rferl--2020-09-04--Tsikhanouskaya Calls On UN To Condemn Postelection Crackdown In Belarus

Belarusian opposition leader Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya has called on the United Nations to condemn the violent crackdown by the government of President Alyaksandr Lukashenka on protesters who charge he falsified his reelection victory last month .
Speaking to a virtual informal session of the UN Security Council on September 4 , Tsikhanouskaya also urged the United Nations to send an international monitoring mission to Belarus and said the UN Human Rights Commission should hold a special session on the human rights situation there .
`` We , the Belarusian people , need the help of the United Nations in order to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cynical disregard of human dignity ... in the middle of Europe , '' said Tsikhanouskaya , who fled to neighboring Lithuania days after the election .
Lukashenka , in power since 1994 , was declared the victor in the disputed August 9 poll with some 80 percent of the vote .
Tsikhanouskaya , who drew thousands to campaign rallies , was given less than 10 percent .
The 37-year-old former English teacher and translator says she was the real winner , charging that election officials falsified the result .
No election under Lukashenka @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or fair by the West .
Belarus has been rocked by protests since the August 9 election , multiple strike actions at major factories , and a walkout by students on the first day of class on September 1 .
Thousands have been detained and hundreds beaten by police in the postelection crackdown , sparking international outrage .
`` We ask the United Nations to condemn the excessive use of force by the Belarusian security services against protesters , '' Tsikhanouskaya said in her address .
She also called for individuals implicated in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with sanctions .
`` Collaboration with the regime of Lukashenka at the moment means support for violence and blatant violations of human rights , '' she said .
In her address , Tsikhanouskaya , 37 , called for the release of all political prisoners , including her husband , Syarhey Tsikhanouski , a popular anti-corruption vlogger whose own bid for president was halted by his arrest for organizing “ mass unrest , ” charges he and supporters say were politically motivated .
The special online meeting of the UN Security Council was organized @ @ @ @ @ @ @ current member of the 15-strong council .
Estonia wanted to provide a forum for `` those who are being silenced , '' Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Reinsalu said in a statement .
`` Public pressure can help reduce violence and grave human rights violations , '' Reinsalu said .
At least 7,000 protesters have been detained throughout the course of the demonstrations .
UN human rights experts say they have received 450 reports of torture and abuse of protesters in recent weeks .
The United States and European Union have criticized the vote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Eastern European country of some 9.5 million .
U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun told RFE/RL on September 1 that Washington and its European partners will continue to press Belarusian authorities to free political prisoners , end violence against protesters , and allow citizens to choose their government through a free and fair election .
Tsikhanouskaya described Lukashenka as an illegitimate leader , `` desperately clinging onto power and refusing to listen to his people . ''
`` A nation can not and should not be a hostage to one man 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` The regime of Mr. Lukashenka is morally bankrupt , legally questionable , and simply untenable in the eyes of our nation . ''
With reporting by Current Time , Reuters , and dpa

Belarusian opposition leader Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya has called on the United Nations to condemn the violent crackdown by the government of President Alyaksandr Lukashenka on protesters who charge he falsified his reelection victory last month.
Speaking to a virtual informal session of the UN Security Council on September 4, Tsikhanouskaya also urged the United Nations to send an international monitoring mission to Belarus and said the UN Human Rights Commission should hold a special session on the human rights situation there.
"We, the Belarusian people, need the help of the United Nations in order to stop blatant human rights violations and the cynical disregard of human dignity...in the middle of Europe," said Tsikhanouskaya, who fled to neighboring Lithuania days after the election.
Lukashenka, in power since 1994, was declared the victor in the disputed August 9 poll with some 80 percent of the vote. Tsikhanouskaya, who drew thousands to campaign rallies, was given less than 10 percent. The 37-year-old former English teacher and translator says she was the real winner, charging that election officials falsified the result.
No election under Lukashenka’s rule has been deemed free or fair by the West.
Belarus has been rocked by protests since the August 9 election, multiple strike actions at major factories, and a walkout by students on the first day of class on September 1. Thousands have been detained and hundreds beaten by police in the postelection crackdown, sparking international outrage.
"We ask the United Nations to condemn the excessive use of force by the Belarusian security services against protesters," Tsikhanouskaya said in her address.
She also called for individuals implicated in the violence against protesters to be slapped with sanctions.
"Collaboration with the regime of Lukashenka at the moment means support for violence and blatant violations of human rights," she said.
In her address, Tsikhanouskaya, 37, called for the release of all political prisoners, including her husband, Syarhey Tsikhanouski, a popular anti-corruption vlogger whose own bid for president was halted by his arrest for organizing “mass unrest,” charges he and supporters say were politically motivated.
The special online meeting of the UN Security Council was organized by the Baltic state Estonia, a current member of the 15-strong council.
Estonia wanted to provide a forum for "those who are being silenced," Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Reinsalu said in a statement.
"Public pressure can help reduce violence and grave human rights violations," Reinsalu said.
Crisis In Belarus Read our coverage as Belarusian strongman Alyaksandr Lukashenka continues his brutal crackdown on NGOs, activists, and independent media following the August 2020 presidential election.
At least 7,000 protesters have been detained throughout the course of the demonstrations. UN human rights experts say they have received 450 reports of torture and abuse of protesters in recent weeks.
The United States and European Union have criticized the vote and condemned the postelection crackdown in the Eastern European country of some 9.5 million.
U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun told RFE/RL on September 1 that Washington and its European partners will continue to press Belarusian authorities to free political prisoners, end violence against protesters, and allow citizens to choose their government through a free and fair election.
Tsikhanouskaya described Lukashenka as an illegitimate leader, "desperately clinging onto power and refusing to listen to his people."
"A nation cannot and should not be a hostage to one man's thirst for power," she said. "The regime of Mr. Lukashenka is morally bankrupt, legally questionable, and simply untenable in the eyes of our nation."
With reporting by Current Time, Reuters, and dpa


rferl--2020-09-04--Kosovo, Serbia Agree To Normalize Economic Ties Following Talks In Washington

Rivals Serbia and Kosovo have agreed to normalize economic ties following two days of U.S.-brokered talks in Washington .
U.S. President Trump announced what he described as a “ truly historic agreement ” at the Oval Office on September 4 before a meeting with the two Balkan leaders .
“ After a violent and tragic history and years of failed negotiations , my administration proposed a new way of bridging the divide .
By focusing on job creation and economic growth , the two countries were able to reach a major breakthrough , '' Trump said , standing alongside Serbian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Avdullah Hoti , who signed an economic cooperation agreement .
Trump said Serbia had also committed to moving its embassy to Jerusalem , and Kosovo and Israel had agreed to normalize ties and establish diplomatic relations .
The Trump administration recognized Jerusalem as Israel ’ s capital in late 2017 and moved the U.S. Embassy there in May 2018 .
The administration has encouraged other countries to do the same but has been widely criticized by the Palestinians and many in Europe because the Israeli-Palestinian conflict remains unresolved .
Kosovo , a predominantly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Israel , nor has Israel recognized Kosovo .
Kosovo ’ s parliament declared independence from Serbia in 2008 , nine years after NATO conducted a 78-day air campaign against Serbia to stop a bloody crackdown against ethnic Albanians in Kosovo .
Most Western nations have recognized Kosovo ’ s independence , but Serbia and its allies Russia and China have not .
The ongoing deadlock and Serbia 's unwillingness to recognize Kosovo have kept tensions simmering and prevented a full stabilization of the Balkan region after the bloody wars of the 1990s .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ bilateral agreement with the United States , emphasizing that no recognition was given to `` third party '' Kosovo .
“ We have n't resolved all our problems .
There are still differences , ” Vucic said , but he added that having a unified economic zone with Kosovo was a “ huge step forward.
” Hoti also described the economic cooperation as a “ huge step forward ” in the relationship and said the two leaders were committed to working together .
Vucic also announced that an agreement had been reached to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. Development Fund , which , he said , would send a strong signal to credit agencies and investors .
`` The Americans will monitor important projects with us , such as the construction of the highway to Pristina .
We agreed on how to build the railway and how to connect Pristina with central Serbia , via Merdare ( a border crossing between Serbia and Kosovo ) , '' Vucic said .
He added that projects have been agreed to be financed by various U.S. corporations and the U.S .
Export Bank @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a raft of economic measures , including cutting trade tariffs and sharing energy and water resources .
Serbia and Kosovo have already agreed air , rail and transit agreements , including one that would clear the way for the first flight between Pristina and Belgrade in 21 years .
The new agreement commits them to implement the transport deal .
`` They have normalized their economic relations , '' said White House national-security adviser Robert O'Brien .
`` The Serbia-Kosovo conflict has gone on for decades .
They have been stuck , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many years . ''
On September 7 , Vucic and Hoti are scheduled to go to Brussels to hold talks under the auspices of the EU ’ s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell and the special envoy for the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue , Miroslav Lajcak .
`` We take note of the signing of the document between Belgrade and Pristina at the White House in Washington , D.C. , today , `` said Peter Stano , a spokesperson for Borrell , in a written statement .
`` We are looking forward to welcoming the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week to continue our work on a comprehensive agreement to normalize relations between Kosovo and Serbia , dealing with all outstanding issues related to their relationship , and in line with international law and EU acquis , '' Stano said .
The EU has mediated the talks between Serbia and Kosovo for more than a decade , and the parallel U.S. effort , although focused on economic development , has not been fully embraced by some EU officials .
Richard Grenell , the U.S. special envoy for Serbia and Kosovo negotiations , said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contact with European allies about the economic cooperation agreement .
He said the agreement would open up economic opportunities for both U.S. and European companies .
The White House summit was originally scheduled for June , but it was canceled after Kosovar President Hashim Thaci , who was to lead the Kosovar delegation , was indicted for war crimes by an international court .
In Kosovo , Thaci hailed the deal and thanked Trump.In a statement posted on social media , he said Kosovo now should continue to seek membership in international organizations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ domestic and international arenas .
With reporting by AFP , AP , dpa , and Reuters

Rivals Serbia and Kosovo have agreed to normalize economic ties following two days of U.S.-brokered talks in Washington.
U.S. President Trump announced what he described as a “truly historic agreement” at the Oval Office on September 4 before a meeting with the two Balkan leaders.
“After a violent and tragic history and years of failed negotiations, my administration proposed a new way of bridging the divide. By focusing on job creation and economic growth, the two countries were able to reach a major breakthrough," Trump said, standing alongside Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Kosovar Prime Minister Avdullah Hoti, who signed an economic cooperation agreement.
Trump said Serbia had also committed to moving its embassy to Jerusalem, and Kosovo and Israel had agreed to normalize ties and establish diplomatic relations.
The Trump administration recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital in late 2017 and moved the U.S. Embassy there in May 2018.
The administration has encouraged other countries to do the same but has been widely criticized by the Palestinians and many in Europe because the Israeli-Palestinian conflict remains unresolved. Kosovo, a predominantly Muslim country, has never before recognized Israel, nor has Israel recognized Kosovo.
Kosovo’s parliament declared independence from Serbia in 2008, nine years after NATO conducted a 78-day air campaign against Serbia to stop a bloody crackdown against ethnic Albanians in Kosovo.
Most Western nations have recognized Kosovo’s independence, but Serbia and its allies Russia and China have not. The ongoing deadlock and Serbia's unwillingness to recognize Kosovo have kept tensions simmering and prevented a full stabilization of the Balkan region after the bloody wars of the 1990s.
Vucic said that Serbia had struck a bilateral agreement with the United States, emphasizing that no recognition was given to "third party" Kosovo.
“We haven't resolved all our problems. There are still differences,” Vucic said, but he added that having a unified economic zone with Kosovo was a “huge step forward.”
Hoti also described the economic cooperation as a “huge step forward” in the relationship and said the two leaders were committed to working together.
Vucic also announced that an agreement had been reached to open in Belgrade an office of the U.S. Development Fund, which, he said, would send a strong signal to credit agencies and investors.
"The Americans will monitor important projects with us, such as the construction of the highway to Pristina. We agreed on how to build the railway and how to connect Pristina with central Serbia, via Merdare (a border crossing between Serbia and Kosovo)," Vucic said.
He added that projects have been agreed to be financed by various U.S. corporations and the U.S. Export Bank.
The agreement commits the two sides to a raft of economic measures, including cutting trade tariffs and sharing energy and water resources.
Serbia and Kosovo have already agreed air, rail, and transit agreements, including one that would clear the way for the first flight between Pristina and Belgrade in 21 years. The new agreement commits them to implement the transport deal.
"They have normalized their economic relations," said White House national security adviser Robert O'Brien. "The Serbia-Kosovo conflict has gone on for decades. They have been stuck, unable to move forward for many, many years."
On September 7, Vucic and Hoti are scheduled to go to Brussels to hold talks under the auspices of the EU’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell and the special envoy for the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue, Miroslav Lajcak.
"We take note of the signing of the document between Belgrade and Pristina at the White House in Washington, D.C., today, " said Peter Stano, a spokesperson for Borrell, in a written statement.
"We are looking forward to welcoming the parties in Brussels this weekend and next week to continue our work on a comprehensive agreement to normalize relations between Kosovo and Serbia, dealing with all outstanding issues related to their relationship, and in line with international law and EU acquis," Stano said.
The EU has mediated the talks between Serbia and Kosovo for more than a decade, and the parallel U.S. effort, although focused on economic development, has not been fully embraced by some EU officials.
Richard Grenell, the U.S. special envoy for Serbia and Kosovo negotiations, said the United States has been in close contact with European allies about the economic cooperation agreement.
He said the agreement would open up economic opportunities for both U.S. and European companies.
The White House summit was originally scheduled for June, but it was canceled after Kosovar President Hashim Thaci, who was to lead the Kosovar delegation, was indicted for war crimes by an international court.
In Kosovo, Thaci hailed the deal and thanked Trump. In a statement posted on social media, he said Kosovo now should continue to seek membership in international organizations so it has improved status in the domestic and international arenas.
With reporting by AFP, AP, dpa, and Reuters


rferl--2020-09-04--UN Nuclear Watchdog Says Iran’s Enriched Uranium Stockpile 10 Times Over Limit

Iran ’ s stockpile of enriched uranium continues to increase and now stands at more than 10 times the limit set down in the 2015 nuclear deal with world powers , the UN nuclear watchdog said in a report on September 4 .
But the International Atomic Energy Agency ( IAEA ) also said that Iran has begun providing access to sites where the country was suspected of having stored or used undeclared nuclear material .
According to the IAEA quarterly report , Iran as of August 25 had stockpiled 2,105.4 kilograms of low-enriched uranium , up from 1,571.6 kilograms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2015 deal -- known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action ( JCPOA ) -- allows Iran only to keep a stockpile of 202.8 kilograms .
The IAEA said that Iran has also been continuing to enrich uranium to a purity of up to 4.5 percent , higher than the 3.67 percent allowed under the deal with world powers .
Before the JCPOA , Tehran had enriched its uranium to 20 percent , which is considered a quick technical jump to weapons-grade level of 90 percent .
According to the Washington-based Arms Control @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Iran would need 1,050 kilograms of uranium enriched at 3.67 percent , and would then need to enrich it further to 90 percent purity or above .
Experts say if Iran chose to produce a nuclear bomb its breakout time would be at least three to six months , but that it would take much longer to actually weaponize a device .
While the JCPOA was in full effect , Iran ’ s breakout time was estimated at more than one year .
However , Iran ’ s stockpile of heavy water had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ limits set by the JCPOA , the nuclear watchdog said .
The nuclear deal – signed with the United States , Germany , France , Britain , China , and Russia -- promised Iran economic incentives in return for the curbs on its nuclear program .
In 2018 , President Donald Trump unilaterally pulled the United States out of the nuclear deal and reimposed crushing sanctions , saying it needed to be renegotiated .
Since then , Iran has announced gradual violations of JCPOA restrictions .
The remaining parties to the deal maintain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many of the pact ’ s terms , it is important to keep the deal alive because Iran has continued providing the IAEA with critical access to inspect its nuclear facilities .
Based on reporting by AP , Reuters , and AFP

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--2020-09-04--Russian Opposition Activist Sentenced To 14 Days In Jail For 'Protest Violation'

Prominent Russian activist Andrei Pivovarov has been sentenced to 14 days in detention after being found guilty of breaking protest @ @ @ @ @ sentence was announced by the Tver District Court in Moscow on September 4 .
Pivovarov @ @ @ @ @ the human rights group Open Russia , was detained over an incident in Moscow on @ @ @ @ @ had sought – via a Facebook post -- to gather signatures to petition against sweeping @ @ @ @ @ the summer .
Pivovarov denied the charge and said it was politically motivated .
After @ @ @ @ @ , Pivovarov accused Russian authorities of jailing him in order to sideline him ahead of @ @ @ @ @ place on September 13 .
Based on reporting by Reuters and Interfax

Prominent Russian activist Andrei Pivovarov has been sentenced to 14 days in detention after being found guilty of breaking protest legislation.
Pivovarov’s sentence was announced by the Tver District Court in Moscow on September 4.
Pivovarov, the executive director of the human rights group Open Russia, was detained over an incident in Moscow on July 15 in which he had sought – via a Facebook post -- to gather signatures to petition against sweeping constitutional reforms passed later in the summer.
Pivovarov denied the charge and said it was politically motivated. After the verdict was handed down, Pivovarov accused Russian authorities of jailing him in order to sideline him ahead of local elections due to take place on September 13.
Based on reporting by Reuters and Interfax


rferl--2020-09-04--Pretrial Detention Extended For Ex-Moscow Police Officers Suspected In Illegal Arrest Of Journalist

A court in Moscow has extended the pretrial arrests for three former police officers suspected in the illegal apprehension of investigative journalist Ivan Golunov last year , a case that sparked a public outcry over wrongdoing by police .
The Basmanny district court on September 4 ruled that Akbar Sergaliyev , Roman Feofanov , and Maksim Umetbayev must remain in pretrial detention at least until December 7 .
A decision to prolong their detention for the fourth former police officer in the case , Igor Lyakhovets , will be made separately because his lawyer did not show up at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officers , along with a fifth colleague , Denis Konovalov , were detained on January 29 as suspects in the high-profile case .
A day later , they were charged with abuse of service duties , falsification of evidence , and the illegal handling of drugs .
Konovalov , who is charged with forging documents related to the probe , was transferred to house arrest from a detention center in February after he made a deal with investigators and testified in court that his former boss , Lyakhovets , had ordered him to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said on September 2 that the suspects had been additionally charged with `` committing a crime in an organized group , '' which may lead to even stricter sentences .
The 37-year-old Golunov , who works for the Latvia-based information outlet Meduza , was arrested in June in Moscow for allegedly attempting to sell illegal drugs .
He was released several days later after the charges were droppedfollowing a public outcry .
The case sparked an investigation into his detainment over the charges and also into why Golunov suffered bruises , cuts , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during the ordeal .
In mid-July , police officers who detained Golunov were fired along with their supervisor for violating the journalist 's rights .
After Golunov ’ s release , Russian President Vladimir Putin fired Major General Yury Devyatkin , the head of the Moscow police department 's drug control directorate , and Major General Andrei Puchkov , the police chief in Moscow 's West administrative region , over the case .
Authorities announced in November that the case had been classified , a decision harshly criticized by Golunov 's lawyers , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cover up the `` wrongful arrest '' of their client .
In a very rare move , the Prosecutor 's Office of Moscow 's Western District apologized to Golunov in February for his illegal prosecution .
With reporting by TASS and Interfax

A court in Moscow has extended the pretrial arrests for three former police officers suspected in the illegal apprehension of investigative journalist Ivan Golunov last year, a case that sparked a public outcry over wrongdoing by police.
The Basmanny district court on September 4 ruled that Akbar Sergaliyev, Roman Feofanov, and Maksim Umetbayev must remain in pretrial detention at least until December 7.
A decision to prolong their detention for the fourth former police officer in the case, Igor Lyakhovets, will be made separately because his lawyer did not show up at the September 4 hearing.
The former police officers, along with a fifth colleague, Denis Konovalov, were detained on January 29 as suspects in the high-profile case.
A day later, they were charged with abuse of service duties, falsification of evidence, and the illegal handling of drugs.
Konovalov, who is charged with forging documents related to the probe, was transferred to house arrest from a detention center in February after he made a deal with investigators and testified in court that his former boss, Lyakhovets, had ordered him to plant drugs on the reporter.
Investigators said on September 2 that the suspects had been additionally charged with "committing a crime in an organized group," which may lead to even stricter sentences.
The 37-year-old Golunov, who works for the Latvia-based information outlet Meduza, was arrested in June in Moscow for allegedly attempting to sell illegal drugs.
He was released several days later after the charges were droppedfollowing a public outcry. The case sparked an investigation into his detainment over the charges and also into why Golunov suffered bruises, cuts, a concussion, and a broken rib during the ordeal.
In mid-July, police officers who detained Golunov were fired along with their supervisor for violating the journalist's rights.
After Golunov’s release, Russian President Vladimir Putin fired Major General Yury Devyatkin, the head of the Moscow police department's drug control directorate, and Major General Andrei Puchkov, the police chief in Moscow's West administrative region, over the case.
Authorities announced in November that the case had been classified, a decision harshly criticized by Golunov's lawyers, who called the move an attempt to cover up the "wrongful arrest" of their client.
In a very rare move, the Prosecutor's Office of Moscow's Western District apologized to Golunov in February for his illegal prosecution.
With reporting by TASS and Interfax


rferl--2020-09-04--PACE Rapporteurs Concerned At Sentence Handed To Azerbaijani Opposition Politician

Three rapporteurs of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe ( PACE ) have urged Azerbaijan to review the case of opposition politician Tofiq Yaqublu , who was sentenced to four years and three months in prison on charges of `` hooliganism . ''
A court in Baku on September 3 found Yaqublu , deputy chairman of the opposition Musavat Party and a senior politician in the National Council of Democratic Forces , guilty and sentenced him the same day .
`` We are deeply concerned by [ Yaqublu 's ] lawyers ' accusations that the trial was unfair @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all the defense motions were rejected , '' said PACE 's monitoring co-rapporteurs for Azerbaijan , Sir Roger Gale and Stefan Schennach , together with PACE 's rapporteur on reported cases of political prisoners in Azerbaijan , Sunna AEvarsdottir .
`` We are particularly alarmed by the severity of the sentence and [ Yaqublu 's ] decision to start a hunger strike , '' they added .
On September 2 , Yaqublu started a hunger strike after Judge Nariman Mehdiyev prevented him from making a final statement in court .
In the statement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being halted by the judge , he questioned the legality of the case against him , calling it politically motivated .
Yaqublu was arrested in March after a car hit his vehicle in Baku and the driver of the car started a heated argument with the politician .
Investigators accused Yaqublu of `` using a wrench to conduct an act of hooliganism '' against the driver , which the politician has denied .
Yaqublu and human rights groups say the car accident most likely was staged to be used for the case .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the oil-rich Caspian Sea state frequently seek to silence dissent by jailing opposition activists , journalists , and civil-society advocates on trumped-up charges .
Aliyev has ruled Azerbaijan since 2003 , taking over for his father , Heydar Aliyev , who served as president for a decade .

Three rapporteurs of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) have urged Azerbaijan to review the case of opposition politician Tofiq Yaqublu, who was sentenced to four years and three months in prison on charges of "hooliganism."
A court in Baku on September 3 found Yaqublu, deputy chairman of the opposition Musavat Party and a senior politician in the National Council of Democratic Forces, guilty and sentenced him the same day.
"We are deeply concerned by [Yaqublu's] lawyers' accusations that the trial was unfair, closed to the public and that all the defense motions were rejected," said PACE's monitoring co-rapporteurs for Azerbaijan, Sir Roger Gale and Stefan Schennach, together with PACE's rapporteur on reported cases of political prisoners in Azerbaijan, Sunna AEvarsdottir.
"We are particularly alarmed by the severity of the sentence and [Yaqublu's] decision to start a hunger strike," they added.
On September 2, Yaqublu started a hunger strike after Judge Nariman Mehdiyev prevented him from making a final statement in court. In the statement, which Yaqublu began to read before being halted by the judge, he questioned the legality of the case against him, calling it politically motivated.
Yaqublu was arrested in March after a car hit his vehicle in Baku and the driver of the car started a heated argument with the politician.
Investigators accused Yaqublu of "using a wrench to conduct an act of hooliganism" against the driver, which the politician has denied.
Yaqublu and human rights groups say the car accident most likely was staged to be used for the case.
Yaqublu frequently criticizes the government and authoritarian President Ilham Aliyev.
Critics of Aliyev's government say authorities in the oil-rich Caspian Sea state frequently seek to silence dissent by jailing opposition activists, journalists, and civil-society advocates on trumped-up charges.
Aliyev has ruled Azerbaijan since 2003, taking over for his father, Heydar Aliyev, who served as president for a decade.


rferl--2020-09-04--Jury Selection Begins In Kyiv In Trial Of Suspects In Killing Of Journalist Sheremet

KYIV -- The trial of three defendants suspected of being involved in the high-profile killing of journalist Pavel Sheremet has started in Kyiv with the selection of jurors .
The Shevchenko district court on September 4 selected jurors with the participation of defendants Andriy Antonenko , Yana Duhar , and Yulia Kuzmenko , and their legal teams .
The court decided to remove two potential members of the jury from the panel due to conflicts of interest and possible bias .
The jury will be fully established at the next hearing , scheduled for September 28 .
Sheremet , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his permanent home , was leaving his apartment to head to the studio where he hosted a morning radio program when an improvised explosive device planted under his vehicle exploded on July 20 , 2016 , killing him .
Antonenko , Duhar , and Kuzmenko were arrested in December as suspects in the case .
Duhar was later released and curfew restrictions were imposed on her , while Kuzmenko was transferred to house arrest in August .
All three took part in military operations in different capacities in Ukraine 's east , where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
They deny any involvement in Sheremet ’ s killing .
Analysts said the murder underscored concerns of a climate of impunity for attacks on journalists and others who challenge the authorities , while the government has faced persistent criticism over a perceived lack of progress in solving the case .
In January , the Ukrainian Prosecutor-General 's Office said additional evidence was needed for the case to go to trial .
Sheremet 's mother , Lyudmila Sheremet , told RFE/RL in December that she does not know if the suspects are guilty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ afraid `` that innocent people may be hurt '' as officials try to show they 're making headway in the case .

KYIV -- The trial of three defendants suspected of being involved in the high-profile killing of journalist Pavel Sheremet has started in Kyiv with the selection of jurors.
The Shevchenko district court on September 4 selected jurors with the participation of defendants Andriy Antonenko, Yana Duhar, and Yulia Kuzmenko, and their legal teams.
The court decided to remove two potential members of the jury from the panel due to conflicts of interest and possible bias.
The jury will be fully established at the next hearing, scheduled for September 28.
Sheremet, a Belarusian-born Russian citizen who had made Kyiv his permanent home, was leaving his apartment to head to the studio where he hosted a morning radio program when an improvised explosive device planted under his vehicle exploded on July 20, 2016, killing him.
Antonenko, Duhar, and Kuzmenko were arrested in December as suspects in the case.
Duhar was later released and curfew restrictions were imposed on her, while Kuzmenko was transferred to house arrest in August.
Antonenko remains in a detention center.
All three took part in military operations in different capacities in Ukraine's east, where government forces are fighting against Russia-backed separatists.
They deny any involvement in Sheremet’s killing.
Analysts said the murder underscored concerns of a climate of impunity for attacks on journalists and others who challenge the authorities, while the government has faced persistent criticism over a perceived lack of progress in solving the case.
In January, the Ukrainian Prosecutor-General's Office said additional evidence was needed for the case to go to trial.
Sheremet's mother, Lyudmila Sheremet, told RFE/RL in December that she does not know if the suspects are guilty or not, but that she is afraid "that innocent people may be hurt" as officials try to show they're making headway in the case.


rferl--2020-09-04--Campaigning Officially Starts For Kyrgyzstan's October 4 Parliamentary Elections

BISHKEK -- Kyrgyzstan 's parliamentary election campaign has officially begun , with 15 political parties contesting 120 seats in the Jogorku Kenesh ( Supreme Council ) .
Central Election Commission ( BShK ) Chairwoman Nurjan Shaildabekova called on the parties officially registered for the October 4 vote to stick to the principles of fairness and openness during the process .
Shaildabekova 's statement came after she signed a memorandum of understanding with representatives of 13 registered parties as the campaign kicked off .
Representatives of the opposition Ata-Meken ( Fatherland ) and Reforma ( Reform ) parties did now show @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 4 .
`` We can achieve success only by striving to have clean and open elections .
Therefore , in order to make sure that all political parties are ready to hold proper and fair elections , we proposed they sign this memorandum .
I hope that all of the obligations the parties agreed upon will be met .
The memorandum is a document of honor , a kind of a code , '' Shaildabekova said .
A day earlier , the last day of the registration , the BShK said two parties @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kyrgyzstan ( United Kyrgyzstan ) , had been rejected as they did n't meet the requirements laid out for participation .
Butun Kyrgyzstan called the commission 's decision political and said it will appeal in court .
Ata-Meken and pro-government parties , including Birimdik ( Unity ) and Mekenim Kyrgyzstan ( My Homeland Kyrgyzstan ) , are widely expected to gain seats in the legislature .
No party is allowed to hold more than 65 seats in the Supreme Council .

BISHKEK -- Kyrgyzstan's parliamentary election campaign has officially begun, with 15 political parties contesting 120 seats in the Jogorku Kenesh (Supreme Council).
Central Election Commission (BShK) Chairwoman Nurjan Shaildabekova called on the parties officially registered for the October 4 vote to stick to the principles of fairness and openness during the process.
Shaildabekova's statement came after she signed a memorandum of understanding with representatives of 13 registered parties as the campaign kicked off. Representatives of the opposition Ata-Meken (Fatherland) and Reforma (Reform) parties did now show up for the signing ceremony on September 4.
"We can achieve success only by striving to have clean and open elections. Therefore, in order to make sure that all political parties are ready to hold proper and fair elections, we proposed they sign this memorandum. I hope that all of the obligations the parties agreed upon will be met. The memorandum is a document of honor, a kind of a code," Shaildabekova said.
A day earlier, the last day of the registration, the BShK said two parties, Aktiv (Active) and Butun Kyrgyzstan (United Kyrgyzstan), had been rejected as they didn't meet the requirements laid out for participation.
Butun Kyrgyzstan called the commission's decision political and said it will appeal in court.
Ata-Meken and pro-government parties, including Birimdik (Unity) and Mekenim Kyrgyzstan (My Homeland Kyrgyzstan), are widely expected to gain seats in the legislature.
No party is allowed to hold more than 65 seats in the Supreme Council.


rferl--2020-09-04--Leading Iranian Rights Advocate Sotoudeh Marks 25th Day Of Hunger Strike In Prison

Prominent Iranian human rights advocate Nasrin Sotoudeh has been on a hunger strike in Tehran 's Evin prison for more than three weeks to protest the risk that political prisoners in Iran face amid the coronavirus pandemic .
Sotoudeh , who launched her hunger strike on August 11 , said she will refuse to eat to secure the release of political prisoners who have not been included in temporary prison leaves granted to tens of thousands of detainees , according to Iranian authorities , to prevent the spread of the virus in the country ’ s overcrowded prisons .
Sotoudeh @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2012 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought , has been surviving on water , tea , sugar , and salt , amid concerns over her health , her husband told RFE/RL on September 4 .
`` Today is Nasrin 's 25th day of the hunger strike , '' her husband , Reza Khandand , said , adding that her health had deteriorated in recent days .
`` Her general condition , her sugar [ level ] , her blood pressure has been in fluctuation .
She sometimes feels so weak that she is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
Khandan said that at one point in mid-August Sotoudeh ’ s condition became critical and she had to be taken to Evin prison 's health clinic even though , he said , she had resisted going to the clinic due to concerns over the coronavirus .
The Washington-based Boroumand Foundation , which documents human rights violations in Iran , said in a September 2 report that COVID-19 had spread widely in Iranian prisons where , it said , soap and disinfectant are scarce and overcrowding makes social distancing difficult .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and infected over 380,000 , according to official figures .
Real numbers are believed to be significantly higher .
Before her arrest in 2018 , the outspoken mother of two defended critics of the Iranian establishment , activists , members of the Baha ' i community , juvenile offenders on death row , and others , including most recently women detained for protesting the compulsory wearing of the hijab .
Sotoudeh , 58 , was sentenced in 2019 to a total of 38 1/2 years in prison and 148 lashes for her work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her sentence to become eligible for parole .
The widely respected lawyer was also jailed from 2010 to 2013 over her defense of sensitive political cases .
In 2015 , she protested for several weeks to be allowed to continue practicing law .
Despite her imprisonment , Sotoudeh has remained outspoken .
She also went on a hunger strike in March to protest prison conditions .
Her defiance appears to have angered the Iranian authorities , who have pressured her by freezing her bank account in May and detaining her 20-year-old daughter , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 18 for the alleged `` insult and assault '' of a prison guard , in an apparent move to force Sotoudeh to end her hunger strike .
Khandan said Mehraveh 's detention is one reason why Sotoudeh decided to prolong her hunger strike .
`` What they did to the child of a prisoner is [ beyond belief ] , '' he said .
Khandan said that neither he nor his family had told her to end her hunger strike .
`` We have n't made such a demand , we prefer that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Many Iranians have taken to social media in past days to express concern over the health of Sotoudeh and call for her release .
On September 2 , the German Judges Association ( DRB ) awarded its Human Rights Prize to Sotoudeh to highlight her fate .
“ Nasrin Sotoudeh has become a symbol of the Iranian civil rights movement through her courage and tireless commitment to human rights and the rule of law , ” the DRB said in a statement .
On August 28 , PEN America called for her immediate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ judicial and legal harassment of her and her family . ''
Sotoudeh `` is now facing the direst of consequences for her activism and expression .
Her life hangs in the balance , '' PEN America Director of Free Expression at Risk Programs Karin Deutsch Karlekar said .
On August 14 , the U.S. State Department expressed concern over Sotoudeh 's well-being and called for her release and `` all political prisoners unjustly detained in Iran . ''
Iran has in recent years intensified its pressure on human rights lawyers by sentencing them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of political prisoners and silence those pushing for human rights .


rferl--2020-09-04--COVID-19: Hospitals Overwhelmed In 'Coronavirus-Free' Turkmenistan

The global death toll from the coronavirus is more than 879,000 , with more than 26 million infections confirmed , causing mass disruptions as governments continue to try to slow the spread of the respiratory illness .
Hospitals are being inundated with patients showing acute COVID-19 symptoms in Turkmenistan , the only country in Central Asia where no coronavirus cases have been officially registered .
RFE/RL correspondents in the tightly controlled country said medical personnel at hospitals in the Turkmen capital , Ashgabat , said on September 3 that the situation had been worsening over the past three weeks and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the rise as well .
In a sign of the deteriorating situation , medical personnel complained that they were being forced against their will to work in quarantine zones for two-week stints while having to pay from their own pockets for personal protection equipment .
In some cases , experienced nurses said they were barred from leaving quarantine zones for more than two months .
Turkmenistan 's government still clings to its narrative that the country has no cases of coronavirus -- even though practically no one believes the claim .
Many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for treatment , fearing that they may be infected with the coronavirus while staying at hospitals that are overwhelmed with patients with COVID-19 symptoms .
The bodies of those who have died of COVID-19-like lung diseases are being delivered to their relatives in special plastic bags and the number of fresh graves across the country is increasing exponentially .
The World Health Organization on August 7 expressed concerns over the increase of atypical pneumonia cases in Turkmenistan and called on Ashgabat to allow it to organize independent coronavirus tests in the country .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ bill allowing the government to continue to enforce coronavirus-related restrictions and rules after lifting a state of emergency declared in March .
The bill -- passed in the first reading on September 4 -- involves amendments to several Armenian laws .
They will allow authorities to impose nationwide or local lockdowns , seal off communities hit by COVID-19 outbreaks , close the country ’ s borders , and isolate people infected with the virus .
The authorities can also ban or restrict public gatherings .
The government drafted the bill to avoid extending @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 11 .
Deputies from two parliamentary opposition parties , Prosperous Armenia and Bright Armenia , voted against the bill , saying the government was hastily pushing it through parliament without a proper debate .
The two parties had for months criticized Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian ’ s government for repeatedly prolonging the emergency rule .
Some senior opposition figures had said the government wasn ’ t lifting the emergency rule in order to keep in place a coronavirus-related ban on street protests .
The government lifted the ban last month but set strict @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of rallies .
The daily number of new coronavirus cases in Armenia has shrunk by more than half since a peak in mid-July .
Authorities said in the morning on September 4 that 190 more people have tested positive for the coronavirus in the past 24 hours .
It brings the total tally to 44,461 in the country of about 3 million .
With reporting by RFE/RL 's Turkmen and Armenian services

The global death toll from the coronavirus is more than 879,000, with more than 26 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
Hospitals are being inundated with patients showing acute COVID-19 symptoms in Turkmenistan, the only country in Central Asia where no coronavirus cases have been officially registered.
RFE/RL correspondents in the tightly controlled country said medical personnel at hospitals in the Turkmen capital, Ashgabat, said on September 3 that the situation had been worsening over the past three weeks and that the number of fatalities had been on the rise as well.
In a sign of the deteriorating situation, medical personnel complained that they were being forced against their will to work in quarantine zones for two-week stints while having to pay from their own pockets for personal protection equipment.
In some cases, experienced nurses said they were barred from leaving quarantine zones for more than two months.
Turkmenistan's government still clings to its narrative that the country has no cases of coronavirus -- even though practically no one believes the claim.
Many people say they prefer to stay home for treatment, fearing that they may be infected with the coronavirus while staying at hospitals that are overwhelmed with patients with COVID-19 symptoms.
The bodies of those who have died of COVID-19-like lung diseases are being delivered to their relatives in special plastic bags and the number of fresh graves across the country is increasing exponentially.
The World Health Organization on August 7 expressed concerns over the increase of atypical pneumonia cases in Turkmenistan and called on Ashgabat to allow it to organize independent coronavirus tests in the country.
Armenia
Armenia’s parliament has approved a bill allowing the government to continue to enforce coronavirus-related restrictions and rules after lifting a state of emergency declared in March.
The bill -- passed in the first reading on September 4 -- involves amendments to several Armenian laws.
They will allow authorities to impose nationwide or local lockdowns, seal off communities hit by COVID-19 outbreaks, close the country’s borders, and isolate people infected with the virus. The authorities can also ban or restrict public gatherings.
The government drafted the bill to avoid extending the state of emergency again on September 11.
Deputies from two parliamentary opposition parties, Prosperous Armenia and Bright Armenia, voted against the bill, saying the government was hastily pushing it through parliament without a proper debate.
The two parties had for months criticized Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian’s government for repeatedly prolonging the emergency rule.
Some senior opposition figures had said the government wasn’t lifting the emergency rule in order to keep in place a coronavirus-related ban on street protests.
The government lifted the ban last month but set strict physical distancing requirements for organizers and participants of rallies.
The daily number of new coronavirus cases in Armenia has shrunk by more than half since a peak in mid-July.
Authorities said in the morning on September 4 that 190 more people have tested positive for the coronavirus in the past 24 hours.
It brings the total tally to 44,461 in the country of about 3 million.
With reporting by RFE/RL's Turkmen and Armenian services


rferl--2020-09-04--Belarusian Journalists Sentenced To Three-Day Jail Terms Amid Crackdown On Postelection Protests

MINSK -- Six Belarusian journalists detained earlier this week while covering an anti-government protest in Minsk were sentenced to three days in jail , as authorities continued their crackdown on dissent and media freedom following a disputed election that gave President Alyaksandr Lukashenka a sixth-straight term .
The verdicts came just ahead of a scheduled address by Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya , the self-exiled presidential candidate who has become a leader of the Belarusian opposition , to the UN Security Council later on September 4 .
The journalists were covering a student rally demanding the resignation of Lukashenka on September 1 when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dinamo district stadium .
A district court in the capital sentenced the journalists to three days ' administrative arrest after finding them guilty of participating in an illegal rally , an accusation they denied .
They were later released having already served their terms while in pretrial detention .
The reporters work for the Belarusian independent news website Tut.by ; the local Komosomolskaya pravda v Belarusi daily ; and the independent news agency BelaPAN .
Hundreds of thousands of citizens have taken to the streets across Belarus to protest the `` rigged '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The protesters are calling on the 66-year-old Belarusian leader to step down after 26 years in power , release all political prisoners , and hold free and fair elections .
The authorities have tried to halt the protest movement with threats and the prosecution of protesters , political activists , and journalists covering the demonstrations .
On September 4 , police detained several student protesters gathered inside the Minsk State Linguistic Institute .
A witness said the students started singing the French national anthem La Marseillaise , which contains words about the fight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the building and dragged the students away .
Officials at the institute had warned students it would call in the police unless they halted their protests .
Those detained were later released from police custody after reportedly being charged with taking part in illegal rallies .
The Interior Ministry earlier said that a total of 26 people were detained during protests in Minsk on September 3 for violating the law on public events , adding that seven of them will remain in pretrial detention .
A photographer working for the news outlet Tut.by.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a few hours and charged with petty hooliganism for allegedly pushing a police officer .
The crackdown on protests , strikes , and the media has drawn condemnation from human rights groups , media freedom watchdogs , and the international community .
On September 3 , Britain and Canada said in a joint statement to the Permanent Council of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe ( OSCE ) that they were `` extremely concerned '' by the treatment of journalists and independent media in Belarus .
The statement cited `` numerous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ use of violence '' by Belarusian authorities against journalists , as well as peaceful protesters , and human rights defenders , and political opponents since the disputed presidential vote .
`` Though the strain faced by independent media has been made evident before , during , and after the presidential elections , in the past week Belarusian authorities have made greater moves to hinder the free press , '' the statement said , adding that more than 70 independent news websites had been blocked .
About 50 journalists were detained on August 27-28 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were subsequently deported and banned from Belarus for five years , it also noted .
At least 17 journalists , including four from RFE/RL ’ s Belarus Service , had their accreditations revoked .

MINSK -- Six Belarusian journalists detained earlier this week while covering an anti-government protest in Minsk were sentenced to three days in jail, as authorities continued their crackdown on dissent and media freedom following a disputed election that gave President Alyaksandr Lukashenka a sixth-straight term.
The verdicts came just ahead of a scheduled address by Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya, the self-exiled presidential candidate who has become a leader of the Belarusian opposition, to the UN Security Council later on September 4.
The journalists were covering a student rally demanding the resignation of Lukashenka on September 1 when they were detained by police near the Dinamo district stadium.
A district court in the capital sentenced the journalists to three days' administrative arrest after finding them guilty of participating in an illegal rally, an accusation they denied.
They were later released having already served their terms while in pretrial detention.
The reporters work for the Belarusian independent news website Tut.by; the local Komosomolskaya pravda v Belarusi daily; and the independent news agency BelaPAN.
Hundreds of thousands of citizens have taken to the streets across Belarus to protest the "rigged" results of the August 9 vote.
The protesters are calling on the 66-year-old Belarusian leader to step down after 26 years in power, release all political prisoners, and hold free and fair elections.
The authorities have tried to halt the protest movement with threats and the prosecution of protesters, political activists, and journalists covering the demonstrations.
On September 4, police detained several student protesters gathered inside the Minsk State Linguistic Institute. A witness said the students started singing the French national anthem La Marseillaise, which contains words about the fight against tyranny, when riot police entered the building and dragged the students away.
Officials at the institute had warned students it would call in the police unless they halted their protests.
Those detained were later released from police custody after reportedly being charged with taking part in illegal rallies.
The Interior Ministry earlier said that a total of 26 people were detained during protests in Minsk on September 3 for violating the law on public events, adding that seven of them will remain in pretrial detention.
A photographer working for the news outlet Tut.by., Zmitser Brushko, was detained for a few hours and charged with petty hooliganism for allegedly pushing a police officer.
The crackdown on protests, strikes, and the media has drawn condemnation from human rights groups, media freedom watchdogs, and the international community.
On September 3, Britain and Canada said in a joint statement to the Permanent Council of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) that they were "extremely concerned" by the treatment of journalists and independent media in Belarus.
The statement cited "numerous credible reports" of the "excessive use of violence" by Belarusian authorities against journalists, as well as peaceful protesters, and human rights defenders, and political opponents since the disputed presidential vote.
Crisis In Belarus Read our coverage as Belarusian strongman Alyaksandr Lukashenka continues his brutal crackdown on NGOs, activists, and independent media following the August 2020 presidential election.
"Though the strain faced by independent media has been made evident before, during, and after the presidential elections, in the past week Belarusian authorities have made greater moves to hinder the free press," the statement said, adding that more than 70 independent news websites had been blocked.
About 50 journalists were detained on August 27-28 for accreditation checks and some foreign reporters were subsequently deported and banned from Belarus for five years, it also noted.
At least 17 journalists, including four from RFE/RL’s Belarus Service, had their accreditations revoked.


rferl--2020-09-04--Moscow Defiant As NATO Demands Cooperation Over Navalny Poisoning

NATO has called on a defiant Russia to `` fully cooperate '' with an `` impartial international '' probe to be led by the global Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons ( OPCW ) into the poisoning of opposition leader Aleksei Navalny .
The 30-member Western military alliance agreed that Russia `` now has serious questions it must answer , '' Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg told a news conference in Brussels on September 4 following a special session of the organization 's ambassadors .
`` Any use of chemical weapons shows a total disrespect for human lives , and is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rules , '' Stoltenberg said .
Germany on September 2 said that toxicology tests provided `` unequivocal evidence '' that the gravely ill Kremlin-critic had been poisoned with a Novichok , a Soviet-style military-grade nerve agent .
Stoltenberg said the NATO allies demanded Moscow reveal its Novichok program to the OPCW .
Calling the Navalny case `` an attack on fundamental democratic rights , '' he said NATO allies would continue to consult on the incident and `` consider the implications . ''
So far , Russian authorities have resorted to obfuscation and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s case and have refused to open a criminal investigation into the allegation that the opposition politician was poisoned , saying that no hard evidence has been found .
Navalny , 44 , fell ill on a flight from Siberia to Moscow on August 20 , forcing the plane he was traveling on to make an emergency landing in Omsk , where he spent two days in hospital before being evacuated to Germany .
He is now on a respirator and under medically induced coma in an intensive-care unit at Charite Hospital in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a joint reaction against Russia from its EU and NATO partners , after Chancellor Angela Merkel describe Navalny ’ s case as an `` attempted murder by poisoning . ''
In an open letter to EU foreign-policy chief Josep Borrell published on September 4 , more than 100 members of the European Parliament called for sanctions against those responsible for attacks against opposition figures and journalists in Russia .
The lawmakers from various political groups called for a `` full and transparent investigation '' into Navalny 's case , but they said they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are fit and willing to investigate the real background of this crime . ''
Borrell issued a statement on behalf of all EU members on September 3 condemning the `` assassination attempt '' and demanding Moscow fully investigate the crime .
`` The European Union calls for a joint international response and reserves the right to take appropriate actions , including through restrictive measures , '' Borrell said .
`` Impunity must not and will not be tolerated . ''
Borrell demanded Russia `` fully cooperate '' with the OPCW chemical-weapons watchdog to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ response to Borrell ’ s comments , Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Aleksandr Grushko told the EU ’ s Ambassador to Russia Marcus Ederer on September 4 it was “ inadmissible to politicize the given issue and to bring up unsubstantiated accusations , ” according to the Foreign Ministry .
Russian Interior Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev told Interfax he currently saw “ absolutely no grounds ” to suspect a crime was committed in the Navalny case .
Earlier in the day , Russian media reported that Russia 's Investigative Committee had asked one of its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ possibility that someone had tried to murder Navalny .
In Moscow , President Vladimir Putin 's spokesman said that the Russian authorities want to find out through dialogue with Germany what exact substance caused Navalny to fall ill. Dmitry Peskov also claimed that Russian doctors who treated him initially were much more transparent than the German doctors , and said Russian specialists were looking into the case .
Meanwhile , the chief toxicologist for the Omsk region in Siberia told Russian journalists that Navalny ’ s health could have deteriorated due to dieting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he insisted that no poison had been found in his blood samples taken in the city of Omsk , where the anti-corruption campaigner was treated for the first two days after falling ill. '' The patient used diets to lose weight , '' the chief toxicologist for the Omsk region , Aleksandr Sabayev , said .
`` Any external factors could have triggered a sudden deterioration .
Even a simple lack of breakfast . ''
Navalny 's top aide , Leonid Volkov , told Current Time on September 4 that the opposition figure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaign that promotes independent or opposition candidates for upcoming local elections .
`` [ Navalny 's ] Smart Voting [ campaign ] is so dangerous [ for Russian authorities ] that they are ready to kill for it , because Smart Voting showed and proved that it is an absolutely effective strategy against [ the ruling ] United Russia , '' Volkov said , adding that the only way to deal with Navalny 's campaign was for the authorities to poison him .
Current Time is the Russian-language network led by RFE/RL in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Russian authorities have tried to stop Navalny 's Smart Voting campaign by all possible means as nationwide local elections scheduled for September 13 are getting closer .
He pointed to the campaign 's success last year , when United Russia lost about 200 mandates because of Navalny 's campaign in regional parliaments during elections .
Pressure is also mounting on Merkel at home to abandon the Nord Stream 2 project , an underwater Baltic Sea pipeline nearing completion that would bring gas from Russia to Germany .
`` Diplomatic rituals are no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the head of the German parliament 's foreign affairs committee , tweeted on September 2 .
`` After the poisoning of Navalny we need a strong European answer which Putin understands : The EU should jointly decide to stop Nord Stream 2 , '' said Roettgen , a candidate to be the next leader of Merkel 's Christian Democratic Union party .
Last week , the German chancellor rejected the idea that the Navalny case should be linked to Nord Stream 2 , a project that has drawn the ire of the United @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Washington , the U.S. National Security Council said the United States would work with allies `` to hold those in Russia accountable , wherever the evidence leads , and restrict funds for their malign activities . ''
In Congress , lawmakers called on the Trump administration to impose congressionally mandated sanctions on Russia .
Navalny 's poisoning has echoes with the case of former Russian double-agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter in the British city of Salisbury .
A British investigation determined that the Skripals had been poisoned with Novichok and alleged that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state agents .
The British government expelled 23 Russian diplomats after Moscow refused to cooperate with an investigation into the Skripal poisoning .
The United States and other European states expelled dozens of Russian diplomats in a coordinated response .
From the beginning , allies of Navalny have said that the Russian state was behind the poisoning , and the legal department of his Anti-Corruption Foundation has filed a complaint over what it called the Russian Investigative Committee 's inaction in the case .
A Moscow court has dismissed the complaint , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appealed .
Navalny , who has been attacked and arrested several times in the past , is a leading politician , anti-corruption campaigner , and protest leader .
He had been in Siberia for his latest investigation into corruption and to support opposition candidates in September ’ s local elections before he fell ill .
In a gesture of political support for Russia , Belarus 's embattled President Alyaksandr Lukashenka , who is himself facing international condemnation over last month 's presidential election and the ensuing crackdown on protesters , said on September @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a phone call allegedly indicating that Navalny 's poisoning was a `` falsification . ''
Lukashenka alleged that the conversation involved people in Warsaw and Berlin whom he did n't name .
`` There was no poisoning of Navalny , '' he said .
`` Naturally , the claim made by Mr. Lukashenko is untrue , '' German government spokesperson Steffen Seibert said on September 4 .
With reporting by dpa , AP , TASS , and the Siberia Desk of RFE/RL 's Russian Service

NATO has called on a defiant Russia to "fully cooperate" with an "impartial international" probe to be led by the global Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) into the poisoning of opposition leader Aleksei Navalny.
The 30-member Western military alliance agreed that Russia "now has serious questions it must answer," Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg told a news conference in Brussels on September 4 following a special session of the organization's ambassadors.
"Any use of chemical weapons shows a total disrespect for human lives, and is an unacceptable breach of international norms and rules," Stoltenberg said.
Germany on September 2 said that toxicology tests provided "unequivocal evidence" that the gravely ill Kremlin-critic had been poisoned with a Novichok, a Soviet-style military-grade nerve agent.
Stoltenberg said the NATO allies demanded Moscow reveal its Novichok program to the OPCW.
Calling the Navalny case "an attack on fundamental democratic rights," he said NATO allies would continue to consult on the incident and "consider the implications."
So far, Russian authorities have resorted to obfuscation and denial in their response to Navalny’s case and have refused to open a criminal investigation into the allegation that the opposition politician was poisoned, saying that no hard evidence has been found.
Navalny, 44, fell ill on a flight from Siberia to Moscow on August 20, forcing the plane he was traveling on to make an emergency landing in Omsk, where he spent two days in hospital before being evacuated to Germany.
He is now on a respirator and under medically induced coma in an intensive-care unit at Charite Hospital in Berlin.
Germany is seeking to forge a joint reaction against Russia from its EU and NATO partners, after Chancellor Angela Merkel describe Navalny’s case as an "attempted murder by poisoning."
In an open letter to EU foreign-policy chief Josep Borrell published on September 4, more than 100 members of the European Parliament called for sanctions against those responsible for attacks against opposition figures and journalists in Russia.
The lawmakers from various political groups called for a "full and transparent investigation" into Navalny's case, but they said they were "extremely skeptical that Russian authorities are fit and willing to investigate the real background of this crime."
Borrell issued a statement on behalf of all EU members on September 3 condemning the "assassination attempt" and demanding Moscow fully investigate the crime.
"The European Union calls for a joint international response and reserves the right to take appropriate actions, including through restrictive measures," Borrell said. "Impunity must not and will not be tolerated."
Borrell demanded Russia "fully cooperate" with the OPCW chemical-weapons watchdog to ensure a full international investigation.
In response to Borrell’s comments, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Aleksandr Grushko told the EU’s Ambassador to Russia Marcus Ederer on September 4 it was “inadmissible to politicize the given issue and to bring up unsubstantiated accusations,” according to the Foreign Ministry.
Russian Interior Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev told Interfax he currently saw “absolutely no grounds” to suspect a crime was committed in the Navalny case.
Earlier in the day, Russian media reported that Russia's Investigative Committee had asked one of its regional branches in Siberia to probe the possibility that someone had tried to murder Navalny.
In Moscow, President Vladimir Putin's spokesman said that the Russian authorities want to find out through dialogue with Germany what exact substance caused Navalny to fall ill.
Dmitry Peskov also claimed that Russian doctors who treated him initially were much more transparent than the German doctors, and said Russian specialists were looking into the case.
Meanwhile, the chief toxicologist for the Omsk region in Siberia told Russian journalists that Navalny’s health could have deteriorated due to dieting, stress, or fatigue, and he insisted that no poison had been found in his blood samples taken in the city of Omsk, where the anti-corruption campaigner was treated for the first two days after falling ill.
"The patient used diets to lose weight," the chief toxicologist for the Omsk region, Aleksandr Sabayev, said. "Any external factors could have triggered a sudden deterioration. Even a simple lack of breakfast."
Navalny's top aide, Leonid Volkov, told Current Time on September 4 that the opposition figure was targeted because of his Smart Voting campaign that promotes independent or opposition candidates for upcoming local elections.
"[Navalny's] Smart Voting [campaign] is so dangerous [for Russian authorities] that they are ready to kill for it, because Smart Voting showed and proved that it is an absolutely effective strategy against [the ruling] United Russia," Volkov said, adding that the only way to deal with Navalny's campaign was for the authorities to poison him. Current Time is the Russian-language network led by RFE/RL in cooperation with VOA.
According to Volkov, Russian authorities have tried to stop Navalny's Smart Voting campaign by all possible means as nationwide local elections scheduled for September 13 are getting closer.
He pointed to the campaign's success last year, when United Russia lost about 200 mandates because of Navalny's campaign in regional parliaments during elections.
Pressure is also mounting on Merkel at home to abandon the Nord Stream 2 project, an underwater Baltic Sea pipeline nearing completion that would bring gas from Russia to Germany.
"Diplomatic rituals are no longer enough," Norbert Roettgen, the head of the German parliament's foreign affairs committee, tweeted on September 2.
"After the poisoning of Navalny we need a strong European answer which Putin understands: The EU should jointly decide to stop Nord Stream 2," said Roettgen, a candidate to be the next leader of Merkel's Christian Democratic Union party.
Last week, the German chancellor rejected the idea that the Navalny case should be linked to Nord Stream 2, a project that has drawn the ire of the United States and some European partners.
In Washington, the U.S. National Security Council said the United States would work with allies "to hold those in Russia accountable, wherever the evidence leads, and restrict funds for their malign activities."
In Congress, lawmakers called on the Trump administration to impose congressionally mandated sanctions on Russia.
Navalny's poisoning has echoes with the case of former Russian double-agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter in the British city of Salisbury. A British investigation determined that the Skripals had been poisoned with Novichok and alleged that the attack was carried out by Russian state agents.
The British government expelled 23 Russian diplomats after Moscow refused to cooperate with an investigation into the Skripal poisoning. The United States and other European states expelled dozens of Russian diplomats in a coordinated response.
From the beginning, allies of Navalny have said that the Russian state was behind the poisoning, and the legal department of his Anti-Corruption Foundation has filed a complaint over what it called the Russian Investigative Committee's inaction in the case.
A Moscow court has dismissed the complaint, a decision lawyer Vyacheslav Gimadi said would be appealed.
Navalny, who has been attacked and arrested several times in the past, is a leading politician, anti-corruption campaigner, and protest leader.
He had been in Siberia for his latest investigation into corruption and to support opposition candidates in September’s local elections before he fell ill.
In a gesture of political support for Russia, Belarus's embattled President Alyaksandr Lukashenka, who is himself facing international condemnation over last month's presidential election and the ensuing crackdown on protesters, said on September 3 that Belarusian intelligence had eavesdropped on a phone call allegedly indicating that Navalny's poisoning was a "falsification."
Lukashenka alleged that the conversation involved people in Warsaw and Berlin whom he didn't name.
"There was no poisoning of Navalny," he said.
"Naturally, the claim made by Mr. Lukashenko is untrue," German government spokesperson Steffen Seibert said on September 4.
With reporting by dpa, AP, TASS, and the Siberia Desk of RFE/RL's Russian Service


rferl--2020-09-05--Russia's Khabarovsk Continues Protests To Support Arrested Former Governor

KHABAROVSK , Russia -- Hundreds of locals in the Far Eastern Russian city of Khabarovsk have taken to the streets for the 57th consecutive day to protest the arrest in July of the region ’ s popular former governor .
Protest organizers estimated the crowd on September 5 at about 2,000 people , while the city administration said about 1,000 people participated .
Protesters gathered outside the building of the regional government and then marched through the center of the city .
They called for the resignation of President Vladimir Putin and criticized the ruling United Russia party .
Former @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on July 9 and taken to Moscow .
He faces charges in connection with several killings that happened in the mid-2000s .
Furgal , of the nationalist Liberal Democratic Party of Russia , was elected in 2018 in a runoff that he won handily against the region ’ s longtime United Russia incumbent .
Supporters believe the charges against him were fabricated in a bid to reestablish United Russia ’ s control over the region .
Protest organizers in Khabarovsk have received permission to hold another demonstration on September 12 with the participation @ @ @ @ @ @

KHABAROVSK, Russia -- Hundreds of locals in the Far Eastern Russian city of Khabarovsk have taken to the streets for the 57th consecutive day to protest the arrest in July of the region’s popular former governor.
Protest organizers estimated the crowd on September 5 at about 2,000 people, while the city administration said about 1,000 people participated.
Protesters gathered outside the building of the regional government and then marched through the center of the city. They called for the resignation of President Vladimir Putin and criticized the ruling United Russia party.
Former Khabarovsk Krai Governor Sergei Furgal was arrested on July 9 and taken to Moscow. He faces charges in connection with several killings that happened in the mid-2000s.
Furgal, of the nationalist Liberal Democratic Party of Russia, was elected in 2018 in a runoff that he won handily against the region’s longtime United Russia incumbent. Supporters believe the charges against him were fabricated in a bid to reestablish United Russia’s control over the region.
Protest organizers in Khabarovsk have received permission to hold another demonstration on September 12 with the participation of up to 70,000 people.


rferl--2020-09-05--U.S. B-52 Bombers Complete Training Mission In Ukrainian Airspace

Three U.S. B-52 strategic bombers have completed a training flight in Ukrainian airspace , according to a statement by U.S. Air Force command in Europe .
According to the DefPost military website , the September 4 mission was the first-ever of its kind .
The bombers are based in the U.S. state of North Dakota but are part of a deployment of six B-52s to a Royal Air Force base in Fairford , England .
The purpose of the mission over Ukraine was to provide in-air training and to improve “ collective defense capabilities…to deter Russia and assure Allies and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A statement from the Ukrainian Defense Ministry said that Ukrainian Su-27 and MiG-29 fighters rendezvoused with U.S. bombers at the country ’ s border with Poland and accompanied them over Ukrainian territory to the Sea of Azov and back .
The Russian Defense Ministry said that eight fighter aircraft were scrambled “ to prevent U.S. aircraft from violating Russian airspace ” in the regions of the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov .
Moscow added that the U.S. aircraft did not violate Russian airspace , which would indicate that they did not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Moscow annexed in 2014 .

Three U.S. B-52 strategic bombers have completed a training flight in Ukrainian airspace, according to a statement by U.S. Air Force command in Europe.
According to the DefPost military website, the September 4 mission was the first-ever of its kind.
The bombers are based in the U.S. state of North Dakota but are part of a deployment of six B-52s to a Royal Air Force base in Fairford, England.
The purpose of the mission over Ukraine was to provide in-air training and to improve “collective defense capabilities…to deter Russia and assure Allies and partners,” the statement said.
A statement from the Ukrainian Defense Ministry said that Ukrainian Su-27 and MiG-29 fighters rendezvoused with U.S. bombers at the country’s border with Poland and accompanied them over Ukrainian territory to the Sea of Azov and back.
The Russian Defense Ministry said that eight fighter aircraft were scrambled “to prevent U.S. aircraft from violating Russian airspace” in the regions of the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov.
Moscow added that the U.S. aircraft did not violate Russian airspace, which would indicate that they did not approach the Ukrainian region of Crimea that Moscow annexed in 2014.


rferl--2020-09-05--Russian Scientists Say Coronavirus Vaccine Shows Immune Response

Russian scientists have published results from early tests of their Sputnik-V coronavirus vaccine that was approved by the Russian government with much fanfare in August .
The study published in the British medical journal The Lancet on September 4 said patients involved in early tests developed antibodies with `` no serious adverse events . ''
Russia approved the vaccine for domestic use on August 11 , the first country to do so and before any data had been published .
President Vladimir Putin said at the time of the announcement that the vaccine provided `` sustainable immunity '' and that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inoculated .
This raised concerns among some scientists that Russia was rushing to use a vaccine without safety data .
Experts said the first trials were too small and carried out over too short of a duration to prove safety and effectiveness .
The study also did not use a placebo or control vaccine .
In the Lancet study , Russian researchers reported on two trials conducted in June and July each involving 38 healthy adults aged between 18 and 60 .
Each participant was given a first dose , followed by a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were monitored over 42 days and all developed antibodies within the first three weeks .
The report said participants would continue to be monitored up to 180 days .
The early-stage trials also suggested the Sputnik-V vaccine produced a response from T cells , a key part of the immune system that may play in role in providing longer-term protection against the coronavirus .
A weakness of the study is that many of the participants were people in their 20s and 30s , while the coronavirus is particularly dangerous for unhealthy people and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ modified strains of the adenovirus , which usually causes the common cold .
It is then combined with a part of the new coronavirus , SARS-CoV-2 , to trigger an immune response .
Despite any drawbacks , Russian developers claimed great success and announced plans to expand trials .
Professor Aleksandr Gintsburg , director of the Gamaleya Institute that developed the vaccine with Russia ’ s Defense Ministry , told reporters that the vaccine triggers “ sufficient ” immune response “ to counteract any imaginable dose infecting [ a person ] with COVID-19.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the protective effect of this vaccine will be detectable and remain at a proper level for 2 years , or maybe even more , '' Gintsburg claimed without presenting evidence .
A phase 3 clinical trial will involve 40,000 volunteers `` from different age and risk groups , ” according to the paper .
In a commentary in The Lancet , Naor Bar-Zeev of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health , who was not involved in the study , said the research was `` encouraging but small . ''
`` Showing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , not only for vaccine acceptance but also for trust in vaccination broadly , '' he wrote .
`` Since vaccines are given to healthy people and , during the COVID-19 pandemic , potentially to everyone after approval following phase 3 trials , safety is paramount . ''
The World Health Organization ( WHO ) has warned countries not to sacrifice safety to rush development of a vaccine .
The Geneva-based body says it will not endorse a vaccine that has not proven safe and effective .
There has been massive pressure globally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the pandemic continues to spread and countries seek to gain access to treatments for their population .
WHO said a total of 176 potential vaccines were being developed worldwide , including 34 being tested on people .
Among those eight are phase 3 clinical trials , the most advanced involving tens of thousands people .
Kirill Dmitriev , who heads a Russian investment fund behind the vaccine , told reporters that The Lancet publication `` is a powerful response to the skeptics who unreasonably criticized the Russian vaccine . ''
Dmitriev stated that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the supply of 1 billion doses of the vaccine .
Russia has said that industrial production for the Sputnik V vaccine is expected to start in September .
With reporting from AFP , AP , Reuters , and TASS

Russian scientists have published results from early tests of their Sputnik-V coronavirus vaccine that was approved by the Russian government with much fanfare in August.
The study published in the British medical journal The Lancet on September 4 said patients involved in early tests developed antibodies with "no serious adverse events."
Russia approved the vaccine for domestic use on August 11, the first country to do so and before any data had been published. President Vladimir Putin said at the time of the announcement that the vaccine provided "sustainable immunity" and that one of his own daughters had been inoculated.
This raised concerns among some scientists that Russia was rushing to use a vaccine without safety data.
Experts said the first trials were too small and carried out over too short of a duration to prove safety and effectiveness. The study also did not use a placebo or control vaccine.
In the Lancet study, Russian researchers reported on two trials conducted in June and July each involving 38 healthy adults aged between 18 and 60.
Each participant was given a first dose, followed by a booster shot 21 days later.
They were monitored over 42 days and all developed antibodies within the first three weeks. The report said participants would continue to be monitored up to 180 days.
The early-stage trials also suggested the Sputnik-V vaccine produced a response from T cells, a key part of the immune system that may play in role in providing longer-term protection against the coronavirus.
A weakness of the study is that many of the participants were people in their 20s and 30s, while the coronavirus is particularly dangerous for unhealthy people and older populations.
The Russian vaccine uses modified strains of the adenovirus, which usually causes the common cold. It is then combined with a part of the new coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, to trigger an immune response.
Expanding The Trial
Despite any drawbacks, Russian developers claimed great success and announced plans to expand trials.
Professor Aleksandr Gintsburg, director of the Gamaleya Institute that developed the vaccine with Russia’s Defense Ministry, told reporters that the vaccine triggers “sufficient” immune response “to counteract any imaginable dose infecting [a person] with COVID-19.”
“We are ready to assert that the protective effect of this vaccine will be detectable and remain at a proper level for 2 years, or maybe even more," Gintsburg claimed without presenting evidence.
A phase 3 clinical trial will involve 40,000 volunteers "from different age and risk groups,” according to the paper.
In a commentary in The Lancet, Naor Bar-Zeev of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, who was not involved in the study, said the research was "encouraging but small."
"Showing safety will be crucial with COVID-19 vaccines, not only for vaccine acceptance but also for trust in vaccination broadly," he wrote.
"Since vaccines are given to healthy people and, during the COVID-19 pandemic, potentially to everyone after approval following phase 3 trials, safety is paramount."
The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned countries not to sacrifice safety to rush development of a vaccine.
The Geneva-based body says it will not endorse a vaccine that has not proven safe and effective.
There has been massive pressure globally to roll out a vaccine quickly as the pandemic continues to spread and countries seek to gain access to treatments for their population.
WHO said a total of 176 potential vaccines were being developed worldwide, including 34 being tested on people. Among those eight are phase 3 clinical trials, the most advanced involving tens of thousands people.
Kirill Dmitriev, who heads a Russian investment fund behind the vaccine, told reporters that The Lancet publication "is a powerful response to the skeptics who unreasonably criticized the Russian vaccine."
Dmitriev stated that Russia had received requests from 20 countries for the supply of 1 billion doses of the vaccine.
Russia has said that industrial production for the Sputnik V vaccine is expected to start in September.
With reporting from AFP, AP, Reuters, and TASS


rferl--2020-09-05--Explosion In Iran Injures Dozens

Explosion In Iran Injures Dozens

An explosion late on September 4 has injured more than 200 people in western Iran , Iranian news agencies reported @ @ @ @ @ fatalities were reported in the incident , which happened in the rural Ilam Province .
@ @ @ @ @ caused by the explosion of a chlorine canister being transported by truck .
Driver “ @ @ @ @ @ the state IRNA news agency reported .
No other details were reported .
Several suspicious @ @ @ @ @ military and civilian sites throughout Iran over the course of the summer .
On August @ @ @ @ @ that an explosion in July at the country ’ s main nuclear facility at Natanz @ @ @ @ @ sabotage operations.
” Based on reporting by AFP , IRNA , and Reuters