that free speech is a right , not a crime , '' the Amnesty International campaigner said .

Amnesty International says the Belarusian authorities are carrying out a "full-scale purge of dissenting voices" as part of a crackdown on freedom of expression ahead of a presidential election set for August 9.
The authorities are using "repressive laws to stifle criticism ahead of the elections, where President Alyaksandr Lukashenka is running for the sixth consecutive term," the London-based human rights group's senior campaigner on Belarus, Aisha Jung, said on June 26.
Jung was responding to news that at least three prominent Belarusian bloggers -- Ihar Losik, who is also an RFE/RL consultant on new-media technologies; Syarhey Pyatrukhin; and Syarhey Sparish -- were arrested the day before on what she called "spurious" charges.
"Opposition candidates, supporters, and independent media have faced arbitrary arrest, hefty fines, and incarceration. Now those active on social media are being targeted," she said.
Jung noted that at least two more popular bloggers -- Uladzimer Nyaronski and Uladzimer Tsyhanovich -- are already under arrest and facing criminal charges.
She called for all of the bloggers to be immediately and unconditionally released, saying, "Nobody should be punished for using the Internet to express opinions about the government and its policies."
The Belarusian authorities "need reminding that free speech is a right, not a crime," the Amnesty International campaigner said.


rferl--2020-06-26--Work On Black Boxes Of Ukrainian Jet Downed By Iran To Start Next Month

The French BEA air-accident investigation agency says `` technical work '' on the black boxes of a downed Ukrainian airliner is expected to kick off in France next month .
The cockpit-voice and flight-data recorders of Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 were the subject of an international standoff after the plane was shot down by Iran 's air defenses on January 8 , killing all 176 people on board .
The Kyiv-bound aircraft was struck after taking off from Tehran 's main airport in what Iran days later acknowledged was a `` mistake . ''
Iran said on June 22 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ France in the `` next few days . ''
BEA , which is known as one of the world 's leading organizations for reading flight recorders , tweeted on June 26 that Iran had `` requested ... technical assistance '' with repairing and downloading data from the black boxes of the Boeing 737 .
`` Technical work [ is ] planned to start July 20 , '' it said , adding that `` the safety investigation is led by Iran . ''
The International Civil Aviation Organization said it had been informed by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be read out in France on 20 July ... assuring the participation of representatives from all countries involved . ''
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada said that it `` will be sending a team of investigators to participate in the download '' of the black boxes , which are expected to contain information about the last moments before the aircraft was struck and crashed .
The 176 victims of the crash included 82 Iranian citizens and 63 Canadians , many of them of Iranian origin .
Iranian forces had been on high @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which came hours after Iran launched missile strikes on an Iraqi military base housing U.S. troops .
The Iranian strikes were carried out in response to the killing of a top Iranian general , Qasem Soleimani , in a U.S. drone strike near Baghdad 's airport .


rferl--2020-06-26--Kyrgyz President Urged To Reject Bill On 'False' Information Online

BISHKEK -- Journalists , rights activists , and media-freedom groups in Kyrgyzstan and abroad are urging President Sooronbai Jeenbekov to reject new legislation that they say would curtail press freedom in that post-Soviet republic .
Lawmakers on June 25 passed the second and third readings of the draft law , On Manipulating Information , by a vote of 79 to 10 .
All it needs now to go into effect is the president 's signature .
Its backers say the bill 's main goal is to protect citizens from fake information on the Internet .
But the bill 's sweeping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ without a court order and compelling companies to store and possibly hand over private user data , in addition to other powers , has prompted warnings of a chilling effect on journalism and media freedom .
The head of the Kyrgyz Independent Union of Journalists , Azamat Kasybekov , told RFE/RL that the president should return the bill to parliament for reconsideration , saying it `` threatens freedom of speech and negatively affects the work of journalists . ''
Under the draft legislation , the authorities are able to shut down or block @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inaccurate '' or `` false '' and to shut down social-media accounts deemed misleading without a court order .
It also requires real-name registration for website owners and social-media-account owners , according to the draft .
Internet service providers would be required to store user data , including photos , audio , and video , for up to six months and share them with government agencies upon request .
It is unclear how such requirements would be enforced , according to the New York-based Committee to Protest Journalists ( CPJ ) , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ define `` manipulation '' or `` false '' information .
The bill also does n't specify the entity that would make such determinations or the mechanism for shutting down or blocking websites or accounts , it said .
`` The vague nature of Kyrgyzstan 's proposed legislation on media manipulation is sure to create a climate of uncertainty for journalists and promote self-censorship , '' Gulnoza Said , CPJ 's Europe and Central Asia program coordinator , said in a statement .
The president `` should reject this law unless he is intent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ repression that we already see among Kyrgyzstan 's neighbors in Central Asia , '' she added .
Kyrgyzstan has faced problems including politically charged prosecutions of former officials , but also achieved its post-Soviet region 's first peaceful presidential transfer of power between elected heads of state and is widely seen as a democratic leader in Central Asia .
Meanwhile , activists appealed to the recently appointed head of the State National Security Committee , Orozbek Opumbaev , to launch proceedings against lawmakers they accused of abuse of office .
The activists allege @ @ @ @ @ @ @ caught voting on behalf of colleagues absent from the June 25 session at which the media bill was passed , which they claim went ahead without a quorum .

BISHKEK -- Journalists, rights activists, and media-freedom groups in Kyrgyzstan and abroad are urging President Sooronbai Jeenbekov to reject new legislation that they say would curtail press freedom in that post-Soviet republic.
Lawmakers on June 25 passed the second and third readings of the draft law, On Manipulating Information, by a vote of 79 to 10.
All it needs now to go into effect is the president's signature.
Its backers say the bill's main goal is to protect citizens from fake information on the Internet.
But the bill's sweeping scope, allowing the blocking of websites without a court order and compelling companies to store and possibly hand over private user data, in addition to other powers, has prompted warnings of a chilling effect on journalism and media freedom.
The head of the Kyrgyz Independent Union of Journalists, Azamat Kasybekov, told RFE/RL that the president should return the bill to parliament for reconsideration, saying it "threatens freedom of speech and negatively affects the work of journalists."
Under the draft legislation, the authorities are able to shut down or block websites containing information deemed to be "inaccurate" or "false" and to shut down social-media accounts deemed misleading without a court order.
It also requires real-name registration for website owners and social-media-account owners, according to the draft.
Internet service providers would be required to store user data, including photos, audio, and video, for up to six months and share them with government agencies upon request.
It is unclear how such requirements would be enforced, according to the New York-based Committee to Protest Journalists (CPJ), which also warned that the text fails to define "manipulation" or "false" information.
The bill also doesn't specify the entity that would make such determinations or the mechanism for shutting down or blocking websites or accounts, it said.
"The vague nature of Kyrgyzstan's proposed legislation on media manipulation is sure to create a climate of uncertainty for journalists and promote self-censorship," Gulnoza Said, CPJ's Europe and Central Asia program coordinator, said in a statement.
The president "should reject this law unless he is intent on taking part in the kind of repression that we already see among Kyrgyzstan's neighbors in Central Asia," she added.
Kyrgyzstan has faced problems including politically charged prosecutions of former officials, but also achieved its post-Soviet region's first peaceful presidential transfer of power between elected heads of state and is widely seen as a democratic leader in Central Asia.
Meanwhile, activists appealed to the recently appointed head of the State National Security Committee, Orozbek Opumbaev, to launch proceedings against lawmakers they accused of abuse of office.
The activists allege that a number of parliament deputies were caught voting on behalf of colleagues absent from the June 25 session at which the media bill was passed, which they claim went ahead without a quorum.


rferl--2020-06-26--Tajikistan's Official Coronavirus Stats Don't Reflect Reality, RFE/RL Investigation Finds

An investigation by RFE/RL indicates that Tajikistan 's official death toll from COVID-19 does n't reflect the reality and is significantly lower than the data published by local activists .
The Tajik government , which strictly controls free speech and information , has put the death toll from COVID-19 at 52 as of June 26 with the official number of infections at 5,691 .
However , an online list regularly updated by local activists puts the number of those who have died from COVID-19 in Tajikistan at 437 , as of June 26 .
The data provides the name , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the date of death for each person on the list who -- according to the activists -- died from COVID-19 .
It also shows the source that provided the information , including the deceased 's family or friends , a neighbor , hospital , or social-media information .
The table also shows if the information has been `` verified '' or is `` in the process of verification . ''
RFE/RL has been able to verify that at least 152 people whose names are included on the activists ' list have died @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deaths have been confirmed by relatives , local authorities , or health officials contacted by RFE/RL .
In some cases , relatives provided medical documents and death certificates of the deceased to back their claims .
Some families told RFE/RL that their relatives suffered from obvious COVID-19 symptoms , but hospital administrations recorded their deaths as caused by pneumonia .
Despite not mentioning COVID-19 in official documents , health officials did n't release the bodies of the dead to the families , the relatives said .
They were buried by medical workers that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and eyewitnesses told RFE/RL .
At least two hospital directors in Tajikistan told RFE/RL on condition of anonymity that it was impossible to provide the exact number of COVID-19 deaths in the country because hospitals simply do n't have test kits to verify the diagnosis .
Both officials said that because of the lack of testing capabilities they decided to put pneumonia as the cause of death of all patients who died with obvious COVID-19 symptoms .
Several other medics confirmed the claim .
RFE/RL filed a written request to the Health Ministry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but has yet to receive any response .
Tajikistan 's record on publishing data on the outbreak has been questioned for some time .
Through April authorities claimed the country was virus-free , even though independent media and social-media users had reported numerous fatal cases of `` pneumonia '' and were asking for an explanation .
Officials finally admitted on April 30 to having recorded 15 coronavirus infections , an announcement made ahead of a visit by experts from the World Health Organization to assess the pandemic situation in the impoverished Central Asian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ continued to deny registering any coronavirus infections and instead attacked journalists , accusing them of spreading false information and unnecessarily spreading panic among the people .

An investigation by RFE/RL indicates that Tajikistan's official death toll from COVID-19 doesn't reflect the reality and is significantly lower than the data published by local activists.
The Tajik government, which strictly controls free speech and information, has put the death toll from COVID-19 at 52 as of June 26 with the official number of infections at 5,691.
However, an online list regularly updated by local activists puts the number of those who have died from COVID-19 in Tajikistan at 437, as of June 26.
The data provides the name, age, last place of residence, and the date of death for each person on the list who -- according to the activists -- died from COVID-19.
It also shows the source that provided the information, including the deceased's family or friends, a neighbor, hospital, or social-media information. The table also shows if the information has been "verified" or is "in the process of verification."
RFE/RL has been able to verify that at least 152 people whose names are included on the activists' list have died from COVID-19.
Their diagnosis and subsequent deaths have been confirmed by relatives, local authorities, or health officials contacted by RFE/RL. In some cases, relatives provided medical documents and death certificates of the deceased to back their claims.
Some families told RFE/RL that their relatives suffered from obvious COVID-19 symptoms, but hospital administrations recorded their deaths as caused by pneumonia.
Despite not mentioning COVID-19 in official documents, health officials didn't release the bodies of the dead to the families, the relatives said. They were buried by medical workers that arrived in hazmat suits, the relatives and eyewitnesses told RFE/RL.
At least two hospital directors in Tajikistan told RFE/RL on condition of anonymity that it was impossible to provide the exact number of COVID-19 deaths in the country because hospitals simply don't have test kits to verify the diagnosis.
Both officials said that because of the lack of testing capabilities they decided to put pneumonia as the cause of death of all patients who died with obvious COVID-19 symptoms.
Several other medics confirmed the claim.
RFE/RL filed a written request to the Health Ministry on June 3 asking for comment, but has yet to receive any response.
Tajikistan's record on publishing data on the outbreak has been questioned for some time. Through April authorities claimed the country was virus-free, even though independent media and social-media users had reported numerous fatal cases of "pneumonia" and were asking for an explanation.
Officials finally admitted on April 30 to having recorded 15 coronavirus infections, an announcement made ahead of a visit by experts from the World Health Organization to assess the pandemic situation in the impoverished Central Asian country of about 9 million.
Officials continued to deny registering any coronavirus infections and instead attacked journalists, accusing them of spreading false information and unnecessarily spreading panic among the people.


rferl--2020-06-26--Kazakh Police Detain Men Picketing Chinese Embassy Over Detained Relatives In Xinjiang


rferl--2020-06-26--Russian Director Serebrennikov Given Three-Year Suspended Sentence For  Fraud

MOSCOW -- Acclaimed Russian theater and film director Kirill Serebrennikov and his co-defendants have been found guilty and handed suspended prison sentences on embezzlement charges in a case that critics say is politically motivated and meant to send a chilling message to potential government critics .
The Meshchansky district court on June 26 gave Serebrennikov a suspended , three-year prison term and fined him 800,000 rubles ( $ 11,500 ) .
Serebrennikov was also given three years of probation and ordered to keep his permanent address throughout that time .
`` The court believes that the defendants can be reformed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Judge Olesya Mendeleyeva said when pronouncing the ruling .
Serebrennikov has been hailed as a daring and innovative force on Russia 's modern art scene , potentially putting him at odds with cultural conservatives , and has protested government policies in the past .
At his trial , he suggested the security forces and a `` culture of loyalty '' within the Culture Ministry were behind his prosecution .
Anticipating a harsher sentence from authorities eager to further President Vladimir Putin 's perceived crackdown on unorthodox culture , hundreds of Serebrennikov 's supporters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the sentence , which lasted for several hours .
Serebrennikov 's co-defendants , theater producers Yuri Itin and Aleksei Malobrodsky , were also found guilty of embezzlement and received three-year and two-year suspended sentences , respectively .
Itin was also fined 200,000 rubles ( $ 2,900 ) and Malobrodsky 300,000 rubles ( $ 4,300 ) The fourth defendant , a former employee of the Culture Ministry , Sofia Apfelbaum , was found guilty of negligence and fined 100,000 rubles but the fine was waived because of the statute of limitations .
The court @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Malobrodsky to repay almost 129 million rubles ( more than $ 1.86 million ) that the court concluded they had embezzled .
Lawyers for Serebrennikov and Apfelbaum said they planned to appeal the sentence .
Malobrodsky told RFE/RL that he also planned to appeal .
Prominent Russian and international actors , writers , and directors have expressed their support for Serebrennikov and his colleagues .
Many regard it as politically motivated .
Irina Prokhorova , a publisher of New Literary Monitor magazine , told Current Time that this trial , and other similar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the authorities `` to revive Stalinism . ''
`` It 's a shame that this terrible tradition of a repressive system has not been eradicated and now is growing back in all spheres of our lives , '' Prokhorova said .
Director Yury Butusov called the trial `` a scathing rebuke organized by the authorities to send a signal to the class of creative people . ''
`` In that matter , Kirill [ Serebrennikov ] is a convenient example for them because he represents both theater and cinema , and modern @ @ @ @ @ @ @ [ in Russia ] got that message and chose to keep a low profile now ... .
The message is -- no freedom , no libertinism , everything must be like in the army , '' Butusov said .
He added that , since the collapse of the Soviet system , the authorities had not interfered in the activities of the arts sector , but Serebrennikov 's trial showed that things are going to be like they used to be during the Soviet era .
Opposition politician and Moscow municipal lawmaker Ilya Yashin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his colleagues was `` fully fabricated and the defendants are being tried illegally . ''
Prosecutor Mikhail Reznichenko said at the trial that it had been proven Serebrennikov and other defendants in the case had embezzled almost 129 million rubles ( more than $ 1.86 million ) .
He has asked the court to sentence the director to six years in prison and other defendants to between four and five years .
The 50-year-old Serebrennikov and the three other people were accused of embezzling state funds that were granted from 2011 to 2014 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ established by Serebrennikov , for a project called Platforma .
Serebrennikov has taken part in anti-government protests and voiced concern about the growing influence of the Russian Orthodox Church .
His arrest in August 2017 drew international attention and prompted accusations that Russian authorities were targeting cultural figures who are at odds with President Vladimir Putin and his government .


rferl--2020-06-26--Putin, Macron Vow Closer Cooperation To Tackle Global Challenges

In a video call , Russian President Vladimir Putin and his French counterpart , Emmanuel Macron , have vowed to cooperate more closely to tackle international crisis .
Putin said on June 26 that the discussions touched upon the crises in Ukraine , Syria , and Libya , as well as tensions in the Balkans region , among other matters , and spoke of the need to `` combine our efforts '' to combat common threats such as the coronavirus pandemic , international terrorism , and climate change .
Macron said that `` all regional crises we 've experienced shows @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , in a broad sense , from Lisbon to Vladivostok , a real space of cooperation and peace . ''
Relations between Moscow and the West remain at post-Cold War lows over issues including Russia 's aggression of Ukraine , its role in Syria 's conflict , its alleged meddling in elections in the United States and other democracies , as well as the poisoning of a Russian ex-spy in Britain in 2018 .
But Macron has called on Europe and NATO to reexamine their strategic partnership with Russia , saying that a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years has failed – a call that has discomforted some of its Western allies .
Macron is `` confident that we can make progress with Russia on a number of subjects , '' a French presidential official told reporters , adding that the two leaders spent most of their conversation discussing the situation in Libya .
The official , who spoke on condition of anonymity , cited `` a common interest in the stabilization of Libya and the reunification of its institutions . ''
He said that Macron called for an end to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including by the so-called Vagner group of mostly former Russian service personnel who have been involved in clandestine operations in foreign countries .
Russia and several other countries have backed Libyan strongman Khalifa Haftar in its war against forces backing the UN-recognized Government of National Accord , which is mainly backed by Turkey .
On Ukraine , where fighting between Ukrainian government forces and Russia-backed separatists has killed some 13,200 people since April 2014 , Macron emphasized that quickly relaunching the implementation of a road map aimed at ending the conflict that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in December of the leaders of France , Germany , Russia , and Ukraine .
In its readout of the call , the Kremlin said Putin said Ukraine needed to fulfill its obligations under a 2015 deal brokered by France and Germany aimed at putting an end to the fighting in eastern Ukraine .
During the videoconference , the Russian president extended an invitation to Macron to visit Russia .
Macron said he would be happy to visit `` so we could spend a lot more time together , '' but only `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the end of summer .
Macron planned to attend the events in Red Square last month to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the World War II victory over Nazi Germany , but that event was postponed until June 23 as a result of the coronavirus pandemic and the French president did not attend .
With reporting by AFP , AP , and Reuters


rferl--2020-06-27--Iran's Khamenei Warns Of Worsening Economy If Coronavirus Remains Unchecked

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has warned the country ’ s economic problems could worsen if the coronavirus spreads unchecked .
Iran has struggled to curb the COVID-19 outbreak since it reported its first cases in February .
It shut down nonessential businesses , closed schools , and cancelled public events in March , but the government gradually lifted restrictions from April to try to reopen the country 's sanctions-hit economy .
`` It is correct to say that something must be done to prevent economic problems caused by the coronavirus , '' said Khamenei on June 27 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and significant spread of the disease , economic problems will increase , too , '' he said at a meeting with judiciary officials , according to his official website .
The Iranian rial has plunged to new lows against the U.S. dollar in recent days due to the temporary economic shutdown , border closures , and a halt in non-oil exports , according to analysts .
Iran 's economic problems have worsened since 2018 , when U.S. President Donald Trump withdrew the United States from a landmark nuclear agreement and reimposed sanctions on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sales and banking ties .