rferl--2020-08-19--U.S. Formally Starts Procedure At UN To Reactivate Iran Sanctions

The United States on August 20 formally began the process of activating a mechanism aimed at reimposing UN sanctions on Iran citing Iranian violations of the 2015 nuclear deal , which Washington exited in 2018 .
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo submitted a letter to the president of the UN Security Council notifying him of Iran 's `` significant '' noncompliance with the terms of the landmark accord .
The move marked the start of Washington ’ s bid to trigger the so-called `` snapback '' procedure , which is opposed by its European allies on the 15-member Council @ @ @ @ @ @ @ restore virtually all of the previously suspended United Nations sanctions on Iran , '' President Donald Trump said late on August 19 .
`` It 's a snapback . ''
As set out by the resolution enshrining the 2015 nuclear agreement between Tehran and world powers , a so-called snapback would reimpose UN sanctions that were eased in exchange for curbs on Iran 's nuclear program .
But the U.S. move faces opposition at the Security Council , where other members have questioned the United States ' right to do it since Washington @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two years ago and reimposed unilateral sanctions .
The United States claims it remains a `` participant '' in the accord because it was listed as such in the UN resolution that enshrined it .
An announcement of Pompeo 's trip to the UN headquarters had been anticipated since the failure of a U.S. resolution last week to extend an arms embargo .
U.S. State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said in a statement on August 19 that 30 days after the notification `` a range of UN sanctions will be restored . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ embargo , she said .
Pompeo , in an interview with Fox News on August 19 , expressed confidence about invoking the `` snapback '' mechanism , even as he appeared to lack support from Russia , China , and European signatories to the nuclear pact .
`` We are going to get these UN sanctions put back in place and the world will be safer , '' Pompeo said .
He also said he would hold China and Russia accountable if they block the move .
The United States `` absolutely '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if they refuse to reimpose the UN measures on Iran , he said , adding that the United States already has done that whenever it has seen any country violate current U.S. sanctions .
In a letter to the United Nations , Iran 's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said the U.S. has no right to trigger the reimposition of all U.N. sanctions on his country while calling on Security Council members to reject Washington 's move .
`` The U.S. push to reimpose U.N. sanctions on Iran will have dangerous consequences ... @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ... Now it is the international community 's turn to counter the unlawful push by the United States , '' Javad Zarif said in the letter .
Iranian state TV said the letter was sent to the head of the U.N. Security Council by Iran 's U.N. envoy Majid Takhteravanchi .
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov on August 20 said that U.S. moves to reinstate UN sanctions will `` lead to nothing , '' while `` creating a very serious and profound crisis in the UN Security Council , '' according to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for not backing U.S. opposition to the nuclear deal .
European leaders `` refuse to do the courageous thing , '' Pompeo said .
`` We have the same objectives , they are just wedded to this crazy nuclear deal , '' he said , referring to the 2015 agreement with Iran and six world powers intended to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons .
The U.S. resolution to extend the arms embargo , which is set to expire in October under the nuclear deal , failed last week , with only the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Russia and China voting against , while 11 members , including European allies , abstained .
That same resistance at the UN Security Council is expected to intensify as the United States acts to restore sanctions .
Iran has threatened to completely exit the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action ( JCPOA ) , as the nuclear deal is formally known , and hinted it will pull out of another key nonproliferation treaty if the arms embargo is extended or there is a `` snapback '' of sanctions .
But it also has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ compliance with the JCPOA if the United States abides by its commitments and lifts unilateral sanctions .
Diplomats and analysts say a restoration of sanctions on Iran would lead to a messy diplomatic battle that could undermine the UN Security Council and potentially collapse what is left of the nuclear deal .
Pompeo , in his interview with Fox News , acknowledged that restoring sanctions could spell the end of the deal .
Analysts say UN Security Council members will likely use bureaucratic and procedural moves to stall or block the U.S. bid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is for the UN Security Council members to respond to the U.S. claim that sanctions have been reimposed “ with a collective shrug , making plain that they dispute the move ’ s legitimacy and that they will neither recognize new sanctions nor give them any effect , ” the International Crisis Group wrote in a briefing .
Critics of the U.S. bid to extend the arms embargo say it was a cynical effort to try to snap back sanctions on Tehran , with the goal of killing the deal or making it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ resuscitate it .
Britain , France , and Germany -- all signatories to the JCPOA who have sought to keep it alive -- have expressed worries about the arms embargo ending , but oppose U.S. action at the UN because they fear it would end the nuclear deal and damage the UN Security Council .
Experts say U.S. allies in Europe and Iran appear to be trying to wait out the Trump administration , calculating that former Vice President Joe Biden will win the November presidential election and de-escalate tensions with Iran .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ AFP , AP , Fox News , and Interfax


rferl--2020-08-21--Ukrainian Special Anti-Corruption Prosecutor Resigns

KYIV -- The head of Ukraine 's Special Anti-Corruption Prosecutor 's Office says he has resigned after five years in the post .
Nazar Kholodnytskiy made the announcement in a Facebook post on August 21 , saying he had quit of his own free will .
`` Today I can say with confidence that the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor 's Office and the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine will fulfill their mission , '' Kholodnytskiy wrote .
“ I thank my team for their dedication , honesty and integrity -- we do our job with dignity . ''
He also said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ political attempts to encroach on our independence and manipulate the results of our work . ''
Kholodnytskiy posted a copy of Prosecutor-General Iryna Venediktova 's August 21 order to dismiss him `` in connection with the application for voluntary dismissal . ''
Kholodnytskiy , the first head of anti-corruption investigations at the prosecution service in Ukraine , has been embroiled in a scandal over allegations that he helped officials suspected of corruption evade prosecution .
In July 2018 , Ukraine 's Qualification and Disciplinary Commission of Prosecutors ( KDPK ) rejected a request @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kholodnytskiy and ruled to reprimand him .
Ukraine 's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy , who was elected last year , has vowed to root out entrenched corruption that has plagued Ukraine for decades .
In June , Ukrainian officials said they were offered $ 6 million in bribes to end a criminal investigation into the head of a gas company where the son of former U.S. Vice President Joe Biden served on the board .
Kholodnytskiy , however , said that neither of the Bidens was connected to the alleged bribe attempt .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ center of a scandal leading to U.S. President Donald Trump 's impeachment trial earlier this year .

KYIV -- The head of Ukraine's Special Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office says he has resigned after five years in the post.
Nazar Kholodnytskiy made the announcement in a Facebook post on August 21, saying he had quit of his own free will.
"Today I can say with confidence that the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office and the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine will fulfill their mission," Kholodnytskiy wrote.
“I thank my team for their dedication, honesty and integrity -- we do our job with dignity."
He also said that his office has "systematically faced political attempts to encroach on our independence and manipulate the results of our work."
Kholodnytskiy posted a copy of Prosecutor-General Iryna Venediktova's August 21 order to dismiss him "in connection with the application for voluntary dismissal."
Kholodnytskiy, the first head of anti-corruption investigations at the prosecution service in Ukraine, has been embroiled in a scandal over allegations that he helped officials suspected of corruption evade prosecution.
In July 2018, Ukraine's Qualification and Disciplinary Commission of Prosecutors (KDPK) rejected a request by the Prosecutor-General's Office to fire Kholodnytskiy and ruled to reprimand him.
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who was elected last year, has vowed to root out entrenched corruption that has plagued Ukraine for decades.
In June, Ukrainian officials said they were offered $6 million in bribes to end a criminal investigation into the head of a gas company where the son of former U.S. Vice President Joe Biden served on the board.
Kholodnytskiy, however, said that neither of the Bidens was connected to the alleged bribe attempt.
The Burisma natural gas company was at the center of a scandal leading to U.S. President Donald Trump's impeachment trial earlier this year.


rferl--2020-08-21--Tajikistan Jails Anti-Narcotics Agency Official On Fraud Charges

A high-ranking official in Tajikistan ’ s state anti-narcotics agency has been arrested on high-value fraud charges .
Saifiddin Barotzoda @ @ @ @ @ to commit fraud to gain a substantial amount of money , the state-run Khovar news @ @ @ @ @ , citing the State Committee For National Security .
It didn ’ t provide further @ @ @ @ @ , Barotzoda , a department head at the agency , could face up to 12 @ @ @ @ @ hasn ’ t been able to contact Barotzoda ’ s lawyers .
Corruption is widespread @ @ @ @ @ that ranks 153 out of 198 countries in the 2019 Corruption Perception Index by graft @ @ @ @ @ officers from the anti-narcotics agency have been convicted of bribery and the extortion of large @ @ @ @ @ drug dealers in exchange for turning a blind eye to their crimes .

A high-ranking official in Tajikistan’s state anti-narcotics agency has been arrested on high-value fraud charges.
Saifiddin Barotzoda is accused of abusing office to commit fraud to gain a substantial amount of money, the state-run Khovar news agency reported on August 20, citing the State Committee For National Security. It didn’t provide further details.
If found guilty, Barotzoda, a department head at the agency, could face up to 12 years in prison.
RFE/RL hasn’t been able to contact Barotzoda’s lawyers.
Corruption is widespread in the Central Asian nation that ranks 153 out of 198 countries in the 2019 Corruption Perception Index by graft watchdog Transparency International.
Several officers from the anti-narcotics agency have been convicted of bribery and the extortion of large sums of money from suspected drug dealers in exchange for turning a blind eye to their crimes.


rferl--2020-08-21--Kazakhstan Deports Uzbek Opposition Activist To Tashkent

Uzbek authorities have confirmed reports that Kazakhstan has deported prominent Uzbek opposition activist Khurram Berdiev to Tashkent at the official @ @ @ @ @ Tashkent police said on their website that Berdiev , 59 , was handed over to @ @ @ @ @ 17 .
The police statement said Berdiev has been charged with human trafficking , an @ @ @ @ @ dismissed as baseless .
The statement added that Berdiev was involved in a group that @ @ @ @ @ to Kazakhstan on the promise of various jobs , but failed to pay their wages @ @ @ @ @ probe against Berdiev was opened in 2013 .
He was arrested in Kazakhstan in February @ @ @ @ @ of the opposition Erk ( Freedom ) Party in the 1990s .
He also was @ @ @ @ @ ( Oppressed ) human rights group , and led the organization 's branch in his @ @ @ @ @ rights activists say the pressure on Berdiev began after he supported calls for independent probes @ @ @ @ @ anti-government protests in the eastern city of Andijon in May 2005 .

Uzbek authorities have confirmed reports that Kazakhstan has deported prominent Uzbek opposition activist Khurram Berdiev to Tashkent at the official request of Uzbek officials.
Tashkent police said on their website that Berdiev, 59, was handed over to Uzbek law-enforcement agencies on August 17.
The police statement said Berdiev has been charged with human trafficking, an accusation Berdiev's supporters have dismissed as baseless.
The statement added that Berdiev was involved in a group that illegally sent numerous Uzbek laborers to Kazakhstan on the promise of various jobs, but failed to pay their wages.
Police said a criminal probe against Berdiev was opened in 2013. He was arrested in Kazakhstan in February.
Berdiev was a supporter of the opposition Erk (Freedom) Party in the 1990s. He also was a co-founder of the Mazlum (Oppressed) human rights group, and led the organization's branch in his native Surkhondaryo Province.
Uzbek rights activists say the pressure on Berdiev began after he supported calls for independent probes into a bloody crackdown on anti-government protests in the eastern city of Andijon in May 2005.


rferl--2020-08-21--Belarusian Opposition Leader Calls On Workers To Broaden Strikes

MINSK -- Belarus ’ s leading opposition figure has said Belarusians `` will never accept '' President Alyaksandr Lukashenko 's leadership , and called on workers in the country ’ s state factories and companies to continue striking as part of efforts to pressure the longtime authoritarian leader to call new elections .
`` It should be clear to the president that there is a need for change .
I hope that good sense prevails and the people will be heard and there will be new elections , '' Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya said on August 21 at her first press conference @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a disputed presidential election .
Tsikhanouskaya told reporters in Vilnius that she plans to return to Belarus `` when I feel safe there . ''
In a video address released earlier in the day , she urged workers on state enterprises to “ continue and expand strikes '' and told them not to be “ fooled by intimidation . ''
`` If we all stand together , this regime will not stand a chance , ” the 37-year-old political novice added .
Many of Belarus ’ s biggest and most important state companies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 13 days , as workers have joined thousands of demonstrators opposed to Lukashenka and the “ rigged ” August 9 vote in which the 65-year-old Belarusian leader claimed a landslide reelection victory .
Tsikhanouskaya ran after other potential candidates , including her husband , were jailed or exiled prior to the election during a crackdown on the opposition .
Official results gave her about 10 percent of the vote , but she claims to have actually received between 60 and 70 percent .
Tsikhanouskaya has joined with some strike leaders , opposition activists @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Coordination Council aimed at negotiating a transition of power with the Belarusian government .
But Lukashenka has refused and rejected demands for a new presidential election , instead accusing the council of plotting a coup .
Two leading members of the Coordination Council -- Maksim Znak and Syarhey Dyleuski -- were summoned by investigators on August 21 for questioning , a day after the Prosecutor-General 's Office opened a criminal inquiry against the council ’ s founders on charges of threatening national security .
The council members rejected the accusations , insisting that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with Belarusian law .
The popular protests that erupted after the August 9 vote gave Lukashenka a fresh six-year term have turned into the biggest challenge to his 26 years in office .
About 7,000 people were detained , hundreds were injured , and three people died in a crackdown on protesters .
Some of those who have been released since have complained of beatings and terrible conditions while in detention .
The UN Human Rights Office raised alarm at allegations of the “ large-scale torture and ill-treatment of people including of journalists @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arrests and in detention '' and called for objective investigations into the claims .
`` We are particularly worried that the fate and whereabouts of at least eight people remain unknown , '' the office said in a statement .
The European Union has said it does not recognize the result of the election because of irregularities and will soon impose sanctions on Lukashenka 's government .
In a statement on August 21 , an EU spokeswoman for foreign policy and security affairs urged Belarusian authorities to drop the criminal case against the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a dialogue in view of moving towards a peaceful way out of the current crisis . ''
The previous day , EU Council President Charles Michel tweeted that he held another phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin , whose country is Lukashenka 's closest ally , and told him that the only solution to the Belarus crisis was `` political inclusive dialogue & a peaceful and democratic process . ''
During the call , Michel said the bloc 's goals for the crisis were to stop violence against protesters and ensure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chaos , according to a senior EU official .
`` Nobody wants a repeat of what happened in Ukraine , '' the official told Reuters on condition of anonymity .
`` The EU is seeking to support stability , talks between authorities , the opposition and the broader society , economic prosperity , without tilting the geopolitical balance for Belarus between the EU and Russia . ''
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on August 20 that the United States remains deeply concerned by `` serious flaws '' in Belarus 's election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of international efforts to independently look into reported electoral irregularities and human rights abuses surrounding the vote .
Pompeo also urged the Belarusian government to “ actively engage '' Belarusian society , including through the Coordination Council.
” With reporting by Reuters and AFP

MINSK -- Belarusian opposition candidate Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya has filed an official complaint against the results of the August 9 presidential election, saying her compatriots "will never accept" the leadership of President Alyaksandr Lukashenka again.
Demonstrations and strikes have erupted across Belarus over the past 13 days in protest at what many have called a "rigged" presidential election in which Lukashenka claimed a landslide reelection victory -- posing the biggest challenge to his 26-year rule.
"It should be clear to the president that there is a need for change. I hope that good sense prevails and the people will be heard and there will be new elections," Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya said on August 21 at her first press conference since fleeing to Lithuania last week after a disputed presidential election.
Tsikhanouskaya told reporters in Vilnius that she plans to return to Belarus "when I feel safe there."
Tsikhanouskaya's lawyer Maksim Znak on August 21 filed a complaint with the Belarusian Supreme Court requesting the election be ruled invalid.
"A complaint has been submitted. A decision on when to start proceedings is due within three days," Znak, a leading member of the opposition's Coordination Council, said on August 21.
Znak and Syarhey Dyleuski, another member of the council, were summoned for questioning on August 21 at the headquarters of the Investigative Committee in a criminal case accusing the council of trying to seize power.
Dozens of supporters accompanied them.
Znak said on entering that he feared he might be arrested. But when he emerged later, he said he had "productive discussions" and would get back to work.
In a video address released earlier in the day, Tsikhanouskaya called on workers in the country's state-owned factories and companies to continue striking despite "intimidation" from the authorities.
"If we all stand together, this regime will not stand a chance," the 37-year-old political novice added.
Many of the country's biggest and most important state companies have seen work stoppages, as workers have joined thousands of anti-government demonstrators.
But addressing workers in the Dzerzhinsk region, Lukashenka said the protests "should not worry you" and accused the United States of "directing" demonstrators.
"This is my problem, which I must resolve and which we are resolving. And believe me, in the coming days it will be resolved," he said, according to state news agency BelTA.
Tsikhanouskaya ran in the August 9 election after other potential candidates, including her husband, were jailed or exiled prior to the election during a crackdown on the opposition.
Official results gave her about 10 percent of the vote, but she claims to have actually received between 60 and 70 percent.
Tsikhanouskaya has joined with some strike leaders, opposition activists, and cultural figures to form a Coordination Council aimed at negotiating a transition of power with the Belarusian government.
But Lukashenka has refused and rejected demands for a new presidential election, instead accusing the council of plotting a coup.
Two leading members of the Coordination Council -- Maksim Znak and Syarhey Dyleuski -- were summoned by investigators on August 21 for questioning, a day after the Prosecutor-General's Office opened a criminal inquiry against the council’s founders on charges of threatening national security.
The council members rejected the accusations, insisting that their actions have been in full compliance with Belarusian law.
The popular protests that erupted after the August 9 vote gave Lukashenka a fresh six-year term have turned into the biggest challenge to his 26 years in office.
About 7,000 people were detained, hundreds were injured, and three people died in a crackdown on protesters. Some of those who have been released since have complained of beatings and terrible conditions while in detention.
Unfazed by the pressure, thousands of demonstrators on August 21 formed "chains of solidarity" across the capital before marching to the central Independence Square. Drivers honked and slowed down to block traffic in a show of solidarity.
The UN Human Rights Office raised alarm at allegations of the “large-scale torture and ill-treatment of people including of journalists and particularly alarmingly of children, during arrests and in detention" and called for objective investigations into the claims.
"We are particularly worried that the fate and whereabouts of at least eight people remain unknown," the office said in a statement.
The European Union has said it does not recognize the result of the election because of irregularities and will soon impose sanctions on Lukashenka's government.
In a statement on August 21, the EU spokeswoman for foreign policy and security affairs urged Belarusian authorities to drop the criminal case against the Coordination Council and to instead "engage in a dialogue in view of moving towards a peaceful way out of the current crisis."
The previous day, EU Council President Charles Michel tweeted that he held another phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, whose country is Lukashenka's closest ally, and told him that the only solution to the Belarus crisis was "political inclusive dialogue & a peaceful and democratic process."
During the call, Michel said the bloc's goals for the crisis were to stop violence against protesters and ensure that the country does not slide into chaos, according to a senior EU official.
"Nobody wants a repeat of what happened in Ukraine," the official told Reuters on condition of anonymity.
"The EU is seeking to support stability, talks between authorities, the opposition and the broader society, economic prosperity, without tilting the geopolitical balance for Belarus between the EU and Russia."
Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his Belarusian counterpart, Uladzimer Makey, emphasized in a phone call that resolving the crisis in Belarus "did not require foreign interference," the Russian Foreign Ministry said on August 21.
"It was pointed out that foreign players needed to respect Belarus's sovereignty and independence and put an end to attempts to provoke confrontation within Belarusian society and undermine efforts to improve the situation," a statement said.
Makey issued his own statement, saying that EU sanctions would be viewed as unfriendly actions that damage the sovereignty of the country.
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on August 20 that the United States remains deeply concerned by "serious flaws" in Belarus's election, adding that Washington was in support of international efforts to independently look into reported electoral irregularities and human rights abuses surrounding the vote.
Pompeo also urged the Belarusian government to “actively engage" Belarusian society, including through the Coordination Council.”
With reporting by Reuters and AFP


rferl--2020-08-21--Pompeo Defends U.S. Move To Trigger 'Snapback' Of Sanctions On Iran

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has defended Washington 's move to formally begin the process of activating a mechanism aimed at reimposing UN sanctions on Iran citing Iranian violations of a 2015 nuclear deal , which Washington exited in 2018 .
Pompeo on August 20 submitted a letter to the president of the UN Security Council notifying him of Iran 's `` significant '' noncompliance with the terms of the landmark accord .
The move marked the start of Washington ’ s bid to trigger the so-called `` snapback '' procedure , which is opposed by its European allies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ actions today too should come as no surprise to anyone , '' Pompeo told a news conference at the UN .
`` President Trump and this administration have discarded the fiction that the regime merely seeks a peaceful nuclear program . ''
As set out by the resolution enshrining the 2015 nuclear agreement between Tehran and world powers , a so-called snapback would reimpose UN sanctions that were eased in exchange for curbs on Iran ’ s nuclear program .
But the U.S. move faces opposition at the Security Council , where other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ right to do it since Washington withdrew from the nuclear deal more than two years ago and reimposed unilateral sanctions .
The United States claims it remains a `` participant '' in the accord because it was listed as such in the UN resolution that enshrined it .
Pompeo said it is “ very plain ” in the wording of resolution 2231 , which enshrined the deal , that any signatory that finds Iran not in compliance has the capacity to request a snapback of the sanctions .
“ It ’ s important @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one of the participant states the right to execute snapback unconditionally , ” Pompeo said , defending the U.S. move .
In a letter to the United Nations , Iran 's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said the U.S. has no right to trigger the reimposition of all UN sanctions on his country while calling on Security Council members to reject Washington 's move .
`` The U.S. push to reimpose U.N. sanctions on Iran will have dangerous consequences ... Iran has exercised restraint in good faith ... Now it is the international @ @ @ @ @ @ @ push by the United States , '' Zarif said in the letter .
Iranian state TV said the letter was sent to the head of the UN Security Council by Iran 's UN envoy Majid Takhteravanchi , who said he was confident that the Security Council would reject the U.S. move .
`` A permanent member of the Security Council is acting like a child , is being ridiculed by the other members of the international community , '' he told reporters .
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said on August 20 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sanctions will “ lead to nothing ” while “ creating a very serious and profound crisis in the UN Security Council , '' according to Interfax .
France , Germany and Britain said they can not support the U.S. move to restore United Nations sanctions on Iran , saying the action is incompatible with efforts to support the Iran nuclear deal .
`` In order to preserve the agreement , we urge Iran to reverse all measures inconsistent with its nuclear commitments and return to full compliance without delay , '' the three @ @ @ @ @ @ @ With reporting by Reuters , dpa , AFP , AP , Fox News , and Interfax

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--2020-08-21--Russian Doctors Say Kremlin Critic Navalny Can't Be Moved, No Indication Of Poisoning

The Kremlin says that a decision to refuse the transfer to Germany of opposition leader Aleksei Navalny , who is in a coma in a Siberian hospital with suspected poisoning , is based only on medical grounds .
`` This is a question of a purely medical decision , '' President Vladimir Putin 's spokesman , Dmitry Peskov , told journalists on August 21 after Russian doctors said Navalny was not well enough to be moved from the Omsk hospital where he is being treated .
The 44-year-old anti-corruption campaigner became ill on August 20 while on a flight to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , forcing the aircraft to make an unscheduled landing in Omsk , where he was transported by ambulance to the hospital .
A group of German doctors arrived at the Omsk hospital on August 21 after traveling there on an air ambulance that has been waiting in Omsk to pick up Navalny , who was put on a ventilator in intensive care .
He was to be treated at Berlin 's Charite hospital upon his arrival in the German capital .
After offering to have him flown to Germany for treatment , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Navalny 's life must be saved .
`` The most important priority is of course that Mr. Navalny 's life can be saved and that he can recover , '' government spokesman Steffen Seibert told reporters in Berlin .
But Aleksandr Murakhovsky , the head doctor at Omsk Emergency Hospital No .
1 , said earlier on August 21 that although Navalny 's condition had improved a little , attempting to move him could pose a risk to his life .
Navalny ’ s spokeswoman , Kira Yarmysh , called the hospital 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being carried out right now by doctors and the deceitful authorities that have authorized it . ''
`` It is deadly to remain in the Omsk hospital without equipment or a diagnosis , '' she tweeted .
There has been no official diagnosis of Navalny 's condition , but his team believes he was poisoned because of his activities .
Yarmysh said she believed the politician was poisoned when he drank tea he had bought at the Tomsk airport .
But Murakhovsky told journalists the most likely cause of Navalny 's condition was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ carbohydrates , according to comments carried by state news agency TASS .
`` Today we have some working diagnoses .
The main one is ... a metabolic disorder , '' Murakhovsky said , adding that Navalny 's condition `` may be caused by a sudden drop of blood sugar levels . ''
Murakhovsky 's comments came after Yarmysh quoted Navalny ’ s associate , Ivan Zhdanov , as saying that `` a police officer at the hospital had just said that a poison was found in Aleksei 's body , which was dangerous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for those around him . ''
The European Union has asked for a swift investigation into what caused Navalny to fall into a coma .
`` We are very worried about Aleksei Navalny 's health following his suspected poisoning yesterday , '' EU spokeswoman for foreign affairs and security policy Nabila Massrali said on August 21 .
`` We expect a swift , independent , and transparent investigation .
If confirmed , those responsible must be held to account , '' Massrali added , urging Russia to permit Navalny to be transferred abroad @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Russian law enforcement would launch an investigation if poisoning was confirmed , but TASS quoted an unidentified law enforcement source as saying that there were `` no grounds for opening a criminal case , no crime elements have been identified . ''
White House national-security adviser Robert O'Brien said on August 20 that the suspected poisoning was `` extraordinarily concerning '' and could have an impact on U.S.-Russia relations .
`` He 's a very courageous man .
He is a very courageous politician to have stood up to [ Russian President ] @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and our prayers are with him and his family , '' O'Brien said in an interview on Fox News .
`` It 's extraordinarily concerning and if the Russians were behind this ... it 's something that we 're going to factor into how we deal with the Russians going forward , '' he said .
Navalny , who has exposed rampant corruption in Russia , has suffered physical attacks in the past .
He endured chemical burns to one of his eyes in 2017 after he was assaulted with antiseptic dye .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a 30-day jail term after calling for unauthorized protests .
During that jail sentence , he was taken to a hospital with severe swelling of the face and a rash , and later alleged he was poisoned .
He has been jailed several times in recent years , barred from running for president , and had a bid to run for Moscow mayor blocked .
The head of the legal department of the Anti-Corruption Foundation Navalny founded , Vyacheslav Gimadi , wrote on Twitter , `` There is no doubt that Navalny was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
With reporting by TASS , Ngs55.ru , AP , dpa , Reuters , and Fox News

Russian health officials have finally granted permission for opposition leader Aleksei Navalny, who is in a coma in a Siberian hospital with suspected poisoning, to be evacuated to Germany for treatment.
Navalny's family and allies have been fighting to transfer him to Germany for urgent treatment, but Russian doctors treating him had refused for hours to allow him to leave the hospital in the Siberian city of Omsk, arguing that he was not fit to travel.
But later on August 21, a senior official at the Omsk hospital, Anatoly Kalinichenko, told the media that Navalny could now be transported, as his condition has stabilized.
The transport from the Russian hospital is planned to be conducted within the day, Kalinichenko was quoted as saying.
According to Russia's RIA Novosti news agency, the flight to Berlin is scheduled for the morning of August 22.
German doctors who arrived with an ambulance plane that is waiting to transport him to Berlin's Charite hospital, were earlier in the day allowed to examine Navalny in Omsk after being refused access to him because of what they said was his grave condition.
"We...made the decision that we do not oppose his transfer to another hospital, the one that his relatives indicate to us," Kalinichenko told journalists.
Navalny's wife had earlier appealed to President Vladimir Putin to allow her husband’s evacuation to Germany for urgent medical care.
"I officially appeal to you [Putin] to demand you allow the transportation of...Navalny to...Germany," Yulia Navalnaya said in a letter published on social media on August 21.
The Kremlin earlier said that the decision to refuse the transfer to Germany of Navalny was based only on medical grounds.
"This is a question of a purely medical decision," President Vladimir Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, told journalists on August 21 after Russian doctors said Navalny was not well enough to be moved from the Omsk hospital where he is being treated.
But Navalny's supporters denounced the medical verdict as a ploy to stall until any poison would no longer be found in his body.
Navalny's spokeswoman, Kira Yarmysh, had called the hospital's decision "an attempt on his life being carried out right now by doctors and the deceitful authorities that have authorized it."
"It is deadly to remain in the Omsk hospital without equipment or a diagnosis," she tweeted.
The 44-year-old anti-corruption campaigner became ill on August 20 while on a flight to Moscow from the Siberian city of Tomsk, forcing the aircraft to make an unscheduled landing in Omsk, where he was transported by ambulance to the hospital.
After offering to have him flown to Germany for treatment, the German government said on August 21 that Navalny's life must be saved.
"The most important priority is of course that Mr. Navalny's life can be saved and that he can recover," government spokesman Steffen Seibert told reporters in Berlin.
There has been no official diagnosis of Navalny's condition, but his team believes he was poisoned because of his activities.
Yarmysh said she believed the politician was poisoned when he drank tea he had bought at the Tomsk airport.
But Aleksandr Murakhovsky, the head doctor at Omsk Emergency Hospital No. 1, told journalists the most likely cause of Navalny's condition was a disorder pertaining to his metabolism of carbohydrates, according to comments carried by state news agency TASS.
"Today we have some working diagnoses. The main one is...a metabolic disorder," Murakhovsky said, adding that Navalny's condition "may be caused by a sudden drop of blood sugar levels."
Murakhovsky's comments came after Yarmysh quoted Navalny’s associate, Ivan Zhdanov, as saying that "a police officer at the hospital had just said that a poison was found in Aleksei's body, which was dangerous not only for him, but also for those around him."
The European Union has asked for a swift investigation into what caused Navalny to fall into a coma.
"We are very worried about Aleksei Navalny's health following his suspected poisoning yesterday," EU spokeswoman for foreign affairs and security policy Nabila Massrali said on August 21.
"We expect a swift, independent, and transparent investigation. If confirmed, those responsible must be held to account," Massrali added, urging Russia to permit Navalny to be transferred abroad for treatment.
Peskov told reporters that Russian law enforcement would launch an investigation if poisoning was confirmed, but TASS quoted an unidentified law enforcement source as saying that there were "no grounds for opening a criminal case, no crime elements have been identified."
'Very Courageous Man'
White House national-security adviser Robert O'Brien said on August 20 that the suspected poisoning was "extraordinarily concerning" and could have an impact on U.S.-Russia relations.
"He's a very courageous man. He is a very courageous politician to have stood up to [Russian President] Putin inside Russia, and our thoughts and our prayers are with him and his family," O'Brien said in an interview on Fox News.
"It's extraordinarily concerning and if the Russians were behind this...it's something that we're going to factor into how we deal with the Russians going forward," he said.
Navalny, who has exposed rampant corruption in Russia, has suffered physical attacks in the past.
He endured chemical burns to one of his eyes in 2017 after he was assaulted with antiseptic dye.
In July 2019, Navalny was given a 30-day jail term after calling for unauthorized protests. During that jail sentence, he was taken to a hospital with severe swelling of the face and a rash, and later alleged he was poisoned.
He has been jailed several times in recent years, barred from running for president, and had a bid to run for Moscow mayor blocked.
The head of the legal department of the Anti-Corruption Foundation Navalny founded, Vyacheslav Gimadi, wrote on Twitter, "There is no doubt that Navalny was poisoned for his political position and activity."
With reporting by TASS, ngs55.ru , AP, dpa, Reuters, Fox News, and AFP


rferl--2020-08-21--U.S. Will Seek To Reinstate Death Penalty For Boston Marathon Bomber, Says Attorney General

The U.S. Justice Department will seek to reinstate the death penalty for Dzhokhar Tsarnaev , the ethnic Chechen convicted of killing three people and injuring hundreds of others during the 2013 Boston Marathon .
An appeals court in Boston on July 31 overturned the death sentence that had been handed to Tsarnaev in 2015 .
The court ordered a new trial to determine what penalty Tsarnaev , 27 , should receive , finding that the judge who oversaw the case did not sufficiently vet jurors for biases .
Attorney General William Barr said on August 20 in an interview with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would appeal the court ’ s ruling .
“ We will do whatever ’ s necessary , ” Barr said .
“ We will take it up to the Supreme Court and we will continue to pursue the death penalty.
” An attorney for Tsarnaev , David Patton , declined to comment , according to AP .
Patton said after the appeals court decision that it was up to the government to decide whether there should be a second trial , or whether to allow `` closure to this terrible tragedy by permitting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of release . ''
A federal jury found Tsarnaev , 27 , guilty of all 30 counts he faced and sentenced him to death in just over two years after the attack at the finish line of the marathon .
Tsarnaev 's brother , Tamerlan Tsarnaev , died in a gunbattle with police a few days after the bombings .
The defense acknowledged that the brothers carried out the attack but sought to portray his Tamerlan as the radicalized mastermind and Dzhokhar as the impressionable younger brother .
Prosecutors said Dzhokhar Tsarnaev was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which the perpetrators said was meant to punish the United States for its wars in Muslim countries .

The U.S. Justice Department will seek to reinstate the death penalty for Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, the ethnic Chechen convicted of killing three people and injuring hundreds of others during the 2013 Boston Marathon.
An appeals court in Boston on July 31 overturned the death sentence that had been handed to Tsarnaev in 2015.
The court ordered a new trial to determine what penalty Tsarnaev, 27, should receive, finding that the judge who oversaw the case did not sufficiently vet jurors for biases.
Attorney General William Barr said on August 20 in an interview with the Associated Press that the Justice Department would appeal the court’s ruling.
“We will do whatever’s necessary,” Barr said. “We will take it up to the Supreme Court and we will continue to pursue the death penalty.”
An attorney for Tsarnaev, David Patton, declined to comment, according to AP. Patton said after the appeals court decision that it was up to the government to decide whether there should be a second trial, or whether to allow "closure to this terrible tragedy by permitting a sentence of life without the possibility of release."
A federal jury found Tsarnaev, 27, guilty of all 30 counts he faced and sentenced him to death in just over two years after the attack at the finish line of the marathon.
Tsarnaev's brother, Tamerlan Tsarnaev, died in a gunbattle with police a few days after the bombings.
The defense acknowledged that the brothers carried out the attack but sought to portray his Tamerlan as the radicalized mastermind and Dzhokhar as the impressionable younger brother.
Prosecutors said Dzhokhar Tsarnaev was just as culpable in the attack, which the perpetrators said was meant to punish the United States for its wars in Muslim countries.
Based on reporting by AP


rferl--2020-08-22--Russian Opposition Leader Aleksei Navalny Prepares For Medical Evacuation To Germany

Russian opposition leader Aleksei Navalny was taken by ambulance from a hospital where was gravely ill to Omsk airport for medical evacuation to Germany .
`` Alexei Navalny has been loaded into an ambulance and they are taking him to the airport , '' his spokeswoman Kira Yarmysh tweeted on August 22 .
She later wrote he was `` on the runway . ''
A private plane chartered by German NGO Cinema for Peace was set to fly the Kremlin critic to Berlin 's Charite hospital for treatment .
Navalny , who has been in a coma at a Omsk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on August 20 during a flight from the Siberian city of Tomsk to Moscow .
The plane made an emergency landing in Omsk , which is also in Siberia .
Navalny 's family and allies have been fighting to transfer him to Germany for urgent treatment , but Russian doctors treating him had refused for hours to allow him to leave the hospital in Omsk , arguing that he was not fit to travel .
But later on August 21 , a senior official at the Omsk hospital , Anatoly Kalinichenko , told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as his condition has stabilized .
German doctors who arrived with an ambulance plane were earlier in the day allowed to examine Navalny in Omsk after being refused access to him because of what the hospital said was Navalny 's grave condition .
Navalny 's wife had earlier appealed to President Vladimir Putin to allow her husband ’ s evacuation to Germany for urgent medical care .
`` I officially appeal to you [ Putin ] to demand you allow the transportation of ... Navalny to ... Germany , '' Yulia Navalnaya @ @ @ @ @ @ @ media on August 21 .
The Kremlin said that the initial decision to refuse the transfer to Germany of Navalny was based only on medical grounds .
But Navalny 's supporters denounced the medical verdict as a ploy to stall until any poison would no longer be found in his body .
Yarmysh , Navalny 's spokeswoman , had called the hospital 's decision `` an attempt on his life being carried out right now by doctors and the deceitful authorities that have authorized it . ''
After offering to have him flown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government said on August 21 that Navalny 's life must be saved .
`` The most important priority is of course that Mr. Navalny 's life can be saved and that he can recover , '' government spokesman Steffen Seibert told reporters in Berlin .
There has been no official diagnosis of Navalny 's condition , but his team believes he was poisoned because of his activities .
Yarmysh said she believed the politician was poisoned when he drank tea he had bought at the Tomsk airport .
But Aleksandr Murakhovsky , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
1 , told journalists the most likely cause of Navalny 's condition was a disorder pertaining to his metabolism of carbohydrates , according to comments carried by state news agency TASS .
`` Today we have some working diagnoses .
The main one is ... a metabolic disorder , '' Murakhovsky said , adding that Navalny 's condition `` may be caused by a sudden drop of blood sugar levels . ''
Murakhovsky 's comments came after Yarmysh quoted Navalny ’ s associate , Ivan Zhdanov , as saying that `` a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said that a poison was found in Aleksei 's body , which was dangerous not only for him , but also for those around him . ''
The European Union has asked for a swift investigation into what caused Navalny to fall into a coma .
`` We are very worried about Aleksei Navalny 's health following his suspected poisoning yesterday , '' EU spokeswoman for foreign affairs and security policy Nabila Massrali said on August 21 .
`` We expect a swift , independent , and transparent investigation .
If confirmed , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' Massrali added , urging Russia to permit Navalny to be transferred abroad for treatment .
White House national-security adviser Robert O'Brien said on August 20 that the suspected poisoning was `` extraordinarily concerning '' and could have an impact on U.S.-Russia relations .
`` He 's a very courageous man .
He is a very courageous politician to have stood up to [ Russian President ] Putin inside Russia , and our thoughts and our prayers are with him and his family , '' O'Brien said in an interview on Fox @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and if the Russians were behind this ... it 's something that we 're going to factor into how we deal with the Russians going forward , '' he said .
Navalny , who has exposed rampant corruption in Russia , has suffered physical attacks in the past .
He endured chemical burns to one of his eyes in 2017 after he was assaulted with antiseptic dye .
In July 2019 , Navalny was given a 30-day jail term after calling for unauthorized protests .
During that jail sentence , he was taken @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the face and a rash , and later alleged he was poisoned .
He has been jailed several times in recent years , barred from running for president , and had a bid to run for Moscow mayor blocked .
The head of the legal department of the Anti-Corruption Foundation Navalny founded , Vyacheslav Gimadi , wrote on Twitter , `` There is no doubt that Navalny was poisoned for his political position and activity . ''
With reporting by TASS , ngs55.ru , AP , dpa , Reuters , and AFP

The Berlin hospital where Aleksei Navalny is being treated said on August 22 that doctors had begun "extensive" diagnostic tests on the Russian opposition politician.
"After completing the examinations and after consulting the family, the physicians will comment on the disease and further treatment steps. The examinations will take some time," the hospital said on Twitter.
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier said that finding out why the fierce political critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin had fallen into the coma is "critical."
"I hope that all those who can contribute to answering this question will actually do so," Steinmeier said while on a visit to Austria. He also expressed support for Navalny’s cause.
"I wish that Mr. Navalny recovers not only quickly, but fully, to regain his health so that he can continue working," he said.
Navalny arrived in Berlin from the Siberian city of Omsk following his suspected poisoning.
Jaka Bizilj, the head of the NGO that sent the private plane to evacuate Navalny, said the Russian's condition was "stable" during the flight and on arrival.
The founder of Cinema For Peace added that the anti-corruption campaigner was "very worrying."
"We got a very clear message from the doctors that if there had not been an emergency landing in Omsk, he would have died," Bizilj said.
The flight followed a daylong battle by Navalny's family and supporters to get the fierce political critic of President Vladimir Putin to the West for what they regard as more reliable, effective, and transparent treatment.
Navalny spokeswoman Kira Yarmysh said on Twitter that his condition during the trip "once again confirms: nothing prevented Navalny from being transported, and it was necessary to do it as quickly as possible."
Hours earlier, she tweeted on his departure from Russia that "The struggle for Aleksei's life and health is just beginning, and there is still a lot to go through, but now at least the first step has been taken."
Yarmysh posted a picture of Navalny, encased in a protective stretcher, being taken aboard the charity plane in Omsk escorted by his wife.
Navalny has been in a coma at Omsk hospital since he became ill from suspected poisoning on August 20 during a flight from the Siberian city of Tomsk to Moscow. The plane made an emergency landing in Omsk, which is also in Siberia.
Navalny's family and allies had been fighting to transfer him to Germany for urgent treatment, but Russian doctors treating him had refused for hours to allow him to leave the hospital in Omsk, arguing that he was not fit to travel.
But later on August 21, a senior official at the Omsk hospital, Anatoly Kalinichenko, told the media that Navalny could be transported, as his condition has stabilized.
German doctors who arrived with an ambulance plane were earlier in the day allowed to examine Navalny in Omsk after being refused access to him because of what the hospital said was his grave condition.
Navalny's wife had earlier appealed to Russian President Vladimir Putin to allow her husband’s evacuation to Germany for urgent medical care.
The Kremlin said that the initial decision to refuse the transfer to Germany of Navalny was based only on medical grounds.
But Navalny's supporters denounced the medical verdict as a ploy to stall until any poison would no longer be found in his body.
Infographic: A Timeline Of Russian Poisoning Cases
Yarmysh had called the hospital's decision "an attempt on his life being carried out right now by doctors and the deceitful authorities that have authorized it."
After offering to have him flown to Germany for treatment, the German government said on August 21 that Navalny's life must be saved.
"The most important priority is of course that Mr. Navalny's life can be saved and that he can recover," government spokesman Steffen Seibert told reporters in Berlin.
EU Calls For Investigation
There has been no official diagnosis of Navalny's condition, but his team believes he was poisoned because of his activities.
Yarmysh said she believed the politician was poisoned when he drank tea he had bought at the Tomsk airport.
But Aleksandr Murakhovsky, the head doctor at Omsk Emergency Hospital No. 1, told journalists the most likely cause of Navalny's condition was a disorder pertaining to his metabolism of carbohydrates, according to comments carried by state news agency TASS.
"Today we have some working diagnoses. The main one is...a metabolic disorder," Murakhovsky said, adding that Navalny's condition "may be caused by a sudden drop in blood-sugar levels."
Murakhovsky's comments came after Yarmysh quoted Navalny’s associate, Ivan Zhdanov, as saying that "a police officer at the hospital just said that a poison was found in Aleksei's body, which was dangerous not only for him, but also for those around him."
The European Union has asked for a swift investigation into what caused Navalny to fall into a coma.
"We are very worried about Aleksei Navalny's health following his suspected poisoning yesterday," EU spokeswoman for foreign affairs and security policy Nabila Massrali said on August 21.
"We expect a swift, independent, and transparent investigation. If confirmed, those responsible must be held to account," Massrali added, urging Russia to permit Navalny to be transferred abroad for treatment.
'Very Courageous Man'
White House national-security adviser Robert O'Brien said on August 20 that the suspected poisoning was "extraordinarily concerning" and could have an impact on U.S.-Russia relations.
"He's a very courageous man. He is a very courageous politician to have stood up to [Russian President] Putin inside Russia, and our thoughts and our prayers are with him and his family," O'Brien said in an interview on Fox News.
"It's extraordinarily concerning and if the Russians were behind this...it's something that we're going to factor into how we deal with the Russians going forward," he said.
Navalny, who has exposed rampant corruption in Russia, has suffered physical attacks in the past.
He endured chemical burns to one of his eyes in 2017 after he was assaulted with antiseptic dye.
In July 2019, Navalny was given a 30-day jail term after calling for unauthorized protests. During that jail sentence, he was taken to a hospital with severe swelling of the face and a rash, and later alleged he was poisoned.
He has been jailed several times in recent years, barred from running for president, and had a bid to run for Moscow mayor blocked.
The head of the legal department of the Anti-Corruption Foundation Navalny founded, Vyacheslav Gimadi, wrote on Twitter, "There is no doubt that Navalny was poisoned for his political position and activity."
With reporting by TASS, ngs55.ru , AP, dpa, Reuters, and AFP


rferl--2020-08-22--Belarus Restricts Access To RFE/RL, Dozens Of Websites

Belarusian authorities have restricted access to RFE/RL ’ s Belarus Service and dozens of other websites in a bid to control information following postelection protests challenging President Alyaksandr Lukashenka .
The order issued by the Ministry of Information on August 21 came as massive protests were expected to continue over the weekend despite a crackdown and a series of threats from authorities against the opposition .
In addition to the website of RFE/RL ’ s Belarus Service , Svaboda.org , 72 websites and proxy VPN services were blocked .
When loading the sites , a message appears stating that access @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Ministry of Information of Belarus .
Among the other news websites blocked were Belsat , Euroradio , and Mediazona Belarus .
The order also restricted access to websites designed to monitor the results of the August 9 election , including the zubr.in and Voice platforms .
Websites tied to the Belarusian rights NGO Vyasna , which has monitored the crackdown on the opposition before and after the election , were also restricted .
In the postelection crackdown about 7,000 people were detained , hundreds were injured , and three people died .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ since have complained of beatings and terrible conditions while in detention .
Belarus has experienced Internet disruptions since the election , in which Lukashenka claimed a landslide victory that the opposition led by Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya and European Union says was rigged .
Analysts say Internet service has been disrupted in order to disrupt protesters from organizing and prevent negative commentary about the election results .
Dozens of journalists have been detained or harassed during the election campaign and ensuring postelection protests , including several from RFE/RL .

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


rferl--2020-08-21--Joint Commission On Iran Nuclear Deal To Meet September 1

The joint commission on the Iran nuclear agreement will meet in Vienna on September 1 , the European Union has said , after the U.S. and its European allies sparred over Washington 's bid to reimpose UN sanctions on Tehran .
The meeting will be chaired by the EU and attended by representatives of Britain , China , France , Germany , Russia and Iran , the EU said in a statement .
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on August 20 formally launched the process of activating a mechanism aimed at reimposing UN sanctions on Iran , citing Iranian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which Washington exited in 2018 .
France , Germany , and Britain said they can not support the U.S. move , as it is incompatible with efforts to support the Iran nuclear deal .
`` In order to preserve the agreement , we urge Iran to reverse all measures inconsistent with its nuclear commitments and return to full compliance without delay , '' the three said in a joint statement on August 20 .
The United States maintains it has the right to trigger the reimposition of sanctions through the agreement 's `` @ @ @ @


rferl--2020-08-21--U.S. Imposes Visa Restrictions On 14 Iranians Over Involvement In Human Rights Violations

The United States says it is imposing visa restrictions on 13 Iranian individuals for their involvement in `` gross violations @ @ @ @ @ the 1990 assassination of an Iranian opposition activist in Switzerland .
It did not disclose @ @ @ @ @ .
`` These 13 assassins , who posed as Iranian diplomats , were acting under @ @ @ @ @ government to silence opposition and show that no one is safe from the Iranian regime @ @ @ @ @ live , '' the U.S. State Department said in a statement .
The State Department @ @ @ @ @ Hojatollah Khodaei Souri , who it said aas director of Iran 's Evin prison ran @ @ @ @ @ torture and other cruel , inhuman , or degrading treatment or punishment . ''
`` @ @ @ @ @ of support to the Islamic Republic of Iran ’ s many victims worldwide that we @ @ @ @ @ who spread terror and violence , '' the statement said .


rferl--2020-08-21--Pakistan Reopens Key Border Crossing With Afghanistan

Pakistan has reopened the Chaman border crossing between its Balochistan Province and the Afghan province of Nangarhar .
The border @ @ @ @ @ following the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic in Pakistan .
Officials said on August 21 @ @ @ @ @ crossing after talks between Balochistan regional authorities and residents on the Pakistani side of the @ @ @ @ @ been demanding the reopening of the crossing , which is frequently used by traders and @ @ @ @ @ killed on July 31 when a protest rally to demand the reopening of the border @ @ @ @ @ in clashes between protesters and security forces .
The 2,430-kilometer-long Afghan-Pakistan border was created in @ @ @ @ @ the Emirate of Afghanistan .

Pakistan has reopened the Chaman border crossing between its Balochistan Province and the Afghan province of Nangarhar.
The border crossing was closed in March following the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic in Pakistan.
Officials said on August 21 they decided to reopen the crossing after talks between Balochistan regional authorities and residents on the Pakistani side of the border.
Local residents have been demanding the reopening of the crossing, which is frequently used by traders and laborers.
Six people were killed on July 31 when a protest rally to demand the reopening of the border post turned violent, resulting in clashes between protesters and security forces.
The 2,430-kilometer-long Afghan-Pakistan border was created in 1893 between then-British India and the Emirate of Afghanistan.


rferl--2020-08-21--Kyrgyz Court Says Government Didn’t Violate Late Activist’s Rights

BISHKEK -- The Bishkek city court has upheld a lower court 's verdict that the Kyrgyz government did n't violate the rights of late activist Azimjan Askarov while he was in prison .
Askarov 's wife , Khadicha Askarova who was present at the trial , said she will appeal the case to the Supreme Court .
`` I intend to fight until the end , '' Askarova said on August 20 .
He had been in custody for 10 years , despite appeals from international and domestic rights organizations , the UN Human Rights Committee , the European Union @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out violations of Askarov 's rights from the time he was detained until his death .
A court rejected his complaints on June 12 and ruled that the government had n't violated his rights .
Askarov and his lawyers appealed that verdict , but the activist died before the Bishkek city court began the proceedings , scheduled for August 20 .
The official cause of Askarov 's death was respiratory problems , but his lawyer said Askarov was exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19 before his death .
Askarov was convicted of creating a mass @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a police officer during deadly ethnic clashes between local Uzbeks and Kyrgyz in the southern cities of Osh and Jalal-Abad in 2010 .
Mary Lawlor , the UN special rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders , has called Askarov 's death `` a stain on the human rights record '' of the Kyrgyz government .

BISHKEK -- The Bishkek city court has upheld a lower court's verdict that the Kyrgyz government didn't violate the rights of late activist Azimjan Askarov while he was in prison.
Askarov's wife, Khadicha Askarova who was present at the trial, said she will appeal the case to the Supreme Court.
"I intend to fight until the end," Askarova said on August 20.
On July 25, Askarov died in a Kyrgyz prison.
He had been in custody for 10 years, despite appeals from international and domestic rights organizations, the UN Human Rights Committee, the European Union, and individual governments who all pointed out violations of Askarov's rights from the time he was detained until his death.
A court rejected his complaints on June 12 and ruled that the government hadn't violated his rights.
Askarov and his lawyers appealed that verdict, but the activist died before the Bishkek city court began the proceedings, scheduled for August 20.
The official cause of Askarov's death was respiratory problems, but his lawyer said Askarov was exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19 before his death.
Askarov was convicted of creating a mass disturbance and involvement in the murder of a police officer during deadly ethnic clashes between local Uzbeks and Kyrgyz in the southern cities of Osh and Jalal-Abad in 2010.
Mary Lawlor, the UN special rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, has called Askarov's death "a stain on the human rights record" of the Kyrgyz government.


rferl--2020-08-21--Belarus Opposition Files Appeal Against Presidential Election With Supreme Court

MINSK -- Belarusian opposition candidate Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya has filed an official complaint against the results of the August 9 presidential election , saying her compatriots `` will never accept '' the leadership of President Alyaksandr Lukashenka again .
Demonstrations and strikes have erupted across Belarus over the past 13 days in protest at what many have called a `` rigged '' presidential election in which Lukashenka claimed a landslide reelection victory -- posing the biggest challenge to his 26-year rule .
`` It should be clear to the president that there is a need for change .
I hope that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be heard and there will be new elections , '' Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya said on August 21 at her first press conference since fleeing to Lithuania last week after a disputed presidential election .
Tsikhanouskaya told reporters in Vilnius that she plans to return to Belarus `` when I feel safe there . ''
Tsikhanouskaya 's lawyer Maksim Znak on August 21 filed a complaint with the Belarusian Supreme Court requesting the election be ruled invalid .
`` A complaint has been submitted .
A decision on when to start proceedings is due within @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leading member of the opposition 's Coordination Council , said on August 21 .
Znak and Syarhey Dyleuski , another member of the council , were summoned for questioning on August 21 at the headquarters of the Investigative Committee in a criminal case accusing the council of trying to seize power .
Znak said on entering that he feared he might be arrested .
But when he emerged later , he said he had `` productive discussions '' and would get back to work .
In a video address released earlier in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the country 's state-owned factories and companies to continue striking despite `` intimidation '' from the authorities .
`` If we all stand together , this regime will not stand a chance , '' the 37-year-old political novice added .
Many of the country 's biggest and most important state companies have seen work stoppages , as workers have joined thousands of anti-government demonstrators .
But addressing workers in the Dzerzhinsk region , Lukashenka said the protests `` should not worry you '' and accused the United States of `` directing '' demonstrators @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which I must resolve and which we are resolving .
And believe me , in the coming days it will be resolved , '' he said , according to state news agency BelTA .
Tsikhanouskaya ran in the August 9 election after other potential candidates , including her husband , were jailed or exiled prior to the election during a crackdown on the opposition .
Official results gave her about 10 percent of the vote , but she claims to have actually received between 60 and 70 percent .
Tsikhanouskaya has joined with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and cultural figures to form a Coordination Council aimed at negotiating a transition of power with the Belarusian government .
But Lukashenka has refused and rejected demands for a new presidential election , instead accusing the council of plotting a coup .
Two leading members of the Coordination Council -- Maksim Znak and Syarhey Dyleuski -- were summoned by investigators on August 21 for questioning , a day after the Prosecutor-General 's Office opened a criminal inquiry against the council ’ s founders on charges of threatening national security .
The council members @ @ @ @ @ @ @ actions have been in full compliance with Belarusian law .
The popular protests that erupted after the August 9 vote gave Lukashenka a fresh six-year term have turned into the biggest challenge to his 26 years in office .
About 7,000 people were detained , hundreds were injured , and three people died in a crackdown on protesters .
Some of those who have been released since have complained of beatings and terrible conditions while in detention .
Unfazed by the pressure , thousands of demonstrators on August 21 formed `` chains of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the central Independence Square .
Drivers honked and slowed down to block traffic in a show of solidarity .
The UN Human Rights Office raised alarm at allegations of the “ large-scale torture and ill-treatment of people including of journalists and particularly alarmingly of children , during arrests and in detention '' and called for objective investigations into the claims .
`` We are particularly worried that the fate and whereabouts of at least eight people remain unknown , '' the office said in a statement .
The European Union has said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the election because of irregularities and will soon impose sanctions on Lukashenka 's government .
In a statement on August 21 , the EU spokeswoman for foreign policy and security affairs urged Belarusian authorities to drop the criminal case against the Coordination Council and to instead `` engage in a dialogue in view of moving towards a peaceful way out of the current crisis . ''
The previous day , EU Council President Charles Michel tweeted that he held another phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin , whose country is Lukashenka 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the only solution to the Belarus crisis was `` political inclusive dialogue & a peaceful and democratic process . ''
During the call , Michel said the bloc 's goals for the crisis were to stop violence against protesters and ensure that the country does not slide into chaos , according to a senior EU official .
`` Nobody wants a repeat of what happened in Ukraine , '' the official told Reuters on condition of anonymity .
`` The EU is seeking to support stability , talks between authorities , the opposition @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , without tilting the geopolitical balance for Belarus between the EU and Russia . ''
Meanwhile , Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his Belarusian counterpart , Uladzimer Makey , emphasized in a phone call that resolving the crisis in Belarus `` did not require foreign interference , '' the Russian Foreign Ministry said on August 21 .
`` It was pointed out that foreign players needed to respect Belarus 's sovereignty and independence and put an end to attempts to provoke confrontation within Belarusian society and undermine efforts to improve the situation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ issued his own statement , saying that EU sanctions would be viewed as unfriendly actions that damage the sovereignty of the country .
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on August 20 that the United States remains deeply concerned by `` serious flaws '' in Belarus 's election , adding that Washington was in support of international efforts to independently look into reported electoral irregularities and human rights abuses surrounding the vote .
Pompeo also urged the Belarusian government to “ actively engage '' Belarusian society , including through the Coordination Council.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @


rferl--2020-08-21--Russian Doctors Agree To Navalny’s Evacuation To Germany

Russian health officials have finally granted permission for opposition leader Aleksei Navalny , who is in a coma in a Siberian hospital with suspected poisoning , to be evacuated to Germany for treatment .
Navalny 's family and allies have been fighting to transfer him to Germany for urgent treatment , but Russian doctors treating him had refused for hours to allow him to leave the hospital in the Siberian city of Omsk , arguing that he was not fit to travel .
But later on August 21 , a senior official at the Omsk hospital , Anatoly Kalinichenko , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be transported , as his condition has stabilized .
The transport from the Russian hospital is planned to be conducted within the day , Kalinichenko was quoted as saying .
According to Russia 's RIA Novosti news agency , the flight to Berlin is scheduled for the morning of August 22 .
German doctors who arrived with an ambulance plane that is waiting to transport him to Berlin 's Charite hospital , were earlier in the day allowed to examine Navalny in Omsk after being refused access to him because of what they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We ... made the decision that we do not oppose his transfer to another hospital , the one that his relatives indicate to us , '' Kalinichenko told journalists .
Navalny 's wife had earlier appealed to President Vladimir Putin to allow her husband ’ s evacuation to Germany for urgent medical care .
`` I officially appeal to you [ Putin ] to demand you allow the transportation of ... Navalny to ... Germany , '' Yulia Navalnaya said in a letter published on social media on August 21 .
The Kremlin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the transfer to Germany of Navalny was based only on medical grounds .
`` This is a question of a purely medical decision , '' President Vladimir Putin 's spokesman , Dmitry Peskov , told journalists on August 21 after Russian doctors said Navalny was not well enough to be moved from the Omsk hospital where he is being treated .
But Navalny 's supporters denounced the medical verdict as a ploy to stall until any poison would no longer be found in his body .
Navalny 's spokeswoman , Kira Yarmysh , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an attempt on his life being carried out right now by doctors and the deceitful authorities that have authorized it . ''
`` It is deadly to remain in the Omsk hospital without equipment or a diagnosis , '' she tweeted .
The 44-year-old anti-corruption campaigner became ill on August 20 while on a flight to Moscow from the Siberian city of Tomsk , forcing the aircraft to make an unscheduled landing in Omsk , where he was transported by ambulance to the hospital .
After offering to have him flown to Germany @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on August 21 that Navalny 's life must be saved .
`` The most important priority is of course that Mr. Navalny 's life can be saved and that he can recover , '' government spokesman Steffen Seibert told reporters in Berlin .
There has been no official diagnosis of Navalny 's condition , but his team believes he was poisoned because of his activities .
Yarmysh said she believed the politician was poisoned when he drank tea he had bought at the Tomsk airport .
But Aleksandr Murakhovsky , the head doctor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , told journalists the most likely cause of Navalny 's condition was a disorder pertaining to his metabolism of carbohydrates , according to comments carried by state news agency TASS .
`` Today we have some working diagnoses .
The main one is ... a metabolic disorder , '' Murakhovsky said , adding that Navalny 's condition `` may be caused by a sudden drop of blood sugar levels . ''
Murakhovsky 's comments came after Yarmysh quoted Navalny ’ s associate , Ivan Zhdanov , as saying that `` a police officer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a poison was found in Aleksei 's body , which was dangerous not only for him , but also for those around him . ''
The European Union has asked for a swift investigation into what caused Navalny to fall into a coma .
`` We are very worried about Aleksei Navalny 's health following his suspected poisoning yesterday , '' EU spokeswoman for foreign affairs and security policy Nabila Massrali said on August 21 .
`` We expect a swift , independent , and transparent investigation .
If confirmed , those responsible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Massrali added , urging Russia to permit Navalny to be transferred abroad for treatment .
Peskov told reporters that Russian law enforcement would launch an investigation if poisoning was confirmed , but TASS quoted an unidentified law enforcement source as saying that there were `` no grounds for opening a criminal case , no crime elements have been identified . ''
White House national-security adviser Robert O'Brien said on August 20 that the suspected poisoning was `` extraordinarily concerning '' and could have an impact on U.S.-Russia relations .
`` He 's a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ very courageous politician to have stood up to [ Russian President ] Putin inside Russia , and our thoughts and our prayers are with him and his family , '' O'Brien said in an interview on Fox News .
`` It 's extraordinarily concerning and if the Russians were behind this ... it 's something that we 're going to factor into how we deal with the Russians going forward , '' he said .
Navalny , who has exposed rampant corruption in Russia , has suffered physical attacks in the past .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ his eyes in 2017 after he was assaulted with antiseptic dye .
In July 2019 , Navalny was given a 30-day jail term after calling for unauthorized protests .
During that jail sentence , he was taken to a hospital with severe swelling of the face and a rash , and later alleged he was poisoned .
He has been jailed several times in recent years , barred from running for president , and had a bid to run for Moscow mayor blocked .
The head of the legal department of the Anti-Corruption @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wrote on Twitter , `` There is no doubt that Navalny was poisoned for his political position and activity . ''
With reporting by TASS , ngs55.ru , AP , dpa , Reuters , Fox News , and AFP