rferl--2020-06-24--Human Error Blamed For Pakistan Passenger Plane Crash

A passenger plane crash that killed 97 people in the port city of Pakistan last month was a result of “ human error , ” according to the initial investigation into the disaster .
There was nothing wrong with the crashed aircraft , an Airbus A320 , but the pilot , the co-pilot , and air traffic control failed to follow protocol , Aviation Minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan said on June 24 as he presented preliminary findings in parliament Only two passengers survived when the Pakistani International Airlines ( PIA ) jet went down in a residential area on May @ @ @ @ @ @ @ city 's Jinnah International Airport .
Khan said the pilot failed to deploy the landing gear correctly , which led to the plane scraping the runway before taking off again .
As the plane was about to make a second landing , air traffic control told the pilot three times the aircraft was too low to land but he refused to listen , saying he would manage , the minister said .
He also said that air traffic controllers failed to inform the pilot that the engines had been left badly damaged .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ distracted during the flight while talking about the coronavirus pandemic .
A full investigation report is expected in one year ’ s time .
Based on reporting by the BBC and AP

A passenger plane crash that killed 97 people in the port city of Pakistan last month was a result of “human error,” according to the initial investigation into the disaster.
There was nothing wrong with the crashed aircraft, an Airbus A320, but the pilot, the co-pilot, and air traffic control failed to follow protocol, Aviation Minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan said on June 24 as he presented preliminary findings in parliament
Only two passengers survived when the Pakistani International Airlines (PIA) jet went down in a residential area on May 22 after trying to land at the city's Jinnah International Airport.
Khan said the pilot failed to deploy the landing gear correctly, which led to the plane scraping the runway before taking off again.
As the plane was about to make a second landing, air traffic control told the pilot three times the aircraft was too low to land but he refused to listen, saying he would manage, the minister said.
He also said that air traffic controllers failed to inform the pilot that the engines had been left badly damaged.
Khan said that the pilots were also distracted during the flight while talking about the coronavirus pandemic.
A full investigation report is expected in one year’s time.
Based on reporting by the BBC and AP


rferl--2020-06-24--U.S. Makes Case For Maintaining Arms Embargo On Iran, Citing 'Malign Activity'

The United States has formally asked the UN Security Council to extend an arms embargo on Iran beyond October , when it is set to be progressively eased under the 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers .
UN Ambassador Kelly Craft and Special Representative for Iran Brian Hook “ virtually briefed ” the council on a proposed resolution to extend the embargo , the State Department said in a statement on June 24 .
Hook said the Security Council should be united over its concern with Iranian arms transfers and noted that it has maintained arms restrictions on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hook updated council members on “ the full range of Iran ’ s malign activity , ” including drone and cruise missile attacks on two Saudi oil facilities in September that U.S. , Saudi , and European officials have said Iran was responsible for .
“ Given that Iran has neither abided by current restrictions nor demonstrated a change in its threatening behavior , Special Representative Hook and Ambassador Craft called on Security Council members to extend the arms embargo , ” the statement said .
While Washington has long argued that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ international community has been waiting for it to formally push the measure .
In an interview with Reuters , Hook complained about Russia and China blocking the extension of the ban , saying they risk being isolated at the United Nations and in the international community at large .
`` We see a widening gap between Russia and China and the international community , '' Hook said .
He noted that Russia and China were isolated at the International Atomic Energy Agency ( IAEA ) last week when it passed a resolution to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where nuclear activity may have occurred in the past .
The five-year ban on selling conventional arms to Iran was established in conjunction with the 2015 nuclear agreement to curb Iran 's nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief .
If it is lifted Russia and China are two countries that experts say are most likely to sign arms deals with the Islamic republic .
The United States pulled out of the accord in May 2018 and reimposed crippling sanctions that have battered the Iranian economy .
Tehran has been progressively breaking the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ saying that it can reverse them if the remaining parties to the deal -- Britain , France , Germany , China , and Russia -- comply with it .
U.S. sanctions make it difficult for other parties to abide by their commitments .
The foreign ministers of Britain , France , and Germany last week announced they oppose lifting the ban , but they also said their countries would not back U.S. efforts to unilaterally trigger the reimposition of UN sanctions on Iran .
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said earlier on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the `` whole world '' will understand the need to extend the embargo .
`` I think all but a couple of nations understand that this should not expire and there is going to be a discussion about how it is that we extend it , '' Pompeo told reporters in Washington .

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


rferl--2020-06-24--U.S. Says Terrorist Threats Persist, Citing Iran's Rising Support For Extremists

The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump says `` dangerous terrorist threats persisted '' in 2019 even as Iran , the Islamic State ( IS ) extremist group , and Al-Qaeda suffered setbacks .
In its annual report on terrorism issued on June 24 , the State Department also said that white supremacist attacks were on the rise .
Iran , which the report calls `` the world ’ s worst state sponsor of terrorism , '' and its proxies continued to “ plot and commit terrorist attacks on a global scale.
” Tehran also continued to allow an Al-Qaeda @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Iran , `` sending money and fighters to conflict zones in Afghanistan and Syria , and it still allowed [ Al-Qaeda ] members to reside in the country . ''
`` Finally , the Iranian regime continued to foment violence , both directly and through proxies , in Bahrain , Iraq , Lebanon , Syria , and Yemen , '' the report added .
Despite losing territory in Iraq and Syria , as well as its leader , the IS extremist group `` adapted to continue the fight from its affiliates across the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attacks , ” according to the report .
But it also said that Iran , the IS group , and Al-Qaeda suffered serious setbacks last year , including the killing of several top leaders and the imposition of “ crippling ” sanctions against Iran 's elite Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps , the Tehran-backed Lebanese Hizballah movement , and supporters and financiers of both .
According to the State Department , attacks committed by white nationalists are of particular concern and `` a serious challenge for the global community . ''
The report noted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in New Zealand , Germany , and the United States .


rferl--2020-06-24--Georgian Opposition Politician Accuses Officials Of Pressuring Judge

TBILISI -- Georgian opposition figure Giorgi Rurua has accused officials of pressuring the judge in a case over an illegal weapon possession charge that threatens to disrupt a foreign-brokered deal with the ruling party on electoral reforms .
Rurua told the court on June 24 as his trial resumed in Tbilisi that the pistol in the case had been planted in his vehicle .
The case has been met with harsh criticism by opposition politicians , who along with Rurua have called the charge fake and believe it is politically motivated .
Rurua , the founder and a shareholder of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arrested on November 18 , 2019 , and charged with the illegal purchase , possession , and carrying of a firearm .
In mid-May , after President Salome Zurabishvili pardoned two opposition politicians -- Gigi Ugulava , the leader of the European Georgia-Movement for Freedom and a former mayor of Tbilisi ; and former Defense Minister Irakli Okruashvili , who leads the opposition Victorious Georgia party -- many thought that Rurua also would be released .
Such a move would have met the demands by the opposition , who had threatened to abandon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the ruling party on election reforms if `` political prisoners '' were not freed .
The sides have failed to move forward since the deal on electoral reforms was inked on March 8 , triggering what Zurabishvili called a “ political crisis ” that has threatened the “ democratic and European future ” of the South Caucasus nation .
Georgia ’ s opposition parties claim the release was a condition of the deal , which the governing Georgian Dream party denies .
Opposition parties insisted that Georgia 's electoral system unfairly favored Georgian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a proportional system ahead of parliamentary elections set for October this year .
Under the March 8 memorandum of understanding facilitated by U.S. and European Union officials , parliament should consist of 120 members elected through a proportional voting system , while 30 members would be elected through a majority system .
The electoral threshold for proportional elections will be set at 1 percent and a capping mechanism will mean that no single party receiving less than 40 percent of the votes cast will be allowed to hold a majority of seats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ system , 73 of 150 parliamentary seats are claimed by candidates who finish first in district races .
The remaining seats are distributed proportionally to the national share of the vote that a party wins .
This led to Georgian Dream , led by billionaire founder Bidzina Ivanishvili , winning 76 percent of the legislature 's seats even though it won just less than half of the popular vote .

TBILISI -- Georgian opposition figure Giorgi Rurua has accused officials of pressuring the judge in a case over an illegal weapon possession charge that threatens to disrupt a foreign-brokered deal with the ruling party on electoral reforms.
Rurua told the court on June 24 as his trial resumed in Tbilisi that the pistol in the case had been planted in his vehicle. The case has been met with harsh criticism by opposition politicians, who along with Rurua have called the charge fake and believe it is politically motivated.
Rurua, the founder and a shareholder of the opposition-aligned Mtavari Arkhi TV, was arrested on November 18, 2019, and charged with the illegal purchase, possession, and carrying of a firearm.
In mid-May, after President Salome Zurabishvili pardoned two opposition politicians -- Gigi Ugulava, the leader of the European Georgia-Movement for Freedom and a former mayor of Tbilisi; and former Defense Minister Irakli Okruashvili, who leads the opposition Victorious Georgia party -- many thought that Rurua also would be released.
Such a move would have met the demands by the opposition, who had threatened to abandon the foreign-brokered deal between the opposition and the ruling party on election reforms if "political prisoners" were not freed.
The sides have failed to move forward since the deal on electoral reforms was inked on March 8, triggering what Zurabishvili called a “political crisis” that has threatened the “democratic and European future” of the South Caucasus nation.
Georgia’s opposition parties claim the release was a condition of the deal, which the governing Georgian Dream party denies.
Opposition parties insisted that Georgia's electoral system unfairly favored Georgian Dream, and demanded it be changed to a proportional system ahead of parliamentary elections set for October this year.
Under the March 8 memorandum of understanding facilitated by U.S. and European Union officials, parliament should consist of 120 members elected through a proportional voting system, while 30 members would be elected through a majority system.
The electoral threshold for proportional elections will be set at 1 percent and a capping mechanism will mean that no single party receiving less than 40 percent of the votes cast will be allowed to hold a majority of seats in parliament.
Under the current electoral system, 73 of 150 parliamentary seats are claimed by candidates who finish first in district races. The remaining seats are distributed proportionally to the national share of the vote that a party wins.
This led to Georgian Dream, led by billionaire founder Bidzina Ivanishvili, winning 76 percent of the legislature's seats even though it won just less than half of the popular vote.


rferl--2020-06-24--Kosovar President Indicted On War-Crimes Charges

PRISTINA -- A prosecutor in The Hague has indicted Kosovar President Hashim Thaci , former parliamentary chairman Kadri Veseli , and “ others ” for war crimes and crimes against humanity allegedly committed during or after the 1998-1999 Kosovo conflict .
The Specialist Prosecutor ’ s Office ( SPO ) said in a statement on June 24 that the suspects “ are criminally responsible for nearly 100 murders , ” as well as the “ enforced disappearance of persons , persecution , and torture.
” The alleged crimes involved “ hundreds of known victims of Kosovo Albanian , Serb , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ political opponents , ” according to the SPO .
Thaci and Veseli were commanders of the Kosovo Liberation Army ( UCK ) , an ethnic Albanian guerrilla group that fought against Belgrade 's security forces in the 1998-99 war .
Veseli , who currently leads the Democratic Party of Kosovo ( PDK ) and continues to serve as a lawmaker , denied `` any involvement in any crime '' and said he is `` proud to have taken part in the liberation war of the Kosovo people . ''
Thaci has previously denied @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the SPO 's announcement , his office said he had cut short a trip to the United States and would be back to Kosovo on June 25 .
The Kosovar president was scheduled to meet with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic at the White House on June 27 for talks aimed at leading to a normalization of relations .
A 10-count indictment was filed with the Kosovo Specialist Chambers ( KSC ) in The Hague on April 24 , but the prosecutor decided to unveil them publicly two months later .
Prosecutors said the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' and they were confident they can prove `` all charges beyond a reasonable doubt . ''
A KSC pretrial judge is currently reviewing the indictment to decide on whether to confirm the charges .
The prosecutor also accused Thaci and Veseli of repeated efforts “ to obstruct and undermine the work '' of the tribunal .
The two men “ are believed to have carried out a secret campaign to overturn the law creating the Court and otherwise obstruct the work of the Court in an attempt to ensure that they do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
“ By taking these actions , Mr. Thaci and Mr. Veseli have put their personal interests ahead of the victims of their crimes , the rule of law , and all people of Kosovo , ” it added .
In his statement , Veseli rejected the prosecutor 's claims as `` completely untrue . ''
“ Considering the time and circumstances , a few days before the meeting at the White House , it really raises doubts [ that the SPO 's announcement ] is a coincidence .
No prosecutor should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by political motives , '' he also said .
Kosovo was part of Serbia until an armed uprising by the ethnic Albanian majority population in 1998-99 triggered a Serbian crackdown .
The conflict ended following a 78-day NATO bombing campaign to force Serbian troops out of Kosovo .
The war left more than 10,000 dead and over 1,600 are still unaccounted for .
The former Serbian province declared independence in 2008 -- a move Serbia , Russia , and a handful of European Union member states refuse to recognize .
The KSC was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during and after the war in Kosovo .
A European Union spokesman said the bloc does not comment on proceedings of the SPO and the KSC , but said it is a “ strong supporter ” of their work .
“ They are an important demonstration of Kosovo ’ s commitment to the rule of law , which in turn is a core element for Kosovo ’ s progress on the EU integration path and for the EU engagement with the Western Balkans as a whole , ” Peter Stano said .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should be able to “ continue to do their work independently , without any outside interference.
” In a statement , Kosovo 's government called on Kosovars to show calm and insisted that no one is guilty until a final court verdict .
`` The government believes that the struggle of the people of Kosovo and the Kosovo Liberation Army has been just ... and will remain one of the most important periods in the country 's history , '' it said .
Former Kosovar Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj expressed his belief in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on his Facebook page that the UCK had fought a `` clean war '' that resulted in an independent Kosovo .
Isa Mustafa , the leader of the ruling Democratic League of Kosovo ( LDK ) , said he believed the war waged by the UCK “ was , and will be confirmed by international justice , as just and clean.
” The leader of the Vetevendosje ( Self-Determination ) party , Albin Kurti , called the indictments a “ consequence of old mistakes.
” `` Kosovo should have had its own independent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and punish all war crimes…especially those caused by Serbia in Kosovo . ''

PRISTINA -- A prosecutor in The Hague has indicted Kosovar President Hashim Thaci, former parliamentary chairman Kadri Veseli, and “others” for war crimes and crimes against humanity allegedly committed during or after the 1998-1999 Kosovo conflict.
The Specialist Prosecutor’s Office (SPO) said in a statement on June 24 that the suspects “are criminally responsible for nearly 100 murders,” as well as the “enforced disappearance of persons, persecution, and torture.”
The alleged crimes involved “hundreds of known victims of Kosovo Albanian, Serb, Roma, and other ethnicities and include political opponents,” according to the SPO.
Thaci and Veseli were commanders of the Kosovo Liberation Army (UCK), an ethnic Albanian guerrilla group that fought against Belgrade's security forces in the 1998-99 war.
Veseli, who currently leads the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) and continues to serve as a lawmaker, denied "any involvement in any crime" and said he is "proud to have taken part in the liberation war of the Kosovo people."
Thaci has previously denied involvement in any war crimes.
After the SPO's announcement, his office said he had cut short a trip to the United States and would be back to Kosovo on June 25.
The Kosovar president was scheduled to meet with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic at the White House on June 27 for talks aimed at leading to a normalization of relations.
A 10-count indictment was filed with the Kosovo Specialist Chambers (KSC) in The Hague on April 24, but the prosecutor decided to unveil them publicly two months later.
Prosecutors said the charges resulted from a "lengthy investigation" and they were confident they can prove "all charges beyond a reasonable doubt."
A KSC pretrial judge is currently reviewing the indictment to decide on whether to confirm the charges.
The prosecutor also accused Thaci and Veseli of repeated efforts “to obstruct and undermine the work" of the tribunal.
Armed Uprising
The two men “are believed to have carried out a secret campaign to overturn the law creating the Court and otherwise obstruct the work of the Court in an attempt to ensure that they do not face justice,” the statement said.
“By taking these actions, Mr. Thaci and Mr. Veseli have put their personal interests ahead of the victims of their crimes, the rule of law, and all people of Kosovo,” it added.
In his statement, Veseli rejected the prosecutor's claims as "completely untrue."
“Considering the time and circumstances, a few days before the meeting at the White House, it really raises doubts [that the SPO's announcement] is a coincidence. No prosecutor should ever allow his decisions to be guided by political motives," he also said.
Kosovo was part of Serbia until an armed uprising by the ethnic Albanian majority population in 1998-99 triggered a Serbian crackdown.
The conflict ended following a 78-day NATO bombing campaign to force Serbian troops out of Kosovo.
The war left more than 10,000 dead and over 1,600 are still unaccounted for.
The former Serbian province declared independence in 2008 -- a move Serbia, Russia, and a handful of European Union member states refuse to recognize.
The KSC was established in 2015 to investigate crimes committed during and after the war in Kosovo.
A European Union spokesman said the bloc does not comment on proceedings of the SPO and the KSC, but said it is a “strong supporter” of their work.
“They are an important demonstration of Kosovo’s commitment to the rule of law, which in turn is a core element for Kosovo’s progress on the EU integration path and for the EU engagement with the Western Balkans as a whole,” Peter Stano said.
He added that the SPO and the KSC should be able to “continue to do their work independently, without any outside interference.”
In a statement, Kosovo's government called on Kosovars to show calm and insisted that no one is guilty until a final court verdict.
"The government believes that the struggle of the people of Kosovo and the Kosovo Liberation Army has been just...and will remain one of the most important periods in the country's history," it said.
Former Kosovar Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj expressed his belief in the two men's innocence, saying on his Facebook page that the UCK had fought a "clean war" that resulted in an independent Kosovo.
Isa Mustafa, the leader of the ruling Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), said he believed the war waged by the UCK “was, and will be confirmed by international justice, as just and clean.”
The leader of the Vetevendosje (Self-Determination) party, Albin Kurti, called the indictments a “consequence of old mistakes.”
"Kosovo should have had its own independent and impartial judiciary to investigate, try, and punish all war crimes…especially those caused by Serbia in Kosovo."


rferl--2020-06-24--Tatar Activist Loses Job After Publicly Challenging Coronavirus Numbers

NABEREZHNYE CHELNY , Russia -- An activist in Russia 's Republic of Tatarstan claims he has been dismissed as head of a branch of the local government-funded World Tatar Congress in the republic 's second-largest city , Naberezhnye Chelny , after publicly challenging the official municipal statistics on the coronavirus .
The Tatar Congress announced on June 23 that Galimzhan Zaripov had been relieved of his duties at his own request and that his deputy , Danis Shakirov , will take over the organization 's branch .
Zaripov , however , told RFE/RL that he had never asked the congress @ @ @ @ @ @ @ adding that he and his wife were in 14-day quarantine on suspicion of having the coronavirus and therefore Shakirov was temporarily acting in his stead .
Last week , Zaripov , a former chief of the AIDS prevention center in Naberezhnye Chelny , made headlines after he appealed to Tatarstan 's president , Rustam Minnikhanov , to intervene into what he called the `` dramatic situation '' in the city with regard to the outbreak .
After his open letter was made public by RFE/RL and picked up by other media outlets , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ previously denied there was an outbreak in the community , began implementing concrete measures to slow its spread .
Zaripov said that the decision of the Executive Committee of the World Tatar Congress ' branch in Naberezhnye Chelny to dismiss him is illegal because only six of 13 members of the committee took part in an online vote on June 23 , which invalidates the result .
`` Three members of the committee refused to vote in my absence , '' Zaripov said .
Committee member Talgat Akhmadishin confirmed to RFE/RL that he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , demanding that Shakirov show them Zaripov 's written request to be relieved of his duties , which did not happen .
`` We said then that people will clearly see Zaripov 's removal from the post as a result of his open appeal about the coronavirus , '' Akhmadishin said .
RFE/RL was unable to reach Shakirov by phone for comment .
The World Tatar Congress is a government-funded agency that follows directives from local authorities that are in line with federal government decisions .

NABEREZHNYE CHELNY, Russia -- An activist in Russia's Republic of Tatarstan claims he has been dismissed as head of a branch of the local government-funded World Tatar Congress in the republic's second-largest city, Naberezhnye Chelny, after publicly challenging the official municipal statistics on the coronavirus.
The Tatar Congress announced on June 23 that Galimzhan Zaripov had been relieved of his duties at his own request and that his deputy, Danis Shakirov, will take over the organization's branch.
Zaripov, however, told RFE/RL that he had never asked the congress to relieve him of his duties, adding that he and his wife were in 14-day quarantine on suspicion of having the coronavirus and therefore Shakirov was temporarily acting in his stead.
Last week, Zaripov, a former chief of the AIDS prevention center in Naberezhnye Chelny, made headlines after he appealed to Tatarstan's president, Rustam Minnikhanov, to intervene into what he called the "dramatic situation" in the city with regard to the outbreak.
After his open letter was made public by RFE/RL and picked up by other media outlets, authorities in Naberezhnye Chelny, who had previously denied there was an outbreak in the community, began implementing concrete measures to slow its spread.
Zaripov said that the decision of the Executive Committee of the World Tatar Congress' branch in Naberezhnye Chelny to dismiss him is illegal because only six of 13 members of the committee took part in an online vote on June 23, which invalidates the result.
"Three members of the committee refused to vote in my absence," Zaripov said.
Committee member Talgat Akhmadishin confirmed to RFE/RL that he and two other members refused to vote, demanding that Shakirov show them Zaripov's written request to be relieved of his duties, which did not happen.
"We said then that people will clearly see Zaripov's removal from the post as a result of his open appeal about the coronavirus," Akhmadishin said.
RFE/RL was unable to reach Shakirov by phone for comment.
The World Tatar Congress is a government-funded agency that follows directives from local authorities that are in line with federal government decisions.


rferl--2020-06-25--Police In Montenegro Detain Dozens After Pro-Serbian Protests

PODGORICA -- Montenegrin police have detained dozens of people following pro-Serbian rallies in Podgorica and other cities across the Balkan country .
The rallies were called by opposition figures who are seeking closer ties with Serbia and Russia .
The June 24 protests reflect mounting political tensions in Montenegro ahead of parliamentary elections scheduled for August 30 .
Protests broke out in the Adriatic coastal town of Budva where tensions have been high for days due to a dispute between municipal authorities .
Police in Budva used tear gas to disperse the demonstrators and detained 17 people .
In the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were detained .
Authorities say dozens of other protesters also were detained at demonstrations in other locations .
The tensions in Budva began on June 17 when Mayor Marko Carevic , who is loyal to Montenegro 's pro-Serbian opposition , refused to hand over power to the ruling coalition after losing majority control in the local assembly .
Earlier this year , the Serbian Orthodox Church led weeks of protests in Montenegro against a religious law that the church leaders claimed would strip the church of its property in the country .
That @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It says religious communities must prove their ownership of property before 1918 -- the year Montenegro joined the Kingdom of Yugoslavia and its church was absorbed by the Serbian Orthodox Church , losing all of its property in the process .
The Serbian Orthodox Church says the law is aimed at retaking its property .
Montenegrin officials have repeatedly denied that claim .
Montenegro split from Serbia in a referendum in 2006 .
It has further distanced itself from Belgrade and its Orthodox ally Russia since then , taking a pro-Western foreign-policy course @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also has been negotiating steps toward becoming a member of the European Union .
Serbian nationalists in Montenegro and Serbia have never fully recognized Serbia 's separation from Montenegro , which they claim is a historic Serbian territory .

PODGORICA -- Montenegrin police have detained dozens of people following pro-Serbian rallies in Podgorica and other cities across the Balkan country.
The rallies were called by opposition figures who are seeking closer ties with Serbia and Russia.
The June 24 protests reflect mounting political tensions in Montenegro ahead of parliamentary elections scheduled for August 30.
Protests broke out in the Adriatic coastal town of Budva where tensions have been high for days due to a dispute between municipal authorities.
Police in Budva used tear gas to disperse the demonstrators and detained 17 people.
In the capital, Podgorica, police say 18 protesters were detained.
Authorities say dozens of other protesters also were detained at demonstrations in other locations.
The tensions in Budva began on June 17 when Mayor Marko Carevic, who is loyal to Montenegro's pro-Serbian opposition, refused to hand over power to the ruling coalition after losing majority control in the local assembly.
Earlier this year, the Serbian Orthodox Church led weeks of protests in Montenegro against a religious law that the church leaders claimed would strip the church of its property in the country.
That law came into force in January. It says religious communities must prove their ownership of property before 1918 -- the year Montenegro joined the Kingdom of Yugoslavia and its church was absorbed by the Serbian Orthodox Church, losing all of its property in the process.
The Serbian Orthodox Church says the law is aimed at retaking its property. Montenegrin officials have repeatedly denied that claim.
Montenegro split from Serbia in a referendum in 2006. It has further distanced itself from Belgrade and its Orthodox ally Russia since then, taking a pro-Western foreign-policy course and joining NATO in 2017.
Montenegro also has been negotiating steps toward becoming a member of the European Union.
Serbian nationalists in Montenegro and Serbia have never fully recognized Serbia's separation from Montenegro, which they claim is a historic Serbian territory.
With reporting by AP


rferl--2020-06-25--Russian-Controlled Court In Crimea Postpones Hearing Into Case Against Rights Activist

ARMYANSK , Ukraine -- A court in Russia-controlled Crimea has postponed a preliminary hearing in absentia against a veteran Crimean Tatar leader and prominent Soviet-era dissident who has vehemently opposed Russia 's illegal annexation of the peninsula from Ukraine in 2014 .
The court in the Crimean city of Armyansk was scheduled to start the hearing for Mustafa Dzhemilev on June 25 , but postponed it after it turned out that neither the defendant , nor his legal team , had received official papers from prosecutors , Dzhemilev 's lawyer , Nikolai Polozov , said .
`` The defense is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accusations , which witnesses the prosecuting side plans to summon to the trial , nor what evidence will be presented in the courtroom .
Under these circumstances , it is impossible to start the process , '' Polozov said .
Russia 's Investigative Committee said in April that it had launched a probe against the 76-year-old member of the Ukrainian parliament on charges of `` illegally crossing the Russian border , the careless storage of a firearm that led to serious consequences , and the illegal possession of ammunition . ''
Ukraine 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the move by the Investigative Committee , calling it politically motivated .
Dzhemilev was the chairman of the Crimean Tatar 's self-governing assembly -- the Mejlis -- until it was banned by pro-Moscow representatives in Crimea .
Dzhemilev was a leading human rights activist during the Soviet era and served six jail sentences in Soviet prison camps from 1966 to 1986 .
He is also known for going on a 303-day hunger strike -- the longest in the history of the Soviet human rights movement .
Dzhemilev has been banned from Crimea since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ peninsula .
Rights groups and Western governments have denounced what they call a campaign of oppression targeting members of the Turkic-speaking Crimean Tatar minority and others who opposed Moscow 's rule .
The majority of Crimean Tatars opposed the Russian takeover of their historic homeland .

ARMYANSK, Ukraine -- A court in Russia-controlled Crimea has postponed a preliminary hearing in absentia against a veteran Crimean Tatar leader and prominent Soviet-era dissident who has vehemently opposed Russia's illegal annexation of the peninsula from Ukraine in 2014.
The court in the Crimean city of Armyansk was scheduled to start the hearing for Mustafa Dzhemilev on June 25, but postponed it after it turned out that neither the defendant, nor his legal team, had received official papers from prosecutors, Dzhemilev's lawyer, Nikolai Polozov, said.
"The defense is not aware of the essence of the accusations, which witnesses the prosecuting side plans to summon to the trial, nor what evidence will be presented in the courtroom. Under these circumstances, it is impossible to start the process," Polozov said.
Russia's Investigative Committee said in April that it had launched a probe against the 76-year-old member of the Ukrainian parliament on charges of "illegally crossing the Russian border, the careless storage of a firearm that led to serious consequences, and the illegal possession of ammunition."
Ukraine's presidential representative office in Crimea has condemned the move by the Investigative Committee, calling it politically motivated.
Dzhemilev was the chairman of the Crimean Tatar's self-governing assembly -- the Mejlis -- until it was banned by pro-Moscow representatives in Crimea.
Dzhemilev was a leading human rights activist during the Soviet era and served six jail sentences in Soviet prison camps from 1966 to 1986.
He is also known for going on a 303-day hunger strike -- the longest in the history of the Soviet human rights movement.
Dzhemilev has been banned from Crimea since Russia occupied and seized control of the peninsula.
Rights groups and Western governments have denounced what they call a campaign of oppression targeting members of the Turkic-speaking Crimean Tatar minority and others who opposed Moscow's rule.
The majority of Crimean Tatars opposed the Russian takeover of their historic homeland.


rferl--2020-06-25--Pakistan International Airlines To Ground Pilots Over 'Dubious' Licenses

Pakistan International Airlines ( PIA ) says it will ground nearly 150 of its 426 pilots following a government investigation that found they hold `` dubious '' pilot licenses .
The company 's decision was announced on June 25 after an initial inquiry into a recent PIA plane crash was presented to parliament by Pakistani Aviation Minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan .
Khan 's report to parliament also highlighted irregularities at PIA , the country 's national air carrier .
He told lawmakers in Islamabad that a separate investigation had revealed hundreds of Pakistani pilots -- working for Pakistani airlines as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their pilot licenses by cheating and had been fraudulently credentialed .
A PIA Airbus A320 crashed on May 22 in Pakistan 's southern city of Karachi , killing 97 of the 99 people aboard .
A 13-year-old girl from the residential neighborhood near Jinnah International Airport where the plane crashed was critically injured and later died in a hospital .
An initial investigation by Pakistani authorities concluded that the crash was the result of `` engine failure . ''
But Khan told parliament that previously unconfirmed details had revealed the cause of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He said the pilots were chatting about coronavirus and not paying attention during an initial failed attempt to land on May 22 .
He said the plane 's engines apparently scraped the runway during that failed attempt , causing significant damage .
Both of the plane 's engines failed as the aircraft approached Jinnah International Airport for another attempt to land .
Based on reporting by Reuters and AP

Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) says it will ground nearly 150 of its 426 pilots following a government investigation that found they hold "dubious" pilot licenses.
The company's decision was announced on June 25 after an initial inquiry into a recent PIA plane crash was presented to parliament by Pakistani Aviation Minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan.
Khan's report to parliament also highlighted irregularities at PIA, the country's national air carrier.
He told lawmakers in Islamabad that a separate investigation had revealed hundreds of Pakistani pilots -- working for Pakistani airlines as well as some foreign companies -- obtained their pilot licenses by cheating and had been fraudulently credentialed.
A PIA Airbus A320 crashed on May 22 in Pakistan's southern city of Karachi, killing 97 of the 99 people aboard.
A 13-year-old girl from the residential neighborhood near Jinnah International Airport where the plane crashed was critically injured and later died in a hospital.
An initial investigation by Pakistani authorities concluded that the crash was the result of "engine failure."
But Khan told parliament that previously unconfirmed details had revealed the cause of the crash was "pilot error."
He said the pilots were chatting about coronavirus and not paying attention during an initial failed attempt to land on May 22.
He said the plane's engines apparently scraped the runway during that failed attempt, causing significant damage.
Both of the plane's engines failed as the aircraft approached Jinnah International Airport for another attempt to land.
Based on reporting by Reuters and AP


rferl--2020-06-25--After Hague Indictments, Kosovo's PM Cancels Washington Talks With Serbia's President

Kosovar Prime Minister Avdullah Hoti has canceled his participation in U.S.-brokered talks with Serbia 's President Aleksandar Vucic that had been scheduled at the White House in Washington on June 27 .
The move comes a day after a prosecutor at The Hague indicted Kosovo 's President Hashim Thaci , former parliamentary chairman Kadri Veseli , and “ others ” for war crimes and crimes against humanity allegedly committed during or after the 1998-99 Kosovo war .
`` Due to the new developments in Pristina as a result of the indictment submitted by the Specialized Prosecutor 's Office , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deal with the situation , '' Hoti tweeted on June 25 from Brussels , where he was scheduled to meet with European officials .
Both Hoti and Thaci had been scheduled to meet in Washington with Serbia 's president for talks aimed at normalizing relations between Belgrade and Pristina .
Thaci 's office said on June 24 after the indictments were announced that the Kosovar president was cutting short his trip to the United States and would be back in Kosovo on June 25 .
The Specialist Prosecutor ’ s Office ( SPO @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 24 that Thaci , Veseli , and others `` are criminally responsible for nearly 100 murders , '' as well as the `` enforced disappearance of persons , persecution , and torture . ''
Hoti was still going ahead with his meetings in Brussels on June 25 with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen , European Council President Charles Michel , European Commissioner for Neighborhood and Enlargement Oliver Varhelyi , and Chairman of the European Parliament ’ s Foreign Affairs Committee David McAllister .
Those talks were expected to focus on Kosovo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the European Commission ’ s support for economic recovery , and visa liberalization for citizens of Kosovo , Hoti said on Facebook on June 22 .
Speaking in Brussels on June 25 , Hoti said he 'd made the decision to cancel his trip to Washington in consultation with Richard Grenell , the U.S. special envoy for Serbia and Kosovo negotiations .
Hoti also said there was `` no alternative '' to dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia , adding that Kosovo had proper institutional prudence to overcome any situation it faced .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ yesterday 's decision , I believe should not be commented on , '' Hoti said .
`` But they should be fully respected . ''
The White House meeting between Hoti , Thaci , and Vucic had been announced on June 15 by Grenell after he 'd received commitments from both countries to attend the meeting .
Grenell said on Twitter on June 24 that he respected Thaci 's decision not to attend the White House talks `` until the legal issues of those allegations are settled . ''
There was no immediate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The SPO said the indictments against Thaci and Veseli were for alleged crimes against `` hundreds of known victims '' -- including `` Kosovo Albanian , Serb , Roma , and other ethnicities and [ including ] political opponents . ''
Thaci and Veseli were commanders of the Kosovo Liberation Army ( UCK ) , an ethnic Albanian guerrilla group that fought against Belgrade 's security forces in the 1998-99 Kosovo war .
Veseli , who currently leads the Democratic Party of Kosovo ( PDK ) and continues to serve as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any crime '' and said he is `` proud to have taken part in the liberation war of the Kosovo people . ''
Thaci has previously denied involvement in any war crimes .
A 10-count indictment was filed with the Kosovo Specialist Chambers ( KSC ) in The Hague on April 24 .
The prosecutor decided to unveil them publicly two months later .
Prosecutors said the charges resulted from a `` lengthy investigation '' and they were confident they can prove `` all charges beyond a reasonable doubt . ''
A KSC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to decide on whether to confirm the charges .

Kosovar Prime Minister Avdullah Hoti has canceled his participation in U.S.-brokered talks with Serbia's President Aleksandar Vucic that had been scheduled at the White House in Washington on June 27.
The move comes a day after a prosecutor at The Hague indicted Kosovo's President Hashim Thaci, former parliamentary chairman Kadri Veseli, and “others” for war crimes and crimes against humanity allegedly committed during or after the 1998-99 Kosovo war.
"Due to the new developments in Pristina as a result of the indictment submitted by the Specialized Prosecutor's Office, I have to return to my country to deal with the situation," Hoti tweeted on June 25 from Brussels, where he was scheduled to meet with European officials.
Both Hoti and Thaci had been scheduled to meet in Washington with Serbia's president for talks aimed at normalizing relations between Belgrade and Pristina.
Thaci's office said on June 24 after the indictments were announced that the Kosovar president was cutting short his trip to the United States and would be back in Kosovo on June 25.
The Specialist Prosecutor’s Office (SPO) at The Hague said on June 24 that Thaci, Veseli, and others "are criminally responsible for nearly 100 murders," as well as the "enforced disappearance of persons, persecution, and torture."
Hoti was still going ahead with his meetings in Brussels on June 25 with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Council President Charles Michel, European Commissioner for Neighborhood and Enlargement Oliver Varhelyi, and Chairman of the European Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee David McAllister.
'Hundreds Of Known Victims'
Those talks were expected to focus on Kosovo's response to the coronavirus pandemic, the European Commission’s support for economic recovery, and visa liberalization for citizens of Kosovo, Hoti said on Facebook on June 22.
Speaking in Brussels on June 25, Hoti said he'd made the decision to cancel his trip to Washington in consultation with Richard Grenell, the U.S. special envoy for Serbia and Kosovo negotiations.
Hoti also said there was "no alternative" to dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia, adding that Kosovo had proper institutional prudence to overcome any situation it faced.
"Issues related to justice, such as yesterday's decision, I believe should not be commented on," Hoti said. "But they should be fully respected."
The White House meeting between Hoti, Thaci, and Vucic had been announced on June 15 by Grenell after he'd received commitments from both countries to attend the meeting.
Grenell said on Twitter on June 24 that he respected Thaci's decision not to attend the White House talks "until the legal issues of those allegations are settled."
There was no immediate reaction from Washington to Hoti's cancellation.
The SPO said the indictments against Thaci and Veseli were for alleged crimes against "hundreds of known victims" -- including "Kosovo Albanian, Serb, Roma, and other ethnicities and [including] political opponents."
Thaci and Veseli were commanders of the Kosovo Liberation Army (UCK), an ethnic Albanian guerrilla group that fought against Belgrade's security forces in the 1998-99 Kosovo war.
Veseli, who currently leads the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) and continues to serve as a lawmaker, denied "any involvement in any crime" and said he is "proud to have taken part in the liberation war of the Kosovo people."
Veseli rejected the prosecutor's claims as "completely untrue."
Thaci has previously denied involvement in any war crimes.
A 10-count indictment was filed with the Kosovo Specialist Chambers (KSC) in The Hague on April 24. The prosecutor decided to unveil them publicly two months later.
Prosecutors said the charges resulted from a "lengthy investigation" and they were confident they can prove "all charges beyond a reasonable doubt."
A KSC pretrial judge is currently reviewing the indictment to decide on whether to confirm the charges.


rferl--2020-06-25--COVID-19: Kyrgyzstan Considering Renewed State Of Emergency

The global death toll from the coronavirus is over 480,000 , with more than 9.4 million infections confirmed , causing mass disruptions as governments continue to try to slow the spread of the respiratory illness .
Kyrgyzstan 's Health Ministry says the government in Bishkek will decide on June 25 whether to declare a state of emergency in two major cities and two provinces due to the resurgent coronavirus outbreak .
Deputy Health Minister Madamin Karatayev said on June 25 that the government was particularly concerned about Bishkek , Kyrgyzstan 's second-biggest city of Osh , and the provinces of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state of emergency that ended in May , Kyrgyzstan locked down several cities and districts -- including the capital Bishkek , where a curfew had been imposed .
Kyrgyz President Sooronbai Jeenbekov missed a June 24 parade in Moscow commemorating the end of World War II because two other people aboard his flight to the Russian capital tested positive for COVID-19 upon their arrival .
Jeenbekov 's office told RFE/RL 's Kyrgyz Service that the head of the presidential office 's foreign-policy unit , Daniyar Sydykov , and a bodyguard had tested positive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Jeenbekov 's office said that the COVID-19 test he took on his trip was negative .
But it said Jeenbekov still would self-isolate and work remotely .
Karatayev said on June 25 that authorities also are considering temporarily closing the shared headquarters of the president and parliament in Bishkek .
According to a global tally maintained by Johns Hopkins University , Kyrgyz authorities had confirmed a total of 3,726 coronavirus infections in the country as of June 25 -- including 43 deaths .
Ukraine ’ s health minister has said that more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the institutions initially chosen to accept patients no longer have enough beds to cope with a surge in infections .
Ukraine has nearly 40,000 confirmed cases and over 1,000 deaths .
With reporting by RFE/RL 's Kyrgyz Service and Reuters

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


rferl--2020-06-25--Russians Start Voting On Reforms, Multiple Voting Already An Issue

Russians have begun casting ballots in a vote on constitutional reforms that could pave the way for an extension of President Vladimir Putin ’ s rule by 12 years .
Voting stations opened on June 25 in all 14 administrative regions of Russia ’ s Far Eastern federal district , regional election commissions and administrative bodies said as the seven-day voting period on the measure kicked off .
The opening of polling stations for a week is aimed at helping avoid crowds on July 1 , the day designated for the nationwide vote , as the country continues to grapple @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has raised concerns among health officials as the number of new confirmed infections remains stubbornly high at above 7,000 a day .
Explainer : What 's In Russia 's Constitutional Reforms Package ?
The vote already had to be postponed from its originally scheduled date of April 22 due to the pandemic .
Early voting has been allowed since June 10 for people who do n't have access to polling stations .
Putin announced early this month that the vote would be held July 1 on constitutional amendments that among other things would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two presidential elections .
The plan has sparked sharp criticism from opposition members and human rights groups who call it nothing more than an attempt at a power grab by Putin .
One of the changes that will result from the reforms if they are approved is that Putin 's presidential term-limit clock will be reset to zero , opening the way for him to run when his current term expires in 2024 , and again in 2030 .
Under current rules , after his current term expires , Putin is forbidden from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It is a violation of the constitution , a coup , '' opposition campaigner Aleksei Navalny has said of the changes .
Several journalists and activists also pointed out that within hours of the start of voting on June 25 , it was possible to cast two ballots , once at polling stations and then again online .
In one instance , Pavel Lobkov , a journalist and presenter on TV Rain ( Dozhd ) , said he voted at a Moscow polling station in the morning , then an hour later he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ since he had originally registered to participate that way .
“ Case closed…The system counted two votes .
Everything is filmed on video .
It is clear that in this way from each state employee there will be 30 votes in favor , ” Navalny tweeted after Lobkov ’ s video appeared online .
The Kremlin has dismissed the concerns , saying that Russia has been able to slow down the spread of the coronavirus and it has assured people that all the necessary measures will be taken to ensure the safety of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ constitutional reform earlier this year and insisted on putting it to a nationwide vote even though it was not required by law .
Final approval of the changes will come if more than half of the country ’ s voters support them in the nationwide vote .
The constitutional changes are expected to be approved , meaning Putin would be able to run for two more back-to-back six-year terms after his current one expires in 2024 .
Putin hosted a Victory Day military parade in Moscow on June 24 commemorating the 75th anniversary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ World War II .
The parade is traditionally held on May 9 , but it too had to be postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic .
Russia has reported more than 600,000 coronavirus infections , giving it the third-highest number in the world , according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University .
Deaths stand at more than 8,500 , but real numbers are believed to be much higher .
During the Victory Day parade , the Kremlin limited access in Red Square to the area where Putin sat along with foreign leaders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forces .
Those veterans had been under quarantine ahead of the parade .
The same was true of soldiers taking part in the parade .
With reporting by Reuters and TASS

Russians have begun casting ballots in a vote on constitutional reforms that could pave the way for an extension of President Vladimir Putin’s rule by 12 years.
Voting stations opened on June 25 in all 14 administrative regions of Russia’s Far Eastern federal district, regional election commissions and administrative bodies said as the seven-day voting period on the measure kicked off.
The opening of polling stations for a week is aimed at helping avoid crowds on July 1, the day designated for the nationwide vote, as the country continues to grapple with the coronavirus pandemic.
The vote has raised concerns among health officials as the number of new confirmed infections remains stubbornly high at above 7,000 a day.
Explainer: What's In Russia's Constitutional Reforms Package?
The vote already had to be postponed from its originally scheduled date of April 22 due to the pandemic. Early voting has been allowed since June 10 for people who don't have access to polling stations.
Putin announced early this month that the vote would be held July 1 on constitutional amendments that among other things would allow him to run in the next two presidential elections.
The plan has sparked sharp criticism from opposition members and human rights groups who call it nothing more than an attempt at a power grab by Putin.
One of the changes that will result from the reforms if they are approved is that Putin's presidential term-limit clock will be reset to zero, opening the way for him to run when his current term expires in 2024, and again in 2030.
Under current rules, after his current term expires, Putin is forbidden from seeking a third consecutive term.
"It is a violation of the constitution, a coup," opposition campaigner Aleksei Navalny has said of the changes.
Several journalists and activists also pointed out that within hours of the start of voting on June 25, it was possible to cast two ballots, once at polling stations and then again online.
In one instance, Pavel Lobkov, a journalist and presenter on TV Rain (Dozhd), said he voted at a Moscow polling station in the morning, then an hour later he was able to cast another ballot online since he had originally registered to participate that way.
“Case closed…The system counted two votes. Everything is filmed on video. It is clear that in this way from each state employee there will be 30 votes in favor,” Navalny tweeted after Lobkov’s video appeared online.
The Kremlin has dismissed the concerns, saying that Russia has been able to slow down the spread of the coronavirus and it has assured people that all the necessary measures will be taken to ensure the safety of the voters.
Putin proposed the sweeping constitutional reform earlier this year and insisted on putting it to a nationwide vote even though it was not required by law.
Final approval of the changes will come if more than half of the country’s voters support them in the nationwide vote. The constitutional changes are expected to be approved, meaning Putin would be able to run for two more back-to-back six-year terms after his current one expires in 2024.
Putin hosted a Victory Day military parade in Moscow on June 24 commemorating the 75th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II. The parade is traditionally held on May 9, but it too had to be postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Russia has reported more than 600,000 coronavirus infections, giving it the third-highest number in the world, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University. Deaths stand at more than 8,500, but real numbers are believed to be much higher.
During the Victory Day parade, the Kremlin limited access in Red Square to the area where Putin sat along with foreign leaders and World War II veterans of Soviet forces.
Those veterans had been under quarantine ahead of the parade. The same was true of soldiers taking part in the parade.
With reporting by Reuters and TASS


rferl--2020-06-25--U.S. Adds Afghanistan To List Of Worst Human Traffickers Over Child Sexual Slavery, Child Soldiers

The U.S. State Department has added Afghanistan to a list of nations doing little to stop human trafficking , saying Kabul has failed to properly address child sexual slavery and the recruitment of child soldiers .
In its annual Trafficking In Persons Report released on June 25 , the department included Afghanistan in the so-called Tier 3 list of countries that do not meet minimum standards to stop trafficking and are “ not making significant efforts ” to do so .
During the reporting period , there was “ a government policy or pattern of sexual slavery in government compounds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ use of child soldiers , ” it said .
The ancient practice of `` bacha bazi '' -- literally , dancing boys -- is common practice in Afghanistan among wealthy and powerful men who exploit underage boys as sexual partners .
“ Despite local officials ’ widespread acknowledgement that many police , especially commanders at remote checkpoints , recruited boys for bacha bazi , some high-level and provincial authorities , including at the Ministry of Interior , categorically denied the existence of bacha bazi among police and would not investigate reports , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a result , “ the government has never prosecuted a police officer for bacha bazi.
” Despite the lack of significant efforts , the Afghan government “ took some steps to address trafficking , including continuing to identify trafficking victims , prosecuting and convicting some traffickers , including two perpetrators of bacha bazi for kidnapping , and conducting four trainings for provincial antitrafficking officers , ” the report said .
The government has also increased the number of Child Protection Units at Afghan National Police recruitment centers , which the report said prevented @ @ @ @ @ @ @ However , the Interior and Defense Ministries , as well as National Directorate of Security “ denied that Afghan security forces recruited or used child soldiers , despite multiple cases , ” it says .
Meanwhile , some trafficking victims reported that “ authorities forced them to have sex in exchange for pursuing their cases or raped them and sent them to detention centers when they tried to report their traffickers , ” the State Department says .
And many trafficking victims were arrested , detained , and penalized .
Some of them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Eighteen other countries are included in the report ’ s Tier 3 list , including Belarus , Iran , Russia , and Turkmenistan .
Inclusion in the lowest category can bring restrictions on U.S. non-humanitarian , non-trade-related assistance , a decision that would be made by the president .

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


rferl--2020-06-25--New U.S. Sanctions Hit Firms Linked To Iran's Metals Sector

The United States has unveiled new sanctions against the Iranian metallurgical sector , blacklisting several companies , including domestic and foreign subsidiaries of the country 's main steel producer .
The Treasury Department said on June 25 that the sanctioned entities included four manufacturing companies and four sales agents as part of a crackdown on entities believed to fund Iran 's `` destabilizing behavior '' worldwide .
The United States `` remains committed to isolating key sectors of the Iranian economy until the revenues from such sectors are refocused toward the welfare of the Iranian people , '' Treasury Secretary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The sanctions freeze any U.S. assets held by the companies and generally prohibit Americans from dealing with them .
The move is part of U.S. effort to slash Iranian revenues since President Donald Trump withdrew in May 2018 from a 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers .
The new U.S. sanctions target one domestic and four foreign subsidiaries -- operating in either Germany or the United Arab Emirates -- of Iran 's Mobarakeh Steel Company , which Treasury said accounts for about 1 percent of Iran ’ s gross domestic product @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2018 for allegedly providing millions of dollars annually to an entity with close ties to Iran 's paramilitary Basij force , which is controlled by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps ( IRGC ) .
Also targeted were three aluminum , steel , and iron producers in Iran , which Treasury said contributed to billions of dollars in sales and exports of Iranian metals every year .
A company which the Treasury said had addresses in China and Hong Kong was also sanctioned for allegedly transferring graphite to a blacklisted Iranian entity in 2019 @


rferl--2020-06-25--Three Pakistani Police Detained After Torture Video Goes Viral

PESHAWAR , Pakistan -- Three police officers in northwestern Pakistan have been suspended and placed in custody over the release of a video showing them stripping and beating a man who had criticized them , officials say .
A district police chief has also been suspended for `` playing a role '' in the incident as an investigation is launched , police in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Province said on June 25 .
The moves come as protests erupted in response to a video circulated on social media showing officers stripping off the clothes of a young man and beating him at a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Peshawar .
The video prompted outrage on social media and among political leaders and rights activists who called for improvements to policing .
The man , reported to be an Afghan refugee , was detained after posting a video of himself online insulting the local police .
Hundreds of protestors took to the streets of Peshawar on June 25 to condemn the incident and demand the prosecution of those involved .
Demonstrators surrounded a police vehicle and carried a coffin symbolizing the demise of the police .
Meanwhile , a court Peshawar summoned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an explanation of what a judge termed an `` incident that shattered the confidence of society ” in the police force .
Judge Qaiser Rashid said that while the `` history of police was full of sacrifices '' some `` black sheep have defamed the entire department . ''
`` Do hold an inquiry but do n't end up handing a clean chit to your people , '' he advised .
With reporting by dpa and Dawn

PESHAWAR, Pakistan -- Three police officers in northwestern Pakistan have been suspended and placed in custody over the release of a video showing them stripping and beating a man who had criticized them, officials say.
A district police chief has also been suspended for "playing a role" in the incident as an investigation is launched, police in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Province said on June 25.
The moves come as protests erupted in response to a video circulated on social media showing officers stripping off the clothes of a young man and beating him at a police station in the provincial capital, Peshawar.
The video prompted outrage on social media and among political leaders and rights activists who called for improvements to policing.
The man, reported to be an Afghan refugee, was detained after posting a video of himself online insulting the local police.
Hundreds of protestors took to the streets of Peshawar on June 25 to condemn the incident and demand the prosecution of those involved.
Demonstrators surrounded a police vehicle and carried a coffin symbolizing the demise of the police.
Meanwhile, a court Peshawar summoned the province’s police chief for an explanation of what a judge termed an "incident that shattered the confidence of society” in the police force.
Judge Qaiser Rashid said that while the "history of police was full of sacrifices" some "black sheep have defamed the entire department."
"Do hold an inquiry but don't end up handing a clean chit to your people," he advised.
With reporting by dpa and Dawn


rferl--2020-06-25--Pakistan's Khan Under Fire For Calling Osama Bin Laden A 'Martyr'

Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan has drawn sharp criticism after he called slain Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden a martyr .
Khan made the comment during a televised session of parliament on June 25 as he described the country 's fraught relations with the United States .
When U.S. special forces raided a hideout in the northern Pakistani city of Abbottabad in 2011 and killed bin Laden , they `` martyred him , '' Khan said .
In the Muslim world , the word `` martyr '' is usually reserved as a laudatory term for those who die or are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ faith .
It is also widely used for fallen soldiers in Muslim-majority countries .
Khan said in his speech that he felt humiliated and embarrassed when the United States conducted the raid after a 10-year manhunt for the world 's most wanted terrorist .
`` After that , the entire world started abusing us .
They invaded our land and then criticized us , '' Khan said , responding to criticism Pakistan had faced for failing to find bin Laden while he was in the country .
While several Pakistani leaders have criticized @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hideout as a breach of the country 's sovereignty , this is the first time such a high-profile figure has praised the man behind the September 11 , 2001 , terrorist attacks on the United States .
Pakistan has officially denied knowing bin Laden was in Abbottabad , but some have suggested the country ’ s intelligence services may have known he was there and were cooperating with the terrorist network as part of its Afghanistan policy .
Khan , who critics sometimes call `` Taliban Khan ” for his alleged support for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opposition and social-media users following the comments .
Bin Laden `` was a terrorist , and our prime minister called him a martyr .
He was behind the massacre of thousands , '' said Khawaja Asif , a former foreign minister and senior leader in the opposition Pakistan Muslim League ( PML-N ) .
Senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar , the spokesperson for the opposition Pakistan People ’ s Party ( PPP ) , called Khan a `` national security threat . ''
“ If [ bin Laden ] is a martyr , then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and members of our armed forces who embraced martyrdom in the attacks by Al-Qaeda ?
” he wrote on Instagram .
Michael Kugelman , the deputy director of the Asia program at the Wilson Center think tank in Washington , wrote that Khan ’ s comments were `` not a good look . ''
`` Imran Khan 's description of Osama Bin Laden as a martyr badly undermines Pakistan 's narrative that it no longer supports terrorists , '' he wrote on Twitter .

Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan has drawn sharp criticism after he called slain Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden a martyr.
Khan made the comment during a televised session of parliament on June 25 as he described the country's fraught relations with the United States.
When U.S. special forces raided a hideout in the northern Pakistani city of Abbottabad in 2011 and killed bin Laden, they "martyred him," Khan said.
In the Muslim world, the word "martyr" is usually reserved as a laudatory term for those who die or are killed in the name of the Islamic faith. It is also widely used for fallen soldiers in Muslim-majority countries.
Khan said in his speech that he felt humiliated and embarrassed when the United States conducted the raid after a 10-year manhunt for the world's most wanted terrorist.
"After that, the entire world started abusing us. They invaded our land and then criticized us," Khan said, responding to criticism Pakistan had faced for failing to find bin Laden while he was in the country.
While several Pakistani leaders have criticized the U.S. raid on bin Laden's hideout as a breach of the country's sovereignty, this is the first time such a high-profile figure has praised the man behind the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States.
Pakistan has officially denied knowing bin Laden was in Abbottabad, but some have suggested the country’s intelligence services may have known he was there and were cooperating with the terrorist network as part of its Afghanistan policy.
Khan, who critics sometimes call "Taliban Khan” for his alleged support for militants, faced a backlash from the opposition and social-media users following the comments.
Bin Laden "was a terrorist, and our prime minister called him a martyr. He was behind the massacre of thousands," said Khawaja Asif, a former foreign minister and senior leader in the opposition Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N).
Senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar, the spokesperson for the opposition Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), called Khan a "national security threat."
“If [bin Laden] is a martyr, then what is the status of those civilians and members of our armed forces who embraced martyrdom in the attacks by Al-Qaeda?” he wrote on Instagram.
Michael Kugelman, the deputy director of the Asia program at the Wilson Center think tank in Washington, wrote that Khan’s comments were "not a good look."
"Imran Khan's description of Osama Bin Laden as a martyr badly undermines Pakistan's narrative that it no longer supports terrorists," he wrote on Twitter.


rferl--2020-06-25--As Pre-Election Crackdown Continues, Lukashenka Accuses Russia, Poland Of Meddling

MINSK -- President Alyaksandr Lukashenka has accused Russia and Poland of `` meddling '' in the country 's upcoming presidential election as he continues to crack down on potential challengers and the independent media .
In a June 25 Telegram post , Lukashenka , facing the strongest-ever challenge to his leadership as he seeks a sixth term , accused activists of posting `` creepy fake '' stories on the Internet seeking to discredit him and his family before the elections , scheduled for August 9 .
`` It is clear that there are puppet masters behind them .
They are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reside in Poland and they throw [ dirt ] from Russia as well ...
They use the most modern fake technologies .
The meddling into our election , our internal affairs is under way , '' Lukashenka stated .
The Kremlin rejected Lukashenka 's claims while referring to Belarus an ally .
The 65-year-old Lukashenka has come under fire after a potential major challenger , Viktar Babaryka , was arrested on corruption charges on June 18 .
At the same time , the government has tried to tighten its grip on the media @ @ @ @ @ @ @ three of whom were convicted for their coverage of protests against Lukashenka last week .
The latest incident occurred on June 25 when noted online reporter Ihar Losik was detained after police searched his home in Minsk .
Losik , who is also an RFE/RL consultant on new media technologies , is an administrator for the Telegram channel `` Belarus Of Encephalon . ''
The channel , which has more than 167,000 subscribers , has actively covered the protests against Lukashenka in recent weeks .
`` We deplore the detention of independent blogger @ @ @ @ @ @ @ RFE/RL Vaclav Havel Journalism Fellow Ihar Losik , and the raid on his apartment earlier today by no fewer than nine state agents , '' acting RFE/RL President Daisy Sindelar said in a statement .
`` Blogging is not a crime .
We demand that he be released immediately , that any confiscated materials and equipment be returned to him immediately , and that Belarus officials stop persecuting the people who are doing the essential work of keeping the public informed about developments related to the country ’ s forthcoming presidential elections , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the U.S. State Department have voiced their concerns over the situation , which has been punctuated by dozens of trials , including around 50 in the capital , Minsk , involving participants of the so-called `` chains of solidarity '' protests .
Most were charged with participating in an “ unauthorized event ” or “ disobeying the police.
” Some of those who faced trials were journalists covering protests on June 19-20 in support of potential independent and opposition presidential candidates .
Lukashenka 's critics have said his government has shown little @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in general .
Lukashenka , who has ruled the country of 9.5 million people since 1994 , is currently serving his fifth presidential term , and announced that he will run for office again .
Belarus abolished presidential term limits in 2004 .
The country has been the target of U.S. and EU sanctions over its poor rights record and lack of fair elections , but Belarus and the West have recently sought to mend ties to reduce Russia ’ s influence in the country .
With reporting by BelTA , TASS , @ @

MINSK -- President Alyaksandr Lukashenka has accused Russia and Poland of "meddling" in the country's upcoming presidential election as he continues to crack down on potential challengers and the independent media.
In a June 25 Telegram post, Lukashenka, facing the strongest-ever challenge to his leadership as he seeks a sixth term, accused activists of posting "creepy fake" stories on the Internet seeking to discredit him and his family before the elections, scheduled for August 9.
"It is clear that there are puppet masters behind them. They are on both sides of us; they reside in Poland and they throw [dirt] from Russia as well...They use the most modern fake technologies. The meddling into our election, our internal affairs is under way," Lukashenka stated.
The Kremlin rejected Lukashenka's claims while referring to Belarus an ally.
The 65-year-old Lukashenka has come under fire after a potential major challenger, Viktar Babaryka, was arrested on corruption charges on June 18. At the same time, the government has tried to tighten its grip on the media, detaining at least 14 journalists, three of whom were convicted for their coverage of protests against Lukashenka last week.
The latest incident occurred on June 25 when noted online reporter Ihar Losik was detained after police searched his home in Minsk.
'Blogging Is Not A Crime'
Losik, who is also an RFE/RL consultant on new media technologies, is an administrator for the Telegram channel ''Belarus Of Encephalon." The channel, which has more than 167,000 subscribers, has actively covered the protests against Lukashenka in recent weeks.
"We deplore the detention of independent blogger, Belarus Service consultant, and former RFE/RL Vaclav Havel Journalism Fellow Ihar Losik, and the raid on his apartment earlier today by no fewer than nine state agents," acting RFE/RL President Daisy Sindelar said in a statement.
"Blogging is not a crime. We demand that he be released immediately, that any confiscated materials and equipment be returned to him immediately, and that Belarus officials stop persecuting the people who are doing the essential work of keeping the public informed about developments related to the country’s forthcoming presidential elections," she added.
Human rights organizations and the U.S. State Department have voiced their concerns over the situation, which has been punctuated by dozens of trials, including around 50 in the capital, Minsk, involving participants of the so-called "chains of solidarity" protests. Most were charged with participating in an “unauthorized event” or “disobeying the police.”
Some of those who faced trials were journalists covering protests on June 19-20 in support of potential independent and opposition presidential candidates.
Lukashenka's critics have said his government has shown little tolerance for dissent and independent media, in general.
Lukashenka, who has ruled the country of 9.5 million people since 1994, is currently serving his fifth presidential term, and announced that he will run for office again. Belarus abolished presidential term limits in 2004.
The country has been the target of U.S. and EU sanctions over its poor rights record and lack of fair elections, but Belarus and the West have recently sought to mend ties to reduce Russia’s influence in the country.
With reporting by BelTA, TASS, and Interfax