rferl--2020-03-01--Kazakh Police Round Up Would-Be Protesters Calling For Probe Into Activist's Death

Police in Kazakhstan have blocked access to main squares and detained dozens of people on March 1 amid opposition calls for protests to demand a thorough investigation into the recent death in custody of a prominent civil rights activist .
Organizers are also calling for the exit from politics of ex-President Nursultan Nazarbaev , who stepped down last year as head of state but remains influential through his chairmanship of an increasingly powerful Kazakh Security Council and other channels .
Police cordons , detentions , and reported call-ins for questioning kept would-be protesters from gathering at central locations in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
WATCH : Protesters Bundled Into Police Vans Mobile Internet also appeared to be blocked at some of the planned sites .
Forty-three-year-old activist Dulat Aghadil , a father of six , died within hours of his detention on February 24 of what officials later said was `` heart failure with no traces of violence . ''
Protesters blame the current government and other officials -- including Nazarbaev and the system he built during nearly three decades in power -- for Aghadil 's death .
RFE/RL correspondents witnessed the detentions of at least @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 36 people in Almaty , 15 people in Shykment , and about a dozen people in Aqtobe .
Some of the detainees shouted `` Old man , go away ! ''
as they were being taken away by police .
Police also escorted several people wearing `` Press '' vests away from an area near one square where a rally was planned .
WATCH : Kazakh Police Detain 20 After Funeral Of Civil Rights Activist Who Died In Custody Journalists and activists reported a handful of detentions of activists from their homes or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ others reported being called for questioning or surveilled early on March 1 by security officials .
Activists intensified demands for a probe into Aghadil 's last hours when a video emerged showing what appeared to be wounds on the dead man 's hands and feet and bruise-like discolored areas scattered across his shoulders , back , upper arms , and other areas of the body .
Kazakh President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev broke his public silence on Aghadil 's death in an interview on February 29 , saying , `` Given the public outcry , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ] I can confidently say that , unfortunately , activist Aghadil died as a result of heart failure .
To say the opposite is to deny the truth . ''
Aghadil had spent a combined two months in jail since his arrest in August 2019 for taking part in unsanctioned rallies , and had made headlines with an escape one day before his planned release in November 2019 in what he said was a `` protest [ of ] my illegal arrest . ''
He was buried on February 27 .
Friends and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ account of Aghadil 's latest detention alleging he was intoxicated , saying he did not drink due to a medical condition .
They also say he had no history of heart issues .
Kazakhstan 's Prosecutor-General 's Office warned on February 28 against participating in `` illegal protests . ''

Police in Kazakhstan have blocked access to main squares and detained dozens of people on March 1 amid opposition calls for protests to demand a thorough investigation into the recent death in custody of a prominent civil rights activist.
Organizers are also calling for the exit from politics of ex-President Nursultan Nazarbaev, who stepped down last year as head of state but remains influential through his chairmanship of an increasingly powerful Kazakh Security Council and other channels.
Police cordons, detentions, and reported call-ins for questioning kept would-be protesters from gathering at central locations in the capital, Nur-Sultan, and other cities.
WATCH: Protesters Bundled Into Police Vans
Mobile Internet also appeared to be blocked at some of the planned sites.
Forty-three-year-old activist Dulat Aghadil, a father of six, died within hours of his detention on February 24 of what officials later said was "heart failure with no traces of violence."
Protesters blame the current government and other officials -- including Nazarbaev and the system he built during nearly three decades in power -- for Aghadil's death.
RFE/RL correspondents witnessed the detentions of at least 14 people in Nur-Sultan, at least 36 people in Almaty, 15 people in Shykment, and about a dozen people in Aqtobe.
Some of the detainees shouted "Old man, go away!" as they were being taken away by police.
Police also escorted several people wearing "Press" vests away from an area near one square where a rally was planned.
WATCH: Kazakh Police Detain 20 After Funeral Of Civil Rights Activist Who Died In Custody
Journalists and activists reported a handful of detentions of activists from their homes or far from expected rally points, and others reported being called for questioning or surveilled early on March 1 by security officials.
Activists intensified demands for a probe into Aghadil's last hours when a video emerged showing what appeared to be wounds on the dead man's hands and feet and bruise-like discolored areas scattered across his shoulders, back, upper arms, and other areas of the body.
Kazakh President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev broke his public silence on Aghadil's death in an interview on February 29, saying, "Given the public outcry, I carefully examined this matter [and] I can confidently say that, unfortunately, activist Aghadil died as a result of heart failure. To say the opposite is to deny the truth."
Aghadil had spent a combined two months in jail since his arrest in August 2019 for taking part in unsanctioned rallies, and had made headlines with an escape one day before his planned release in November 2019 in what he said was a "protest [of] my illegal arrest."
He was buried on February 27.
Friends and fellow rights defenders have questioned the official account of Aghadil's latest detention alleging he was intoxicated, saying he did not drink due to a medical condition.
They also say he had no history of heart issues.
Kazakhstan's Prosecutor-General's Office warned on February 28 against participating in "illegal protests."


rferl--2020-03-01--Armenia Identifies First Coronavirus Case As Man Returning From Iran

YEREVAN -- Armenia has detected its first confirmed case of a coronavirus infection , that of a 29-year-old man who recently returned with his wife from Iran , the Caucasus nation ’ s leader says .
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian said on March 1 in a Facebook posting that `` Dear compatriots , about two hours ago we confirmed a case of coronavirus , unfortunately . ''
Health Minister Arsen Torosoan confirmed the news as well .
Pashinian said the man , an Armenian citizen , arrived by plane from Tehran on February 28 and later went to the hospital @ @ @ @ @ @ @ condition , the prime minister said .
Pashinian said people the victim has had close contact with will be quarantined .
He added that all of the passengers on the flight with him from Tehran had been wearing face masks and were escorted from the airport under previously set precautions for people traveling from Iran .
Iran has become the hot spot for the disease in the Middle East .
An Iranian Health Ministry spokesman on February 29 said nine people died from the COVID-19 virus over the past 24 hours , bringing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 43 amid 593 confirmed infections .
Many critics and outside experts have expressed concerns that Tehran is severely underreporting the magnitude of the crisis in the country , allegations the government has vehemently denied .
Iran has been linked to most of the more than 200 confirmed cases of the virus now spread across the region , and many countries in and outside the Caucasus , Middle East , and Central Asia have imposed restrictions on travel to and from Iran in an effort to curtail the disease 's spread .
Worldwide , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ China , has infected more than 86,000 people and killed some 3,000 .
Most of the deaths and infections have occurred in China , but the epidemic has spread elsewhere , with Iran becoming the hardest hit outside of mainland China .

YEREVAN -- Armenia has detected its first confirmed case of a coronavirus infection, that of a 29-year-old man who recently returned with his wife from Iran, the Caucasus nation’s leader says.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian said on March 1 in a Facebook posting that "Dear compatriots, about two hours ago we confirmed a case of coronavirus, unfortunately."
Health Minister Arsen Torosoan confirmed the news as well.
Pashinian said the man, an Armenian citizen, arrived by plane from Tehran on February 28 and later went to the hospital for treatment. He is in good condition, the prime minister said.
Pashinian said people the victim has had close contact with will be quarantined.
He added that all of the passengers on the flight with him from Tehran had been wearing face masks and were escorted from the airport under previously set precautions for people traveling from Iran.
Iran has become the hot spot for the disease in the Middle East. An Iranian Health Ministry spokesman on February 29 said nine people died from the COVID-19 virus over the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of reported deaths to 43 amid 593 confirmed infections.
Many critics and outside experts have expressed concerns that Tehran is severely underreporting the magnitude of the crisis in the country, allegations the government has vehemently denied.
Iran has been linked to most of the more than 200 confirmed cases of the virus now spread across the region, and many countries in and outside the Caucasus, Middle East, and Central Asia have imposed restrictions on travel to and from Iran in an effort to curtail the disease's spread.
Worldwide, the COVID-19 outbreak, which began in China, has infected more than 86,000 people and killed some 3,000.
Most of the deaths and infections have occurred in China, but the epidemic has spread elsewhere, with Iran becoming the hardest hit outside of mainland China.


rferl--2020-03-01--Iran Coronavirus Cases Rise Again; Trump Says U.S. Ready To Aid Iran If Asked

Iranian officials have announced another jump in confirmed cases and deaths from the coronavirus that is causing global havoc since its outbreak began in central China late last year .
Health Ministry spokesman Kianush Jahanpur told a televised news conference that 385 newly confirmed cases of the COVID-19 illness in Iran brought the total to 978 .
Eleven new deaths brings the official death toll in Iran from coronavirus to 54 , he said .
Those numbers are well below the level that many experts fear the Iranian contagion has reached since officials downplayed the risk of a local outbreak @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deputy health minister and several other prominent officials -- coming down themselves with the illness .
But even the lower figures suggest that the virus , which brings on pneumonia-like symptoms and whose deadliness is well above seasonal flu , is spreading more rapidly in Iran .
The biggest rise in newly reported Iranian cases was said to be in the province around the capital , Tehran , where 170 people tested positive for the virus .
U.S. President Donald Trump said on February 29 that he was ready to help Iran deal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if the country he has bitterly criticized and sanctioned asks for assistance .
`` If we can help the Iranians with this problem , we are certainly willing to do so ... .
All they have to do is ask , ” Trump told the annual Conservative Political Action Conference ( CPAC ) near Washington on February 29 .
“ We will have great professionals over there , '' he added , referring to Iran , which has become the hot spot for the disease in the Middle East .
The United States @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with Iran since 1980 , said it had formally told Tehran of its willingness to assist in the crisis .
The was message sent via Switzerland , which represents U.S. interests in Iran .
Many critics and outside experts have expressed concerns that Tehran is severely underreporting the magnitude of the crisis in the country , allegations the government has vehemently denied .
The virus has hit at least 63 countries , with China -- where the outbreak began -- the hardest hit but with numbers rising elsewhere .
The virus had killed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ others in mainland China by March 1 .
Worldwide it has infected at least 86,986 people and killed more than 100 .
The strongest clusters of the disease outside of China are in Iran , Italy , Japan , and South Korea .
Several top Iranian officials have contracted the virus , including Masoumeh Ebtekar , the vice president for women and family affairs , a deputy health minister , and five lawmakers .
Iran has been linked to most of the over 200 confirmed cases of the virus now spread across the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outside the Caucasus , Middle East , and Central Asia have imposed restrictions on travel to and from Iran in an effort to curtail the disease 's spread .
On March 1 , Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian in neighboring Armenia reported the small country ’ s first coronavirus case , that of a 29-year-old man who recently returned with his wife from Iran .
With reporting by RFE/RL ’ s Radio Farda , AFP , and AP

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


rferl--2020-03-01--Afghan President Casts Doubt On Key Aspect Of U.S.-Taliban Peace Deal

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has questioned a key component of an agreement between the United States and the Taliban aimed at ending the 18-year war in Afghanistan .
Ghani told a news briefing in the capital , Kabul , on March 1 that his government has made no commitment to free up to 5,000 Taliban prisoners , as set out in the February 29 agreement .
The Western-backed Kabul government was not a signatory of the bilateral U.S.-Taliban deal .
`` There is no commitment to releasing 5,000 prisoners , '' Ghani said , adding that any prisoner release was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. , it is in the authority of the Afghan government . ''
`` This is the right and the self-will of the people of Afghanistan , ” Ghani added .
“ It could be included in the agenda of the intra-Afghan talks , but can not be a prerequisite for talks . ''
There was no immediate response from the United States or the Taliban .
There are an estimated 10,000 Taliban prisoners being held in Afghanistan .
The U.S.-Taliban deal said Washington was committed to the release of `` up to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Afghan government and `` up to one thousand ... prisoners of the other side will be released by March 10 , 2020 , the first day of intra-Afghan negotiations . ''
Pursuit of a lasting peace -- which is heavily conditioned on guarantees that Afghanistan wo n't be used to stage attacks on the United States or its allies -- could face considerable obstacles as Washington tries to shift the burden of peacemaking to the warring Afghan sides with Ghani 's government facing its own challenges following his disputed reelection victory .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ signed by the leader of the political wing of the Taliban , Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar , and Washington 's chief negotiator , Zalmay Khalilzad , in the Qatari capital , Doha .
In it , the United States commits in the deal to `` start immediately to work with all relevant sides on a plan to expeditiously release combat and political prisoners as a confidence building measure with the coordination and approval of all relevant sides . ''
At his press conference , Ghani expressed hope that a seven-day partial truce that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ until a more permanent deal was reached .
`` The reduction in violence will continue with a goal to reach a full cease-fire , '' Ghani said .
U.S. President Donald Trump said on February 29 that American troops would `` immediately '' begin their withdrawal from Afghanistan .
`` Today .
They will start immediately , '' Trump told reporters when asked when the soldiers would start to leave .
`` No one should be criticizing this deal , after 19 years , '' Trump said , adding that he will `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the not-so-distant future , '' without specifying .
The agreement lays out a timetable for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan in return for various security commitments from the insurgents and a pledge to hold talks with the government in Kabul -- which it so far has refused to do .
According to a joint declaration published by the U.S. and Afghan governments , the United States and NATO would withdraw all troops in Afghanistan within 14 months if the Taliban upholds the commitments made in the agreement .
The U.S. military @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plans to immediately cut the level to 8,600 , leading up to a potential final pullout in 2021 .
Trump told a conservative political conference in suburban Maryland that if the Taliban lives up to its commitments , the war will `` be over . ''
`` We can ’ t be the policeman for the world , '' said Trump , who has often vowed to halt America ’ s involvement in “ endless wars ” around the world .
John Bolton , Trump 's hawkish former national-security adviser , wrote on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Taliban is an unacceptable risk to America 's civilian population . ''
`` This is an Obama-style deal .
Legitimizing Taliban sends the wrong signal to [ Islamic State ] and Al-Qaeda terrorists , and to America 's enemies generally , '' he said , referring to former President Barack Obama , Trump 's predecessor .
Republican U.S. Representative Liz Cheney , the daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney under George W. Bush , also ripped the deal , saying the U.S. administration must explain how it will verify Taliban compliance .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Taliban includes concessions that could threaten the security of the United States , '' she said .
Many experts have also said that eventual talks , if they occur , between Afghan government officials and the Taliban could prove to be troublesome .
Many in Kabul have rejected talks with the extremist group , expressing doubts about its sincerity and ability to control its fighters .
Trump , however , said he was optimistic that such talks will be successful , saying `` everyone is tired of war . ''
`` The other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is tired of war -- a particularly long and gruesome one , '' he said .
`` We 've had tremendous success in Afghanistan , in the killing of terrorists , but it 's time , after all these years , to go and to bring our people back home . ''
Meanwhile , chief Taliban negotiator Abbas Stanikzai said , `` There is no doubt we have won the war ... .
This [ is ] why they are signing a peace treaty . ''
The Foreign Ministry of U.S. foe Iran @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Afghanistan and has a sizable population of Afghans , said the United States has no legal standing to sign a deal with the Taliban , Reuters reported .
Tehran also reportedly stressed the need for intra-Afghan talks and urged considerations for the interests of Afghanistan 's neighbors .
Qatari Foreign Minister Mohammad bin Abdulrahman al-Thani said he considered a prisoner exchange an important confidence-building measure .
“ The prisoner exchange will be one of the first confidence-building measures , so it will remain a very critical step that we need to push forward @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Security Adviser Hamdullah Mohib told Afghanistan 's Tolo TV channel that the government had made no commitment to releasing 5,000 prisoners by March 10 .
Mohib also questioned the deal 's seeming absence of specifics on the Taliban ’ s ties to neighboring Pakistan , which Kabul and Washington have long accused of harboring militants who conduct cross-border attacks in Afghanistan .
Ghani and Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah , his chief political rival who has disputed official results of September 's presidential election that showed the president winning re-election , have yet to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's negotiating team for any peace talks with the Taliban .
With reporting by RFE/RL ’ s Radio Mashaal , AFP , AP , dpa , Reuters , The New York Times , and the BBC

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has questioned a key component of an agreement between the United States and the Taliban aimed at ending the 18-year war in Afghanistan.
Ghani told a news briefing in the capital, Kabul, on March 1 that his government has made no commitment to free up to 5,000 Taliban prisoners, as set out in the February 29 agreement.
The Western-backed Kabul government was not a signatory of the bilateral U.S.-Taliban deal.
"There is no commitment to releasing 5,000 prisoners," Ghani said, adding that any prisoner release was "not in the authority of the U.S., it is in the authority of the Afghan government."
"This is the right and the self-will of the people of Afghanistan,” Ghani added. “It could be included in the agenda of the intra-Afghan talks, but cannot be a prerequisite for talks."
There was no immediate response from the United States or the Taliban.
There are an estimated 10,000 Taliban prisoners being held in Afghanistan.
The U.S.-Taliban deal said Washington was committed to the release of "up to five thousand" Taliban prisoners held by the Afghan government and "up to one thousand...prisoners of the other side will be released by March 10, 2020, the first day of intra-Afghan negotiations."
Road Map To Peace
Pursuit of a lasting peace -- which is heavily conditioned on guarantees that Afghanistan won't be used to stage attacks on the United States or its allies -- could face considerable obstacles as Washington tries to shift the burden of peacemaking to the warring Afghan sides with Ghani's government facing its own challenges following his disputed reelection victory.
The long-awaited road map to peace was signed by the leader of the political wing of the Taliban, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, and Washington's chief negotiator, Zalmay Khalilzad, in the Qatari capital, Doha.
WATCH: U.S., Taliban Sign Deal To End War In Afghanistan
In it, the United States commits in the deal to "start immediately to work with all relevant sides on a plan to expeditiously release combat and political prisoners as a confidence building measure with the coordination and approval of all relevant sides."
Ghani told CNN on March 1 that U.S. President Donald Trump had not asked for the release of the prisoners and that the political consensus needed for such a major step did not currently exist.
"The people of Afghanistan need to believe that we've gone from war to peace, and not that the agreement will be either a Trojan horse or the beginning of a much worse phase of conflict," Ghani told CNN.
Earlier, at his press conference, Ghani expressed hope that a seven-day partial truce that helped finalize the U.S.-Taliban agreement would continue until a more permanent deal was reached.
"The reduction in violence will continue with a goal to reach a full cease-fire," Ghani said.
Trump said on February 29 that American troops would "immediately" begin their withdrawal from Afghanistan.
"Today. They will start immediately," Trump told reporters when asked when the soldiers would start to leave.
"No one should be criticizing this deal, after 19 years," Trump said, adding that he will "be meeting personally with Taliban leaders in the not-so-distant future," without specifying.
The agreement lays out a timetable for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan in return for various security commitments from the insurgents and a pledge to hold talks with the government in Kabul -- which it so far has refused to do.
According to a joint declaration published by the U.S. and Afghan governments, the United States and NATO would withdraw all troops in Afghanistan within 14 months if the Taliban upholds the commitments made in the agreement.
The U.S. military has some 13,000 troops in Afghanistan and plans to immediately cut the level to 8,600, leading up to a potential final pullout in 2021.
Trump told a conservative political conference in suburban Maryland that if the Taliban lives up to its commitments, the war will "be over."
"We can’t be the policeman for the world," said Trump, who has often vowed to halt America’s involvement in “endless wars” around the world.
John Bolton, Trump's hawkish former national-security adviser, wrote on Twitter that "signing this agreement with Taliban is an unacceptable risk to America's civilian population."
"This is an Obama-style deal. Legitimizing Taliban sends the wrong signal to [Islamic State] and Al-Qaeda terrorists, and to America's enemies generally," he said, referring to former President Barack Obama, Trump's predecessor.
Republican U.S. Representative Liz Cheney, the daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney under George W. Bush, also ripped the deal, saying the U.S. administration must explain how it will verify Taliban compliance.
"Today’s agreement with the Taliban includes concessions that could threaten the security of the United States," she said.
'Everyone Is Tired Of War'
Many experts have also said that eventual talks, if they occur, between Afghan government officials and the Taliban could prove to be troublesome. Many in Kabul have rejected talks with the extremist group, expressing doubts about its sincerity and ability to control its fighters.
Trump, however, said he was optimistic that such talks will be successful, saying "everyone is tired of war."
"The other side's tired of war. Everybody is tired of war -- a particularly long and gruesome one," he said.
"We've had tremendous success in Afghanistan, in the killing of terrorists, but it's time, after all these years, to go and to bring our people back home."
Meanwhile, chief Taliban negotiator Abbas Stanikzai said, "There is no doubt we have won the war.... This [is] why they are signing a peace treaty."
The Foreign Ministry of U.S. foe Iran, which shares a long border with Afghanistan and has a sizable population of Afghans, said the United States has no legal standing to sign a deal with the Taliban, Reuters reported.
Tehran also reportedly stressed the need for intra-Afghan talks and urged considerations for the interests of Afghanistan's neighbors.
Qatari Foreign Minister Mohammad bin Abdulrahman al-Thani said he considered a prisoner exchange an important confidence-building measure.
“The prisoner exchange will be one of the first confidence-building measures, so it will remain a very critical step that we need to push forward,” he added.
Afghan National Security Adviser Hamdullah Mohib told Afghanistan's Tolo TV channel that the government had made no commitment to releasing 5,000 prisoners by March 10.
Mohib also questioned the deal's seeming absence of specifics on the Taliban’s ties to neighboring Pakistan, which Kabul and Washington have long accused of harboring militants who conduct cross-border attacks in Afghanistan.
Ghani and Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah, his chief political rival who has disputed official results of September's presidential election that showed the president winning reelection, have yet to agree on the composition of the government's negotiating team for any peace talks with the Taliban.
With reporting by RFE/RL’s Radio Mashaal, AFP, AP, dpa, Reuters, The New York Times, and the BBC


rferl--2020-02-29--Banned Iranian Director Wins Top Prize At Berlin Film Festival

Iranian director Mohammad Rasoulof won the top prize at the Berlin Film Festival for his film titled There Is No Evil , which he made despite being forbidden to do so by the government in Tehran .
Rasoulof was not present at the February 29 ceremony to receive the Golden Bear award for the film , which tells four stories loosely connected to the use of the death penalty in Iran and dealing with personal freedom under tyranny .
Rasoulof , who was sentenced to a year in prison in 2017 and is barred from leaving Iran , is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been banned by the authorities from making films for life .
Event organizers left an empty chair and name sign for the 48-year-old Rasoulof at the news conference for his film entry .
Germany 's dpa news agency reported that Rasoulof 's daughter , Baran , accepted the Golden Bear on his behalf .
The Berlin festival jury chose There Is No Evil over 17 other films competing for the prize , including Sally Potter 's The Road Not Taken -- a remake of the classic Berlin Alexanderplatz -- and Siberia .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , AFP , and AP


rferl--2020-02-29--Polls Close In First Tajik Parliamentary Elections Since Key Opposition Banned

Polls closed in Tajikistan on March 1 in parliamentary elections that President Emomali Rahmon ’ s ruling party was set for a big win , with only one opposition party taking part in the vote .
It was the authoritarian Central Asian nation ’ s first parliamentary elections since a ban was imposed nearly five years ago on the Islamic Renaissance Party ( IRPT ) , a leading opposition group .
Tajikistan ’ s Central Election Commission said around 75 percent of eligible voters -- some 3.7 million voters -- cast ballots , well above the 50-percent mark to make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Social Democratic Party ( SDP ) was the only opposition group that contested the elections .
The party has never entered parliament .
The election commission said preliminary results would be released on March 2 .
Election commission Chairman Bakhtiyor Khudoyorzoda earlier told reporters that 3,412 polling centers had created `` conditions for a transparent and fair election . ''
None of the votes of the past two decades have been deemed free and competitive by Western observers , which again this year includes the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rights ( ODIHR ) .
In an instance of one of the most widespread problems , proxy voting , an RFE/RL correspondent saw a single voter cast 22 ballots .
One video that appeared online showed a single person ticking dozens of ballots for the ruling party , and another clip showed a Tajik migrant in Russia saying he was told to vote for the ruling party or lose their job .
President Rahmon ’ s People ’ s Democratic Party is widely expected to retain a majority in the 63-seat Majlisi Namoyandagon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rahmon , who has ruled since taking power in 1992 with the country embroiled in a five-year civil war , turned up to vote early in the day , RFE/RL 's Tajik Service reported .
Six other smaller parties are taking part in the elections .
The SDP registered five candidates after it was forced to reduce the initial eight-strong party list due to lack of money to pay the nearly $ 600 application fee per nominee .
The SDP has been unable in the past elections to pass the 5 percent minimum @ @ @ @ @ @ @ legislature .
The party has blamed it on Tajik authorities ’ failure to hold free and fair elections .
Past elections in Tajikistan have been marred by allegations of fraud , including ballot-box stuffing , multiple voting , and the disregard of the vote-counting procedures by election officials .
The government has long been criticized for clamping down on opposition groups and critics .
Opposition movement Group 24 was banned as an extremist organization in 2014 , and the IRPT was branded a “ terrorist organization ” the following year after losing its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2015 elections .
Both deny the allegations .
Muhiddin Kabiri , the IRPT leader , said the opposition has urged its supporters to vote for Social Democrats instead of simply ignoring the elections .
“ We know that these elections won ’ t be transparent and democratic , but we still want to use this very small window of opportunity to try to convince people once again that the only peaceful way to bring changes to society is through the elections , ” Kabiri told RFE/RL on February 27 .
Parliament in Tajikistan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ real political power is consolidated in the hands of President Rahmon .
The Central Election Commission said 241 candidates have been registered to participate in the elections .
Forty-one lawmakers will be elected from single-mandate districts , and the other 22 seats are determined by the party list system .
In the single-mandate districts , a candidate must receive 50 percent plus one of votes to win outright in the first round .
If no candidate reaches that level , the two candidates with the most votes will compete in a second round @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , there are 4,793,282 eligible voters , including labor migrants residing abroad .
Widespread unemployment has forced hundreds of thousands of Tajik to become migrant workers in Russia .
Tajikistan ’ s embassy in Moscow said it has prepared five polling stations in Russia for Tajik migrants workers to vote .

Tajiks voted in parliamentary elections on March 1 in which President Emomali Rahmon’s ruling party was widely expected to secure a sweeping victory, with only one opposition party participating in the vote.
It was the authoritarian Central Asian nation’s first parliamentary elections since a ban was imposed nearly five years ago on the Islamic Renaissance Party (IRPT), a leading opposition group.
Just before polls closed, Tajikistan’s Central Election Commission said over 75 percent of eligible voters -- some 3.7 million voters -- cast ballots, well above the 50-percent mark to make the vote valid under Tajik law.
The Social Democratic Party (SDP) was the only opposition group that contested the elections. The party has never entered parliament.
The election commission said preliminary results would be released on March 2.
Election commission Chairman Bakhtiyor Khudoyorzoda earlier told reporters that 3,412 polling centers had created "conditions for a transparent and fair election."
None of the votes of the past two decades have been deemed free and competitive by Western observers, which again this year includes the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe's Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR).
In an instance of one of the most widespread problems, proxy voting, an RFE/RL correspondent saw a single voter cast 22 ballots.
One video that appeared online showed a single person ticking dozens of ballots for the ruling party, and another clip showed a Tajik migrant in Russia saying he was told to vote for the ruling party or lose his job.
President Rahmon’s People’s Democratic Party is widely expected to retain a majority in the 63-seat Majlisi Namoyandagon, the lower house of parliament.
Rahmon, who has ruled since taking power in 1992 with the country embroiled in a five-year civil war, turned up to vote early in the day, RFE/RL's Tajik Service reported.
Six other smaller parties took part in the elections.
The SDP registered five candidates after it was forced to reduce the initial eight-strong party list due to lack of money to pay the nearly $600 application fee per nominee.
The SDP was unable in past elections to pass the 5 percent minimum barrier to get a seat in the legislature. The party has blamed it on Tajik authorities’ failure to hold free and fair elections.
Past elections in Tajikistan were marred by allegations of fraud, including ballot-box stuffing, multiple voting, and the disregard of the vote-counting procedures by election officials.
The government has long been criticized for clamping down on opposition groups and critics.
Opposition movement Group 24 was banned as an extremist organization in 2014, and the IRPT was branded a “terrorist organization” the following year after losing its final two seats in parliament in the 2015 elections. Both deny the allegations.
Muhiddin Kabiri, the IRPT leader, said the opposition urged its supporters to vote for the Social Democrats instead of simply ignoring the elections.
“We know that these elections won’t be transparent and democratic, but we still want to use this very small window of opportunity to try to convince people once again that the only peaceful way to bring changes to society is through the elections,” Kabiri told RFE/RL on February 27.
Parliament in Tajikistan is seen as rubber-stamp body, while real political power is consolidated in the hands of President Rahmon.
The Central Election Commission said 241 candidates were registered to participate in the elections.
Forty-one lawmakers will be elected from single-mandate districts, and the other 22 seats are determined by the party list system.
In the single-mandate districts, a candidate must receive 50 percent plus one of votes to win outright in the first round.
If no candidate reaches that level, the two candidates with the most votes will compete in a second round.
According to the Central Election Commission, there are 4,793,282 eligible voters, including labor migrants residing abroad.
Widespread unemployment has forced hundreds of thousands of Tajik to become migrant workers in Russia.
Tajikistan’s embassy in Moscow said it has prepared five polling stations in Russia for Tajik migrants workers to vote.
With reporting by RFE/RL's Tajik Service


rferl--2020-02-29--Iranian Coronavirus Death Toll Rises To 43

Iran 's Health Ministry says nine people have died from the new coronavirus in the last 24 hours , bringing the total number of deaths to 43 amid 593 confirmed cases of coronavirus in the Islamic republic .
Spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour gave the new figure on February 29 .
`` We have had 205 new cases of COVID-19 within 24 hours '' , he said , while urging people to stay away from mass gatherings and limit their travel .
Iran has the highest death toll outside of China , the epicenter of the outbreak .
The BBC 's Persian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unnamed sources in several hospitals suggested at least 210 people had died in the country as of late on February 27 .
The Health Ministry vehemently denied the report .
The rapid spread of the outbreak forced the cancellation of Friday Prayers in many mosques across the country .
Asadollah Abbasi , a spokesman of the parliamentary presidium , was quoted as saying on February 29 that five of 100 lawmakers in the Majlis , or parliament , had tested positive for the virus .
He said the other lawmakers will also be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hold his weekly news conference online due to the outbreak , the semiofficial Mehr news agency reported on February 29 .
Iran has become the main hot spot of the virus in the Middle East , and the country 's officials have been accused of hiding the true scale of the outbreak .
Authorities canceled Friday Prayers in Tehran and 22 provincial capitals in response to the looming pandemic , while the Health Ministry advised against all public events , such as weddings or funerals .
Schools and universities , along with cultural @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and concert halls , have all been closed .
Meanwhile , Azerbaijan said on February 29 it had closed its border with Iran for two weeks to prevent the spread of coronavirus .
In Bahrain , authorities threatened legal prosecution against travelers who came from Iran and had n't been tested for the new coronavirus , and also barred public gatherings for two weeks .
The tiny island state off the coast of Saudi Arabia has been hard-hit with cases and shut down some flights to halt the spread of the virus .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Iran .
Qatar announced on February 29 its first coronavirus case , a Qatari citizen who was on an earlier evacuation flight from Iran .
Meanwhile , Saudi Arabia announced on February 29 it would bar citizens of the Gulf Cooperation Council member states from Islam 's holiest sites in Mecca and Medina over concerns about the virus ' spread .
The council is a six-country group including Bahrain , Kuwait , Oman , Qatar , Saudi Arabia , and the United Arab Emirates .
Elsewhere , Pakistan confirmed two more cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the total number of positive cases to four since February 26 , when the first two cases were reported in the country .
COVID-19 , the respiratory disease caused by the coronavirus , has infected some 83,000 people in dozens of countries , causing 2,800 deaths .
Most of the cases and deaths were reported in China , where the disease emerged in December .
The virus has now reached every continent except Antarctica .
With reporting by AP , Reuters , dpa , BBC , IRNA and ISNA


rferl--2020-02-29--At Least 19 Killed As Train Smashes Into Bus In Pakistan

At least 19 people have been killed and dozens injured when a bus full of passengers was struck by a train in Pakistan 's southern Sindh Province .
Railway official Tariq Kolachi said on February 28 the accident took place near the district of Rohri , some 470 kilometers north of Karachi , at an unmanned crossing .
`` All those killed and injured were passengers from the coach , '' he said .
At least 55 people were injured , Rana Adeel , a deputy commissioner in Sukkur , told AFP .
He warned that some of the injured @ @ @ @ @ @ @ death toll could rise .
Kolchi said the cause of the crash remained unclear , adding that the passenger train , called the Pakistan Express , was traveling to Lahore from Karachi .
`` Apparently the accident took place due to the bus driver 's negligence , '' Railways Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmad said , but added that an inquiry was under way to clarify what had happened .
Railway safety in Pakistan has deteriorated over recent decades , hurt by corruption , mismanagement , and lack of investment .
Based on reporting @ @ @ @ @ @

At least 19 people have been killed and dozens injured when a bus full of passengers was struck by a train in Pakistan's southern Sindh Province.
Railway official Tariq Kolachi said on February 28 the accident took place near the district of Rohri, some 470 kilometers north of Karachi, at an unmanned crossing.
"All those killed and injured were passengers from the coach," he said.
At least 55 people were injured, Rana Adeel, a deputy commissioner in Sukkur, told AFP. He warned that some of the injured were in critical condition and that the death toll could rise.
Kolchi said the cause of the crash remained unclear, adding that the passenger train, called the Pakistan Express, was traveling to Lahore from Karachi.
"Apparently the accident took place due to the bus driver's negligence," Railways Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmad said, but added that an inquiry was under way to clarify what had happened.
Railway safety in Pakistan has deteriorated over recent decades, hurt by corruption, mismanagement, and lack of investment.
Based on reporting by AP, AFP and dpa


rferl--2020-02-29--Erdogan Tells Putin To Let Turkey 'Do What Is Necessary' In Syria's Idlib

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says he has told President Vladimir Putin for Russia to stand aside in Syria to let Turkey deal with Syrian government forces alone , after 34 Turkish soldiers were killed in a Syrian air strike this week .
Syrian government forces , backed by Russian air power , have waged a major assault to capture the northwestern province of Idlib , part of the last remaining territory held by rebels backed by Turkey .
Syrian and Russian warplanes on February 29 kept up air strikes on the Idlib city of Saraqeb , the Syrian Observatory @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is located on a key highway that has been a flashpoint of fighting in recent days .
Speaking in Istanbul , Erdogan said he had told Putin in a phone call to stand aside and let Turkey `` do what is necessary . ''
He said Turkey did not intend to leave Syria right now .
`` We went there because we were invited by the people of Syria .
We do n't intend to leave before the people of Syria say , 'Okay , this is done , ' '' Erdogan added @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of talks between Russia and Turkey failed to yield a cease-fire .
Russia 's Foreign Ministry said on February 29 the two sides agreed in this week 's talks to reduce tensions in Idlib while continuing military action there .
But Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told reporters in Doha the Idlib issue can be settled only in a meeting between Erdogan and Putin , which he said would take place on March 5 or 6 .
Following a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo , Cavusoglu said Turkey wanted the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as support in Idlib .
The increased fighting in Idlib Province has forced civilians to flee , raising pressure on Turkey to open its now closed border with Syria and offer refuge to desperate Syrian civilians .
In an apparent reference to the growing humanitarian crisis in Idlib , Erdogan said Turkey `` ca n't handle a new wave of migration . ''
Erdogan said Turkey would not stand in the way of refugees and migrants already in the country who hope to head to Europe .
`` We will not close the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` The European Union has to keep its promises .
We are not obliged to look after and feed so many refugees . ''
Under a 2016 deal with the EU , Turkey agreed to stem the tide of refugees to Europe in return for financial aid after more than a million people entered Europe in 2015 .
Turkey currently hosts more than 3.5 million Syrian refugees , and many others fleeing war and poverty in Asia , Africa , and the Middle East use it as a staging post and transit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ neighboring Greece .
On February 29 , Greek officials arrested 70 migrants who tried to cross the border from Turkey .
Separately , President Donald Trump `` reaffirmed '' U.S. support for Turkey in an earlier call with Erdogan while he demanded that Assad , Russia , and Iran halt their offensive in Idlib Province -- the last rebel-held area in the region .
Trump `` reaffirmed his support for Turkey ’ s efforts to de-escalate the situation in northwest Syria and avoid a humanitarian catastrophe , '' the White House said , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Meanwhile , the Turkish presidency said Erdogan and Trump agreed on measures to avoid a `` humanitarian tragedy '' in Idlib .
`` The two leaders agreed on additional steps without delay in order to avert a big humanitarian tragedy unfolding in the Idlib region , '' it said in a statement .
Secretary of State Pompeo echoed Trump 's comments in a statement on February 28 , saying , `` We stand by our NATO ally Turkey in the aftermath of the despicable and brazen February 27 attack on Turkish forces in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Assad regime , Russia , the Iranian regime , and Hizballah are directly preventing the establishment of a cease-fire in northern Syria , '' Pompeo added .
A senior U.S. official , speaking on condition of anonymity , noted that Turkey had blamed the Assad government for the deadly air strike , but he said that Russia closely planned all operations with Syria .
`` Russia is responsible for this offensive -- period , '' the official said in a briefing .
The idea of the `` pathetic , keelhauled , draftee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some of the opposition forces ... is laughable , '' he said .
The fighting has raised concerns that NATO member Turkey could come into direct combat against Russian forces in Syria .
Russia , along with Iran , has provided crucial political , military , and financial support to Assad during the country ’ s civil war , which has killed more than 400,000 people and displaced millions since it began with a crackdown on anti-government protesters in March 2011 .
More than 400,000 people have been killed and millions displaced since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Turkey have backed differing rebel groups , while extremists linked to Al-Qaeda and Islamic State also entered the conflict , although they have mostly been driven from their strongholds .
With reporting by AFP , Reuters , AP , and dpa

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says he has told President Vladimir Putin for Russia to stand aside in Syria to let Turkey deal with Syrian government forces alone, after 34 Turkish soldiers were killed in a Syrian air strike this week.
Syrian government forces, backed by Russian air power, have waged a major assault to capture the northwestern province of Idlib, part of the last remaining territory held by rebels backed by Turkey.
Syrian and Russian warplanes on February 29 kept up air strikes on the Idlib city of Saraqeb, the Syrian Observatory war monitor reported. The strategic city is located on a key highway that has been a flashpoint of fighting in recent days.
Speaking in Istanbul, Erdogan said he had told Putin in a phone call to stand aside and let Turkey "do what is necessary." He said Turkey did not intend to leave Syria right now.
"We went there because we were invited by the people of Syria. We don't intend to leave before the people of Syria say, 'Okay, this is done,'" Erdogan added.
As tensions rose, three rounds of talks between Russia and Turkey failed to yield a cease-fire.
Russia's Foreign Ministry said on February 29 the two sides agreed in this week's talks to reduce tensions in Idlib while continuing military action there.
But Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told reporters in Doha the Idlib issue can be settled only in a meeting between Erdogan and Putin, which he said would take place on March 5 or 6.
Following a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Cavusoglu said Turkey wanted the United States to send Patriot missile systems as support in Idlib.
The increased fighting in Idlib Province has forced civilians to flee, raising pressure on Turkey to open its now closed border with Syria and offer refuge to desperate Syrian civilians.
In an apparent reference to the growing humanitarian crisis in Idlib, Erdogan said Turkey "can't handle a new wave of migration."
Erdogan said Turkey would not stand in the way of refugees and migrants already in the country who hope to head to Europe.
"We will not close the gates to refugees," he said. "The European Union has to keep its promises. We are not obliged to look after and feed so many refugees."
Under a 2016 deal with the EU, Turkey agreed to stem the tide of refugees to Europe in return for financial aid after more than a million people entered Europe in 2015.
Turkey currently hosts more than 3.5 million Syrian refugees, and many others fleeing war and poverty in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East use it as a staging post and transit point to reach Europe, usually through neighboring Greece.
On February 29, Greek officials arrested 70 migrants who tried to cross the border from Turkey.
Separately, President Donald Trump "reaffirmed" U.S. support for Turkey in an earlier call with Erdogan while he demanded that Assad, Russia, and Iran halt their offensive in Idlib Province -- the last rebel-held area in the region.
Trump "reaffirmed his support for Turkey’s efforts to de-escalate the situation in northwest Syria and avoid a humanitarian catastrophe," the White House said, without giving specifics about the support.
Meanwhile, the Turkish presidency said Erdogan and Trump agreed on measures to avoid a "humanitarian tragedy" in Idlib.
"The two leaders agreed on additional steps without delay in order to avert a big humanitarian tragedy unfolding in the Idlib region," it said in a statement.
Secretary of State Pompeo echoed Trump's comments in a statement on February 28, saying, "We stand by our NATO ally Turkey in the aftermath of the despicable and brazen February 27 attack on Turkish forces in Idlib."
"The actions of the Assad regime, Russia, the Iranian regime, and Hizballah are directly preventing the establishment of a cease-fire in northern Syria," Pompeo added.
A senior U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, noted that Turkey had blamed the Assad government for the deadly air strike, but he said that Russia closely planned all operations with Syria.
"Russia is responsible for this offensive -- period," the official said in a briefing.
The idea of the "pathetic, keelhauled, draftee Assad military forces fighting the Turks and some of the opposition forces...is laughable," he said.
The fighting has raised concerns that NATO member Turkey could come into direct combat against Russian forces in Syria.
Russia, along with Iran, has provided crucial political, military, and financial support to Assad during the country’s civil war, which has killed more than 400,000 people and displaced millions since it began with a crackdown on anti-government protesters in March 2011.
More than 400,000 people have been killed and millions displaced since the conflict began.
The United States and Turkey have backed differing rebel groups, while extremists linked to Al-Qaeda and Islamic State also entered the conflict, although they have mostly been driven from their strongholds.
With reporting by AFP, Reuters, AP, and dpa


rferl--2020-02-29--Trump Names Republican Lawmaker To Be U.S. Director Of Intelligence

U.S. President Donald Trump says he will for the second time nominate Republican Representative John Ratcliffe to be his director of national intelligence ( DNI ) and oversee the country 's 17 spy agencies .
`` John is an outstanding man of great talent ! ''
Trump wrote on Twitter on February 28 .
Trump had previously nominated the Texas congressman , a vocal supporter of the president , for the position , but he later withdrew his name amid bipartisan questions about his qualifications and lack of intelligence experience .
If he is confirmed by the Senate , Ratcliffe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ loyalist , who is now acting national intelligence director while also serving as U.S. ambassador to Germany and special envoy to Kosovo and Serbia .
Grenell 's appointment two weeks ago was also criticized by Democrats and some Republicans over his lack of intelligence experience and other matters .
Grenell replaced Joseph Maguire , who has served as acting DNI since August .
Maguire took the post following the resignation of Dan Coats , who had a strained relationship with Trump .
Coats had supported the U.S. intelligence community 's conclusion that Russia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the goal of promoting Trump over Democratic rival Hillary Clinton .
The DNI post was created after the September 11 , 2001 , terror attacks on the United States .
It oversees the 17 U.S. civilian and military intelligence agencies .
Based on reporting by Reuters , AP , and AFP

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


rferl--2020-02-29--U.S., Taliban Sign Deal To End War In Afghanistan

The United States has signed a historic agreement with the Taliban that could lead to the withdrawal of all foreign troops from Afghanistan and an end to the country ’ s 18-year conflict .
The agreement signed in Doha in Qatar on February 29 lays out a timetable for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan in return for various security commitments from the insurgents and a pledge to hold talks with the government in Kabul .
U.S. President Donald Trump hailed the deal and said he would meet soon with Taliban leaders .
According to a joint declaration published @ @ @ @ @ @ @ February 29 , the United States and NATO would withdraw all troops in Afghanistan within 14 months if the Taliban upheld the commitments made in the agreement .
The deal was signed by U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad and Taliban co-founder Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar , leader of the political wing of the group .
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Taliban leaders attended the signing ceremony .
Representatives from over two dozen countries and international organizations , among them the foreign ministers of Pakistan and Turkey , were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We are just at the beginning , '' Pompeo said ahead of the signing .
`` A significant reduction in violence will create conditions for peace , and the absence of it the conditions for failure , '' he added .
Pompeo said that Afghans need to live in peace and prosperity with respect for the rights of women , while the United States must be assured there will not be a terrorist threat from the country .
Speaking in Kabul , Defense Secretary Mark Esper said that the United States would not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Taliban did not uphold its end .
`` If the Taliban upholds the agreement the United States will begin a conditions-based , and I repeat a conditions-based , reduction in forces , '' Esper said , calling this a `` pivotal moment in the peace process . ''
Esper and Afghan President Ashraf Ghani signed a joint statement committing the Afghan government to support the U.S.-Taliban deal , which is viewed with skepticism by many war-weary Afghans .
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg heralded the agreement as a `` first step to lasting peace @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is long and hard .
We have to be prepared for setbacks , spoilers , there is no easy way to peace but this is an important first step , '' the former Norwegian prime minister told reporters in Kabul .
The European Union welcomed the peace agreement by the Taliban and the United States and the joint Afghan-U.S. joint declaration as `` important first steps '' toward a lasting resolution of the country 's decades-long conflict .
`` The current opportunity to move towards peace should not be missed , '' EU @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statement , adding that negotiations talks should start `` without delay '' and include all political factions and groups of society .
`` The conflict needs a political solution in which human rights , including women 's rights , are respected and common grievances are addressed , '' the statement said .
Under the agreement , the United States would draw its forces down to 8,600 from 13,000 in the next three to four months , with the remaining U.S. forces withdrawing in 14 months .
The complete pullout , however , would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to prevent terrorism .
NATO pledged to adjust the coalition troop levels in the first phase too , bringing down NATO 's numbers to about 12,000 from roughly 16,000 troops at present .
The signing comes after a week in which both U.S.-led forces and the Taliban committed to a reduction in violence .
The Taliban has so far refused to talk directly to the Afghan government , calling it a puppet of the West .
Talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban could still prove difficult , with many in Kabul @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ability to control all of the group 's militants .
At a press conference at the White House later on February 29 , Trump said he will `` be meeting personally with Taliban leaders in the not-so-distant future . ''
Trump also said he thought negotiations between the Taliban and the Afghan government would be successful because `` everyone is tired of war . ''
Robert Malley , president and CEO of the International Crisis Group , welcomed the deal .
`` No agreement is perfect , and the U.S.-Taliban deal is no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hopeful step to end a war that has lasted two decades and taken countless American and especially Afghan lives .
It ought to be celebrated , bolstered and built upon to reach a genuine intra-Afghan peace . ''
A U.S.-led coalition of forces invaded Afghanistan in 2001 to drive the Taliban from power after the group refused to hand over Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden .
Since then , about 2,400 U.S. soldiers have been killed in fighting , along with tens of thousands of Afghan soldiers , extremist fighters , and civilians @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pulling U.S. forces out of `` endless wars . ''
On February 28 , he urged the warring sides to seize the opportunity to make peace .
`` Soon , at my direction , Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will witness the signing of an agreement with representatives of the Taliban , while Secretary of Defense Mark Esper will issue a joint declaration with the government of Afghanistan , '' Trump said in a statement .
`` If the Taliban and the government of Afghanistan live up to these commitments , we will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the war in Afghanistan and bring our troops home , '' Trump said .
`` These commitments represent an important step to a lasting peace in a new Afghanistan , free from Al-Qaeda , [ Islamic State ] , and any other terrorist group that would seek to bring us harm , '' Trump said .
He added , however , that `` ultimately it will be up to the people of Afghanistan to work out their future . ''
`` We , therefore , urge the Afghan people to seize this opportunity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their country , '' he added .
In September 2019 , Trump suddenly called off a planned signing ceremony with the Taliban at Camp David , Maryland , after a series of Taliban attacks .
But talks eventually resumed , led by U.S. special envoy Khalilzad , in Qatar , where the Taliban has a representative office .
With reporting by RFE/RL ’ s Radio Mashaal , AFP , AP , dpa , Reuters , The New York Times , and the BBC

The United States has signed a historic agreement with the Taliban that could lead to the withdrawal of all foreign troops from Afghanistan and an end to the country’s 18-year conflict.
The agreement signed in Doha in Qatar on February 29 lays out a timetable for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan in return for various security commitments from the insurgents and a pledge to hold talks with the government in Kabul.
U.S. President Donald Trump hailed the deal and said he would meet soon with Taliban leaders.
According to a joint declaration published by the U.S. and Afghan governments on February 29, the United States and NATO would withdraw all troops in Afghanistan within 14 months if the Taliban upheld the commitments made in the agreement.
The deal was signed by U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad and Taliban co-founder Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, leader of the political wing of the group.
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Taliban leaders attended the signing ceremony. Representatives from over two dozen countries and international organizations, among them the foreign ministers of Pakistan and Turkey, were also present at the event.
"We are just at the beginning," Pompeo said ahead of the signing. "A significant reduction in violence will create conditions for peace, and the absence of it the conditions for failure," he added.
Pompeo said that Afghans need to live in peace and prosperity with respect for the rights of women, while the United States must be assured there will not be a terrorist threat from the country.
Speaking in Kabul, Defense Secretary Mark Esper said that the United States would not hesitate to nullify the deal if the Taliban did not uphold its end.
"If the Taliban upholds the agreement the United States will begin a conditions-based, and I repeat a conditions-based, reduction in forces," Esper said, calling this a "pivotal moment in the peace process."
Esper and Afghan President Ashraf Ghani signed a joint statement committing the Afghan government to support the U.S.-Taliban deal, which is viewed with skepticism by many war-weary Afghans.
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg heralded the agreement as a "first step to lasting peace."
"The way to peace is long and hard. We have to be prepared for setbacks, spoilers, there is no easy way to peace but this is an important first step," the former Norwegian prime minister told reporters in Kabul.
The European Union welcomed the peace agreement by the Taliban and the United States and the joint Afghan-U.S. joint declaration as "important first steps" toward a lasting resolution of the country's decades-long conflict.
"The current opportunity to move towards peace should not be missed," EU foreign-policy chief Josep Borrell says in a statement, adding that negotiations talks should start "without delay" and include all political factions and groups of society.
"The conflict needs a political solution in which human rights, including women's rights, are respected and common grievances are addressed," the statement said.
Under the agreement, the United States would draw its forces down to 8,600 from 13,000 in the next three to four months, with the remaining U.S. forces withdrawing in 14 months. The complete pullout, however, would depend on the Taliban meeting their commitments to prevent terrorism.
NATO pledged to adjust the coalition troop levels in the first phase too, bringing down NATO's numbers to about 12,000 from roughly 16,000 troops at present.
The signing comes after a week in which both U.S.-led forces and the Taliban committed to a reduction in violence.
The Taliban has so far refused to talk directly to the Afghan government, calling it a puppet of the West.
Talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban could still prove difficult, with many in Kabul doubting the extremists' sincerity or their ability to control all of the group's militants.
At a press conference at the White House later on February 29, Trump said he will "be meeting personally with Taliban leaders in the not-so-distant future." Trump also said he thought negotiations between the Taliban and the Afghan government would be successful because "everyone is tired of war."
Robert Malley, president and CEO of the International Crisis Group, welcomed the deal. "No agreement is perfect, and the U.S.-Taliban deal is no exception. But it represents the most hopeful step to end a war that has lasted two decades and taken countless American and especially Afghan lives. It ought to be celebrated, bolstered and built upon to reach a genuine intra-Afghan peace."
A U.S.-led coalition of forces invaded Afghanistan in 2001 to drive the Taliban from power after the group refused to hand over Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.
Since then, about 2,400 U.S. soldiers have been killed in fighting, along with tens of thousands of Afghan soldiers, extremist fighters, and civilians.
Trump campaigned on a pledge of pulling U.S. forces out of "endless wars." On February 28, he urged the warring sides to seize the opportunity to make peace.
"Soon, at my direction, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will witness the signing of an agreement with representatives of the Taliban, while Secretary of Defense Mark Esper will issue a joint declaration with the government of Afghanistan," Trump said in a statement.
"If the Taliban and the government of Afghanistan live up to these commitments, we will have a powerful path forward to end the war in Afghanistan and bring our troops home," Trump said.
"These commitments represent an important step to a lasting peace in a new Afghanistan, free from Al-Qaeda, [Islamic State], and any other terrorist group that would seek to bring us harm," Trump said.
He added, however, that "ultimately it will be up to the people of Afghanistan to work out their future."
"We, therefore, urge the Afghan people to seize this opportunity for peace and a new future for their country," he added.
In September 2019, Trump suddenly called off a planned signing ceremony with the Taliban at Camp David, Maryland, after a series of Taliban attacks.
But talks eventually resumed, led by U.S. special envoy Khalilzad, in Qatar, where the Taliban has a representative office.
With reporting by RFE/RL’s Radio Mashaal, AFP, AP, dpa, Reuters, The New York Times, and the BBC


rferl--2020-02-29--Thousands Rally In Moscow, Other Russian Cities To Mark Anniversary Of Nemtsov Killing

MOSCOW -- Thousands of people have marched in Moscow and staged protests in other Russian cities , marking the anniversary of the killing of Boris Nemtsov , a charismatic Kremlin critic and former deputy prime minister who was gunned down five years ago near the Kremlin .
The February 29 demonstrations were the biggest political protests in Russia since last summer , when several weeks of anti-government meetings challenged the authorities in Moscow over local city council elections .
The protests come as lawmakers and Kremlin officials prepare for a national vote on major changes to the country 's constitution @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Chants of `` Putin is a thief '' and `` Russia without Putin '' echoed among the crowd in the Russian capital , with many demonstrators carrying Russian flags and flags of the political party Nemtsov was affiliated with .
Others held photographs of Nemtsov , and signs reading `` Propaganda kills '' and `` Say no to constitutional amendments . ''
On the bridge where Nemtsov was killed on February 27 , 2015 -- just a couple hundred meters from the Kremlin 's walls -- people lit candles and placed flowers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The protests `` are about freedom in general , it 's not just about the life of a single person anymore , '' one unnamed woman told RFE/RL 's Russian Service as she went to lay a bouquet of white roses at the site .
Nemtsov `` was a symbol of the overall social movement , about how to live more justly . ''
One group held a banner that read `` Ukraine , we are with you '' -- a reference to the six-year war in eastern Ukraine , pitting Ukrainian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We do n't need a cult , we need a leader , '' one participant told Current Time at the Moscow rally .
`` We need a normal economy that 's right for a giant country like ours ... .
Education , science , social welfare , we 're in last place in so many rankings .
It 's a disgrace . ''
`` It 's not only about Nemtsov , it 's about everything that 's going on in our country , '' another unnamed man told Current Time .
`` In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of regime we have in place , how our law enforcement and judiciary is organized and all the legal cases that are going on [ against opposition figures ] .
I think one has to speak up about that and to show one 's position . ''
White Counter , a nongovernmental organization that estimates attendance at political protests , said more than 22,000 people had participated in the Moscow demonstration , which had been authorized by city officials .
Moscow city police estimated 10,500 people attended .
The Kremlin had no immediate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
No mass arrests were reported in Moscow or elsewhere , though there were scattered reports of activists being detained .
In Russia 's second-largest city , St. Petersburg , an estimated 8,000 people marched to mark the anniversary .
OVD-Info , a nongovernmental organization that monitors police arrests at political protests , said eight people were detained there , though it was unclear on what charges .
Other , smaller events took place in Russia 's second-largest city , St. Petersburg , Novosibirsk , and many other cities across the country .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ several people were detained by the police as they held placards commemorating Nemtsov .
A handful of arrests were reported in Moscow and other locations , according to OVD-Info , a nongovernmental organization that monitors police arrests at political protests .
Five demonstrators were detained in St. Petersburg , the organization said .
`` Nemtsov fought for a free Russia .
But in the five years since his death , Russia has become even more authoritarian , '' Assol Trubetskaya , the head of a local political organization in the Siberian city of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Democracy activist Vladimir Kara-Murza thanked those who turned out in Twitter post .
`` Lots of people today .
Thanks to everyone who came .
A person is alive as long as his memory lives , '' Kara-Murza wrote about his friend and political mentor , Nemtsov .
Some opposition supporters said they planned to use the event to protest proposed amendments to the country 's constitution .
Critics say the planned changes are aimed at extending Putin 's grip on power after his current presidential term ends in 2024 .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the most substantive changes to the constitution since its adoption in 1992 .
The Kremlin has set April 22 as the date to hold a national referendum on the proposed constitutional changes , which include a proposal that some critics say opens the door for Putin to remain in power beyond the end of his current term in 2024 .
Protest organizers , including anti-corruption crusader Aleksei Navalny , called for a mass turnout , calling it a test of Russians ' willingness to push back against Putin 's proposals .
`` The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many people attend the Nemtsov march , '' Navalny said on February 28 .
A deputy prime minister under Putin 's predecessor , Boris Yeltsin , Nemtsov was a charismatic and vocal critic of Putin .
He was shot at close range on the Bolshoi Moskvoretsky Bridge , a stone 's throw away from the Kremlin , as he walked with a female companion .
In June 2017 , a Russian court sentenced a former Chechen military officer , Zaur Dadayev , to 20 years in prison for killing Nemtsov .
Four other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the killing and sentenced to prison terms ranging from 11 to 19 years .
But critics , including relatives and colleagues of Nemtsov , say the Russian authorities failed to determine who ordered the killing .
Some have expressed suspicions that the killing was ordered by someone within the inner circles of Putin or Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov .
A report from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe ( OSCE ) on February 20 called for `` a new and full investigation '' into Nemtsov 's slaying .
The report , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rapporteur , Margareta Cederfelt , said shortcomings in Russia 's original investigation left many questions unanswered .
`` His death was a tragedy for Russia and had a strong impact on the political climate , spreading fear and possibly opening up for further attacks and repression , '' the report said .
With reporting by RFE/RL 's Russian Service , the Siberian Desk of RFE/RL 's Russian 's Service , and AFP

MOSCOW -- Thousands of people have marched in Moscow and staged protests in other Russian cities, marking the anniversary of the killing of Boris Nemtsov, a charismatic Kremlin critic and former deputy prime minister who was gunned down five years ago near the Kremlin.
The February 29 demonstrations were the biggest political protests in Russia since last summer, when several weeks of anti-government meetings challenged the authorities in Moscow over local city council elections.
The protests come as lawmakers and Kremlin officials prepare for a national vote on major changes to the country's constitution unveiled last month by President Vladimir Putin.
Chants of "Putin is a thief" and "Russia without Putin" echoed among the crowd in the Russian capital, with many demonstrators carrying Russian flags and flags of the political party Nemtsov was affiliated with. Others held photographs of Nemtsov, and signs reading "Propaganda kills" and "Say no to constitutional amendments."
On the bridge where Nemtsov was killed on February 27, 2015 -- just a couple hundred meters from the Kremlin's walls -- people lit candles and placed flowers, photographs, and small Russian flags.
The protests "are about freedom in general, it's not just about the life of a single person anymore," one unnamed woman told RFE/RL's Russian Service as she went to lay a bouquet of white roses at the site. Nemtsov "was a symbol of the overall social movement, about how to live more justly."
One group held a banner that read "Ukraine, we are with you" -- a reference to the six-year war in eastern Ukraine, pitting Ukrainian government forces against Russia-backed militias.
"We don't need a cult, we need a leader," one participant told Current Time at the Moscow rally. "We need a normal economy that's right for a giant country like ours.... Education, science, social welfare, we're in last place in so many rankings. It's a disgrace."
"It's not only about Nemtsov, it's about everything that's going on in our country," another unnamed man told Current Time. "In particular, it's about what kind of regime we have in place, how our law enforcement and judiciary is organized and all the legal cases that are going on [against opposition figures]. I think one has to speak up about that and to show one's position."
White Counter, a nongovernmental organization that estimates attendance at political protests, said more than 22,000 people had participated in the Moscow demonstration, which had been authorized by city officials. Moscow city police estimated 10,500 people attended.
The Kremlin had no immediate comment as the demonstrations got under way.
No mass arrests were reported in Moscow or elsewhere, though there were scattered reports of activists being detained.
In Russia's second-largest city, St. Petersburg, an estimated 8,000 people marched to mark the anniversary. OVD-Info, a nongovernmental organization that monitors police arrests at political protests, said eight people were detained there, though it was unclear on what charges.
Other, smaller events took place in Russia's second-largest city, St. Petersburg, Novosibirsk, and many other cities across the country. In the Pacific port of Vladivostok, several people were detained by the police as they held placards commemorating Nemtsov.
A handful of arrests were reported in Moscow and other locations, according to OVD-Info, a nongovernmental organization that monitors police arrests at political protests. Five demonstrators were detained in St. Petersburg, the organization said.
"Nemtsov fought for a free Russia. But in the five years since his death, Russia has become even more authoritarian," Assol Trubetskaya, the head of a local political organization in the Siberian city of Omsk, told RFE/RL's Russian Service.
Democracy activist Vladimir Kara-Murza thanked those who turned out in Twitter post. "Lots of people today. Thanks to everyone who came. A person is alive as long as his memory lives," Kara-Murza wrote about his friend and political mentor, Nemtsov.
Some opposition supporters said they planned to use the event to protest proposed amendments to the country's constitution. Critics say the planned changes are aimed at extending Putin's grip on power after his current presidential term ends in 2024.
The amendments unveiled by Putin last month are the most substantive changes to the constitution since its adoption in 1992.
The Kremlin has set April 22 as the date to hold a national referendum on the proposed constitutional changes, which include a proposal that some critics say opens the door for Putin to remain in power beyond the end of his current term in 2024.
Protest organizers, including anti-corruption crusader Aleksei Navalny, called for a mass turnout, calling it a test of Russians' willingness to push back against Putin's proposals.
"The Kremlin is going to look at how many people attend the Nemtsov march," Navalny said on February 28.
A deputy prime minister under Putin's predecessor, Boris Yeltsin, Nemtsov was a charismatic and vocal critic of Putin. He was shot at close range on the Bolshoi Moskvoretsky Bridge, a stone's throw away from the Kremlin, as he walked with a female companion.
In June 2017, a Russian court sentenced a former Chechen military officer, Zaur Dadayev, to 20 years in prison for killing Nemtsov.
Four other Chechens were found guilty of involvement in the killing and sentenced to prison terms ranging from 11 to 19 years.
But critics, including relatives and colleagues of Nemtsov, say the Russian authorities failed to determine who ordered the killing.
Some have expressed suspicions that the killing was ordered by someone within the inner circles of Putin or Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov.
A report from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) on February 20 called for "a new and full investigation" into Nemtsov's slaying.
The report, by the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly's special rapporteur, Margareta Cederfelt, said shortcomings in Russia's original investigation left many questions unanswered.
"His death was a tragedy for Russia and had a strong impact on the political climate, spreading fear and possibly opening up for further attacks and repression," the report said.
With reporting by RFE/RL's Russian Service, the Siberian Desk of RFE/RL's Russian's Service, and AFP


rferl--2020-03-01--Kazakh Authorities Blame Deadly Ethnic Clashes On 'Criminal Groups'

Kazakh President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev blamed `` criminal groups '' for the deadly ethnic clashes in the southern region of Zhambyl that claimed 11 lives on February 7-8 .
During a visit to the Jambyl region , Tokayev said the clashes were caused by one group trying to take over another group 's cross-border smuggling business .
`` In a word , because of control over sources of illegal income , a conflict arose between the two criminal groups , '' the presidential press service quoted him as saying on March 1 .
Kazakh authorities had earlier said that a road-rage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ citizens from the ethnic Dungan minority -- a Muslim group of Chinese origin -- was thought to have triggered the clashes .
The deadly violence spread into the villages of Sortobe , Masanchi , Auqatty , and Bulan-Batyr .
Meeting with residents who survived the violence , Toqaev on March 1 called on law enforcement to punish perpetrators `` regardless of their ethnicity . ''
`` Without this , we will not be able to restore order in the country , '' he said .
More than 30 houses , 17 commercial buildings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ damaged during the violence .
More than 23,000 people , mostly Dungans , fled villages where the violence erupted .
Many of them ended up in the Chui region of neighboring Kyrgyzstan .
Kazakh officials said the majority of the displaced Dungans returned to Kazakhstan several days later .
Many senior regional officials , including the local police chief , were sacked by Kazakhstan 's government in the aftermath of the clashes .
Dungans , also known as Hui , are Sunni Muslims who speak a dialect of Mandarin that also uses words @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and Turkic .
Their ancestors fled from China to Central Asia , which then was part of the Russian empire , in the late-19th century after the Chinese government ’ s violent crackdown of the Dungan Revolt of 1862-1877 .
The total number of Dungans now living in former Soviet republics is about 120,000 .
Most reside in Kyrgyzstan 's northern region of Chui and Kazakhstan 's neighboring region of Zhambyl .
With reporting by Reuters and AFP

Kazakh President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev blamed "criminal groups" for the deadly ethnic clashes in the southern region of Zhambyl that claimed 11 lives on February 7-8.
During a visit to the Jambyl region, Tokayev said the clashes were caused by one group trying to take over another group's cross-border smuggling business.
"In a word, because of control over sources of illegal income, a conflict arose between the two criminal groups," the presidential press service quoted him as saying on March 1.
Kazakh authorities had earlier said that a road-rage brawl involving police officers and three Kazakh citizens from the ethnic Dungan minority -- a Muslim group of Chinese origin -- was thought to have triggered the clashes.
The deadly violence spread into the villages of Sortobe, Masanchi, Auqatty, and Bulan-Batyr.
Meeting with residents who survived the violence, Toqaev on March 1 called on law enforcement to punish perpetrators "regardless of their ethnicity."
"Without this, we will not be able to restore order in the country," he said.
More than 30 houses, 17 commercial buildings, and 47 vehicles were destroyed or damaged during the violence.
More than 23,000 people, mostly Dungans, fled villages where the violence erupted.
Many of them ended up in the Chui region of neighboring Kyrgyzstan.
Kazakh officials said the majority of the displaced Dungans returned to Kazakhstan several days later.
Many senior regional officials, including the local police chief, were sacked by Kazakhstan's government in the aftermath of the clashes.
Dungans, also known as Hui, are Sunni Muslims who speak a dialect of Mandarin that also uses words and phrases borrowed from Arabic, Persian, and Turkic.
Their ancestors fled from China to Central Asia, which then was part of the Russian empire, in the late-19th century after the Chinese government’s violent crackdown of the Dungan Revolt of 1862-1877.
The total number of Dungans now living in former Soviet republics is about 120,000.
Most reside in Kyrgyzstan's northern region of Chui and Kazakhstan's neighboring region of Zhambyl.
With reporting by Reuters and AFP