rferl--2020-10-05--Fugitive Kazakh Opposition Figure Ablyazov Granted Asylum In France

France has granted political asylum to Kazakhstan 's exiled opposition leader Mukhtar Ablyazov , according to his lawyer and a French newspaper .
The French daily Le Monde reported on October 5 that France ’ s National Court of Asylum Issues , the CDNA , had granted asylum to the fugitive former banker .
In its ruling , dated September 29 , the court deplored direct pressure from Kazakhstan and `` the obvious attempts by outside agents to exert influence on the asylum authorities , '' according to the report .
Le Monde said the court had reviewed for several @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decision by the French Office for the Protection of Refugees and Stateless Persons to reject Ablyazov ’ s asylum request .
His lawyer , Bota Jardemalie , wrote on Facebook on October 4 that the CDNA ’ s decision was made `` despite the most massive political pressure by Kazakhstan on the leadership of France , international lobbying organized by [ Kazakhstan 's ] regime , its dirty PR , fabricated accusations , manipulations and direct pressure on the French justice [ system ] . ''
Ablyazov has been a vocal critic of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Nursultan Nazarbaev .
In recent years , he has been organizing and coordinating the activities of his Democratic Choice of Kazakhstan movement and protest rallies in Kazakhstan 's capital , Nur-Sultan , and other towns and cities via the Internet .
Ablyazov , a former head of Kazakhstan 's BTA bank , who has been residing in Europe for more than a decade , is wanted by Kazakhstan , Russia , and Ukraine on suspicion of embezzling some $ 5 billion .
In November 2018 , a court in Kazakhstan sentenced Ablyazov @ @ @ @ @ @ @ finding him guilty of organizing the 2004 murder of Erzhan Tatishev , the head TuranAlem bank , which was later renamed BTA .
In a separate in-absentia trial in Kazakhstan that ended in 2017 , Ablyazov was convicted of embezzlement , abuse of office , and organizing a criminal group and sentenced to 20 years in prison .
Ablyazov denies all the charges , saying they are politically motivated .

France has granted political asylum to Kazakhstan's exiled opposition leader Mukhtar Ablyazov, according to his lawyer and a French newspaper.
The French daily Le Monde reported on October 5 that France’s National Court of Asylum Issues, the CDNA, had granted asylum to the fugitive former banker.
In its ruling, dated September 29, the court deplored direct pressure from Kazakhstan and "the obvious attempts by outside agents to exert influence on the asylum authorities," according to the report.
Le Monde said the court had reviewed for several months Ablyazov's appeal against an earlier decision by the French Office for the Protection of Refugees and Stateless Persons to reject Ablyazov’s asylum request.
His lawyer, Bota Jardemalie, wrote on Facebook on October 4 that the CDNA’s decision was made "despite the most massive political pressure by Kazakhstan on the leadership of France, international lobbying organized by [Kazakhstan's] regime, its dirty PR, fabricated accusations, manipulations and direct pressure on the French justice [system]."
Ablyazov has been a vocal critic of Kazakh President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev and his predecessor, Nursultan Nazarbaev.
In recent years, he has been organizing and coordinating the activities of his Democratic Choice of Kazakhstan movement and protest rallies in Kazakhstan's capital, Nur-Sultan, and other towns and cities via the Internet.
Ablyazov, a former head of Kazakhstan's BTA bank, who has been residing in Europe for more than a decade, is wanted by Kazakhstan, Russia, and Ukraine on suspicion of embezzling some $5 billion.
In November 2018, a court in Kazakhstan sentenced Ablyazov in absentia to life in prison after finding him guilty of organizing the 2004 murder of Erzhan Tatishev, the head TuranAlem bank, which was later renamed BTA.
In a separate in-absentia trial in Kazakhstan that ended in 2017, Ablyazov was convicted of embezzlement, abuse of office, and organizing a criminal group and sentenced to 20 years in prison.
Ablyazov denies all the charges, saying they are politically motivated.


rferl--2020-10-05--Explosions Rock Cities As Armenia-Azerbaijan Fighting Escalates

Cities on both sides of the conflict between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces have been by hit by sustained rocket and @ @ @ @ @ escalation in fighting that was already some of the heaviest since a truce in 1994 @ @ @ @ @ were further dimmed by bellicose speeches by the two countries ' leaders ,

Cities on both sides of the conflict between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces have been by hit by sustained rocket and artillery fire, marking an escalation in fighting that was already some of the heaviest since a truce in 1994. Hopes for peace talks were further dimmed by bellicose speeches by the two countries' leaders.


rferl--2020-10-05--Moscow Court Refuses To Extend Probation Period For Well-Known Blogger

A court in Moscow has refused to extend the probation period for Yegor Zhukov , a prominent Russian blogger and activist known for his open criticism of the government .
Zhukov 's lawyer , Leonid Solovyov , said on October 5 that the Kuntsevo district court had rejected the Federal Penitentiary Service 's ( FSIN ) motion to prolong the probation period .
The FSIN directorate in Moscow last week filed the motion saying that Zhukov had failed to show up at a police station to report to a parole officer for one month , which is considered to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ blogger was given along with a three-year suspended sentence in December .
The charges against the 22-year-old activist were related to four videos he posted on his YouTube channel in October and December 2017 that included clips of demonstrations and commentaries by the blogger on the protest movement and Russian politics .
Zhukov was arrested in August last year amid protests in Moscow demanding free and fair municipal elections .
Dozens of people have been fined or given jail sentences over the rallies .
In his final court appearance on December 4 before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ made a statement harshly criticizing Russia 's current political system for creating economic inequality for its citizens .
Zhukov 's statement resonated across the country .
In late August , Zhukov was severely beaten by unknown assailants .
He and his supporters say the attack was politically motivated .
Based on reporting by TASS and Interfax

A court in Moscow has refused to extend the probation period for Yegor Zhukov, a prominent Russian blogger and activist known for his open criticism of the government.
Zhukov's lawyer, Leonid Solovyov, said on October 5 that the Kuntsevo district court had rejected the Federal Penitentiary Service's (FSIN) motion to prolong the probation period.
The FSIN directorate in Moscow last week filed the motion saying that Zhukov had failed to show up at a police station to report to a parole officer for one month, which is considered to be a violation of the probation period the blogger was given along with a three-year suspended sentence in December.
The charges against the 22-year-old activist were related to four videos he posted on his YouTube channel in October and December 2017 that included clips of demonstrations and commentaries by the blogger on the protest movement and Russian politics.
Zhukov was arrested in August last year amid protests in Moscow demanding free and fair municipal elections. Dozens of people have been fined or given jail sentences over the rallies.
In his final court appearance on December 4 before his sentencing the next day, Zhukov made a statement harshly criticizing Russia's current political system for creating economic inequality for its citizens.
Zhukov's statement resonated across the country.
In late August, Zhukov was severely beaten by unknown assailants. He and his supporters say the attack was politically motivated.
Based on reporting by TASS and Interfax


rferl--2020-10-05--Leader Of Russia's Volatile  Daghestan Region Replaced

Russian President Vladimir Putin has replaced the leader of the volatile North Caucasus region of Daghestan .
The Kremlin said in a statement on October 5 that Putin had signed a decree accepting Vladimir Vasilyev 's `` request to relieve him from his duties . ''
It gave no reason why Vasilyev submitted his resignation .
The statement added that Sergei Melikov , a member of the parliament 's upper chamber , the Federation Council , was appointed as Daghestan 's acting leader .
In October 2017 , Putin made a surprise move by appointing Vasilyev , an outsider who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the ruling United Russia party 's regional parliamentary group .
Vasilyev 's appointment was considered a possible move to enforce attempts to eradicate deep-rooted corruption in Daghestan as Vasilyev was a police lieutenant-general and a former deputy interior minister .
Colonel General Sergei Melikov , 55 , served as presidential envoy in the North Caucasus Federal Territory between May 2014 and July 2016 .
Before joining the Federation Council last year , Melikov had been the First Deputy Director of the Russian National Guard since 2016 .
Daghestan in recent years has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ violence linked to business turf wars , political disputes , clan rivalries , and the spread of militant Islam .

Russian President Vladimir Putin has replaced the leader of the volatile North Caucasus region of Daghestan.
The Kremlin said in a statement on October 5 that Putin had signed a decree accepting Vladimir Vasilyev's "request to relieve him from his duties."
It gave no reason why Vasilyev submitted his resignation.
The statement added that Sergei Melikov, a member of the parliament's upper chamber, the Federation Council, was appointed as Daghestan's acting leader.
In October 2017, Putin made a surprise move by appointing Vasilyev, an outsider who at the time was 68 and led the ruling United Russia party's regional parliamentary group.
Vasilyev's appointment was considered a possible move to enforce attempts to eradicate deep-rooted corruption in Daghestan as Vasilyev was a police lieutenant-general and a former deputy interior minister.
Colonel General Sergei Melikov, 55, served as presidential envoy in the North Caucasus Federal Territory between May 2014 and July 2016.
Before joining the Federation Council last year, Melikov had been the First Deputy Director of the Russian National Guard since 2016.
Daghestan in recent years has been at the epicenter of organized criminal gang violence linked to business turf wars, political disputes, clan rivalries, and the spread of militant Islam.


rferl--2020-10-05--Chemical Weapons Group Ready To Cooperate With Russia In Navalny Poisoning Case

The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons ( OPCW ) has confirmed Russia 's request for the global watchdog to dispatch experts to the country as the Kremlin faces accusations of being behind the poisoning of opposition figure Aleksei Navalny .
The Hague-based OPCW said in a statement on October 5 that four days earlier it had received a request to `` consider dispatching experts from the Technical Secretariat to the Russian Federation in order to cooperate with Russian experts . ''
In his response to the Russian authorities , OPCW Director-General Fernando Arias said `` a team of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' but he also `` sought further clarification from the Russian Federation on the type of expertise contemplated.
” The 44-year-old Navalny was discharged on September 22 from the Berlin hospital where he was being treated for what Germany has said is a case of poisoning with a Soviet-style nerve agent In an interview published on October 1 , his first since his recovery , Navalny said he believed that Russian President Vladimir Putin was behind the poisoning in August that almost killed him .
The Kremlin said the accusation was unacceptable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his interview , the longtime Kremlin critic said his health continues to improve after spending 32 days in the clinic , including 24 days in an intensive care unit .
Navalny collapsed aboard a flight from Siberia to Moscow on August 20 and spent nearly three weeks in an induced coma .
After 48 hours in a hospital in Omsk , where Russian doctors said they found no trace of any poisoning , Navalny was transferred to the Charite hospital in Berlin .
Doctors there found traces of a Novichok-like nerve agent in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ confirmed by laboratories in France and Sweden , sparking international condemnation .
Moscow denied that Russia or the Soviet Union had ever developed or made the family of nerve agents at the center of the international findings , Novichok , despite decades of overwhelming evidence to the contrary .
The Russian government has also resisted international pressure to launch a criminal investigation .
Chemical agents such as those in the Novichok group are banned under the Chemical Weapons Convention of 1997 and have never been shown to have been used on the battlefield @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2018 poisoning of a former Soviet intelligence officer Sergei Skripal and his daughter by suspected Russian agents in Salisbury , England .
Their development has been attributed to the Soviet State Scientific Institute of Organic Chemistry and Technology , which was jointly run by the Soviet military and the KGB , during the 1970s and 1980s .
In addition to foreign intelligence agencies , Russian scientists in the past have come forward to discuss Novichok 's development .
In an interview on October 3 , German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said he expected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against Russia over the poisoning , saying : `` Such a grave violation of the International Chemical Weapons Convention can not be left unanswered .
On this , we 're united in Europe . ''
Germany currently holds the rotating presidency of the 27-member bloc .
EU leaders are set to discuss their reaction and possible sanctions against Russia during their next summit on October 15-16 .

The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) has confirmed Russia's request for the global watchdog to dispatch experts to the country as the Kremlin faces accusations of being behind the poisoning of opposition figure Aleksei Navalny.
The Hague-based OPCW said in a statement on October 5 that four days earlier it had received a request to "consider dispatching experts from the Technical Secretariat to the Russian Federation in order to cooperate with Russian experts."
In his response to the Russian authorities, OPCW Director-General Fernando Arias said "a team of experts could be deployed on short notice," but he also "sought further clarification from the Russian Federation on the type of expertise contemplated.”
The 44-year-old Navalny was discharged on September 22 from the Berlin hospital where he was being treated for what Germany has said is a case of poisoning with a Soviet-style nerve agent
In an interview published on October 1, his first since his recovery, Navalny said he believed that Russian President Vladimir Putin was behind the poisoning in August that almost killed him.
The Kremlin said the accusation was unacceptable, groundless, and insulting.
In his interview, the longtime Kremlin critic said his health continues to improve after spending 32 days in the clinic, including 24 days in an intensive care unit.
Navalny collapsed aboard a flight from Siberia to Moscow on August 20 and spent nearly three weeks in an induced coma.
After 48 hours in a hospital in Omsk, where Russian doctors said they found no trace of any poisoning, Navalny was transferred to the Charite hospital in Berlin.
Doctors there found traces of a Novichok-like nerve agent in his body. Their findings were independently confirmed by laboratories in France and Sweden, sparking international condemnation.
Moscow denied that Russia or the Soviet Union had ever developed or made the family of nerve agents at the center of the international findings, Novichok, despite decades of overwhelming evidence to the contrary.
The Russian government has also resisted international pressure to launch a criminal investigation.
Chemical agents such as those in the Novichok group are banned under the Chemical Weapons Convention of 1997 and have never been shown to have been used on the battlefield.
But they were used in the 2018 poisoning of a former Soviet intelligence officer Sergei Skripal and his daughter by suspected Russian agents in Salisbury, England.
Their development has been attributed to the Soviet State Scientific Institute of Organic Chemistry and Technology, which was jointly run by the Soviet military and the KGB, during the 1970s and 1980s.
In addition to foreign intelligence agencies, Russian scientists in the past have come forward to discuss Novichok's development.
In an interview on October 3, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said he expected the European Union to impose new sanctions against Russia over the poisoning, saying: "Such a grave violation of the International Chemical Weapons Convention cannot be left unanswered. On this, we're united in Europe."
Germany currently holds the rotating presidency of the 27-member bloc.
EU leaders are set to discuss their reaction and possible sanctions against Russia during their next summit on October 15-16.
With reporting by Reuters


rferl--2020-10-05--Regional Governor 'Mourns' Russian Journalist's Death After Self-Immolation

NIZHNY NOVGOROD , Russia -- The governor of the Nizhny Novgorod region , Gleb Nikitin , says he will do everything he can to ensure a thorough investigation of the death of the chief editor of the Koza Press news website , Irina Slavina , who died after staging an act of self-immolation following a police search of her apartment last week .
Nikitin said he `` sincerely mourns '' Slavina 's passing and he posted a photo on Instagram on October 4 that had been taken at a ceremony where he presented her with an award for journalism , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with whom he said he had a `` constructive '' working relationship .
I `` will do everything to have the investigation of the circumstances that led to the tragedy under control on the highest level possible , '' he wrote .
Slavina died after setting herself on fire in front of the police headquarters in the city of Nizhny Novgorod on October 2 .
Before staging the self-immolation , she posted a statement on Facebook , saying `` Blame the Russian Federation for my death . ''
She did so a day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ evidence linking her with the opposition Open Russia group .
Andrei Pivovarov , the executive director of Open Russia , told the radio station Ekho Moskvy on October 2 that Slavina had nothing to do with his group .
The Commission on Freedom of Speech and the Protection of Journalists and the Commission on Civil Rights at the presidential Council on Human Rights have called on the Investigative Committee to thoroughly investigate the circumstances surrounding Slavina 's self-immolation .
`` Slavina 's act looks like an extreme , but in a way logical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are supposed to protect the law , but premeditatedly violate it when dealing with journalists , '' a statement from the two commissions said .
On October 3 , the Investigative Committee 's branch in Nizhny Novgorod stated that Slavina 's suicide had nothing to do with the searches of her apartment , during which her computers and mobile phones were confiscated .
`` The presidential Council on Human Rights called the statement `` an expression of the utmost cynicism , '' describing it as `` bankrupt '' on both a human and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ targeted and persecuted by local law enforcement .
Huge fines that brought her family to the edge of poverty and , at last , the outrageous search and confiscation of all of the tools of her professional activities ... affected her psychological state , '' the council said in a separate statement .
Slavina was fined several times for her articles and for participating in unsanctioned pickets in the past .

NIZHNY NOVGOROD, Russia -- The governor of the Nizhny Novgorod region, Gleb Nikitin, says he will do everything he can to ensure a thorough investigation of the death of the chief editor of the Koza Press news website, Irina Slavina, who died after staging an act of self-immolation following a police search of her apartment last week.
Nikitin said he "sincerely mourns" Slavina's passing and he posted a photo on Instagram on October 4 that had been taken at a ceremony where he presented her with an award for journalism, writing that he personally knew Slavina, with whom he said he had a "constructive" working relationship.
I "will do everything to have the investigation of the circumstances that led to the tragedy under control on the highest level possible," he wrote.
Slavina died after setting herself on fire in front of the police headquarters in the city of Nizhny Novgorod on October 2. Before staging the self-immolation, she posted a statement on Facebook, saying "Blame the Russian Federation for my death."
She did so a day after police searched her apartment looking for evidence linking her with the opposition Open Russia group.
Andrei Pivovarov, the executive director of Open Russia, told the radio station Ekho Moskvy on October 2 that Slavina had nothing to do with his group.
The Commission on Freedom of Speech and the Protection of Journalists and the Commission on Civil Rights at the presidential Council on Human Rights have called on the Investigative Committee to thoroughly investigate the circumstances surrounding Slavina's self-immolation.
"Slavina's act looks like an extreme, but in a way logical, form of protest against those who are supposed to protect the law, but premeditatedly violate it when dealing with journalists," a statement from the two commissions said.
On October 3, the Investigative Committee's branch in Nizhny Novgorod stated that Slavina's suicide had nothing to do with the searches of her apartment, during which her computers and mobile phones were confiscated.
"The presidential Council on Human Rights called the statement "an expression of the utmost cynicism," describing it as "bankrupt" on both a human and professional level.
"Slavina was systematically targeted and persecuted by local law enforcement. Huge fines that brought her family to the edge of poverty and, at last, the outrageous search and confiscation of all of the tools of her professional activities... affected her psychological state," the council said in a separate statement.
Slavina was fined several times for her articles and for participating in unsanctioned pickets in the past.


rferl--2020-10-05--Thousands In Bishkek Protest Kyrgyz Election Results

Thousands of supporters of eight opposition parties in Kyrgyzstan protested in Bishkek on October 5 , a day after the @ @ @ @ @ Opposition parties that did not win seats say the elections were rigged , with votes @ @ @ @ @ marring the polls .

Thousands of supporters of eight opposition parties in Kyrgyzstan protested in Bishkek on October 5, a day after the country held parliamentary elections. Opposition parties that did not win seats say the elections were rigged, with votes being bought and other irregularities marring the polls.


rferl--2020-10-05--Kyrgyz Police Violently Disperse Postelection Protest In Central Bishkek

Kyrgyz security forces have used rubber bullets , tear gas , and stun grenades against thousands of people gathered in the center of the capital , Bishkek , to protest against the results of parliamentary elections over the weekend that handed victories to parties close to pro-Russian President Sooronbai Jeenbekov .
Activists and supporters from 10 parties -- Ata-Meken ( Fatherland ) , Respublika ( Republic ) , Zamandash ( Contemporary ) , the Social Democrats , Chon Kazat ( Big Crusade ) , Meken Yntymagy ( Homeland Unity ) , Bir Bol ( Stay United ) , Yiman Nuru @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ordo ( The Horde ) , and Reforma ( Reform ) -- gathered in Ala-Too square on October 5 , where they alleged the vote from the previous day was rigged , with votes being bought and other irregularities marring the polls .
Riot police used force to disperse the crowd after some demonstrators tried to break into government headquarters .
Clashes are ongoing near the Government House with sporadic shootings as protesters are trying to go back to the square .
Bishkek hospitals reported that they treated more than 120 patients who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ injured included 40 `` representatives of law enforcement , '' according to the Health Ministry .
Janarbek Akaev , leader of Ata-Meken , was also brought to hospital with a leg injury .
Several people were injured , including at least two police officers and Janarbek Akaev , the leader of Ata-Meken , who was taken to hospital with leg injuries .
Akaev and the leader of Respublika , Mirlan Jeenchoroev , announced at the rally that leaders of 12 parties had signed a petition requesting that the Central Election Commission annul the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
According to the two politicians , the leaders of two parties , Mekenchil ( Patriot ) and Butun Kyrgyzstan ( United Kyrgyzstan ) , which won seats in the elections , are signatories to the petition .
The commission said the final results would be announced in 20 days .
The presidential press service released a statement saying that President Jeenbekov planned to meet on October 6 with the leaders of all 16 political parties that participated in the parliamentary elections .
Akaev and Jeenchoroev , announced at the rally that leaders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ requesting that the Central Election Commission annul the officials results of the votes by midnight .
According to the two politicians , leaders of two parties , Mekenchil ( Patriot ) and Butun Kyrgyzstan ( United Kyrgyzstan ) , which were cited among the winners in the elections , are signatories to the petition .
The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe ( OSCE ) appeared to back the opposition claims , saying on October 5 that the Kyrgyz elections were tarnished by `` credible allegations of vote-buying . ''
The protesters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ away ! ''
as opposition leaders pledged to establish a joint opposition coordination center .
Protests against the results broke out in other towns and cities , including the northern city of Talas and the central region of Naryn , as well as in the capital .
A group of military and law enforcement officials announced that they will call on police and other security structures not to conduct measures against people .
Similar protests were held in the northern city of Talas and the central region of Naryn .
According to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ well run and candidates could campaign freely , but credible allegations of vote-buying remain a serious concern . ''
The OSCE `` acknowledges that vote-buying is a serious issue in this country , '' the head of the OSCE observer mission , Thomas Boserup , told a televised press conference , without providing specific examples .
The OSCE also noted that a lack of transparency in campaign financing and a `` ban on some forms of donation disadvantaged parties with greater funding constraints . ''
Near-complete preliminary results early on October 5 showed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ needed to enter the 120-member Jogorku Kenesh , or Supreme Council .
The pro-government Birimdik ( Unity ) , a newly formed party , won 24.5 percent of the vote , followed by Mekenim Kyrgyzstan ( My Homeland Kyrgyzstan ) at 23.88 percent , and Kyrgyzstan at 8.76 percent .
The three parties are broadly considered pro-government or of having an interest in maintaining the status quo .
Both Birimdik and Mekenim Kyrgyzstan have supported deeper integration with the Moscow-led Eurasian Economic Union and closer security ties with Russia .
Butun ( United @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in overcoming the threshold with 7.13 percent of the vote .
The remaining 12 parties in the race failed to receive the required number of votes .
The turnout in the election was 56.5 percent .
Smaller parties have accused Birimdik , widely considered to be loyal to Jeenbekov , of using administrative resources to promote its candidates , an allegation the party denies .
The president ’ s brother , Asylbek Jeenbekov , and several high-ranking members of the current parliament were among the party ’ s candidates .
Mekenim Kyrgyzstan is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Matraimov family .
The clan ’ s figurehead , Raimbek Matraimov , a former top customs official , was the target of large protests in November and December 2019 , with demonstrators demanding a probe into allegations of corruption and massive outflows of cash from the country .
Opposition Ata-Meken party leaders called the vote `` the dirtiest elections '' in the country 's history .
The party officials said they recorded mass irregularities in all polling stations across the country .
Opposition monitors also said they noticed minibuses transporting the same groups @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cast ballots .
In some areas , they have reportedly seen people holding lists of candidates to give to voters .
Reforma party leader Klara Sooronkulova said that she was attacked by an unknown man at a polling station in Osh .
`` There were no signs of the government , state , or police there , '' Sooronkulova said , adding that all polling stations in Osh were controlled by `` members of criminal groups . ''
Since the early 1990s , Kyrgyzstan has been called an `` island of democracy '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the Kyrgyz government was heard frequently on the campaign trail and in the many televised debates held on a range of topics , with pro-government and opposition candidates taking part .
The election was seen a test of the country 's close ties with Russia , with the Birimdik party , most closely associated with Jeenbekov , touting ties with Russia as part of its campaign pitch .
Kyrgyzstan 's leadership has been reinforcing its relationship with Russia in recent years under the Moscow-led Eurasian Economic Union and the post-Soviet military alliance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jeenbekov met with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in the Russian city of Sochi just days before the elections , where he denounced opposition movements opposing the close ties as infringing on Kyrgyzstan 's independence .
The election came as Kyrgyz authorities warn of a rise in COVID-19 infections , with some regions reimposing restrictions on people ’ s movements .
Political parties mostly defied warnings by health authorities and held large gatherings with supporters .

Kyrgyz security forces have used rubber bullets, tear gas, and stun grenades against thousands of people gathered in the center of the capital, Bishkek, to protest against the results of parliamentary elections over the weekend that handed victories to parties close to pro-Russian President Sooronbai Jeenbekov.
Activists and supporters from 10 parties -- Ata-Meken (Fatherland), Respublika (Republic), Zamandash (Contemporary), the Social Democrats, Chon Kazat (Big Crusade), Meken Yntymagy (Homeland Unity), Bir Bol (Stay United), Yiman Nuru (Ray of the Faith), Ordo (The Horde), and Reforma (Reform) -- gathered in Ala-Too square on October 5, where they alleged the vote from the previous day was rigged, with votes being bought and other irregularities marring the polls.
Riot police used force to disperse the crowd after some demonstrators tried to break into government headquarters.
Clashes are ongoing near the Government House with sporadic shootings as protesters are trying to go back to the square.
Bishkek hospitals reported that they treated more than 120 patients who sustained injures during the violence.
Those injured included 40 "representatives of law enforcement," according to the Health Ministry.
Janarbek Akaev, leader of Ata-Meken, was also brought to hospital with a leg injury.
Live Feed Of Bishkek Protests (RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service, natural sound)
Several people were injured, including at least two police officers and Janarbek Akaev, the leader of Ata-Meken, who was taken to hospital with leg injuries.
Akaev and the leader of Respublika, Mirlan Jeenchoroev, announced at the rally that leaders of 12 parties had signed a petition requesting that the Central Election Commission annul the official results of the votes by midnight.
According to the two politicians, the leaders of two parties, Mekenchil (Patriot) and Butun Kyrgyzstan (United Kyrgyzstan), which won seats in the elections, are signatories to the petition.
The commission said the final results would be announced in 20 days.
The presidential press service released a statement saying that President Jeenbekov planned to meet on October 6 with the leaders of all 16 political parties that participated in the parliamentary elections.
Akaev and Jeenchoroev, announced at the rally that leaders of 12 parties had signed a petition requesting that the Central Election Commission annul the officials results of the votes by midnight.
According to the two politicians, leaders of two parties, Mekenchil (Patriot) and Butun Kyrgyzstan (United Kyrgyzstan), which were cited among the winners in the elections, are signatories to the petition.
The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) appeared to back the opposition claims, saying on October 5 that the Kyrgyz elections were tarnished by "credible allegations of vote-buying."
The protesters chanted "President Jeenbekov, must go away!" as opposition leaders pledged to establish a joint opposition coordination center.
Protests against the results broke out in other towns and cities, including the northern city of Talas and the central region of Naryn, as well as in the capital.
A group of military and law enforcement officials announced that they will call on police and other security structures not to conduct measures against people.
Similar protests were held in the northern city of Talas and the central region of Naryn.
According to the OSCE, the elections were "generally well run and candidates could campaign freely, but credible allegations of vote-buying remain a serious concern."
The OSCE "acknowledges that vote-buying is a serious issue in this country," the head of the OSCE observer mission, Thomas Boserup, told a televised press conference, without providing specific examples.
The OSCE also noted that a lack of transparency in campaign financing and a "ban on some forms of donation disadvantaged parties with greater funding constraints."
Near-complete preliminary results early on October 5 showed four parties clearing the 7 percent threshold needed to enter the 120-member Jogorku Kenesh, or Supreme Council.
The pro-government Birimdik (Unity), a newly formed party, won 24.5 percent of the vote, followed by Mekenim Kyrgyzstan (My Homeland Kyrgyzstan) at 23.88 percent, and Kyrgyzstan at 8.76 percent.
The three parties are broadly considered pro-government or of having an interest in maintaining the status quo. Both Birimdik and Mekenim Kyrgyzstan have supported deeper integration with the Moscow-led Eurasian Economic Union and closer security ties with Russia.
Butun (United) Kyrgyzstan was alone among opposition parties in overcoming the threshold with 7.13 percent of the vote. The remaining 12 parties in the race failed to receive the required number of votes.
The turnout in the election was 56.5 percent.
Smaller parties have accused Birimdik, widely considered to be loyal to Jeenbekov, of using administrative resources to promote its candidates, an allegation the party denies.
The president’s brother, Asylbek Jeenbekov, and several high-ranking members of the current parliament were among the party’s candidates.
Mekenim Kyrgyzstan is closely associated with the wealthy and influential Matraimov family.
The clan’s figurehead, Raimbek Matraimov, a former top customs official, was the target of large protests in November and December 2019, with demonstrators demanding a probe into allegations of corruption and massive outflows of cash from the country.
Opposition Ata-Meken party leaders called the vote "the dirtiest elections" in the country's history. The party officials said they recorded mass irregularities in all polling stations across the country.
Opposition monitors also said they noticed minibuses transporting the same groups of people to several polling stations to cast ballots. In some areas, they have reportedly seen people holding lists of candidates to give to voters.
Reforma party leader Klara Sooronkulova said that she was attacked by an unknown man at a polling station in Osh.
"There were no signs of the government, state, or police there," Sooronkulova said, adding that all polling stations in Osh were controlled by "members of criminal groups."
Since the early 1990s, Kyrgyzstan has been called an "island of democracy" in Central Asia.
Criticism of Jeenbekov and the Kyrgyz government was heard frequently on the campaign trail and in the many televised debates held on a range of topics, with pro-government and opposition candidates taking part.
The election was seen a test of the country's close ties with Russia, with the Birimdik party, most closely associated with Jeenbekov, touting ties with Russia as part of its campaign pitch.
Kyrgyzstan's leadership has been reinforcing its relationship with Russia in recent years under the Moscow-led Eurasian Economic Union and the post-Soviet military alliance of the Collective Security Treaty Organization.
Jeenbekov met with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in the Russian city of Sochi just days before the elections, where he denounced opposition movements opposing the close ties as infringing on Kyrgyzstan's independence.
The election came as Kyrgyz authorities warn of a rise in COVID-19 infections, with some regions reimposing restrictions on people’s movements.
Political parties mostly defied warnings by health authorities and held large gatherings with supporters.
With reporting by RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service


rferl--2020-10-05--Russia, France, U.S. Reiterate Call For Cease-Fire In Nagorno-Karabakh As Fighting Escalates Into Ci

Russia, France, U.S. Reiterate Call For Cease-Fire In Nagorno-Karabakh As Fighting Escalates Into Cities

BAKU/YEREVAN -- Russia , France , and the United States have reiterated their call for an immediate cease-fire in and around the breakaway territory of Nagorno-Karabakh , saying the escalating conflict represented an `` unacceptable threat '' to the region 's stability .
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov , French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian , and U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo made the call in a joint statement on October 5 as fighting between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces continued to rage with both sides shelling major cities amid growing concerns for the safety of civilians .
Lavrov , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ countries are the co-chairs of the so-called Minsk Group of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe ( OSCE ) , which has spearheaded peace efforts over Nagorno-Karabakh since the early 1990s , condemned `` in the strongest terms the unprecedented and dangerous escalation of violence . ''
The ministers `` stress unconditionally that recent attacks allegedly targeting civilian centers - both along the Line of Contact and on the territories of Azerbaijan and Armenia outside the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone - and the disproportionate nature of such attacks constitute an unacceptable threat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' They also urged the sides to accept an `` immediate and unconditional '' cease-fire and to `` commit now to resuming the settlement process '' under the auspices of the Minsk Group .
The conflicting parties have ignored a similar plea made by the president of Russia , France , and the United States on October 1 .
Ethnic Armenian separatist forces in Nagorno-Karabakh on October 5 reported firefights along the front line , with the regional capital , Stepanakert , under heavy artillery fire for the fourth day in a row @ @ @ @ @ @ @ continue to rage '' in the conflict zone , Armenian Defense Ministry spokeswoman Shushan Stepanian said on Facebook on October 5 .
Azerbaijan 's Defense Ministry said Armenian forces were shelling the country 's second-largest city , Ganca , for a second day in a significant escalation of the conflict beyond the separatist region .
The ministry said the fire was coming from the Berd region in northeastern Armenia .
The ministry also accused Armenian forces of shelling the towns of Tartar , Barda , and Beylagan .
Armenia 's Defense Ministry has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ de facto leader of Nagorno-Karabakh , Arayik Harutiunian , said his forces had targeted a military base in Ganca and that he later ordered a halt to the strikes to avoid civilian casualties .
Each side has accused the other of targeting civilians as fighting in the long-simmering dispute over the territory shows no signs of abating since it flared up with renewed intensity on September 27 .
Increasing shelling and rocket fire targeting urban areas has raised concerns of mass civilian casualties .
The two sides have reported 244 deaths since the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but the actual toll is expected to be much higher as both sides are claiming to have inflicted heavy military casualties .
The International Red Cross on October 4 condemned reports of “ indiscriminate shelling and other alleged unlawful attacks using explosive weaponry in cities , towns , and other populated areas.
” On October 4 , Azerbaijan said that , late in the evening , three missiles had targeted the city of Mingacevir , located 100 kilometers from the frontline and home to a strategic hydroelectric power plant and the biggest dam @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rocket injured five civilians , while two others did not explode .
Two other rockets were said to have reached the Xizi and Absheron districts , both near the capital , Baku .
Armenia ’ s Defense Ministry denied claims that any missiles were fired from its territory on Ganca , Mingacevir , or other cities .
Azerbaijan on October 4 claimed to have wounded Harutiunian in retaliation for the attack on Ganca , RFE/RL 's Azerbaijani Service reported .
Hikmat Hajiyev , an aide to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev , said Harutiunian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wounded in a targeted attack .
The claim could not be independently confirmed .
Both sides in the conflict regularly exaggerate losses inflicted on their opponent as part of a parallel information war .
In a fiery televised speech on the evening of October 4 , Aliyev issued a set of demands to halt the fighting that would be nearly impossible for Armenia to accept .
Azerbaijan 's strongman president demanded that Armenia set a timetable for withdrawing from Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding Azerbaijani territories , saying that Azerbaijan would not end military action @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forces were advancing in a weeklong offensive to retake territories that they lost to ethnic Armenians in the 1990s .
Azerbaijan ’ s military says it has retaken control of seven villages since fighting erupted .
`` Azerbaijan has one condition , and that is the liberation of its territories , '' he said .
`` Nagorno-Karabakh is the territory of Azerbaijan .
We must return and we shall return . ''
Yerevan rejected Aliyev 's demands , which were also reiterated by Turkey , Azerbaijan closest regional ally .
World powers have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the violence could grow into a full-blown war between the archfoes , potentially further drawing in regional powers Russia and NATO-member Turkey .
U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun spoke separately to the Azerbaijani and Armenian foreign ministers on October 5 to `` express deep concern over reports of the escalation of military action and expanding theater of operations '' in the conflict , according to the State Department .
Armenia has said it was willing to engage in peace talks through the OSCE .
However , Olesya Vartanyan from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the time being , the conflict appears to be intensifying and engulfing even more civilian areas .
`` The fighting is continuously escalating with more attacks [ on ] the civilian areas and more advanced weaponry being used , '' Vartanyan said , adding that `` the spread of fighting to the areas located far from the front line is what we are to continue seeing in the coming days . ''
During a visit to Ankara on October 5 , NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg called for a cease-fire and said he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' influence to calm the conflict .
`` We are deeply concerned by the escalation of hostilities .
All sides should immediately cease fighting and find a way forward towards a peaceful resolution , '' Stoltenberg said following talks with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu .
Cavusoglu said NATO should approach the escalation `` in a balanced fashion , '' adding : `` Everyone , particularly NATO , should call on Armenia to withdraw . ''
Meanwhile , Israeli President Reuven Rivlin said Israel was prepared to send Armenia humanitarian aid , hoping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arms sales to Azerbaijan .
Yerevan recalled its ambassador from Tel Aviv for consultations last week .
Speaking by telephone with his Armenian counterpart , Armen Sarkisian , Rivlin said that Israel 's relations with Azerbaijan are `` not aimed against any side , '' his office said .
Azerbaijan and Armenia have been locked in a conflict over the mountainous region since the waning years of the Soviet Union .
They fought a war that ended in 1994 with an uneasy cease-fire and an estimated 30,000 killed and hundreds of thousands displaced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Interfax , and Reuters

The URL has been copied to your clipboard
The code has been copied to your clipboard.
BAKU/YEREVAN -- Russia, France, and the United States have reiterated their call for an immediate cease-fire in and around the breakaway territory of Nagorno-Karabakh, saying the escalating conflict represented an "unacceptable threat" to the region's stability.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, and U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo made the call in a joint statement on October 5 as fighting between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces continued to rage with both sides shelling major cities amid growing concerns for the safety of civilians.
Lavrov, Le Drian, and Pompeo, whose countries are the co-chairs of the so-called Minsk Group of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), which has spearheaded peace efforts over Nagorno-Karabakh since the early 1990s, condemned "in the strongest terms the unprecedented and dangerous escalation of violence."
The ministers "stress unconditionally that recent attacks allegedly targeting civilian centers - both along the Line of Contact and on the territories of Azerbaijan and Armenia outside the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone - and the disproportionate nature of such attacks constitute an unacceptable threat to the stability of the region."
They also urged the sides to accept an "immediate and unconditional" cease-fire and to "commit now to resuming the settlement process" under the auspices of the Minsk Group.
The conflicting parties have ignored a similar plea made by the president of Russia, France, and the United States on October 1.
Ethnic Armenian separatist forces in Nagorno-Karabakh on October 5 reported firefights along the front line, with the regional capital, Stepanakert, under heavy artillery fire for the fourth day in a row.
Firefights "of various intensity...continue to rage" in the conflict zone, Armenian Defense Ministry spokeswoman Shushan Stepanian said on Facebook on October 5.
Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry said Armenian forces were shelling the country's second-largest city, Ganca, for a second day in a significant escalation of the conflict beyond the separatist region. The ministry said the fire was coming from the Berd region in northeastern Armenia.
The ministry also accused Armenian forces of shelling the towns of Tartar, Barda, and Beylagan.
Armenia's Defense Ministry has denied targeting Azerbaijani territory, but the de facto leader of Nagorno-Karabakh, Arayik Harutiunian, said his forces had targeted a military base in Ganca and that he later ordered a halt to the strikes to avoid civilian casualties.
Each side has accused the other of targeting civilians as fighting in the long-simmering dispute over the territory shows no signs of abating since it flared up with renewed intensity on September 27.
Increasing shelling and rocket fire targeting urban areas has raised concerns of mass civilian casualties.
The two sides have reported 244 deaths since the fighting erupted, including 60 civilians, but the actual toll is expected to be much higher as both sides are claiming to have inflicted heavy military casualties.
The International Red Cross on October 4 condemned reports of “indiscriminate shelling and other alleged unlawful attacks using explosive weaponry in cities, towns, and other populated areas.”
On October 4, Azerbaijan said that, late in the evening, three missiles had targeted the city of Mingacevir, located 100 kilometers from the front line and home to a strategic hydroelectric power plant and the biggest dam in Caucasus region.
Authorities said one rocket injured five civilians, while two others did not explode.
Two other rockets were said to have reached the Xizi and Abseron districts, both near the capital, Baku.
Armenia's Defense Ministry denied claims that any missiles were fired from its territory on Ganca, Mingacevir, or other cities.
Azerbaijan on October 4 claimed to have wounded Harutiunian in retaliation for the attack on Ganca, RFE/RL's Azerbaijani Service reported.
Hikmat Haciyev, an aide to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, said Harutiunian was hiding in a bunker and was wounded in a targeted attack. The claim could not be independently confirmed.
Both sides in the conflict regularly exaggerate losses inflicted on their opponent as part of a parallel information war.
In a fiery televised speech on the evening of October 4, Aliyev issued a set of demands to halt the fighting that would be nearly impossible for Armenia to accept.
Azerbaijan's strongman president demanded that Armenia set a timetable for withdrawing from Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding Azerbaijani territories, saying that Azerbaijan would not end military action until that happened.
Aliyev said Azerbaijani forces were advancing in a weeklong offensive to retake territories that they lost to ethnic Armenians in the 1990s. Azerbaijan’s military says it has retaken control of seven villages since fighting erupted.
"Azerbaijan has one condition, and that is the liberation of its territories," he said. "Nagorno-Karabakh is the territory of Azerbaijan. We must return and we shall return."
Yerevan rejected Aliyev's demands, which were also reiterated by Turkey, Azerbaijan closest regional ally.
World powers have been calling for a cease-fire amid concerns that the violence could grow into a full-blown war between the archfoes, potentially further drawing in regional powers Russia and NATO-member Turkey.
U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun spoke separately to the Azerbaijani and Armenian foreign ministers on October 5 to "express deep concern over reports of the escalation of military action and expanding theater of operations" in the conflict, according to the State Department.
Armenia has said it was willing to engage in peace talks through the OSCE.
However, Olesya Vartanyan from the International Crisis Group told RFE/RL that, for the time being, the conflict appears to be intensifying and engulfing even more civilian areas.
"The fighting is continuously escalating with more attacks [on] the civilian areas and more advanced weaponry being used," Vartanyan said, adding that "the spread of fighting to the areas located far from the front line is what we are to continue seeing in the coming days."
During a visit to Ankara on October 5, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg called for a cease-fire and said he expected Turkey to use its "considerable" influence to calm the conflict.
"We are deeply concerned by the escalation of hostilities. All sides should immediately cease fighting and find a way forward towards a peaceful resolution," Stoltenberg said following talks with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu.
Cavusoglu said NATO should approach the escalation "in a balanced fashion," adding: "Everyone, particularly NATO, should call on Armenia to withdraw."
Meanwhile, Israeli President Reuven Rivlin said Israel was prepared to send Armenia humanitarian aid, hoping to smooth bilateral relations strained by Israeli arms sales to Azerbaijan.
Yerevan recalled its ambassador from Tel Aviv for consultations last week.
Speaking by telephone with his Armenian counterpart, Armen Sarkisian, Rivlin said that Israel's relations with Azerbaijan are "not aimed against any side," his office said.
Azerbaijan and Armenia have been locked in a conflict over the mountainous region since the waning years of the Soviet Union. They fought a war that ended in 1994 with an uneasy cease-fire and an estimated 30,000 killed and hundreds of thousands displaced.
With reporting by AFP, AP, Interfax, and Reuters


rferl--2020-10-04--Hundreds Detained Across Belarus During Rallies Demanding Release Of Political Prisoners

MINSK -- More than 300 people were detained across Belarus on October 4 as tens of thousands of Belarusians took to the streets in support of the country ’ s political prisoners , in the eighth weekend in a row of massive protests against long-time ruler Alyaksandr Lukashenka .
Opposition news channel Nexta said that more than 100,000 people rallied in the capital , Minsk , where police used water cannons to disperse the protesters .
Waving the white-and-red flag of the opposition , protesters marched to the beat of drums toward detention facilities .
Security forces cordoned off streets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stations temporarily closed their doors to commuters to hinder access to the city center .
Protests were also held in Brest , Hrodna , Homel , Mahilyou , and other cities .
The Interior Ministry said 317 people were detained nationwide .
The majority of those detained , 258 , remain in custody pending a court appearance .
Seventeen journalists were also detained .
All but five were released after police checked their documents .
Similar to past protests , local observers reported that mobile Internet was turned off as authorities tried to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lukashenka have continued since the disputed presidential election on August 9 despite a crackdown , with several killed , hundreds of injured , and more than 10,000 detained .
Lukashenka , in office since 1994 , was officially declared the election winner with more than 80 percent of the vote -- a result which the opposition and the West assert was rigged .
Opposition candidate Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya took refuge in neighboring Lithuania following the vote .
She announced on September 30 she has begun creating a shadow cabinet , saying , `` Alyaksandr @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but also is not capable of carrying out its duties . ''
Several prominent members of the opposition are currently in detention , including leader Maryya Kalesnikava , who is facing up to five years in jail on charges of endangering national security .
Tsikhanouskaya 's husband , Syarhey Tsikhanouski , has been in prison since before the election on charges he and supporters say are politically motivated .
Ahead of the protest , Nexta , which has coordinated protesters and has more than 2 million subscribers , said that authorities have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lukashenka 's would-be rivals , activists , bloggers and ordinary Belarusians .
The latest march comes after the United States and EU on October 2 slapped sanctions on Belarusian officials responsible for fraud in the August presidential election and the brutal crackdown on protesters and opposition members .
Britain and Canada have also sanctioned Belarusian officials , including Lukashenka .
Belarus quickly responded with tit-for-tat sanctions against the EU , although it was vague on who would be on its blacklist .
The Foreign Ministry advised the embassies of its western neighbors Poland @ @ @ @ @ @ @ summoned the ambassadors of the two countries .
In a statement on October 4 , the EU 's top diplomat , Josep Borrell , blasted the Belarusian move against the Lithuanian and Polish diplomats .
`` The demand of the Belarusian authorities that Poland and Lithuania withdraw their ambassadors and significantly reduce their diplomatic representations in Minsk is unfounded and regrettable .
It goes against the logic of dialogue and will only further isolate the authorities in Minsk , '' Borrell said .
In tandem with the moves against Latvia and Poland , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ revoking the accreditation of all foreign media , claiming it was a long-considered move aimed at streamlining the process .
Lukashenka has accused Western countries and NATO of supporting protesters and trying to destabilize the country .
With reporting by dpa and Reuters

MINSK -- More than 300 people were detained across Belarus on October 4 as tens of thousands of Belarusians took to the streets in support of the country’s political prisoners, in the eighth weekend in a row of massive protests against long-time ruler Alyaksandr Lukashenka.
Opposition news channel Nexta said that more than 100,000 people rallied in the capital, Minsk, where police used water cannons to disperse the protesters.
Waving the white-and-red flag of the opposition, protesters marched to the beat of drums toward detention facilities.
Security forces cordoned off streets in central Minsk, while some metro stations temporarily closed their doors to commuters to hinder access to the city center.
Protests were also held in Brest, Hrodna, Homel, Mahilyou, and other cities.
The Interior Ministry said 317 people were detained nationwide. The majority of those detained, 258, remain in custody pending a court appearance.
Seventeen journalists were also detained. All but five were released after police checked their documents.
Similar to past protests, local observers reported that mobile Internet was turned off as authorities tried to prevent protesters from organizing.
Protests against Lukashenka have continued since the disputed presidential election on August 9 despite a crackdown, with several killed, hundreds of injured, and more than 10,000 detained.
Lukashenka, in office since 1994, was officially declared the election winner with more than 80 percent of the vote -- a result which the opposition and the West assert was rigged.
Opposition candidate Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya took refuge in neighboring Lithuania following the vote. She announced on September 30 she has begun creating a shadow cabinet, saying, "Alyaksandr Lukashenka's regime is not just illegitimate, but also is not capable of carrying out its duties."
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.
Several prominent members of the opposition are currently in detention, including leader Maryya Kalesnikava, who is facing up to five years in jail on charges of endangering national security.
Tsikhanouskaya's husband, Syarhey Tsikhanouski, has been in prison since before the election on charges he and supporters say are politically motivated.
Ahead of the protest, Nexta, which has coordinated protesters and has more than 2 million subscribers, said that authorities have opened more than 250 criminal cases against Lukashenka's would-be rivals, activists, bloggers and ordinary Belarusians.
The latest march comes after the United States and EU on October 2 slapped sanctions on Belarusian officials responsible for fraud in the August presidential election and the brutal crackdown on protesters and opposition members.
Britain and Canada have also sanctioned Belarusian officials, including Lukashenka.
Belarus quickly responded with tit-for-tat sanctions against the EU, although it was vague on who would be on its blacklist.
The Foreign Ministry advised the embassies of its western neighbors Poland and Latvia to reduce their staffs and summoned the ambassadors of the two countries.
In a statement on October 4, the EU's top diplomat, Josep Borrell, blasted the Belarusian move against the Lithuanian and Polish diplomats.
"The demand of the Belarusian authorities that Poland and Lithuania withdraw their ambassadors and significantly reduce their diplomatic representations in Minsk is unfounded and regrettable. It goes against the logic of dialogue and will only further isolate the authorities in Minsk," Borrell said.
In tandem with the moves against Latvia and Poland, the Belarusian Foreign Ministry said it was revoking the accreditation of all foreign media, claiming it was a long-considered move aimed at streamlining the process.
Lukashenka has accused Western countries and NATO of supporting protesters and trying to destabilize the country.
With reporting by dpa and Reuters


rferl--2020-10-06--Russian Scientists Report 'Mass Death' Of Sea Life Off Kamchatka Peninsula

Russian scientists say pollution has caused a mass die-off of marine life off the shoreline of the Far Eastern Kamchatka Peninsula , with poisonous substances stored in a Soviet-era underground site suspected of being behind the disaster .
A team of divers found a `` mass death '' of sea life at a depth of 10 to 15 meters in Avacha Bay , Ivan Usatov of the Kronotsky Nature Reserve said on October 6 , adding that `` 95 percent are dead . ''
`` Some large fish , prawns , and crabs are left , but only a very @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a meeting with Kamchatka Governor Vladimir Solodov .
In late September , locals reported that surfers experienced eye and skin irritation following contact with the water and posted videos showing dead seals , fish , and other marine creatures littering at least three beaches on the Avacha Bay .
WWF Russia said on October 6 that the pollutant appeared not to be oil , but a `` highly toxic transparent substance that is highly soluble in water . ''
Scientists and investigators are working to detect the source of the pollution , with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Solodov said that experts took samples from a nearby site opened at the end of the 1970s to store chemicals in the ground .
`` The most obvious answer where the source of the pollution could be is the Kozelsky poisonous chemical site , '' according to the governor , who said inspectors had found sections of barbed wire cut away and damage to a protective covering .
According to Greenpeace Russia campaign director Ivan Blokov , the unguarded site `` just by official accounts contains around 108 tons of pesticides and poisonous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sent his own team to the scene to monitor the situation .
With reporting by AFP and Meduza

Russian scientists say pollution has caused a mass die-off of marine life off the shoreline of the Far Eastern Kamchatka Peninsula, with poisonous substances stored in a Soviet-era underground site suspected of being behind the disaster.
A team of divers found a "mass death" of sea life at a depth of 10 to 15 meters in Avacha Bay, Ivan Usatov of the Kronotsky Nature Reserve said on October 6, adding that "95 percent are dead."
"Some large fish, prawns, and crabs are left, but only a very small number," Usatov said during a meeting with Kamchatka Governor Vladimir Solodov.
In late September, locals reported that surfers experienced eye and skin irritation following contact with the water and posted videos showing dead seals, fish, and other marine creatures littering at least three beaches on the Avacha Bay.
WWF Russia said on October 6 that the pollutant appeared not to be oil, but a "highly toxic transparent substance that is highly soluble in water."
Scientists and investigators are working to detect the source of the pollution, with a focus on potential manmade causes.
Solodov said that experts took samples from a nearby site opened at the end of the 1970s to store chemicals in the ground.
"The most obvious answer where the source of the pollution could be is the Kozelsky poisonous chemical site," according to the governor, who said inspectors had found sections of barbed wire cut away and damage to a protective covering.
According to Greenpeace Russia campaign director Ivan Blokov, the unguarded site "just by official accounts contains around 108 tons of pesticides and poisonous chemicals."
The conservancy group has sent his own team to the scene to monitor the situation.
With reporting by AFP and Meduza


rferl--2020-10-06--'Lessons Under The Open Sky': Outdoor Schooling In Georgia Amid Pandemic

The First Public School in the central Georgian town of Khashuri has set up an outdoor classroom to help deal @ @ @ @ @ Classes take turns learning outside , allowing cleaners to disinfect their indoor classrooms throughout the @ @ @

The First Public School in the central Georgian town of Khashuri has set up an outdoor classroom to help deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. Classes take turns learning outside, allowing cleaners to disinfect their indoor classrooms throughout the school day.


rferl--2020-10-06--OPCW Confirms Novichok-Like Nerve Agent Used In Navalny Poisoning

A global chemical-weapons watchdog says samples taken from Russian opposition figure Aleksei Navalny have confirmed the presence of a chemical agent from the banned Novichok group , triggering renewed international calls for Russian authorities to investigate the matter .
Biomarkers in Navalny 's blood and urine had `` similar structural characteristics as the toxic chemicals belonging '' to the Novichok group , the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons ( OPCW ) said in a statement on October 6 .
`` These results constitute a matter of grave concern , '' said OPCW Director-General Fernando Arias , who called @ @ @ @ @ @ @ banning the use of chemical weapons .
The findings confirm results released by Germany , where Navalny was treated after falling seriously ill on a flight from Siberia to Moscow on August 20 .
German authorities asked The Hague-based OPCW to take samples from Navalny and test them after German doctors concluded he had been poisoned with a Novichok-like nerve agent .
Their findings were independently confirmed by laboratories in France and Sweden , sparking international condemnation and calls for sanctions against Moscow over the case .
Russia has denied any involvement and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ investigation .
Leonid Slutsky , chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee in the State Duma , the lower house of Russia 's parliament , said the conclusions of the OPCW experts were `` politically biased . ''
The OPCW 's announcement `` once again confirms unequivocally that Aleksei Navalny was the victim of an attack with a chemical nerve agent from the Novichok group , '' German government spokesman Steffen Seibert said in a statement .
Seibert reiterated Germany 's call on Russia to fully investigate and explain what happened to Navalny and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ discuss the next steps with the OPCW and `` the EU partners . ''
`` Any use of chemical weapons is serious and can not be without consequences , '' he added .
A joint statement from 44 OPCW member countries , tweeted by the British delegation to the organization , called on Moscow to `` investigate and to disclose , in a swift and transparent manner , the circumstances of this chemical weapons attack . ''
British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said his country will consider what further action to take against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't yet attributed the poisoning to Russia ’ s FSB security service or the Russian state , Raab told a parliamentary committee , but he added that there is “ an incredibly strong case for Moscow to answer . ''
In an interview on October 5 , Navalny again blamed President Vladimir Putin for the poisoning incident and confirmed he plans to return to Russia after he fully recovers in Germany .
The 44-year-old also said that his health continues to improve since being discharged on September 22 from the Berlin hospital where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including 24 days in an intensive-care unit .
The longtime Kremlin critic and anti-corruption campaigner spent nearly three weeks in an induced coma in Berlin and the Siberian city of Omsk , where Russian doctors said they found no trace of any poisoning .
Moscow denied that Russia or the Soviet Union had ever developed or made the family of nerve agents at the center of the international findings , Novichok , despite decades of overwhelming evidence to the contrary .
Chemical agents such as those in the Novichok group are banned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and have never been shown to have been used on the battlefield .
A British investigation determined that they were used in the 2018 poisoning of former Soviet intelligence officer Sergei Skripal and his daughter by Russian agents in Salisbury , England .
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 .
With reporting by AP and Reuters

A global chemical-weapons watchdog says samples taken from Russian opposition figure Aleksei Navalny have confirmed the presence of a chemical agent from the banned Novichok group, triggering renewed international calls for Russian authorities to investigate the matter.
Biomarkers in Navalny's blood and urine had "similar structural characteristics as the toxic chemicals belonging" to the Novichok group, the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) said in a statement on October 6.
"These results constitute a matter of grave concern," said OPCW Director-General Fernando Arias, who called on members to uphold the international treaty banning the use of chemical weapons.
The findings confirm results released by Germany, where Navalny was treated after falling seriously ill on a flight from Siberia to Moscow on August 20.
German authorities asked The Hague-based OPCW to take samples from Navalny and test them after German doctors concluded he had been poisoned with a Novichok-like nerve agent.
Their findings were independently confirmed by laboratories in France and Sweden, sparking international condemnation and calls for sanctions against Moscow over the case.
Russia has denied any involvement and resisted international pressure to launch a criminal investigation.
Leonid Slutsky, chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee in the State Duma, the lower house of Russia's parliament, said the conclusions of the OPCW experts were "politically biased."
The OPCW's announcement "once again confirms unequivocally that Aleksei Navalny was the victim of an attack with a chemical nerve agent from the Novichok group," German government spokesman Steffen Seibert said in a statement.
Seibert reiterated Germany's call on Russia to fully investigate and explain what happened to Navalny and said Berlin would in the coming days discuss the next steps with the OPCW and "the EU partners."
"Any use of chemical weapons is serious and cannot be without consequences," he added.
A joint statement from 44 OPCW member countries, tweeted by the British delegation to the organization, called on Moscow to "investigate and to disclose, in a swift and transparent manner, the circumstances of this chemical weapons attack."
British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said his country will consider what further action to take against Russia over the case.
London hasn't yet attributed the poisoning to Russia’s FSB security service or the Russian state, Raab told a parliamentary committee, but he added that there is “an incredibly strong case for Moscow to answer."
In an interview on October 5, Navalny again blamed President Vladimir Putin for the poisoning incident and confirmed he plans to return to Russia after he fully recovers in Germany.
The 44-year-old also said that his health continues to improve since being discharged on September 22 from the Berlin hospital where he was being treated for 32 days, including 24 days in an intensive-care unit.
The longtime Kremlin critic and anti-corruption campaigner spent nearly three weeks in an induced coma in Berlin and the Siberian city of Omsk, where Russian doctors said they found no trace of any poisoning.
Moscow denied that Russia or the Soviet Union had ever developed or made the family of nerve agents at the center of the international findings, Novichok, despite decades of overwhelming evidence to the contrary.
Chemical agents such as those in the Novichok group are banned under the Chemical Weapons Convention of 1997 and have never been shown to have been used on the battlefield.
A British investigation determined that they were used in the 2018 poisoning of former Soviet intelligence officer Sergei Skripal and his daughter by Russian agents in Salisbury, England.
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.
With reporting by AP and Reuters


rferl--2020-10-06--Russia Detains Two Brothers Accused Of Passing State Secrets To Estonia

Russian authorities say they have detained a serviceman and his brother for having allegedly passed state secrets to neighboring Estonia @ @ @ @ @ been opened for high treason , the Federal Security Service ( FSB ) said in @ @ @ @ @ .
It did not provide details of any information that had been passed on to @ @ @ @ @ `` There has n't been any official correspondence with Russia on that issue , '' @ @ @ @ @ Ministry as saying in a statement .
The serviceman was detained in the western Russian @ @ @ @ @ his brother , a permanent resident of Estonia , was detained in Pskov , near @ @ @ @ @ men could face up to 20 years in jail , if convicted .
Based on @ @ @ @ @ , and Interfax

Russian authorities say they have detained a serviceman and his brother for having allegedly passed state secrets to neighboring Estonia.
A criminal case has been opened for high treason, the Federal Security Service (FSB) said in a statement on October 6.
It did not provide details of any information that had been passed on to the Estonian special services.
"There hasn't been any official correspondence with Russia on that issue," Reuters quoted Estonia's Foreign Ministry as saying in a statement.
The serviceman was detained in the western Russian city of Smolensk, while his brother, a permanent resident of Estonia, was detained in Pskov, near the Estonian border.
The men could face up to 20 years in jail, if convicted.
Based on reporting by Reuters, TASS, and Interfax


rferl--2020-10-06--Fears That Rocket Fuel Behind Marine Disaster In Russia's Far East

Dead fish , crabs , and even seals have been washing up on the shores of the Kamchatka Peninsula in @ @ @ @ @ with locals and surfers reporting health issues .
Official tests showed the concentration of petroleum @ @ @ @ @ be four times acceptable levels .
Some experts have speculated that rocket fuel from military @ @ @ @ @ be to blame for the ecological disaster .

Dead fish, crabs, and even seals have been washing up on the shores of the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia's Far East, with locals and surfers reporting health issues. Official tests showed the concentration of petroleum products in the water to be four times acceptable levels. Some experts have speculated that rocket fuel from military test and storage sites could be to blame for the ecological disaster.


rferl--2020-10-06--Belarusian Opposition Leader Tsikhanouskaya Meets With Germany's Merkel

Belarusian opposition leader Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya has met with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin in a bid to further raise international pressure on the Eastern European country 's longtime ruler , Alyaksandr Lukashenka .
Tsikhanouskaya , who Belarus 's opposition says won the August presidential election , encouraged Berlin to play a greater role in resolving the political crisis .
`` I am very grateful to Germany and all the German parties who are so supportive of the Belarusian people in their fight for freedom , in their fight for new honest and transparent elections , '' she said after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comment from Merkel .
In comments to German media , Tsikhanouskaya requested Germany , the current holder of the European Union 's rotating presidency , support expanded EU sanctions on Belarus , including putting Lukashenka on its blacklist .
Last week , the 27-nation bloc overcame a weeks-long political stalemate and agreed to place sanctions on 40 Belarusian officials responsible for electoral fraud and a brutal crackdown on protesters and opposition members .
Protests against Lukashenka have continued unabated for eight weeks despite a brutal crackdown , with several killed , hundreds injured @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Much of the opposition leadership has been detained or forced into exile .
Tsikhanouskaya 's husband , Syarhey Tsikhanouski , has been in prison since before the election on charges he and supporters say are politically motivated .
Tsikhanouskaya fled to neighboring Lithuania soon after protests against the election results began .
Before meeting with Merkel , Tsikhanouskaya called on Russian President Vladimir Putin to end his support for Lukashenka and warned against Moscow interfering in Belarus affairs .
`` I would ask Mr. Putin not to support the regime because what 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ affairs , '' Tsikhanouskaya told attendees at a German Marshall Fund event in Berlin .
Later , she told German media that Russia would be needed as `` a moderator for the beginning of dialogue '' with Lukashenka , although she said the opposition had not had direct contact with Russia .
Russia is Belarus 's closest political , economic , and military ally .
In response to domestic and international pressure on Belarus , Putin has pledged economic aid and potentially security support to prop up Lukashenka if the situation deteriorates .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ tensions between Germany and Russia are already soaring following the suspected poisoning of Russian opposition politician Aleksei Navalny with a military-grade nerve agent .
Navalny , who blames the poisoning on Putin , continues to recover since being released from a Berlin hospital on September 22 after spending 32 days in the clinic .
There is growing pressure on Merkel from both within her government and opposition to respond to Navalny 's poisoning with sanctions on Russia and by halting the nearly completed Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline bringing Russian natural gas to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is due to meet the leaders of Germany 's Green party in Berlin .
The Green party is calling for a tougher response on Belarus and an end to the Nord Stream 2 pipeline .
Tsikhanouskaya will also meet with German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas .
With reporting by Tagesschau , dpa , and Sueddeutsche Zeitung

Belarusian opposition leader Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya has met with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin in a bid to further raise international pressure on the Eastern European country's longtime ruler, Alyaksandr Lukashenka.
Tsikhanouskaya, who Belarus's opposition says won the country's presidential election in August, encouraged Berlin to play a greater role in resolving the political crisis.
"I am very grateful to Germany and all the German parties who are so supportive of the Belarusian people in their fight for freedom, in their fight for new honest and transparent elections," she said after the 45-minute meeting.
There was no comment from Merkel.
In comments to German media, Tsikhanouskaya requested that Germany, the current holder of the European Union's rotating presidency, support expanded EU sanctions on Belarus, including putting Lukashenka on its blacklist.
Last week, the 27-nation bloc overcame a weeks-long political stalemate and agreed to impose visa bans and asset freezes on 40 Belarus officials deemed responsible for electoral fraud and a brutal crackdown on protesters and opposition members. Lukashenka is not on the sanctions list, but EU diplomats have said he may be added at a later date.
The European Union does not recognize the election results.
Protests against Lukashenka have continued unabated for eight weeks despite a brutal crackdown, with several killed, hundreds injured, and more than 10,000 detained.
Much of the opposition leadership has been detained or forced into exile. Tsikhanouskaya's husband, Syarhey Tsikhanouski, has been in prison since before the election on charges he and supporters say are politically motivated.
Tsikhanouskaya fled to neighboring Lithuania soon after protests against the election results began.
Before meeting with Merkel, Tsikhanouskaya called on Russian President Vladimir Putin to end his support for Lukashenka and warned against Moscow interfering in Belarus's affairs.
"I would ask Mr. Putin not to support the regime because what's going on in Belarus is our internal affair," Tsikhanouskaya told attendees at a German Marshall Fund event in Berlin.
Later, she told German media that Russia would be needed as "a moderator for the beginning of dialogue" with Lukashenka, although she said the opposition had not had direct contact with Moscow.
Russia is Belarus's closest political, economic, and military ally. In response to domestic and international pressure on Belarus, Putin has pledged economic aid and potentially security support to prop up Lukashenka if the situation deteriorates.
Tsikhanouskaya's visit to Berlin comes as tensions between Germany and Russia are already soaring following the suspected poisoning of Russian opposition politician Aleksei Navalny with a military-grade nerve agent.
Navalny, who blames the poisoning on Putin, continues to recover since being released from a Berlin hospital on September 22 after spending 32 days in the clinic.
There is growing pressure on Merkel from both within her government and opposition to respond to Navalny's poisoning with sanctions on Russia and by halting the nearly completed Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline bringing Russian natural gas to Germany.
After meeting Merkel, Tsikhanouskaya is due to meet the leaders of Germany's Green party in Berlin.
The Green party is calling for a tougher response on Belarus and an end to the Nord Stream 2 pipeline.
Tsikhanouskaya will also meet with German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas.
With reporting by Tagesschau, dpa, and Sueddeutsche Zeitung


rferl--2020-10-06--UN Rights Chief Calls On Iran To Release Sotoudeh, Other Jailed Activists

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet has called on Iran to release human rights defenders , lawyers , and political prisoners held in the country 's overcrowded prisons , amid worsening sanitary conditions during the coronavirus pandemic .
`` Shortages of water , hygiene products , and disinfectant , insufficient protective equipment and testing kits , as well as a lack of isolation spaces and inadequate medical care have led to the spread of the virus among detainees and have reportedly resulted in a number of deaths , '' Bachelet said in a statement on October 6 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 in the Middle East , with nearly 480,000 confirmed coronavirus cases and over 27,000 deaths , according to the country 's Health Ministry .
Some 120,000 inmates have been temporarily released to avoid further infections , according to official figures , though many have been required to return and people serving longer sentences for national security offenses were excluded from the release policy .
As a result , `` most of those who may have been arbitrarily detained -- including human rights defenders , lawyers , dual and foreign nationals , conservationists @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for expressing their views or exercising other rights -- have been placed at a heightened risk of contracting the virus , '' according to Bachelet .
Bachelet cited the case of prominent human rights lawyer and women 's rights defender Nasrin Sotoudeh , whom she described as a `` persistent and courageous advocate for the rights of her fellow Iranians . ''
The 57-year-old Sotoudeh was arrested in 2018 and later sentenced to a total of 38 1/2 years in prison and 148 lashes over her defense of political prisoners , including women @ @ @ @ @ @ @ month , she was transferred from a prison cell to a hospital north of Tehran following a hunger strike for better prison conditions and the release of political prisoners .
Days later , she was taken back to Tehran 's Evin prison and ended her hunger strike after nearly 50 days due to deteriorating health , according to her husband .
`` I am very concerned that Nasrin Sotoudeh 's life is at risk , '' Bachelet said , reiterating her call for the authorities to `` immediately release her and grant her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ undergoing the medical treatment of her choice . ''
`` It is time for the government to cease violating her own rights because of the efforts she has made on behalf of others , '' Bachelet said .
The UN rights chief also expressed concern about the persistent `` use of the criminal justice system as a tool to silence civil society '' in Iran .
`` Expressing dissent is not a crime .
It is a fundamental right that should be protected and upheld , '' she said .

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