rferl--2020-10-24--Fighting Over Nagorno-Karabakh Continues After Armenia, Azerbaijan Hold U.S. Talks

Azerbaijani and Armenian forces have continued to clash in and around Nagorno-Karabakh , a day after the foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan met with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Washington to discuss how to resolve the decades-long conflict .
There were conflicting claims from Baku and Yerevan about the fighting .
Azerbaijan 's Defense Ministry said on its website that its forces shot down an Armenian `` combat aircraft '' during the afternoon of October 24 in the Gubadli sector of the conflict zone .
But the Armenian Defense Ministry 's press secretary , Shushan Stepanian , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ completely false . ''
Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Ceyhun Bayramov and Armenian Foreign Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanian met separately with Pompeo at the U.S. State Department on October 23 .
Pompeo `` emphasized the need to end the violence and protect civilians , '' State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said in a statement after the talks .
Pompeo also stressed the importance of the sides entering substantive negotiations under the auspices of the Minsk Group of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe ( OSCE ) , Ortagus said .
The United States , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Minsk Group , set up in the early 1990s to find a resolution to the Nagorno-Karabakh issue .
Mnatsakanian told reporters as he exited the State Department that his meeting with Pompeo was `` very good , '' adding that work on a new cease-fire deal would continue .
Mnatsakanian rejected the idea of any role for Turkey as a broker or guarantor of security , saying , `` Turkey has no role in this . ''
He said Turkey , which has backed Azerbaijan in the latest fighting , `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Mnatsakanian also said Armenia would welcome the deployment of peacekeepers in the region .
Azerbaijan 's foreign minister said he told Pompeo that the `` Armenian occupation '' of Nagorno-Karabakh must end .
`` We are committed to finding a political solution [ to ] the conflict and ready to resume substantive talks immediately , '' Bayramov said in a statement after the talks .
`` Armenia must stop avoiding meaningful negotiations and choose lasting peace , '' he said .
Even as the meeting in Washington took place , heavy fighting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan but controlled by ethnic Armenians .
The leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan have hardened their positions in recent days despite two Russian-brokered cease-fires , which both collapsed soon after being agreed upon .
The two sides continue to trade accusations about ongoing fighting that is said to include some shelling of residential areas .
At least some 1,000 people have been reported killed since fighting erupted on September 27 , raising fears of a wider conflict in the South Caucasus drawing in Turkey and Russia , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Armenian forces and the Azerbaijani 's military claim to have inflicted devastating losses on each other .
But reports from the opposing sides are often contradictory and hard to verify .
With reporting by Reuters , AP , AFP , and Interfax

Azerbaijani and Armenian forces have continued to clash in and around Nagorno-Karabakh, a day after the foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan met with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Washington to discuss how to resolve the decades-long conflict.
There were conflicting claims from Baku and Yerevan about the fighting.
Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry said on its website that its forces shot down an Armenian "combat aircraft" during the afternoon of October 24 in the Gubadli sector of the conflict zone.
But the Armenian Defense Ministry's press secretary, Shushan Stepanian, said the claim from Baku was "completely false."
Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Ceyhun Bayramov and Armenian Foreign Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanian met separately with Pompeo at the U.S. State Department on October 23.
Pompeo "emphasized the need to end the violence and protect civilians," State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said in a statement after the talks.
Pompeo also stressed the importance of the sides entering substantive negotiations under the auspices of the Minsk Group of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), Ortagus said. The United States, France, and Russia are the co-chairs of the Minsk Group, set up in the early 1990s to find a resolution to the Nagorno-Karabakh issue.
Mnatsakanian told reporters as he exited the State Department that his meeting with Pompeo was "very good," adding that work on a new cease-fire deal would continue.
Mnatsakanian rejected the idea of any role for Turkey as a broker or guarantor of security, saying, "Turkey has no role in this."
He said Turkey, which has backed Azerbaijan in the latest fighting, "is exactly part of the problem."
Mnatsakanian also said Armenia would welcome the deployment of peacekeepers in the region.
Azerbaijan's foreign minister said he told Pompeo that the "Armenian occupation" of Nagorno-Karabakh must end.
"We are committed to finding a political solution [to] the conflict and ready to resume substantive talks immediately," Bayramov said in a statement after the talks.
"Armenia must stop avoiding meaningful negotiations and choose lasting peace," he said.
Even as the meeting in Washington took place, heavy fighting continued over Nagorno-Karabakh -- a breakaway region internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan but controlled by ethnic Armenians.
The leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan have hardened their positions in recent days despite two Russian-brokered cease-fires, which both collapsed soon after being agreed upon.
The two sides continue to trade accusations about ongoing fighting that is said to include some shelling of residential areas.
At least some 1,000 people have been reported killed since fighting erupted on September 27, raising fears of a wider conflict in the South Caucasus drawing in Turkey and Russia, which has a military pact with Armenia.
Armenian forces and the Azerbaijani's military claim to have inflicted devastating losses on each other. But reports from the opposing sides are often contradictory and hard to verify.
With reporting by Reuters, AP, AFP, and Interfax


rferl--2020-10-24--Kyrgyzstan Schedules Early Presidential Election For January 10

BISHKEK -- The press service for Kyrgyzstan 's Central Election Commission ( BShK ) says an early presidential election has been scheduled to take place on January 10 .
In a statement on October 24 , the BShK said the decision was reached at an election commission session in Bishkek .
The announcement comes after weeks of political upheaval that toppled the Central Asian state 's government and prompted the resignation of President Sooronbai Jeenbekov .
The chaos erupted after allegations of vote-buying and other improprieties marred the country 's October 4 parliamentary elections .
Mass protests over the vote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ parties aligned with Jeenbekov 's government , prompted the BShK to annul the results of the parliamentary vote .
Sadyr Japarov , a former nationalist lawmaker who was jailed on charges of kidnapping a political rival , was freed from prison in the midst of the demonstrations and approved on October 14 by parliament as prime minister .
Japarov also took over the powers of the presidency when Jeenbekov vacated the post .
He is set to serve as acting president until the January election .
Japarov has said he will run for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to allow it .
Kyrgyzstan 's constitution forbids a person serving as an acting or interim president from taking part in a presidential election .
Some legal experts say changing the constitution could require a national referendum .
But since Japarov took office , parliament has been working on possible changes to the law on presidential and parliamentary elections .
In an interview aired on October 19 , Japarov told the Rossia-24 television channel : `` If such amendments allow me to take part in the election , I will go for it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about it now .
The decision on that is pending . ''

BISHKEK -- The press service for Kyrgyzstan's Central Election Commission (BShK) says an early presidential election has been scheduled to take place on January 10.
In a statement on October 24, the BShK said the decision was reached at an election commission session in Bishkek.
The announcement comes after weeks of political upheaval that toppled the Central Asian state's government and prompted the resignation of President Sooronbai Jeenbekov.
The chaos erupted after allegations of vote-buying and other improprieties marred the country's October 4 parliamentary elections.
Mass protests over the vote tally, which gave victory mainly to parties aligned with Jeenbekov's government, prompted the BShK to annul the results of the parliamentary vote.
Sadyr Japarov, a former nationalist lawmaker who was jailed on charges of kidnapping a political rival, was freed from prison in the midst of the demonstrations and approved on October 14 by parliament as prime minister.
Japarov also took over the powers of the presidency when Jeenbekov vacated the post. He is set to serve as acting president until the January election.
Japarov has said he will run for the presidency if constitutional amendments are approved to allow it.
Kyrgyzstan's constitution forbids a person serving as an acting or interim president from taking part in a presidential election.
Some legal experts say changing the constitution could require a national referendum.
But since Japarov took office, parliament has been working on possible changes to the law on presidential and parliamentary elections.
In an interview aired on October 19, Japarov told the Rossia-24 television channel: "If such amendments allow me to take part in the election, I will go for it. But it is early to talk about it now. The decision on that is pending."
With reporting by Interfax


rferl--2020-10-24--Uzbekistan Drops Controversial Case Against Journalist, Gifts Him An Apartment

Uzbek journalist Bobomurod Abdullaev has announced that a controversial criminal investigation against him has been dropped .
The United States , which had expressed concerns over the fate of Abdullaev , welcomed the decision .
`` Received news today that criminal charges against journalist Bobomurod Abdullaev have been dropped .
Very happy for him & his family , '' U.S .
Ambassador to Uzbekistan Daniel Rosenblum wrote on Twitter on October 23 .
As President Shavkat Mirziyoev has said , `` independent media is indispensable to a healthy democracy and the work of journalists must be absolutely protected , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ video on Facebook on October 23 that investigators had dropped their case against him .
The development came just a week after Abdullaev revealed that Mirziyoev had given him a three-room apartment in Tashkent 's Green Park residential complex .
Abdullaev was detained in Kyrgyzstan in August and later extradited to Uzbekistan .
The United States and human rights groups had expressed concern that he would be subjected to persecution and possible torture in Uzbekistan .
However , when he arrived in Uzbekistan he was immediately released under supervision pending an investigation .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the charges against the 47-year-old independent journalist .
Media reports in Uzbekistan suggested Abdullaev was being sought in connection with social-media posts critical of Mirziyoev that were written under the pen name Qora Mergan ( Black Shooter ) .
Abdullaev has denied that he has any connection to the writings .
Abdullaev 's treatment has previously been the focus of rights groups after he and three other men were arrested in 2017 in Tashkent .
They were charged with calling for a change to Uzbekistan 's constitutional order by force .
Those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ under the byline Usman Haqnazarov , which was apparently used by more than one person .
Abdullaev also denied guilt at the time , saying he was doing his job as a journalist .
In May 2018 , Abdullaev was convicted on charges of producing `` anti-government propaganda . ''
But he was cleared of the more serious charge of conspiracy against the state -- and was then released .

Uzbek journalist Bobomurod Abdullaev has announced that a controversial criminal investigation against him has been dropped.
The United States, which had expressed concerns over the fate of Abdullaev, welcomed the decision.
"Received news today that criminal charges against journalist Bobomurod Abdullaev have been dropped. Very happy for him & his family," U.S. Ambassador to Uzbekistan Daniel Rosenblum wrote on Twitter on October 23.
As President Shavkat Mirziyoev has said, "independent media is indispensable to a healthy democracy and the work of journalists must be absolutely protected," Rosenblum said.
Abdullaev announced in a video on Facebook on October 23 that investigators had dropped their case against him.
The development came just a week after Abdullaev revealed that Mirziyoev had given him a three-room apartment in Tashkent's Green Park residential complex.
Abdullaev was detained in Kyrgyzstan in August and later extradited to Uzbekistan.
The United States and human rights groups had expressed concern that he would be subjected to persecution and possible torture in Uzbekistan. However, when he arrived in Uzbekistan he was immediately released under supervision pending an investigation.
Uzbek investigators never specified the exact nature of the charges against the 47-year-old independent journalist.
Media reports in Uzbekistan suggested Abdullaev was being sought in connection with social-media posts critical of Mirziyoev that were written under the pen name Qora Mergan (Black Shooter).
Abdullaev has denied that he has any connection to the writings.
Abdullaev's treatment has previously been the focus of rights groups after he and three other men were arrested in 2017 in Tashkent. They were charged with calling for a change to Uzbekistan's constitutional order by force.
Those charges stemmed from a series of articles under the byline Usman Haqnazarov, which was apparently used by more than one person.
Abdullaev also denied guilt at the time, saying he was doing his job as a journalist.
In May 2018, Abdullaev was convicted on charges of producing "anti-government propaganda." But he was cleared of the more serious charge of conspiracy against the state -- and was then released.


rferl--2020-10-23--U.S. Puts Sanctions On Russian Research Institution Tied to Malware That Targets Industrial Systems

The United States has placed sanctions on a Russian government research institute connected to the development of computer malware capable of targeting industrial safety systems and causing catastrophic damage .
The U.S. Treasury Department announced on October 23 that the Central Scientific Research Institute of Chemistry and Mechanics ( TsNIIKhM ) had been added to the sanctions list .
It said the institute was `` connected to the destructive Triton malware '' designed to target and manipulate industrial safety systems that provide for the safe emergency shutdown of industrial processes at critical infrastructure facilities in order to protect human life @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been referred to by the private cybersecurity industry as `` the most dangerous threat activity publicly known , '' the Treasury Department said in a news release .
`` The Russian Government continues to engage in dangerous cyberactivities aimed at the United States and our allies , '' Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said .
`` This administration will continue to aggressively defend the critical infrastructure of the United States from anyone attempting to disrupt it . ''
Responding to the U.S. accusations , the Russian Embassy in Washington said Moscow did not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the United States to abandon the vicious practice of unfounded accusations , '' Ambassador Anatoly Antonov said on Facebook .
The Treasury Department said the malware was deployed using phishing techniques against a U.S. partner in the Middle East in August 2017 in an attack against an unidentified petrochemical facility .
TsNIIKhM was `` responsible for building customized tools that enabled the attack , '' the department said .
The attack raised concern among the cybersecurity community when it was made public because , unlike typical intrusions aimed at stealing data or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aimed at causing physical damage to the facility by disabling its safety system .
`` Researchers who investigated the cyberattack and the malware reported that Triton was designed to give the attackers complete control of infected systems and had the capability to cause significant physical damage and loss of life , '' the Treasury Department said .
It added that in 2019 the attackers behind the Triton malware were reported to be probing at least 20 electric utilities in the United States for vulnerabilities .
The sanctions ban Americans or U.S.-based organizations from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ freeze any assets it might have in U.S. jurisdiction .
With reporting by Reuters and AFP

The United States has placed sanctions on a Russian government research institute connected to the development of computer malware capable of targeting industrial safety systems and causing catastrophic damage.
The U.S. Treasury Department announced on October 23 that the Central Scientific Research Institute of Chemistry and Mechanics ( TsNIIKhM) had been added to the sanctions list.
It said the institute was "connected to the destructive Triton malware" designed to target and manipulate industrial safety systems that provide for the safe emergency shutdown of industrial processes at critical infrastructure facilities in order to protect human life.
The cyber-actors behind the Triton malware have been referred to by the private cybersecurity industry as "the most dangerous threat activity publicly known," the Treasury Department said in a news release.
"The Russian Government continues to engage in dangerous cyberactivities aimed at the United States and our allies," Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said. "This administration will continue to aggressively defend the critical infrastructure of the United States from anyone attempting to disrupt it."
Responding to the U.S. accusations, the Russian Embassy in Washington said Moscow did not conduct offensive cyberoperations.
"We call on the United States to abandon the vicious practice of unfounded accusations," Ambassador Anatoly Antonov said on Facebook.
The Treasury Department said the malware was deployed using phishing techniques against a U.S. partner in the Middle East in August 2017 in an attack against an unidentified petrochemical facility. TsNIIKhM was "responsible for building customized tools that enabled the attack," the department said.
The attack raised concern among the cybersecurity community when it was made public because, unlike typical intrusions aimed at stealing data or holding data for ransom, it appeared aimed at causing physical damage to the facility by disabling its safety system.
"Researchers who investigated the cyberattack and the malware reported that Triton was designed to give the attackers complete control of infected systems and had the capability to cause significant physical damage and loss of life," the Treasury Department said.
It added that in 2019 the attackers behind the Triton malware were reported to be probing at least 20 electric utilities in the United States for vulnerabilities.
The sanctions ban Americans or U.S.-based organizations from doing business with the designated institution and freeze any assets it might have in U.S. jurisdiction.
With reporting by Reuters and AFP


rferl--2020-10-23--Tusk Blasts Hungarian PM's Vision Of Democracy, Says Belarusian Opposition 'Close To Victory'

The head of the European center-right European People 's Party ( EPP ) says Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban 's vision of `` illiberal democracy '' is in fact spearheading the creation of a `` degenerate democracy '' in his country .
In an interview with RFE/RL on October 23 , EPP President Donald Tusk also praised the peaceful protest movement in Belarus , which he said was `` really close '' to winning its fight against Alyaksandr Lukashenka .
On Hungary , Tusk said that `` this attempt to build a new ideology , which is called by Viktor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in fact 'degenerate democracy . '
'' `` To put it simply : democracy without the rule of law and freedom of speech , it 's not a democracy at all , '' Tusk said , adding that the `` same negative trends '' can be seen in his native Poland .
The EPP , the European Parliament 's biggest grouping , suspended Hungary 's ruling party Fidesz from its ranks in 2019 over concerns about the rule-of-law backsliding in Hungary as well as attacks against the European Commission .
The suspension , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ means that Fidesz is no longer present at the grouping 's meetings and its voting rights have been stripped .
In September , European Commission Vice President Vera Jourova caused a stir in Budapest after she said in an interview with a German news magazine that `` Orban likes to say he is building an illiberal democracy .
I would say he is building an ill democracy . ''
Orban , a right-wing nationalist , has repeatedly clashed with EU leaders over his moves to increase state control of the judiciary , media @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 7 procedure against Hungary to probe whether it is undermining European legal standards and democratic values is ongoing .
In his interview with RFE/RL , Tusk said he believed that the democratic opposition in Belarus is `` really close to victory.
” Tusk , a former Polish prime minister and ex-European Council president , formed a student branch of Poland 's Solidarity movement that is credited with inspiring a revolutionary wave in the 1980s that toppled communist rule across Central and Eastern Europe .
`` I still remember when I was a young @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
I still remember , you know , people on the streets , the riot police beating the people , etc .
But at the same time , I remember how efficient the nonviolent movement can be .
And this is the phenomenon also of Belarus , '' Tusk said .
`` Almost all the leaders I 've met in the last few months are aware of the fact that Lukashenka will lose this battle .
If not this battle , then for sure , this war against his nation and the Belarus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The EU 's involvement in the political crisis in Belarus `` is not only a moral obligation ... but also a very rational political calculation , '' he added .
However , Radoslaw Sikorski , the former Polish foreign minister under Tusk and a current European Parliament member , is not optimistic about the Belarusian opposition 's near-term chances .
Sikorski , speaking to a conference organized by the Kennan Institute on October 23 , highlighted that it took years for Solidarity to win in Poland and that `` external parameters , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ power in the Soviet Union , played a significant role in the outcome .
Sikorski said Russian President Vladimir Putin will not let Belarus slip from his sphere of influence as the country is an important `` corridor '' from Western Europe to Moscow .
`` Belarus is seen by the Russians as even more vital territorially and geostrategically than Ukraine .
Any kind of solution [ to the standoff ] will have to respect , and should actually respect , Russia 's red line , '' he said , pointing out that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Sikorski said Putin prefered a weakened Lukashenka or someone even more pro-Russian from the Belarusian elite .
Nationwide protests against Lukashenka have been ongoing since a disputed presidential election on August 9 that the opposition and Western governments say was rigged .
A crackdown by authorities has resulted in several deaths , hundreds of injuries , more than 10,000 arrests , and what Reporters Without Borders this week called an `` unprecedented violent '' attack on journalists and censorship of information in Belarus .
The European Union has imposed asset freezes and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their alleged role in the repression of protesters and the opposition , as well as fraud during the August vote .
And on October 12 , the EU foreign ministers gave a `` political green light '' to prepare a new sanctions package that will include Lukashenka .
Kenneth Yalowitz , the former U.S. ambassador to Belarus in 1994-97 , told the Kennan Institute conference that `` it 's very , very hard to break the will of an authoritarian government simply using economic sanctions . ''
He pointed to the lack of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bringing about a change of policy or regime in Iran and Venezuela through economic sanctions .
Yalowitz also said that the security forces were still on Lukashenka 's , side as they fear `` popular tribunals '' should he lose power .
`` He 's a Stalinist .
He understands 'how many divisions do they have and how many do I have , ' and he still has a lot more .
So , I think he ’ s going to survive this in a very weakened state , '' Yalowitz said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

The head of the European center-right European People's Party (EPP) says Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's vision of "illiberal democracy" is in fact spearheading the creation of a "degenerate democracy" in his country.
In an interview with RFE/RL on October 23, EPP President Donald Tusk also praised the peaceful protest movement in Belarus, which he said was "really close" to winning its fight against Alyaksandr Lukashenka.
On Hungary, Tusk said that "this attempt to build a new ideology, which is called by Viktor Orban an 'illiberal democracy,' means in fact 'degenerate democracy.'"
"To put it simply: democracy without the rule of law and freedom of speech, it's not a democracy at all," Tusk said, adding that the "same negative trends" can be seen in his native Poland.
The EPP, the European Parliament's biggest grouping, suspended Hungary's ruling party Fidesz from its ranks in 2019 over concerns about the rule-of-law backsliding in Hungary as well as attacks against the European Commission.
The suspension, which this year was extended indefinitely, means that Fidesz is no longer present at the grouping's meetings and its voting rights have been stripped.
In September, European Commission Vice President Vera Jourova caused a stir in Budapest after she said in an interview with a German news magazine that "Orban likes to say he is building an illiberal democracy. I would say he is building an ill democracy."
Orban, a right-wing nationalist, has repeatedly clashed with EU leaders over his moves to increase state control of the judiciary, media, and academia.
A so-called Article 7 procedure against Hungary to probe whether it is undermining European legal standards and democratic values is ongoing.
Lukashenka 'Will Lose'
In his interview with RFE/RL, Tusk said he believed that the democratic opposition in Belarus is "really close to victory.”
Tusk, a former Polish prime minister and ex-European Council president, formed a student branch of Poland's Solidarity movement that is credited with inspiring a revolutionary wave in the 1980s that toppled communist rule across Central and Eastern Europe.
"I still remember when I was a young rebel during the communist time in Poland. I still remember, you know, people on the streets, the riot police beating the people, etc. But at the same time, I remember how efficient the nonviolent movement can be. And this is the phenomenon also of Belarus," Tusk said.
"Almost all the leaders I've met in the last few months are aware of the fact that Lukashenka will lose this battle. If not this battle, then for sure, this war against his nation and the Belarus civil society," he said.
The EU's involvement in the political crisis in Belarus "is not only a moral obligation...but also a very rational political calculation," he added.
However, Radoslaw Sikorski, the former Polish foreign minister under Tusk and a current European Parliament member, is not optimistic about the Belarusian opposition's near-term chances.
Sikorski, speaking to a conference organized by the Kennan Institute on October 23, highlighted that it took years for Solidarity to win in Poland and that "external parameters," namely the rise of Mikhail Gorbachev to power in the Soviet Union, played a significant role in the outcome.
Sikorski said Russian President Vladimir Putin will not let Belarus slip from his sphere of influence as the country is an important "corridor" from Western Europe to Moscow.
"Belarus is seen by the Russians as even more vital territorially and geostrategically than Ukraine. Any kind of solution [to the standoff] will have to respect, and should actually respect, Russia's red line," he said, pointing out that the two countries' militaries are integrated.
Sikorski said Putin prefered a weakened Lukashenka or someone even more pro-Russian from the Belarusian elite.
Nationwide protests against Lukashenka have been ongoing since a disputed presidential election on August 9 that the opposition and Western governments say was rigged.
A crackdown by authorities has resulted in several deaths, hundreds of injuries, more than 10,000 arrests, and what Reporters Without Borders this week called an "unprecedented violent" attack on journalists and censorship of information in Belarus.
The European Union has imposed asset freezes and visa bans on 40 Belarusian officials for their alleged role in the repression of protesters and the opposition, as well as fraud during the August vote.
And on October 12, the EU foreign ministers gave a "political green light" to prepare a new sanctions package that will include Lukashenka.
Kenneth Yalowitz, the former U.S. ambassador to Belarus in 1994-97, told the Kennan Institute conference that "it's very, very hard to break the will of an authoritarian government simply using economic sanctions."
He pointed to the lack of success the United States has had in bringing about a change of policy or regime in Iran and Venezuela through economic sanctions.
Yalowitz also said that the security forces were still on Lukashenka's, side as they fear "popular tribunals" should he lose power.
"He's a Stalinist. He understands 'how many divisions do they have and how many do I have,' and he still has a lot more. So, I think he’s going to survive this in a very weakened state," Yalowitz said.
With reporting by Todd Prince in Washington.


rferl--2020-10-25--Ukrainians Go To The Polls In Historic Local Elections

Voters across Ukraine will cast ballots on October 25 in local elections being held under a new Electoral Code that decentralizes power from Kyiv to local governing bodies .
The polls are considered the most consequential local elections in Ukraine ’ s modern history , with all local officials up for replacement and the new local governments being granted expanded financial and political independence from the central government .
The reforms have been lauded as a significant step away from the top-down administration the country inherited from the Soviet Union that has remained largely unchanged over three decades of independence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as an important test for President Volodymyr Zelenskiy , who was elected in a landslide in early 2019 , and his Servant of the People party .
Recent public opinion polls show that about 70 percent of Ukrainians believe the country is headed in the wrong direction , while Zelenskiy 's personal approval rating has dipped below 50 percent .
According to a poll by the Rating Group polling agency , Servant of the People -- a populist party that has no defined program or ideology -- is expected to get only about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ October 25 , down from the 54 percent it received in snap parliamentary elections in July 2019 .
The incumbent mayors of the major cities holding elections – Kyiv , Kharkiv , Odesa , Dnipro , and Lviv -- are expected to retain their seats , although some races could go to a second round of voting .
None of these incumbents is a member of Servant of the People , and all of them oppose Zelenskiy .
More than 1,400 newly defined local communities will choose city and regional council members , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and city mayors .
The new election laws also mandate that 40 percent of local council seats go to women .
In all , some 370 mayors , more than 1,000 town and settlement heads , and about 2,000 town , city , and regional councils will be determined .
Some 360 registered parties are participating in at least one of the elections .
Voting will not be held in the Black Sea region of Crimea , which was annexed by Russia in 2014 , and in parts of the eastern Donetsk and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fighting against Kyiv .
In addition , Zelenskiy has ordered that a nonbinding poll comprising five questions be conducted in parallel with the voting .
The questions have not been announced in advance , and voter participation in the survey will be voluntary .
Zelenskiy said in a video posted on his official website that voters will also be asked to submit questions for future polls .
The voting comes as Ukraine -- like many European countries -- is experiencing a sharp uptick in new coronavirus infections .
The country set a single-day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , with 7,517 cases recorded .
That broke the record of 7,053 set the day before .
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko announced on October 24 that he had tested positive for the virus and that he was immediately self-isolating .
Zelenskiy 's cabinet last year decided to strip Klitschko of his powers at the head of the capital city 's state administration , which are a separate position from the post of mayor , ratcheting up a power struggle between the former world boxing champion and the president .
The president 's office @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mayor of Kyiv since 2014 , of enabling graft and of not controlling the Kyiv city council .
Klitschko has denied the allegations and in response has asked the National Anti-Corruption Bureau to investigate the allegations .
Klitschko is expected to easily win the mayoral race for Kyiv .
In all , Ukraine has recorded more than 330,000 coronavirus infections and more than 6,100 deaths .

Voters across Ukraine have cast ballots in local elections held under a new Electoral Code that decentralizes power from Kyiv to local governing bodies.
The polls are considered the most consequential local elections in Ukraine's modern history, with all local officials up for replacement and the new local governments being granted expanded financial and political independence from the central government.
The reforms have been lauded as a significant step away from the top-down administration the country inherited from the Soviet Union that has remained largely unchanged over three decades of independence.
The vote has also been seen as an important test for President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who was elected in a landslide in early 2019, and his Servant of the People party.
"We will see the figures," Zelenskiy said on October 25 in response to a question about his party's popularity. "It's important that we elect people who we trust," he said after casting his vote.
WATCH: President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's bodyguards struggled with a female protester, reportedly protesting against his "sexism." Outside the polling station, they also filled in questionnaires in an official opinion poll Zelenskiy himself initiated.
Recent public opinion polls show that about 70 percent of Ukrainians believe the country is headed in the wrong direction, while Zelenskiy's personal approval rating has dipped below 50 percent.
According to a poll by the Rating Group polling agency, Servant of the People -- a populist party that has no defined program or ideology -- is expected to get only about 17 percent of the overall vote on October 25, down from the 54 percent it received in snap parliamentary elections in July 2019.
The incumbent mayors of the major cities holding elections – Kyiv, Kharkiv, Odesa, Dnipro, and Lviv -- are expected to retain their seats, although some races could go to a second round of voting. None of these incumbents is a member of Servant of the People, and all of them oppose Zelenskiy.
More than 1,400 newly defined local communities will choose city and regional council members, as well as heads of rural settlements and city mayors. The new election laws also mandate that 40 percent of local council seats go to women.
In all, some 370 mayors, more than 1,000 town and settlement heads, and about 2,000 town, city, and regional councils will be determined. Some 360 registered parties are participating in at least one of the elections.
Final results are expected in several days.
Voting will not be held in the Black Sea region of Crimea, which was annexed by Russia in 2014, and in parts of the eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions where Russian-backed separatist formations are fighting against Kyiv.
In addition, Zelenskiy has ordered that a nonbinding poll comprising five questions be conducted in parallel with the voting. The questions have not been announced in advance, and voter participation in the survey will be voluntary. Zelenskiy said in a video posted on his official website that voters will also be asked to submit questions for future polls.
The voting comes as Ukraine -- like many European countries -- is experiencing a sharp uptick in new coronavirus infections. The country set a single-day record for new infections on October 23, with 7,517 cases recorded. That broke the record of 7,053 set the day before.
Voters were asked to maintain social distancing, wear a mask, and have their temperature taken before casting their vote.
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko announced on October 24 that he had tested positive for the virus and that he was immediately self-isolating.
Zelenskiy's cabinet last year decided to strip Klitschko of his powers at the head of the capital city's state administration, which are a separate position from the post of mayor, ratcheting up a power struggle between the former world boxing champion and the president.
The president's office accused Klitschko, who has served as mayor of Kyiv since 2014, of enabling graft and of not controlling the Kyiv city council.
Klitschko has denied the allegations and in response has asked the National Anti-Corruption Bureau to investigate the allegations. Klitschko is expected to easily win the mayoral race for Kyiv.
In all, Ukraine has recorded more than 330,000 coronavirus infections and more than 6,100 deaths.


rferl--2020-10-24--Iran's Supreme Leader Says Fighting Coronavirus 'Main Priority'

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has urged the authorities to prioritize public health above any economic or security concerns as the Middle East 's hardest-hit country battles a third wave of the coronavirus outbreak .
Iran 's death toll from COVID-19 topped 32,000 this week .
`` We must do everything '' to reduce the number of deaths , Khamenei said , adding that health officials `` must ensure that infected people are identified and treated from the start '' of their illness .
Khamenei told officials during a meeting with the country 's top counter-coronavirus committee that `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's health . ''
He also urged `` all organizations '' to follow strictly the Health Ministry 's guidelines to help restrict the virus 's spread , `` regardless of other considerations . ''
On October 24 , Iran recorded 5,814 new infections , which took the total number of confirmed cases to 562,705 .
The Health Ministry put the official death toll from COVID-19 at 32,320 , adding 335 fatalities from the past 24 hours .
Earlier this week , a top health official said that the true number of deaths from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ higher .
Despite the high infection rates , the government has resisted a complete lockdown , fearing it would further devastate the economy , already weakened by U.S. sanctions .
Based on reporting by AP , AFP , and Reuters

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--2020-10-24--France Deports Bosnians Who Shaved Daughter's Head Over Relationship With Serb

France has expelled family members of a Bosnian Muslim teenager who forcibly shaved her head because she wanted to marry a Christian Serbian man , French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said .
French officials said five members of the 17-year-old girl 's family -- her parents and three siblings -- who lived in the eastern city of Besancon had been deported to Sarajevo , the capital of Bosnia-Herzegovina , early on October 24 .
`` This expulsion from the national territory is the consequence of unacceptable behavior on the part of the family in August , notably beatings and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in love with a young Serbian man of another religion , '' the minister said in a statement .
The statement said that the teenager will be taken care of by French social services .
Border police in Sarajevo confirmed to RFE/RL that the family had arrived at Sarajevo International Airport `` on a specially organized flight around 12:50 local time , accompanied by French police . ''
The parents were arrested on October 23 , after a court in Besancon convicted them of violence against a minor .
They were also barred @ @ @ @ @ @ @ An aunt and an uncle of the victim were also sentenced to prison terms .
French media reported in August that a Bosnian Muslim girl in Besancon had been beaten by her family and her hair had been forcefully shaved off because she had a relationship with a 20-year-old Serbian Christian man .
The family had arrived from Bosnia-Herzegovina two years ago .
With reporting by AFP , Reuters , and dpa

France has expelled family members of a Bosnian Muslim teenager who forcibly shaved her head because she wanted to marry a Christian Serbian man, French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said.
French officials said five members of the 17-year-old girl's family -- her parents and three siblings -- who lived in the eastern city of Besancon had been deported to Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia-Herzegovina, early on October 24.
"This expulsion from the national territory is the consequence of unacceptable behavior on the part of the family in August, notably beatings and the shaving of an adolescent girl who was in love with a young Serbian man of another religion," the minister said in a statement.
The statement said that the teenager will be taken care of by French social services.
Border police in Sarajevo confirmed to RFE/RL that the family had arrived at Sarajevo International Airport "on a specially organized flight around 12:50 local time, accompanied by French police."
The parents were arrested on October 23, after a court in Besancon convicted them of violence against a minor.
They were also barred from entering France for five years. An aunt and an uncle of the victim were also sentenced to prison terms.
French media reported in August that a Bosnian Muslim girl in Besancon had been beaten by her family and her hair had been forcefully shaved off because she had a relationship with a 20-year-old Serbian Christian man.
The family had arrived from Bosnia-Herzegovina two years ago.
With reporting by AFP, Reuters, and dpa


rferl--2020-10-24--Lukashenka, Pompeo Speak By Phone As Belarusian Opposition Deadline Looms

MINSK -- Belarus strongman Alyaksandr Lukashenka and U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo have spoken by phone as pressure mounts on the authoritarian ruler ahead of an opposition ultimatum to end his reign or face increased nationwide protests and strikes .
Belarus state media said on October 24 that Lukashenka told Pompeo a “ national dialogue ” was taking place in Belarus , an apparent reference to a constitutional amendment process that he has proposed as a way of placating the opposition after a disputed presidential election in August that handed him victory amid allegations the ballot was rigged .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Union have refused to accept the results , or that Lukashenka is the rightful leader of the former Soviet republic .
The BelTA state news agency reported the two sides spoke on several topics , with Pompeo saying the United States recognizes Belarus 's sovereignty and independence .
The State Department confirmed to RFE/RL that the two spoke , but gave a different account of the conversation .
`` The secretary called for the full release and immediate departure from Belarus of wrongfully detained U.S. citizen Vitali Shkliarov and reaffirmed U.S. support for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Belarus , ” a State Department spokesperson said .
Shkliarov , a Belarusian-American political strategist who worked on the campaigns of former President Barack Obama and Senator Bernie Sanders , was detained in late July while visiting Belarus .
His case has angered the U.S. government .
He was recently released and put under travel restrictions pending trial on what are widely considered to be trumped-up political charges .
BelTA also reported Lukashenka said Belarus and its ally Russia were ready to respond jointly to external threats .
“ In general , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ favor of a peaceful and calm resolution of all conflicts , including those on the outer contour , ” BelTA quoted the Belarus presidential press service as saying .
Opposition groups , and many Belarusians , say the results of the August 9 vote were fraudulent , and that activist Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya in fact is the legitimate winner .
She left Belarus for Lithuania shortly after the election amid threats to her and her family .
Minsk and Washington had seen a thawing of relations in recent years , culminating in visit by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` normalize '' ties .
But the crisis has prompted Washington to impose sanctions on Belarus because of the violent crackdowns at demonstrations over the election , while Lukashenka , who has ruled Belarus with an iron fist since 1994 , has accused Washington and its allies of fomenting unrest in the ex-Soviet country .
Earlier on October 24 , police detained nine protesters as hundreds of women staged their regular weekend march in the capital to pressure the government and Lukashenka to step aside or call new elections .
Some of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and others were holding red-and-white umbrellas as they marched through central Minsk for several hours despite the rain .
More than 12,000 Belarusians have been detained and hundreds tortured during protests since the election , with at least nine more detained on October 24 as hundreds of women staged their regular weekend march in the capital , Minsk .
Lukashenka has refused to negotiate with Tsikhanouskaya , prompting the opposition to set an October 25 deadline for him to step aside and call new elections or face increased nationwide pressure from wider strikes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ possibility of changes to the constitution several times , but the opposition has dismissed the move as an attempt to buy time and stay in power while cracking down on protesters .
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen earlier on October 24 reiterated her country 's support for the Belarusian opposition movement , the day after meeting with Tsikhanouskaya .
Democratic rights should never be taken for granted , since these `` rights ensure we can take part in free elections and say what we think , '' Frederiksen said on Facebook .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Belarus is a scary reminder that there is still a lot of work to do -- also in Europe , '' she added .
With reporting by Reuters , AP , dpa , Interfax , BelTA , and Tut.by

MINSK -- U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has held a phone call with Belarusian strongman Alyaksandr Lukashenka as pressure mounts on the authoritarian ruler ahead of an opposition ultimatum to end his reign or face increased nationwide protests and strikes.
The State Department told RFE/RL on October 24 that Pompeo demanded the release of a Belarusian-American political strategist whose detention the U.S. government has called "unjust."
"The secretary called for the full release and immediate departure from Belarus of wrongfully detained U.S. citizen Vitali Shkliarov and reaffirmed U.S. support for the democratic aspirations of the people of Belarus," a State Department spokesperson said.
Shkliarov, who worked on the campaigns of former President Barack Obama and Senator Bernie Sanders, was detained in late July while visiting his family in Belarus.
He was recently released and put under travel restrictions pending trial on what are widely considered to be trumped-up political charges.
Earlier on October 24, Belarusian state news agency BelTA provided a different account of the phone call between Lukashenka and Pompeo.
Lukashenka reportedly told Pompeo that a "national dialogue" was taking place in Belarus, an apparent reference to a constitutional amendment process that he has proposed as a way of placating the opposition after a disputed presidential election in August that handed him victory amid allegations the ballot was rigged.
Both the United States and the European Union have refused to accept the results, or that Lukashenka is the rightful leader of the former Soviet republic.
BelTA also reported Lukashenka said Belarus and its ally Russia were ready to respond jointly to external threats.
"In general, the Belarusian leader emphasized that we are in favor of a peaceful and calm resolution of all conflicts, including those on the outer contour," BelTA quoted the Belarusian presidential press service as saying.
The Belarusian opposition says the results of the August 9 vote were fraudulent, and that activist Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya in fact is the legitimate winner. She left Belarus for Lithuania shortly after the election amid threats to her and her family.
Minsk and Washington had seen a thawing of relations in recent years, culminating in visit by Pompeo to Belarus in February to help "normalize" ties.
But the crisis has prompted Washington to impose sanctions on Belarus because of the violent crackdowns at demonstrations over the election, while Lukashenka, who has ruled Belarus with an iron fist since 1994, has accused Washington and its allies of fomenting unrest in the ex-Soviet country.
Earlier on October 24, police detained nine protesters as hundreds of women staged their regular weekend march in the capital to pressure the government and Lukashenka to step aside or call new elections.
Some of the demonstrators were draped in red-and-white opposition flags and others were holding red-and-white umbrellas as they marched through central Minsk for several hours despite the rain.
More than 12,000 Belarusians have been detained and hundreds tortured during protests since the election, with at least nine more detained on October 24 as hundreds of women staged their regular weekend march in the capital, Minsk.
Lukashenka has refused to negotiate with Tsikhanouskaya, prompting the opposition to set an October 25 deadline for him to step aside and call new elections or face increased nationwide pressure from wider strikes and protests.
Lukashenka has mentioned the possibility of changes to the constitution several times, but the opposition has dismissed the move as an attempt to buy time and stay in power while cracking down on protesters.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen earlier on October 24 reiterated her country's support for the Belarusian opposition movement, the day after meeting with Tsikhanouskaya.
Democratic rights should never be taken for granted, since these "rights ensure we can take part in free elections and say what we think," Frederiksen said on Facebook.
"The popular uprising of recent weeks in Belarus is a scary reminder that there is still a lot of work to do -- also in Europe," she added.
Frederiksen noted that Denmark supported EU sanctions against Lukashenka.
With reporting by Reuters, AP, dpa, Interfax, BelTA, and Tut.by


rferl--2020-10-25--Large Protests In Belarus As Opposition Deadline Reached

Tens of thousands of Belarusians are taking part in rallies against strongman Alyaksandr Lukashenka as the deadline set by the opposition for him to step down or face a nationwide strike passes .
The Interior Ministry issued an advance warning that people should not attend demonstrations for which no permit has been issued .
Ahead of the protests , mobile Internet was reportedly disrupted and 12 subway stations were closed in the capital due to `` security reasons . ''
Such measures have been reported during past protests in what appeared to be an attempt to disrupt the free flow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ heavy presence of security forces in the city .
Belarus has been rocked by protests since Lukashenka , in power since 1994 , was declared the winner of the August 9 presidential election amid allegations of widespread vote rigging .
On October 24 , several hundred women marched across the capital , Minsk , in heavy rain to demand the resignation of Lukashenka .
Smaller anti-government demonstrations were also held in several other cities .
The opposition says the results of the August vote were fraudulent , and that activist Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ left Belarus for Lithuania shortly after the election amid threats to her and her family .
Lukashenka sought to immediately squash the protest movement as he had in the past with harassment , arrests , and police brutality .
More than 12,000 Belarusians have been detained and hundreds tortured during protests over the ensuing weeks .
The EU and United States have refused to recognize Lukashenka , who held an abrupt inauguration ceremony last month , as the legitimate ruler of Belarus .
With reporting by dpa and AP

MINSK -- Belarusian opposition candidate Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya has said a national strike will begin on October 26 after Alyaksandr Lukashenka's government responded with stun grenades and rubber bullets to protests against him earlier in the day.
Tsikhanouskaya had previously set a "People's Ultimatum" for Lukashenka to resign by the evening of October 25, warning she would call a national strike if he did not.
More than 100,000 people protested in Minsk on October 25 despite a massive police and military presence.
The rallies for the 11th Sunday in a row came despite a warning by the Interior Ministry that people should not attend demonstrations for which no permit had been issued.
Stun grenades were used against protesters as tens of thousands of people headed toward Independence Palace in Minsk, carrying the red-and-white flags of the Belarusian opposition movement.
Protesters scattered as loud bangs and flashes lit up the city's streets after nightfall, videos showed. At least one person was wounded as the result of the use of stun grenades.
Rubber bullets were also used to disperse the column, and one person was wounded by a shot in the stomach.
More than 120 people were detained, the Vyasna human rights group reported.
Police confirmed that riot-control weapons had been used and detentions had taken place, the TASS and RIA Novosti news agencies reported.
"The regime once again showed Belarusians that force is the only thing it is capable of," Tsikhanouskaya said in a statement. "That's why tomorrow, October 26, a national strike will begin."
Tsikhanouskaya earlier urged people to take part in a general strike on October 26 or simply to stay at home.
Ahead of the protests, mobile Internet was disrupted and 12 subway stations were closed in the capital due to "security reasons," until early afternoon, when all of them reopened.
"More than 100 thousand people gathered today in Minsk," the Telegram channel Nexta reported.
Such measures have been reported during past protests in what appeared to be an attempt to disrupt the free flow of information.
Eyewitnesses also reported a heavy presence of security forces in the city. Smaller anti-government demonstrations were also held in several other cities.
Unlike previous Sunday protests, the largest number detentions were not in the Belarusian capital, but in the regions, Vyasna said.
Rights campaigners said arrests were made in several cities, including Minsk, Hrodna, Homel, Brest, Lida, and Mahilyou. In Lida, security forces used tear gas against protesters.
Belarus has been rocked by protests since Lukashenka, in power since 1994, was declared the winner of the August 9 presidential election amid allegations of widespread vote rigging.
On October 24, several hundred women marched across the capital, Minsk, in heavy rain to demand the resignation of Lukashenka.
Many women attending the march said they would support the strike called by Tsikhanouskaya.
The opposition says the results of the August vote were fraudulent, and that Tsikhanouskaya was in fact the legitimate winner. She left Belarus for Lithuania shortly after the election amid threats to her and her family.
The democracy movement is also calling for an end to police violence, the release of all political prisoners, and a new election.
Lukashenka sought to immediately squash the protest movement as he had in the past with harassment, arrests, and police brutality.
More than 12,000 Belarusians have been detained and hundreds tortured during protests over the ensuing weeks.
The EU and United States have refused to recognize Lukashenka, who held an abrupt inauguration ceremony last month, as the legitimate ruler of Belarus.
With reporting by Reuters, dpa, AFP, and AP


rferl--2020-10-26--Zelenskiy Stresses Free Nature Of Elections In Ukraine After Historic Vote

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy touted the country ’ s free elections and insisted Ukraine is moving in the right direction after polls closed October 25 in local elections considered the most consequential in the country ’ s modern history .
`` Unlike some of our neighbors , we really have a great luxury – free elections , '' Zelenskiy said on his Facebook page , alluding to Russia and Belarus .
“ Yes , I understand perfectly well that our electoral system is still not perfect – unclean money and dishonest media resources , sadly , still affect the results @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the right direction , '' he said , adding that every free election is another sign that `` Ukraine is forever free.
” He also said he believes Ukrainians will form `` responsible and effective '' local governments and promised cooperation between central authorities and local representatives .
The elections were considered historic because they were the first held under a new Electoral Code that decentralizes power from Kyiv to local governing bodies .
The vote was also seen as an important test for Zelenskiy , who was elected in a landslide in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the People party .
According to a poll by the Rating Group polling agency , Servant of the People – a populist party that has no defined program or ideology -- was expected to get only about 17 percent of the overall vote , down from the 54 percent it received in snap parliamentary elections in July 2019 .
Recent public opinion polls show that about 70 percent of Ukrainians believe the country is headed in the wrong direction , while Zelenskiy ’ s personal approval rating has dipped below 50 percent .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ that his party won no mayoral elections in the nine major cities and regional centers where elections were held .
Servant of the People won the elections to municipal councils in two large cities in central Ukraine , but in the other seven it most often placed third or fourth , according to two polls cited .
All local officials were up for replacement in the elections , which saw turnout of about 37 percent , the Central Election Commission ( CEC ) reported based on data from 97 percent of polling stations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The final results are expected in three to five days , according to the CEC .
Voting was generally in compliance with election law , according to the Opora civic network , whose observers worked in all regions of Ukraine .
The CEC says that the most widespread violation was the continuation of campaigning on election day .
The violations were not severe enough to significantly distort the results , the CEC said .
The electoral reforms have been lauded as a significant step away from the top-down administration the country inherited @ @ @ @ @ @ @ largely unchanged over three decades of independence .
Voting was not held in the Black Sea region of Crimea , which was annexed by Russia in 2014 , and in parts of the eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions where Russia-backed separatist formations are fighting against Kyiv .
The voting comes as Ukraine – like many European countries – is experiencing a sharp uptick in new coronavirus infections .
Voters were asked to maintain social distance , wear a mask and have their temperature taken before casting their vote .
The spread of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko announced on October 24 that he had tested positive for the virus and that he was self-isolating .
The former boxing world champion is expected to face a runoff , according to initial forecasts exit polls quoted by dpa .
With reporting by AFP and dpa

KYIV -- International observers say local elections in Ukraine, in which Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and the Servant Of The People party appear to have suffered a blow, were "well-organized and transparent,” but cite concerns such as “widespread” allegations of vote-buying and lack of objectivity in the domestic media.
"In the limited number of polling stations visited, the voting process was generally calm, well-organized and transparent," observers from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) said in a statement on October 26, adding that "party observers interfered with or participated in the [vote] counting process in several cases.”
The mission with 66 observers across Ukraine said candidates "were able to campaign freely,” but “cases of abuse of state resources and of office” to unfairly promote certain candidates, as well as “widespread allegations of vote-buying” were of concern.
Voters were also hindered from making an informed choice on which candidates to vote for due to a lack of “unbiased and balanced coverage” in the media and “a high volume of unmarked promotional materials in broadcast media,” the observers said.
The elections were considered historic because they were the first held under a new electoral code that decentralizes power from Kyiv to local governing bodies.
Exit polls conducted by several groups from the October 25 elections showed that Zelenskiy's pro-Moscow and pro-Western rivals leading in the capital, Kyiv, and the majority of major cities across the country.
The Servant Of The People party, which backs Zelenskiy, lost seven of nine major Ukrainian cities, including his hometown and Kyiv, where Mayor Vitali Klitschko, leader of the Ukrainian Democratic Alliance For Reform party, leads in the poll with almost 50 percent of the votes, according to the exit polls.
If they hold, the results would be a sharp blow to Zelenskiy, whose popularity has suffered in the year and a half since he came unexpectedly to power.
"[It] is a catastrophe for a party which won 56 percent of seats in the national parliament just over a year ago. This is terrible indeed -- and undermines their position in the Rada (parliament)," said Alex Kokcharov, a country risk analyst who follows Ukraine.
Recent public opinion polls show that about 70 percent of Ukrainians believe the country is headed in the wrong direction, while Zelenskiy’s personal approval rating has dipped below 50 percent.
Exit polls showed that incumbent mayors of the major cities holding elections – Kyiv, Kharkiv, Odesa, Dnipro, and Lviv – should retain their seats, although some races could go to a second round of voting. None of these incumbents is a member of Servant Of The People, and all of them oppose Zelenskiy.
The OPORA civic group, which had observers in all regions of Ukraine, said on October 26 that, in general, the elections had been held without violations and in accordance with the election law.
The Central Election Commission (TsVK) said that the most widespread violation was the continuation of campaigning on election day. The violations were not severe enough to significantly distort the results, the TsVK said.
According to the TsVK, the turnout was 37 percent. Final results of the local elections in Ukraine will be summed up in three to five days.
On October 26, Zelenskiy issued a statement congratulating Ukrainians for holding the elections.
"We state that the election campaign, the voting process, and the election process, in general, met the highest democratic standards and current legislation. All political forces -- participants in the election process, as well as candidates -- had a full range of opportunities to communicate their position to voters," Zelenskiy's statement said, adding that "the key achievement today is that Ukrainians have elected their representatives to local governments."
Ukraine's electoral reforms have been lauded as a significant step away from the top-down administration the country inherited from the Soviet Union, a system that has remained largely unchanged over almost three decades of independence.
Voting was not held in the Black Sea region of Crimea, which was forcibly annexed by Russia in 2014, and in parts of the eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions where Russia-backed separatist formations are fighting against Kyiv.
In his October 26 statement, Zelenskiy vowed to "return the constitutional order to all the districts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions" and Crimea.


rferl--2020-10-25--U.S. Says Humanitarian Cease-Fire To Take Effect In Nagorno-Karabakh

A humanitarian cease-fire will take effect on October 26 at 8 a.m. local time ( 0400 GMT/UTC ) in the fighting between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh , a joint statement from the U.S. State Department and the two governments says .
The statement comes after U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on October 23 met with the foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan in Washington in a new push for peace , and a meeting of the co-chairs of the Minsk Group of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe ( OSCE ) , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by France , Russia , and the United States .
In a separate statement , the OSCE Minsk Group said its co-chairs and foreign ministers would meet again next week to discuss the issue .
The Minsk Group said its co-chairs and foreign ministers agreed to meet again in Geneva on October 29 `` to discuss , reach agreement on , and begin implementation , in accordance with a timeline to be agreed upon , of all steps necessary to achieve a peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict . ''
`` During their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ministers discussed implementing an immediate humanitarian cease-fire , possible parameters for monitoring the cease-fire , and initiating discussion of core substantive elements of a comprehensive solution , '' the statement said .
But new fighting erupted on October 25 between Azerbaijan and ethnic Armenian forces as both sides blamed each other for blocking a peaceful settlement to the conflict .
Armenia accused the Azerbaijani military of shelling civilian settlements .
Azerbaijan denied targeting civilians and said it was ready to implement a cease-fire , provided that Armenian forces withdrew from the battlefield .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ hardened their positions in recent days despite two Russian-brokered cease-fires , which both collapsed soon after being agreed upon .
At least some 1,000 people have been reported killed since fighting erupted on September 27 , raising fears of a wider conflict in the South Caucasus drawing in NATO member Turkey , which is an ally of Azerbaijan , and Russia , which has a military pact with Armenia .
Armenian forces and Azerbaijan 's military claim to have inflicted devastating losses on each other .
But reports from the opposing sides are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Russian President Vladimir Putin said on October 22 that Moscow believes nearly 5,000 people have been killed in the latest fighting .
Shortly before the Washington talks began , Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reiterated Ankara 's demand that Turkey become one of the Minsk Group co-chairs -- a position that has also been put forward by Azerbaijan .
`` Turkey believes it has just as much right as Russia to be involved here for peace , '' he told reporters .
The Minsk Group has n't `` yielded any result thus far @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` Azerbaijan is making its rightful demand and saying that if Armenia proposes Russia , we propose Turkey . ''
`` I hope we [ Turkey and Russia ] will take successful steps in the future as well for a solution in Syria and Libya as well as on the Azerbaijan-Armenia issue and achieve a settlement in these matters , '' Erdogan said .
The United States , France , and Russia have rebuffed calls from Turkey to play a more direct role , with Pompeo appearing last week to send a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inflaming a `` dangerous '' situation by arming and publicly backing Baku 's actions .
With reporting by Reuters , AFP , and dpa

A humanitarian cease-fire will take effect on October 26 at 8 a.m. local time (0400 GMT/UTC) in the fighting between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh, a joint statement from the U.S. State Department and the two governments says.
The statement comes after U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on October 23 met with the foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan in Washington in a new push for peace, and a meeting of the co-chairs of the Minsk Group of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), formed to mediate the conflict and led by France, Russia, and the United States.
In a separate statement, the OSCE Minsk Group said its co-chairs and foreign ministers would meet again next week to discuss the issue.
The Minsk Group said its co-chairs and foreign ministers agreed to meet again in Geneva on October 29 "to discuss, reach agreement on, and begin implementation, in accordance with a timeline to be agreed upon, of all steps necessary to achieve a peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict."
"During their intensive discussions, the co-chairs and foreign ministers discussed implementing an immediate humanitarian cease-fire, possible parameters for monitoring the cease-fire, and initiating discussion of core substantive elements of a comprehensive solution," the statement said.
But new fighting erupted on October 25 between Azerbaijan and ethnic Armenian forces as both sides blamed each other for blocking a peaceful settlement to the conflict.
Armenia accused the Azerbaijani military of shelling civilian settlements. Azerbaijan denied targeting civilians and said it was ready to implement a cease-fire, provided that Armenian forces withdrew from the battlefield.
The leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan have hardened their positions in recent days despite two Russian-brokered cease-fires, which both collapsed soon after being agreed upon.
At least some 1,000 people have been reported killed since fighting erupted on September 27, raising fears of a wider conflict in the South Caucasus drawing in NATO member Turkey, which is an ally of Azerbaijan, and Russia, which has a military pact with Armenia.
Armenian forces and Azerbaijan's military claim to have inflicted devastating losses on each other. But reports from the opposing sides are often contradictory and hard to verify.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on October 22 that Moscow believes nearly 5,000 people have been killed in the latest fighting.
Shortly before the Washington talks began, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reiterated Ankara's demand that Turkey become one of the Minsk Group co-chairs -- a position that has also been put forward by Azerbaijan.
"Turkey believes it has just as much right as Russia to be involved here for peace," he told reporters.
The Minsk Group hasn't "yielded any result thus far," Erdogan said after Friday Prayers. "Azerbaijan is making its rightful demand and saying that if Armenia proposes Russia, we propose Turkey."
"I hope we [Turkey and Russia] will take successful steps in the future as well for a solution in Syria and Libya as well as on the Azerbaijan-Armenia issue and achieve a settlement in these matters," Erdogan said.
The United States, France, and Russia have rebuffed calls from Turkey to play a more direct role, with Pompeo appearing last week to send a veiled message to Ankara suggesting it was inflaming a "dangerous" situation by arming and publicly backing Baku's actions.
With reporting by Reuters, AFP, and dpa


rferl--2020-10-25--Three Missing After Blast On Russian Tanker In Sea Of Azov

Three crew members are missing after an explosion on a Russian tanker in the Sea of Azov , the Russian @ @ @ @ @ The explosion on the oil tanker General Hazi Aslanov , sailing under the Russian flag @ @ @ @ @ Rostov-on-Don without cargo , occurred on October 24 .
There were 13 crew on board @ @ @ @ @ rescued .
The authority said on October 25 that seven vessels and more than 200 @ @ @ @ @ the search operation , but there was no risk of oil leaking .
The ship @ @ @ @ @ maneuvering , had been towed .
The cause of the blast is unclear .
Based @ @ @ @ @ TASS

Three crew members are missing after an explosion on a Russian tanker in the Sea of Azov, the Russian civil-defense authority has said.
The explosion on the oil tanker General Hazi Aslanov, sailing under the Russian flag from the Kavkaz port to Rostov-on-Don without cargo, occurred on October 24.
There were 13 crew on board. Ten of them were rescued.
The authority said on October 25 that seven vessels and more than 200 rescuers were taking part in the search operation, but there was no risk of oil leaking.
The ship, which was incapable of maneuvering, had been towed.
The cause of the blast is unclear.
Based on reporting by dpa and TASS


rferl--2020-10-25--Bulgarian Prime Minister Tests Positive For COVID-19

Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov has tested positive for the new coronavirus as the number of those infected with COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ has been on a steady rise over the past two weeks .
Borisov made the @ @ @ @ @ on October 25 .
`` After two PCR tests , today I am positive for @ @ @ @ @ .
He said that he had a `` general indisposition '' and , following the @ @ @ @ @ remain at home for treatment .
The Balkan nation of 7 million people has recorded @ @ @ @ @ and 1,084 deaths .
As of October 21 , the government again made wearing masks @ @ @ @ @ , including the capital , Sofia , have closed nightclubs .

Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov has tested positive for the coronavirus as the number of those infected with COVID-19 in the EU member country has been on a steady rise over the past two weeks.
Borisov made the disclosure in a Facebook message on October 25.
"After two PCR tests, today I am positive for COVID-19," Borisov wrote.
He said that he had a "general indisposition" and, following the recommendations of doctors, will remain at home for treatment.
The Balkan nation of 7 million people has recorded 37,562 confirmed cases of coronavirus and 1,084 deaths.
As of October 21, the government again made wearing masks indoors mandatory. Some municipalities, including the capital, Sofia, have closed nightclubs.
With reporting by AP


rferl--2020-10-25--Iranian Police Investigating Man's Death Following  Use Of Pepper Spray In Arrest

Police in Iran are investigating the death of a man who was apparently killed while being arrested by an officer in the northeastern city of Mashhad , the official government news agency IRNA has reported .
The probe came after media outside Iran carried reports `` of a young man 's death and images of when the suspect was arrested , claiming he was poisoned by pepper spray , '' said police chief Mohammad-Kazem Taghavi of Khorasan Razavi Province , where Mashhad is the capital .
`` Special orders have been given ... for quickly investigating the case and finding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Taghavi added .
He expressed `` regret '' over the `` incident '' and said the results of the investigation will be announced soon .
The announcement came hours after a video was published on the Internet that showed a police officer using a spray and a taser against a detainee identified as Mehrdad Sepehri .
The BBC said the police had used pepper spray and that the relatives of Sepehri had said that he died on the way to the hospital from suffocation .
The semiofficial Fars news agency said the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pepper spray and a taser in response to the arrested individual swearing at him . ''
Reports said the police had intervened following a family dispute .
Mehdi Akhlaghi , an official with the province 's judiciary , said that the man 's family have pressed charges , IRNA reported .
Samples will be taken from the man 's lung following autopsy to `` investigate the impact of [ pepper ] spray on his death '' , Akhlaghi was quoted as saying .
The incident follows an October 15 order by Iran 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` forced confessions , '' solitary confinement , illegal police custody , and other violations of defendants ' rights .
Human Rights Watch ( HRW ) said the announcement should be greeted with skepticism , `` given the reality that Iran 's court system systematically violates defendants ' due-process rights , and the judiciary and the country 's intelligence apparatus -- who are empowered to act as judicial officers -- regularly arbitrarily arrest and detain , and torture suspects . ''
`` Abuses start at the very top of the judicial bureaucracy , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ head of the judiciary , Ayatollah Ebrahim Raisi , himself is a serious rights violator who was part of a committee that ordered the execution of several thousand political prisoners in 1988 .
The order came a week after a controversy sparked by videos posted on social media showing police officers beating detainees in pickup trucks in the middle of a street .
In the videos , apparently shot in Tehran , the detainees are also made to apologize for the `` mistakes '' they say they have committed .
Judiciary chief Raisi @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a `` case of violation of civil rights . ''
He also ordered measures to be taken against those responsible , saying it was `` strictly forbidden to attack the accused , even if they are thugs . ''
With reporting by AFP , the BBC , and IRNA


rferl--2020-10-25--Belarusian Opposition Calls National Strike For October 26 Amid More Protests

MINSK -- Belarusian opposition candidate Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya has said a national strike will begin on October 26 after Alyaksandr Lukashenka 's government responded with stun grenades and rubber bullets to protests against him earlier in the day .
Tsikhanouskaya had previously set a `` People 's Ultimatum '' for Lukashenka to resign by the evening of October 25 , warning she would call a national strike if he did not .
More than 100,000 people protested in Minsk on October 25 despite a massive police and military presence .
The rallies for the 11th Sunday in a row came despite @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people should not attend demonstrations for which no permit had been issued .
Stun grenades were used against protesters as tens of thousands of people headed toward Independence Palace in Minsk , carrying the red-and-white flags of the Belarusian opposition movement .
Protesters scattered as loud bangs and flashes lit up the city 's streets after nightfall , videos showed .
At least one person was wounded as the result of the use of stun grenades .
Rubber bullets were also used to disperse the column , and one person was wounded by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than 120 people were detained , the Vyasna human rights group reported .
Police confirmed that riot-control weapons had been used and detentions had taken place , the TASS and RIA Novosti news agencies reported .
`` The regime once again showed Belarusians that force is the only thing it is capable of , '' Tsikhanouskaya said in a statement .
`` That 's why tomorrow , October 26 , a national strike will begin . ''
Tsikhanouskaya earlier urged people to take part in a general strike on October 26 or simply @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the protests , mobile Internet was disrupted and 12 subway stations were closed in the capital due to `` security reasons , '' until early afternoon , when all of them reopened .
`` More than 100 thousand people gathered today in Minsk , '' the Telegram channel Nexta reported .
Such measures have been reported during past protests in what appeared to be an attempt to disrupt the free flow of information .
Eyewitnesses also reported a heavy presence of security forces in the city .
Smaller anti-government demonstrations were also held @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sunday protests , the largest number detentions were not in the Belarusian capital , but in the regions , Vyasna said .
Rights campaigners said arrests were made in several cities , including Minsk , Hrodna , Homel , Brest , Lida , and Mahilyou .
In Lida , security forces used tear gas against protesters .
Belarus has been rocked by protests since Lukashenka , in power since 1994 , was declared the winner of the August 9 presidential election amid allegations of widespread vote rigging .
On October 24 , several @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Minsk , in heavy rain to demand the resignation of Lukashenka .
Many women attending the march said they would support the strike called by Tsikhanouskaya .
The opposition says the results of the August vote were fraudulent , and that Tsikhanouskaya was in fact the legitimate winner .
She left Belarus for Lithuania shortly after the election amid threats to her and her family .
The democracy movement is also calling for an end to police violence , the release of all political prisoners , and a new election .
Lukashenka sought @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he had in the past with harassment , arrests , and police brutality .
More than 12,000 Belarusians have been detained and hundreds tortured during protests over the ensuing weeks .
The EU and United States have refused to recognize Lukashenka , who held an abrupt inauguration ceremony last month , as the legitimate ruler of Belarus .
With reporting by Reuters , dpa , AFP , and AP


rferl--2020-10-25--Ukrainians Vote In Historic Local Elections

Voters across Ukraine have cast ballots in local elections held under a new Electoral Code that decentralizes power from Kyiv to local governing bodies .
The polls are considered the most consequential local elections in Ukraine 's modern history , with all local officials up for replacement and the new local governments being granted expanded financial and political independence from the central government .
The reforms have been lauded as a significant step away from the top-down administration the country inherited from the Soviet Union that has remained largely unchanged over three decades of independence .
The vote has also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ President Volodymyr Zelenskiy , who was elected in a landslide in early 2019 , and his Servant of the People party .
`` We will see the figures , '' Zelenskiy said on October 25 in response to a question about his party 's popularity .
`` It 's important that we elect people who we trust , '' he said after casting his vote .
WATCH : President Volodymyr Zelenskiy 's bodyguards struggled with a female protester , reportedly protesting against his `` sexism . ''
Outside the polling station , they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opinion poll Zelenskiy himself initiated .
Recent public opinion polls show that about 70 percent of Ukrainians believe the country is headed in the wrong direction , while Zelenskiy 's personal approval rating has dipped below 50 percent .
According to a poll by the Rating Group polling agency , Servant of the People -- a populist party that has no defined program or ideology -- is expected to get only about 17 percent of the overall vote on October 25 , down from the 54 percent it received in snap parliamentary elections @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the major cities holding elections – Kyiv , Kharkiv , Odesa , Dnipro , and Lviv -- are expected to retain their seats , although some races could go to a second round of voting .
None of these incumbents is a member of Servant of the People , and all of them oppose Zelenskiy .
More than 1,400 newly defined local communities will choose city and regional council members , as well as heads of rural settlements and city mayors .
The new election laws also mandate that 40 percent of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In all , some 370 mayors , more than 1,000 town and settlement heads , and about 2,000 town , city , and regional councils will be determined .
Some 360 registered parties are participating in at least one of the elections .
Final results are expected in several days .
Voting will not be held in the Black Sea region of Crimea , which was annexed by Russia in 2014 , and in parts of the eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions where Russian-backed separatist formations are fighting against Kyiv .
In addition @ @ @ @ @ @ @ poll comprising five questions be conducted in parallel with the voting .
The questions have not been announced in advance , and voter participation in the survey will be voluntary .
Zelenskiy said in a video posted on his official website that voters will also be asked to submit questions for future polls .
The voting comes as Ukraine -- like many European countries -- is experiencing a sharp uptick in new coronavirus infections .
The country set a single-day record for new infections on October 23 , with 7,517 cases recorded .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the day before .
Voters were asked to maintain social distancing , wear a mask , and have their temperature taken before casting their vote .
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko announced on October 24 that he had tested positive for the virus and that he was immediately self-isolating .
Zelenskiy 's cabinet last year decided to strip Klitschko of his powers at the head of the capital city 's state administration , which are a separate position from the post of mayor , ratcheting up a power struggle between the former world boxing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's office accused Klitschko , who has served as mayor of Kyiv since 2014 , of enabling graft and of not controlling the Kyiv city council .
Klitschko has denied the allegations and in response has asked the National Anti-Corruption Bureau to investigate the allegations .
Klitschko is expected to easily win the mayoral race for Kyiv .
In all , Ukraine has recorded more than 330,000 coronavirus infections and more than 6,100 deaths .