rferl--2020-11-19--Obama Targets Putin In New Memoir, Says Russia 'To Be Feared, Perhaps, But Not Emulated'

WASHINGTON -- Former U.S. President Barack Obama has targeted Vladimir Putin for criticism in a new book , suggesting that the Russian president has put the thirst for power over scruples and calling him the leader of a government that resembled a `` criminal syndicate . ''
In the first volume of his presidential memoirs , A Promised Land , published on November 17 , Obama says Putin reminded him of a modern-day version of the corrupt political bosses that ran U.S. cities in the late 19th and early 20th centuries .
Those bosses , Obama wrote , viewed patronage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the trade . ''
`` In such a world , a lack of scruples , a contempt for any high-minded aspirations beyond accumulating power , were not flaws .
They were advantages , '' the 44th U.S. president wrote .
Obama said Putin , who has ruled Russia as either president or prime minister for the past two decades , has built a country `` to be feared , perhaps , but not emulated , '' adding that few , if any , citizens from developing countries look to Moscow for `` inspiration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2009 to 2017 , had a very strained relationship with Putin .
The former senator from Illinois came to power at a troubled time for U.S.-Russian relations : Moscow had invaded neighboring Georgia in August 2008 -- just three months before Obama won the presidency -- raising deep-seated concerns in Eastern Europe about Kremlin aggression .
Though Obama initially sought to improve relations with Moscow , a policy his administration called `` a reset , '' entrenched distrust , disagreements on foreign policy , and a rollback of democracy in Russia impeded progress @ @ @ @ @ @ @ late 2011 of trying to foment unrest in Russia following pro-democracy protests in Moscow , straining bilateral relations .
Then , in 2014 , Putin annexed Crimea and backed rebels in eastern Ukraine after the toppling of Kyiv 's pro-Kremlin leader , sending U.S.-Russia relations to a new post-Cold War low .
The Obama administration along with allies kicked Russia out of the Group of Eight ( G8 ) , a talk shop for leaders of the most powerful industrial countries , and slapped sanctions on the country to punish Putin for his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ book , Obama recalls meeting Putin for the first time in July 2009 at his dacha near Moscow , describing the Russian leader -- who was then serving as prime minister to President Dmitry Medvedev -- as physically `` unremarkable , short and compact -- a wrestler 's build . ''
`` Putin seemed to have decided to deliberately make his handpicked successor look bad -- a sign , I had to assume , that Putin planned to formally retake the reins in Russia , '' he wrote.He took a jab at Putin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such as riding a horse bare-chested , saying he did so with the `` fastidiousness of a teenager on Instagram . ''
Obama said Putin launched into an `` animated and seemingly endless monologue '' during their first meeting , detailing all the slights made by the United States over the past two decades , including expanding NATO and invading Iraq .
He offered a more favorable view of Medvedev , Putin 's protege , who served as president from 2008 to 2012 , saying the younger Russian leader did not appear to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and showed enthusiasm for the reset in relations .
`` I noticed a certain ironic detachment in his delivery , as if he wanted me to know that he did n't really believe everything he was saying , '' Obama said of his first meeting with Medvedev at a G20 meeting in April 2009 .
Obama pointed out that he had quite a few things in common with Medvedev .
He said both had studied and taught law before starting families , `` dabbled '' in politics , and were helped along by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ described Medvedev as a `` wealthy '' man who leveraged his political connections to become part-owner of a major lumber company during the privatizations of the 1990s , when many Russians saw their living standards decline .
Obama said he and Medvedev barely spoke about politics when he had dinner at the latter 's dacha outside Moscow in 2009 .
He said Medvedev 's wife , Svetlana Medvedeva , expressed concern about how their teenage son , Ilya , would handle the social pressure resulting from his father 's fame and expected him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I was struck by just how ordinary the night had been -- how , with the exception of the translators who 'd sat discretely behind us while we ate , we could have been attending a dinner party in any well-to-do American suburb , '' Obama said .
He said he sensed Putin was going to return to the presidency in 2012 after he publicly second-guessed Medvedev 's decision in March 2011 to abstain from a UN vote on military force in Libya .
Obama said it was `` inconceivable '' that Putin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Russia , did not back Medvedev in signing off on the decision to abstain .
`` Putin seemed to have decided to deliberately make his handpicked successor look bad -- a sign , I had to assume , that Putin planned to formally retake the reins in Russia , '' he wrote .
`` Beyond suspending diplomatic contacts , the Bush administration had done next to nothing to punish Russia for its aggression , Medvedev in September 2011 announced he would not run for reelection , making way for Putin , who won @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to serve as his prime minister , firing him in January 2020 after eight years .
Obama criticized his predecessor , President George W. Bush , for not being tougher on Putin , claiming he let Russia get away with invading the South Caucasus nation of Georgia in 2008 .
Russia 's five-day war against Georgia came five months before Bush was to step down from power after eight years in office .
`` Beyond suspending diplomatic contacts , the Bush administration had done next to nothing to punish Russia for its aggression @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had shrugged its shoulders and moved on , making any belated effort to isolate Russia almost certain to fail , '' he said .
Obama would himself face criticism from his successor , President Donald Trump , for not supplying Ukraine with lethal weapons to defend itself against Russian aggression .
Obama expressed the moral dilemma he faced in standing up to Putin on human rights abuses inside Russia and the Kremlin 's rollback of democracy .
After meeting Russian activists during his 2009 trip to Moscow , he questioned how far he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them in his pursuit of more strategic objectives .
`` If Putin did go after one of these activists , how far would I go in taking him to task -- especially knowing that it would not change his behavior ?
Would I risk the completion of [ New ] START negotiations , '' he said , referring to talks to reduce nuclear warheads .
The first volume of the memoir ends in 2011 , before Putin returns to the presidency .


rferl--2020-11-20--Russian Bus Passenger Stabbed To Death After Demanding Couple Follow Rule On Masks

A Russian man has been stabbed to death after demanding a couple onboard a bus in St. Petersburg comply with @ @ @ @ @ masks .
The Leningrad regional police department said on November 20 that the victim was @ @ @ @ @ a research center , whose identity was not disclosed .
The statement said the incident @ @ @ @ @ when the stabbing victim was on the bus and confronted a man and a woman @ @ @ @ @ , which are mandatory in Russia 's second-largest city when riding public transport .
All @ @ @ @ @ wearing masks .
The confrontation turned violent and the man was stabbed during the brawl @ @ @ @ @ .
The couple was detained by police .
The woman was later released , while @ @ @ @ @ described as a 40-year-old native of the Orenburg region , was remanded in custody .
@ @ @ @ @ the one who stabbed the man to death .
According to the statement , the @ @ @ @ @ the past on drugs charges and for inflicting bodily harm .

A Russian man has been stabbed to death after demanding a couple onboard a bus in St. Petersburg comply with city coronavirus regulations to wear masks.
The Leningrad regional police department said on November 20 that the victim was the 53-year-old deputy director of a research center, whose identity was not disclosed.
The statement said the incident took place three days earlier when the stabbing victim was on the bus and confronted a man and a woman who were not wearing masks, which are mandatory in Russia's second-largest city when riding public transport. All of the other passengers were wearing masks.
The confrontation turned violent and the man was stabbed during the brawl, according to the statement.
The couple was detained by police. The woman was later released, while the man, who was described as a 40-year-old native of the Orenburg region, was remanded in custody. Investigators say that he was the one who stabbed the man to death.
According to the statement, the suspect has been convicted in the past on drugs charges and for inflicting bodily harm.
With reporting by Fontanka


rferl--2020-11-20--Hungary's Orban Says Solutions To EU Budget Deadlock 'Possible'

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban says deadlocked EU budget negotiation will eventually reach an agreement despite vetoes by Hungary and Poland over the 27-member bloc 's plan to make funding dependent on respect for the rule of law .
`` Many kinds of solutions are possible , it 's just a question of political will , '' Orban told public radio on November 20 .
The EU 's 1.8-trillion-euro ( $ 2.13 trillion ) long-term budget and coronavirus rescue package was vetoed on November 16 by the right-wing governments of Hungary and Poland , both of which have been singled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ democratic freedoms .
The veto is likely to delay sorely needed EU funds at a time when the bloc is grappling with a second spike in coronavirus infections , with its economy likely to shrink in the last three months of the year in a double-dip recession .
Orban said that acceptable solutions for the two countries `` would be those reached on the basis of legal aspects rather than the political majority . ''
He gave no details .
Orban has claimed that the rule-of-law criteria for funding represent a politically motivated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ blackmailing '' EU members that oppose migration .
However , Orban , a staunch opponent of the bloc 's schemes to resettle refugees in member countries , admitted that most EU countries are pro-migration and that the EU could force Hungary to take in migrants if a majority decides .
`` At the center of all the blah-blah in Brussels is how they can force us to do something we do n't want to do , '' said Orban .
`` They want to do it in a way that , instead of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decided with a qualified , two-thirds majority , '' he said .
But `` the talks must continue , and in the end we will come to an agreement , that 's how it normally works . ''
Orban said that , irrespective of the current political debate over EU funds , `` all the development projects Hungary planned for the next 10 years will be carried out . ''
Hungary 's economy , which has been largely dependent on EU funds , is in a deeper-than-expected recession due to the pandemic .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ investigation for undermining the independence of the judiciary , media , and nongovernmental organizations , and they risk losing access to tens of billions of euros .
Separately , Krzysztof Szczerski , the Polish president 's chief of staff , said on November 20 that the European policy framework gives Warsaw the right to refuse to agree to `` what is wrong . ''
`` We have the right to seek and demand a new compromise , '' he told public broadcaster TVP Info .
With reporting by Reuters and AFP

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban says deadlocked EU budget negotiation will eventually reach an agreement despite vetoes by Hungary and Poland over the 27-member bloc's plan to make funding dependent on respect for the rule of law.
"Many kinds of solutions are possible, it's just a question of political will," Orban told public radio on November 20.
The EU's 1.8-trillion-euro ($2.13 trillion) long-term budget and coronavirus rescue package was vetoed on November 16 by the right-wing governments of Hungary and Poland, both of which have been singled out by the bloc for rolling back democratic freedoms.
The veto is likely to delay sorely needed EU funds at a time when the bloc is grappling with a second spike in coronavirus infections, with its economy likely to shrink in the last three months of the year in a double-dip recession.
Orban said that acceptable solutions for the two countries "would be those reached on the basis of legal aspects rather than the political majority." He gave no details.
Orban has claimed that the rule-of-law criteria for funding represent a politically motivated "weapon" that amounts to "blackmailing" EU members that oppose migration.
However, Orban, a staunch opponent of the bloc's schemes to resettle refugees in member countries, admitted that most EU countries are pro-migration and that the EU could force Hungary to take in migrants if a majority decides.
"At the center of all the blah-blah in Brussels is how they can force us to do something we don't want to do," said Orban.
"They want to do it in a way that, instead of via unanimity, these questions would be decided with a qualified, two-thirds majority," he said.
But "the talks must continue, and in the end we will come to an agreement, that's how it normally works."
Orban said that, irrespective of the current political debate over EU funds, "all the development projects Hungary planned for the next 10 years will be carried out."
Hungary's economy, which has been largely dependent on EU funds, is in a deeper-than-expected recession due to the pandemic.
Both Hungary and Poland are under EU investigation for undermining the independence of the judiciary, media, and nongovernmental organizations, and they risk losing access to tens of billions of euros.
Separately, Krzysztof Szczerski, the Polish president's chief of staff, said on November 20 that the European policy framework gives Warsaw the right to refuse to agree to "what is wrong."
"We have the right to seek and demand a new compromise," he told public broadcaster TVP Info.
With reporting by Reuters and AFP


rferl--2020-11-20--Prison Terms Of Four Kazakh Men Convicted Over Ethnic Clashes Replaced By 'Freedom Limitation'

ALMATY , Kazakhstan -- Kazakhstan 's Military Court has replaced prison terms for four men convicted for their roles in deadly ethnic clashes with parole-like restrictions known as freedom limitation .
The court said in a statement issued late on November 19 that it had concluded that Rustem Bezhibai , Erlan Buralqynov , Ulan Atambaev , and Almat Tleughaliev must be released immediately and their prison terms replaced by freedom limitation for the period of their initial sentences .
The men were sentenced in September to prison terms ranging from three to four years .
The court said it took @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` to mitigate the sentences , as well as taking into account the viewpoints of the prosecutors and lawyers and the roles of the convicted individuals '' in the mass clashes between Kazakhs and Kazakh citizens from the ethnic Dungan minority -- a Muslim group of Chinese origin , in the southern Zhambyl region in early-February .
The court upheld the sentences of three other men who were convicted in the case and sentenced to prison terms of between five years and eight years .
The seven men were sentenced on September 29 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Garrison after being found guilty of taking part in the deadly clashes .
Some of the defendants were also found guilty of theft .
The violence in the villages of Sortobe , Masanchi , Auqatty , and Bulan-Batyr , which erupted following a road-rage brawl , left 11 people dead and dozens injured , including 19 police officers .
More than 30 houses , 17 commercial buildings , and 47 vehicles were destroyed or damaged in the ethnic clashes , and more than 20,000 people , mostly Dungans , fled villages where the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ethnic Dungan was found guilty of hooliganism and inflicting bodily harm and sentenced to 30 months in prison .
Another Dungan was handed a suspended prison term on the same charges .
In all , more than 50 people were arrested following the deadly clashes .
Further court cases are expected .
Many of the Dungans who fled the violence ended up in the neighboring Kyrgyz region of Chui , where the majority of Central Asia 's Dungans reside .
Kazakh officials said at the time that the majority of the displaced Dungans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Many senior regional officials , including the Zhambyl region 's governor Asqar Myrzakhmetov and local police chief , were sacked by Kazakhstan 's central government in the aftermath of the clashes .
Russia 's Memorial Anti-Discrimination Center wrote in May that the investigations of the clashes were `` not transparent and appeared to be one-sided , '' supporting ethnic Kazakhs .
Dungans , also known as Hui are Sunni Muslims who speak a dialect of Mandarin that also uses words and phrases borrowed from Arabic , Persian , and Turkic .
Their ancestors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Chinese government ’ s violent crackdown of the Dungan Revolt of 1862-1877 , and settled in Central Asia , then part of the Russian Empire .
The total number of Dungans now living in former Soviet republics is about 120,000 .
Most reside in Kyrgyzstan 's northern region of Chui and Kazakhstan 's neighboring region of Zhambyl .

ALMATY, Kazakhstan -- Kazakhstan's Military Court has replaced prison terms for four men convicted for their roles in deadly ethnic clashes with parole-like restrictions known as freedom limitation.
The court said in a statement issued late on November 19 that it had concluded that Rustem Bezhibai, Erlan Buralqynov, Ulan Atambaev, and Almat Tleughaliev must be released immediately and their prison terms replaced by freedom limitation for the period of their initial sentences.
The men were sentenced in September to prison terms ranging from three to four years.
The court said it took the decision after hearing requests from plaintiffs "to mitigate the sentences, as well as taking into account the viewpoints of the prosecutors and lawyers and the roles of the convicted individuals" in the mass clashes between Kazakhs and Kazakh citizens from the ethnic Dungan minority -- a Muslim group of Chinese origin, in the southern Zhambyl region in early-February.
The court upheld the sentences of three other men who were convicted in the case and sentenced to prison terms of between five years and eight years.
The seven men were sentenced on September 29 by the Military Court of the Almaty Garrison after being found guilty of taking part in the deadly clashes. Some of the defendants were also found guilty of theft.
The violence in the villages of Sortobe, Masanchi, Auqatty, and Bulan-Batyr, which erupted following a road-rage brawl, left 11 people dead and dozens injured, including 19 police officers.
More than 30 houses, 17 commercial buildings, and 47 vehicles were destroyed or damaged in the ethnic clashes, and more than 20,000 people, mostly Dungans, fled villages where the violence erupted.
In April, an ethnic Dungan was found guilty of hooliganism and inflicting bodily harm and sentenced to 30 months in prison. Another Dungan was handed a suspended prison term on the same charges.
In all, more than 50 people were arrested following the deadly clashes. Further court cases are expected.
Many of the Dungans who fled the violence ended up in the neighboring Kyrgyz region of Chui, where the majority of Central Asia's Dungans reside.
Kazakh officials said at the time that the majority of the displaced Dungans returned to Kazakhstan several days later.
Many senior regional officials, including the Zhambyl region's governor Asqar Myrzakhmetov and local police chief, were sacked by Kazakhstan's central government in the aftermath of the clashes.
Russia's Memorial Anti-Discrimination Center wrote in May that the investigations of the clashes were "not transparent and appeared to be one-sided," supporting ethnic Kazakhs.
Dungans, also known as Hui are Sunni Muslims who speak a dialect of Mandarin that also uses words and phrases borrowed from Arabic, Persian, and Turkic.
Their ancestors fled China in the late-19th century after the Chinese government’s violent crackdown of the Dungan Revolt of 1862-1877, and settled in Central Asia, then part of the Russian Empire.
The total number of Dungans now living in former Soviet republics is about 120,000.
Most reside in Kyrgyzstan's northern region of Chui and Kazakhstan's neighboring region of Zhambyl.


rferl--2020-11-20--Leader Of Orthodox Christians In Russia's Tatarstan Dies Of Coronavirus

KAZAN , Russia -- The leader of Orthodox Christians in Russia 's Republic of Tatarstan , Metropolitan Feofan of Kazan @ @ @ @ @ of complications caused by the coronavirus .
Feofan died on November 20 , the Russian @ @ @ @ @ Tatarstan said in an official statement .
He was 73 .
Feofan , born Ivan @ @ @ @ @ head of the Tatarstan Orthodox Church since 2015 .
Tatarstan 's president , Rustam Minnikhanov @ @ @ @ @ 's relatives and all Orthodox Christians of the republic .

KAZAN, Russia -- The leader of Orthodox Christians in Russia's Republic of Tatarstan, Metropolitan Feofan of Kazan and Tatarstan, has died of complications caused by the coronavirus.
Feofan died on November 20, the Russian Orthodox Church's archdiocese in Tatarstan said in an official statement. He was 73.
Feofan, born Ivan Ashurkov, had been the head of the Tatarstan Orthodox Church since 2015.
Tatarstan's president, Rustam Minnikhanov, expressed condolences to Feofan's relatives and all Orthodox Christians of the republic.


rferl--2020-11-20--Russian Sentenced To 13 Years For Trying To Pass Classified Materials To CIA

A Russian man has been sentenced to 13 years in prison for attempting to hand classified material to U.S. intelligence @ @ @ @ @ ( FSB ) said on November 20 that the Bryansk regional court had found that @ @ @ @ @ secret material related to electronic equipment developed for the Russian Navy , while working for @ @ @ @ @ military vessels in the northwestern city of Murmansk in 2015-2017 .
In 2019 , the @ @ @ @ @ caught red-handed while trying to pass the classified materials to a CIA operative .
Yeshchenko @ @ @ @ @ said .
Russian human rights organizations said earlier that , since President Vladimir Putin took @ @ @ @ @ 1999 , some 100 Russian citizens had been sentenced on high treason and espionage charges @

A Russian man has been sentenced to 13 years in prison for attempting to hand classified material to U.S. intelligence.
The Federal Security Service (FSB) said on November 20 that the Bryansk regional court had found that Yury Yeshchenko had illegally collected secret material related to electronic equipment developed for the Russian Navy, while working for a company involved in maintaining military vessels in the northwestern city of Murmansk in 2015-2017.
In 2019, the FSB said, Yeshchenko was caught red-handed while trying to pass the classified materials to a CIA operative.
Yeshchenko pleaded guilty, the FSB said.
Russian human rights organizations said earlier that, since President Vladimir Putin took over the country in late 1999, some 100 Russian citizens had been sentenced on high treason and espionage charges.


rferl--2020-11-20--Azerbaijan's Army Enters Agdam As Armenians Flee

Azerbaijani troops have entered a district bordering Nagorno-Karabakh as part of a Russian-brokered peace agreement that ended a six-week war with Armenian forces over the breakaway region .
The Defense Ministry said on November 20 that its units entered the Agdam district , one of three ringing Nagorno-Karabakh that are to be handed over to Azerbaijan after nearly three decades under Armenian control .
`` According to the trilateral statement signed by the president of the Republic of Azerbaijan , the prime minister of the Republic of Armenia , and the president of the Russian Federation , units of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ November 20 , '' the ministry said in a statement .
As Azerbaijani troops moved into Agdam a day after columns of Armenian soldiers and tanks rolled out of the territory , Armenian Defense Minister Davit Tonoyan tendered his resignation .
Tonoyan had held the position since May 2018 .
Armenian villagers in Agdam were given just days to leave their homes , scrambling to pack their belongings into vehicles and emptying homes before setting structures on fire .
It is the latest exodus of Armenians as Azerbaijan reasserts control over its former @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Moscow that ended six weeks of intense fighting between the two South Caucasus neighbors .
The November 10 accord allows Azerbaijan to keep a sizable chunk of Nagorno-Karabakh captured during fighting as well as all areas ringing the mountainous enclave that had been under Armenian control .
In addition to Agdam , located east of Nagorno-Karabakh , Armenians must leave the western districts of Kalbacar on November 25 and Lachin by December 1 .
Baku captured four other districts during the conflict .
Under the deal , around 2,000 Russian peacekeepers will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but critical final-status issues over the territory remain uncertain .
Russian peacekeepers are also guarding the strategic Lachin Corridor , the sole road linking the region and Armenia .
Nagorno-Karabakh is internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan , but the ethnic Armenians who make up most of the population reject Azerbaijani rule .
They have been governing their own affairs , with support from Armenia , since Azerbaijan 's troops and ethnic Azeri civilians were pushed out of the region in a war that ended in a cease-fire in 1994 .
Fighting broke @ @ @ @ @ @ @ September 27 , killing thousands of soldiers and civilians on both sides over the ensuing weeks .
Azerbaijan has not provided a figure for its military casualties .
Russian President Vladimir Putin said after the peace accord was signed on November 10 that total fatalities that include civilians had surpassed 4,000 people .
Tens of thousands of ethnic Armenians were displaced in the fighting , putting economic , social , and political pressure on Armenia and authorities in Nagorno-Karabakh .

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Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev says his troops have taken control of the first of three districts bordering Nagorno-Karabakh as part of a Russian-brokered peace agreement that ended a six-week war with Armenian forces over the breakaway region.
The Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said on November 20 that its units entered the Agdam district, one of three ringing Nagorno-Karabakh that are to be handed over to Azerbaijan after nearly three decades under Armenian control.
Crowds of people carrying national flags gathered in the Azerbaijani capital, Baku, to celebrate the handover of Agdam as Aliyev announced "major" plans for the district.
The chief of staff of the Russian peacekeeping task force in Nagorno-Karabakh said the handover operation was carried out without incident.
As Azerbaijani troops moved into Agdam a day after columns of Armenian soldiers and tanks rolled out of the territory, Armenian Defense Minister Davit Tonoyan was fired by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian.
Tonoyan, who had held the position since May 2018, was replaced by Vagharshak Harutunian.
Armenian villagers in Agdam were given just days to leave their homes, scrambling to pack their belongings into vehicles and emptying homes before setting structures on fire.
It is the latest exodus of Armenians as Azerbaijan reasserts control over its former territories under the peace deal brokered by Moscow that ended six weeks of intense fighting between the two South Caucasus neighbors.
The November 10 accord allows Azerbaijan to keep a sizable chunk of Nagorno-Karabakh captured during fighting as well as all areas ringing the mountainous enclave that had been under Armenian control.
In addition to Agdam, located east of Nagorno-Karabakh, Armenians must leave the western districts of Kalbacar on November 25 and Lachin by December 1. Baku captured four other districts during the conflict.
Under the deal, around 2,000 Russian peacekeepers will be deployed to maintain security in Nagorno-Karabakh, but critical final-status issues over the territory remain uncertain. Russian peacekeepers are also guarding the strategic Lachin Corridor, the sole road linking the region and Armenia.
Aleksandr Bortnikov, the head of Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB), on November 20 said 188 servicemen as well as military hardware had been deployed to reinforce Russian border guards in Armenia.
The reinforcements are to be dispatched to the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan, Bortnikov told Russian President Vladimir Putin at a conference via video link, adding that the deployment was made at the request of Armenia.
Russia's Border Guard Service is a branch of the FSB. Russian border guards are present in Armenia under the terms of a 1992 treaty between the two countries.
Nagorno-Karabakh is internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan, but the ethnic Armenians who make up most of the population reject Azerbaijani rule.
They have been governing their own affairs, with support from Armenia, since Azerbaijan's troops and ethnic Azeri civilians were pushed out of the region in a war that ended in a cease-fire in 1994.
Fighting broke out again in and around Nagorno-Karabakh on September 27, killing thousands of soldiers and civilians on both sides over the ensuing weeks. Azerbaijan has not provided a figure for its military casualties.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said after the peace accord was signed on November 10 that total fatalities that include civilians had surpassed 4,000 people.
The accord triggered a wave of fury in Armenia, where thousands of protesters took to the streets and stormed government buildings in the capital, Yerevan, calling Pashinian a "traitor" and demanding his resignation.
Pashinian has also dismissed his foreign minister during the turmoil, but has refused to cede to calls from protesters and opposition leaders to hand in his own resignation.
Harutunian, who is Pashinian's defense adviser, previously served as defense minister from 1999-2000.
Despite Tonoyan's removal, opposition activists seeking Pashinian's resignation again blocked several streets in downtown Yerevan on November 20, chanting: "Nikol is a traitor! Nikol must go!"
Tens of thousands of ethnic Armenians were displaced in the fighting, putting economic, social, and political pressure on Armenia and authorities in Nagorno-Karabakh.
With reporting by Reuters


rferl--2020-11-20--Serbian Orthodox Patriarch Dies Of COVID-19

The head of the Serbian Orthodox Church has died after being infected with the coronavirus , President Aleksandar Vucic said on November 20 .
The 90-year-old Patriarch Irinej had been intubated the previous day .
Vucic wrote on his Instagram account that he was honored to have known the patriarch .
`` People like you never leave , '' Vucic wrote with a black-and-white photo of Patriarch Irinej .
The Church announced on November 4 that its spiritual leader had been hospitalized after he tested positive for COVID-19 .
Just three days earlier , Patriarch Irinej led a service during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ head of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Montenegro .
Amfilohije died on October 30 at the age of 82 after being hospitalized following a positive test for the coronavirus .
Thousands of people turned out in Podgorica for his funeral in violation of coronavirus measures .
Many mourners were not wearing masks or practicing social distancing .
An open coffin with the body of the metropolitan was exhibited and the priests , most of the believers , as well as some politicians , did not wear masks or respect physical-distancing measures .
Priests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and some of those present kissed the hand of the deceased cleric during the ceremony .
In the last 24 hours , 6,109 new cases of coronavirus infection have been confirmed in Serbia , and 29 new deaths , according to the Ministry of Health .
The country of 7 million people has had a total of 104,000 confirmed infections and 1,110 deaths since the beginning of the pandemic .

The head of the Serbian Orthodox Church has died after being infected with the coronavirus, President Aleksandar Vucic said on November 20.
The 90-year-old Patriarch Irinej had been intubated the previous day.
Vucic wrote on his Instagram account that he was honored to have known the patriarch. "People like you never leave," Vucic wrote with a black-and-white photo of Patriarch Irinej.
The Church announced on November 4 that its spiritual leader had been hospitalized after he tested positive for COVID-19.
Just three days earlier, Patriarch Irinej led a service during the funeral of Metropolitan Amfilohije, the head of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Montenegro.
Amfilohije died on October 30 at the age of 82 after being hospitalized following a positive test for the coronavirus.
Thousands of people turned out in Podgorica for his funeral in violation of coronavirus measures. Many mourners were not wearing masks or practicing social distancing.
An open coffin with the body of the metropolitan was exhibited and the priests, most of the believers, as well as some politicians, did not wear masks or respect physical-distancing measures.
Priests gave communion with the same spoon, and some of those present kissed the hand of the deceased cleric during the ceremony.
In the last 24 hours, 6,109 new cases of coronavirus infection have been confirmed in Serbia, and 29 new deaths, according to the Ministry of Health.
The country of 7 million people has had a total of 104,000 confirmed infections and 1,110 deaths since the beginning of the pandemic.


rferl--2020-11-20--New Belarusian Nuclear Plant Resumes Operations After Transformer Explosion

Belarus 's nuclear power plant , which was officially opened earlier this month , has resumed operations after suspending electricity production for several days .
The Energy Ministry said on November 19 that the Astravets plant is sending electricity to the power grid and the first power unit is working at 40 percent of its 1,200-megawatt capacity .
Just days after it was inaugurated , Belarus 's only nuclear plant halted electricity production on November 8 after voltage transformers were said to have exploded .
Built by Russian state-owned firm Rosatom and financed by Moscow with a $ 10 billion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plant in the Hrodna region was opposed by Lithuania , whose capital , Vilnius , is just 50 kilometers away .
Astravets draws water for its cooling reactors from the Nevis River , which is also a source of drinking water in Lithuania .
After Belarus began operating the plant , Lithuania halted electricity imports from its neighbor .
The plant 's construction has also been divisive among Belarusians , who suffered greatly as a result of the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster .
Belarus saw a quarter of its territory contaminated in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ With reporting by AP and Reuters .

Belarus's nuclear power plant, which was officially opened earlier this month, has resumed operations after suspending electricity production for several days.
The Energy Ministry said on November 19 that the Astravets plant is sending electricity to the power grid and the first power unit is working at 40 percent of its 1,200-megawatt capacity.
Just days after it was inaugurated, Belarus's only nuclear plant halted electricity production on November 8 after voltage transformers were said to have exploded.
Built by Russian state-owned firm Rosatom and financed by Moscow with a $10 billion loan, the construction of the power plant in the Hrodna region was opposed by Lithuania, whose capital, Vilnius, is just 50 kilometers away.
Astravets draws water for its cooling reactors from the Nevis River, which is also a source of drinking water in Lithuania.
After Belarus began operating the plant, Lithuania halted electricity imports from its neighbor.
The plant's construction has also been divisive among Belarusians, who suffered greatly as a result of the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster. Belarus saw a quarter of its territory contaminated in the world's worst civilian nuclear accident.
With reporting by AP and Reuters.


rferl--2020-11-19--European Commission Recommends EU Scale Back Most Cooperation With Belarus

The European Commission is recommending the EU scale back cooperation with Belarus , including in trade and security , but that support for civil society and environmental protection be maintained or even boosted .
The commission has sent a comprehensive review of EU-Belarus relations to all 27 EU member states , a copy of which has been seen by RFE/RL on November 19 , amid worsening relations between Minsk and the West over a brutal crackdown against weeks of pro-democracy protests triggered by a disputed presidential election in August .
Alyaksandr Lukashenka , who has ruled Belarus for 26 years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ August 9 vote that the opposition says was rigged and the West has refused to accept .
Thousands of people have been detained , hundreds beaten , and several people killed in the government ’ s postelection crackdown as opposition leaders have either been arrested or forced to flee .
The EU , the United States , and other countries have imposed sanctions on dozens of Belarusian officials , including Lukashenka .
On November 19 , EU foreign ministers agreed to expand sanctions on Belarus to include businesses in response to the “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ review , which is expected to be endorsed when the bloc ’ s foreign ministers meet again on December 7 , states that “ bilateral cooperation activities , meetings , and contacts with Belarusian state actors should as a matter of principle be scaled down until the authorities respect principles of democracy , the rule of law , and human rights.
” Exceptions are made in areas where “ the EU has a clear interest ( such as environment or nuclear safety ) and/or when such EU engagement benefits the population , promotes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ democratic solution of the crisis.
” The review notes that bilateral meetings in general should take place at the technical level and that political-level meetings will be decided on a case-by-case basis with the commission having “ established a clearinghouse to scrutinise the ongoing and planned bilateral engagement with Belarus ’ s state actors.
” Negotiations and signing of agreements are also recommended to be “ avoided unless they constitute a clear interest of the EU ” and signings should take place “ without proactive communication.
” In multilateral forums , such as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it is stated that “ cooperation with Belarus can be maintained up to deputy minister level with the exception of institutions responsible for violations and abuses of human rights and falsification of election results.
” The justice and security sectors are highlighted as one of the areas where engagement should be suspended until further notice with the review noting that these fields “ are controlled by the ruling authorities and are used as a political tool , including imprisoning and prosecuting the leading figures of the pro-democracy movement .
Under the current regime @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any actions that would seriously promote the independence of the judiciary.
” Other areas already suspended are the EU-Belarus dialogue on customs and talks on Minsk getting macro-financial assistance from Brussels and there are recommendations that negotiations on Belarus 's World Trade Organization accession and the visa waiver for biometric diplomatic passports issued by Belarus should be paused .
Concerning International Monetary Fund loans to Belarus , the document states that “ the EU members of the Executive Board will be invited to continue opposing any financial allocation to the country until a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the commission recommends continued or even increased engagement for civil society and independent media , environmental protection , nuclear safety , and people-to-people contacts .
Earlier this year , the European Union pledged 50 million euros ( $ 59.2 million ) to Belarus to support the health sector in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic ; 1 million euros ( $ 1.2 million ) to support independent media ; and 2.7 million euros ( $ 3.2 million ) to provide legal , logistic , and medical support to the victims of the repression @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 35.5 million ) package is also under preparation .

The European Commission is recommending the EU scale back cooperation with Belarus, including in trade and security, but that support for civil society and environmental protection be maintained or even boosted.
The commission has sent a comprehensive review of EU-Belarus relations to all 27 EU member states, a copy of which has been seen by RFE/RL on November 19, amid worsening relations between Minsk and the West over a brutal crackdown against weeks of pro-democracy protests triggered by a disputed presidential election in August.
Alyaksandr Lukashenka, who has ruled Belarus for 26 years, was declared the winner of the August 9 vote that the opposition says was rigged and the West has refused to accept.
Thousands of people have been detained, hundreds beaten, and several people killed in the government’s postelection crackdown as opposition leaders have either been arrested or forced to flee.
The EU, the United States, and other countries have imposed sanctions on dozens of Belarusian officials, including Lukashenka.
On November 19, EU foreign ministers agreed to expand sanctions on Belarus to include businesses in response to the “brutality of authorities.”
The European Commission review, which is expected to be endorsed when the bloc’s foreign ministers meet again on December 7, states that “bilateral cooperation activities, meetings, and contacts with Belarusian state actors should as a matter of principle be scaled down until the authorities respect principles of democracy, the rule of law, and human rights.”
Exceptions are made in areas where “the EU has a clear interest (such as environment or nuclear safety) and/or when such EU engagement benefits the population, promotes people-to-people contacts, and/or contributes to a democratic solution of the crisis.”
The review notes that bilateral meetings in general should take place at the technical level and that political-level meetings will be decided on a case-by-case basis with the commission having “established a clearinghouse to scrutinise the ongoing and planned bilateral engagement with Belarus’s state actors.”
Negotiations and signing of agreements are also recommended to be “avoided unless they constitute a clear interest of the EU” and signings should take place “without proactive communication.”
In multilateral forums, such as the EU’s Eastern Partnership, it is stated that “cooperation with Belarus can be maintained up to deputy minister level with the exception of institutions responsible for violations and abuses of human rights and falsification of election results.”
The justice and security sectors are highlighted as one of the areas where engagement should be suspended until further notice with the review noting that these fields “are controlled by the ruling authorities and are used as a political tool, including imprisoning and prosecuting the leading figures of the pro-democracy movement. Under the current regime, it is not realistic to envisage any actions that would seriously promote the independence of the judiciary.”
Other areas already suspended are the EU-Belarus dialogue on customs and talks on Minsk getting macro-financial assistance from Brussels and there are recommendations that negotiations on Belarus's World Trade Organization accession and the visa waiver for biometric diplomatic passports issued by Belarus should be paused.
Concerning International Monetary Fund loans to Belarus, the document states that “the EU members of the Executive Board will be invited to continue opposing any financial allocation to the country until a democratic transition takes place.”
However, the commission recommends continued or even increased engagement for civil society and independent media, environmental protection, nuclear safety, and people-to-people contacts.
Earlier this year, the European Union pledged 50 million euros ($59.2 million) to Belarus to support the health sector in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic; 1 million euros ($1.2 million) to support independent media; and 2.7 million euros ($3.2 million) to provide legal, logistic, and medical support to the victims of the repression. An additional 30 million euros ($35.5 million) package is also under preparation.


rferl--2020-11-19--Russian Health Minister Calls For Further Curbs As COVID-19 Cases Top 2 Million

MOSCOW -- The number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Russia has surpassed 2 million as the number of daily deaths and infections hit new highs , prompting the country ’ s health minister to urge regional leaders to take further steps to slow the spread of the coronavirus .
The coronavirus crisis response center on November 19 reported 23,610 new infections in the previous 24 hours , including 6,438 new cases in Moscow , Russia ’ s worst affected area .
The country 's overall tally now stands at 2,015,608 .
The country recorded 463 more deaths related to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the death toll to 34,850 .
Russia , which has a huge testing program and a population of around 145 million , has the world 's fifth largest number of cases after the United States , India , Brazil , and France .
Despite the surge in cases , authorities have resisted imposing lockdown restrictions across the country as they did earlier this year .
Instead , they have imposed strict rules for wearing masks and gloves , and underlined the importance of hygiene and social distancing .
Some regions have brought in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mikhail Murashko said the heads of regions with high infection rates should use their authority to institute fresh measures to alleviate the situation , including targeted restrictions .
`` Unfortunately , not all regional heads have so far exercised this right , '' he was quoted as saying by the RIA news agency .
President Vladimir Putin on November 18 discussed a shortage of hospital beds and ambulances with senior government officials .
His spokesman , Dmitry Peskov , said on November 19 that Putin was working closely with the country ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with COVID is very tense , '' Peskov told reporters .
`` This topic is now a priority for the president . ''
With reporting by AFP and Reuters

MOSCOW -- The number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Russia has surpassed 2 million as the number of daily deaths and infections hit new highs, prompting the country’s health minister to urge regional leaders to take further steps to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
The coronavirus crisis response center on November 19 reported 23,610 new infections in the previous 24 hours, including 6,438 new cases in Moscow, Russia’s worst affected area. The country's overall tally now stands at 2,015,608.
The country recorded 463 more deaths related to COVID-19 over the previous day, bringing the death toll to 34,850.
Russia, which has a huge testing program and a population of around 145 million, has the world's fifth largest number of cases after the United States, India, Brazil, and France.
Despite the surge in cases, authorities have resisted imposing lockdown restrictions across the country as they did earlier this year.
Instead, they have imposed strict rules for wearing masks and gloves, and underlined the importance of hygiene and social distancing. Some regions have brought in their own targeted measures.
Health Minister Mikhail Murashko said the heads of regions with high infection rates should use their authority to institute fresh measures to alleviate the situation, including targeted restrictions.
"Unfortunately, not all regional heads have so far exercised this right," he was quoted as saying by the RIA news agency.
President Vladimir Putin on November 18 discussed a shortage of hospital beds and ambulances with senior government officials.
His spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said on November 19 that Putin was working closely with the country’s coronavirus response teams.
"The situation with COVID is very tense," Peskov told reporters. "This topic is now a priority for the president."
With reporting by AFP and Reuters


rferl--2020-11-19--Fourth RFE/RL Contributor Jailed In Belarus This Week

MINSK -- A contributor to RFE/RL 's Belarus Service who was detained at a protest against Alyaksandr Lukashenka in Minsk last weekend has been jailed for eight days .
A court in Minsk on November 19 found chief video editor Yulia Kotskaya guilty of taking part in an unsanctioned rally , a charge she rejected , saying she was covering the event as a journalist .
Kotskaya was among the more than 1,200 people detained by riot police on November 15 across Belarus , which has witnessed nearly daily protests since Lukashenka was declared winner of the country ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fraud by the opposition and the West .
At least 18 journalists -- including Kotskaya and three other contributors to RFE/RL 's Belarus Service , photo reporter Andrey Shaulyuha , cameraman Andrey Rabchyk , and veteran reporter Ihar Karney -- were among those detained , according to the Belarusian Association of Journalists .
Earlier this week , Karney was sentenced to 10 days in jail for allegedly taking part in an unsanctioned rally in Minsk .
Kotskaya and Shaulyuha received 15-day sentences on similar charges .
They all pleaded not guilty as well @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Last week , a veteran correspondent of RFE/RL in Belarus , Aleh Hruzdzilovich , was sentenced to 15 days in prison on the same charge of covering another mass rally against Lukashenka .
In August , the Belarusian Foreign Ministry refused to extend the accreditations of several RFE/RL correspondents , forcing them to suspend their work for RFE/RL .
According to the Belarusian Association of Journalists , 26 reporters were incarcerated in Belarus as of November 18 .

MINSK -- A contributor to RFE/RL's Belarus Service who was detained at a protest against Alyaksandr Lukashenka in Minsk last weekend has been jailed for eight days.
A court in Minsk on November 19 found chief video editor Yulia Kotskaya guilty of taking part in an unsanctioned rally, a charge she rejected, saying she was covering the event as a journalist.
Kotskaya was among the more than 1,200 people detained by riot police on November 15 across Belarus, which has witnessed nearly daily protests since Lukashenka was declared winner of the country's August 9 election despite charges of election fraud by the opposition and the West.
At least 18 journalists -- including Kotskaya and three other contributors to RFE/RL's Belarus Service, photo reporter Andrey Shaulyuha, cameraman Andrey Rabchyk, and veteran reporter Ihar Karney -- were among those detained, according to the Belarusian Association of Journalists.
Earlier this week, Karney was sentenced to 10 days in jail for allegedly taking part in an unsanctioned rally in Minsk. Rabchyk and Shaulyuha received 15-day sentences on similar charges.
They all pleaded not guilty as well, insisting they were covering the protest.
Last week, a veteran correspondent of RFE/RL in Belarus, Aleh Hruzdzilovich, was sentenced to 15 days in jail on the same charge of covering another mass rally against Lukashenka.
In August, the Belarusian Foreign Ministry refused to extend the accreditations of several RFE/RL correspondents, forcing them to suspend their work for RFE/RL.
According to the Belarusian Association of Journalists, 26 reporters were incarcerated in Belarus as of November 18.


rferl--2020-11-19--Amnesty Slams Russian Proposal To Label Individuals As 'Foreign Agents'

Amnesty International has slammed a bill circulating in the lower house of Russia ’ s parliament that would identify individuals receiving funds from abroad as “ foreign agents , ” saying the proposed legislation signals a “ new witch hunt of civil society groups and human rights defenders.
” Under the bill introduced in the State Duma on November 18 , individuals labeled as “ foreign agents ” would be banned from joining the civil service or holding a municipal government position .
They would also be forced to mark their letters to authorities and other material with a “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ adopted , the bill will drastically limit and damage the work not only of civil society organizations that receive funds from outside Russia but many other groups as well , '' Amnesty International ’ s Russia Researcher Natalia Prilutskaya said in a statement on November 19 .
“ The bill signals a new witch hunt of civil society groups and human rights defenders standing up for justice and dignity , ” Prilutskaya charged .
“ It exposes the Russian authorities ’ belief that civil society actors are destructive 'agents of the West ' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as key allies to address challenges and seek to bring positive change , '' Prilutskaya said .
Russia ’ s “ foreign agents ” law came into force in 2012 .
Since then , hundreds of organizations have seen their funding shrink , and their staff intimidated or prosecuted .
Critics say the law has been arbitrarily applied to target Russian civil society organizations , human rights defenders , and political activists , including outspoken Kremlin critic Aleksei Navalny ’ s Anti-Corruption Foundation .
Under the current proposal , the “ foreign agents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and other materials issued by public associations and their members , as well as for NGO staff deemed to be in that category .

Amnesty International has slammed a bill circulating in the lower house of Russia’s parliament that would identify individuals receiving funds from abroad as “foreign agents,” saying the proposed legislation signals a “new witch hunt of civil society groups and human rights defenders.”
Under the bill introduced in the State Duma on November 18, individuals labeled as “foreign agents” would be banned from joining the civil service or holding a municipal government position.
They would also be forced to mark their letters to authorities and other material with a “foreign agent” label.
"If adopted, the bill will drastically limit and damage the work not only of civil society organizations that receive funds from outside Russia but many other groups as well," Amnesty International’s Russia Researcher Natalia Prilutskaya said in a statement on November 19.
“The bill signals a new witch hunt of civil society groups and human rights defenders standing up for justice and dignity,” Prilutskaya charged.
“It exposes the Russian authorities’ belief that civil society actors are destructive 'agents of the West' bent on destabilizing the government -- not as key allies to address challenges and seek to bring positive change," Prilutskaya said.
Russia’s “foreign agents” law came into force in 2012. Since then, hundreds of organizations have seen their funding shrink, and their staff intimidated or prosecuted.
Critics say the law has been arbitrarily applied to target Russian civil society organizations, human rights defenders, and political activists, including outspoken Kremlin critic Aleksei Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Foundation.
Under the current proposal, the “foreign agents” label would be obligatory for publications and other materials issued by public associations and their members, as well as for NGO staff deemed to be in that category.


rferl--2020-11-19--Jailed Russian Historian Dmitriyev Faces New Charges

PETROZAVODSK , Russia -- Russian historian Yury Dmitriyev , who was sentenced to 13 years in prison on a controversial child sexual-abuse charge that he and his supporters reject as politically motivated , may face additional prison time on new charges .
Gennady Sarayev , the ombudsman for Russia 's northwestern region of Karelia , said on November 18 that investigators claim that they have found pornographic films on Dmitriyev ’ s computer and have decided to charge the noted gulag researcher with producing child pornography .
Dmitriyev has already been acquitted on a similar charge in the past .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ is also the head of the local branch of the Memorial human rights organization , faces up to an additional 10 years in prison if found guilty .
Dmitriyev was initially sentenced to 3 1/2 years in July after he was convicted of “ violent acts of a sexual nature committed against a person under 14 years of age , ” allegations he denies and that he believes are aimed at curbing his research into the crimes of Soviet dictator Josef Stalin .
Prosecutors , who had asked for 15 years in prison @ @ @ @ @ @ @ original sentence was `` too lenient '' and appealed the sentence .
Dmitriyev 's defense , meanwhile , insisted their client was innocent and also appealed the sentence .
On September 29 , weeks before the 64-year-old historian was due to be released because of time served , the Supreme Court of the Karelia slapped another 9 1/2 years onto Dmitriyev 's sentence Dmitriyev has spent decades researching extrajudicial executions carried out in Karelia under Stalin .
Dozens of Russian and international scholars , historians , writers , poets , and others have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , while the European Union has called for Dmitriyev to be released .
The high-profile case dates back to 2016 , when Dmitriyev was arrested on child-pornography charges based on photographs of his foster daughter that authorities found on his computer .
Dmitriyev said the images were not pornographic and were made at the request of social workers concerned about the child ’ s physical development .
He was acquitted in April 2018 , but the Karelia Supreme Court upheld an appeal by prosecutors and ordered a new trial .
He was rearrested @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more serious crime of sexual assault against a minor .
Dmitriyev ’ s research has been viewed with hostility by the government of President Vladimir Putin .
Under Putin , Stalin has undergone a gradual rehabilitation , and the Russian government has emphasized his leadership of the Soviet Union while downplaying his crimes against Soviet citizens .
Under Stalin , millions of people were executed , sent to labor camps , or starved to death in famines caused by forced collectivization .
During World War II , entire ethnic groups were deported to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ collaboration with the Nazis .

PETROZAVODSK, Russia -- Russian historian Yury Dmitriyev, who was sentenced to 13 years in prison on a controversial child sexual-abuse charge that he and his supporters reject as politically motivated, may face additional prison time on new charges.
Gennady Sarayev, the ombudsman for Russia's northwestern region of Karelia, said on November 18 that investigators claim that they have found pornographic films on Dmitriyev’s computer and have decided to charge the noted gulag researcher with producing child pornography. Dmitriyev has already been acquitted on a similar charge in the past.
According to Sarayev, Dmitriyev, who is also the head of the local branch of the Memorial human rights organization, faces up to an additional 10 years in prison if found guilty.
Dmitriyev was initially sentenced to 3 1/2 years in July after he was convicted of “violent acts of a sexual nature committed against a person under 14 years of age,” allegations he denies and that he believes are aimed at curbing his research into the crimes of Soviet dictator Josef Stalin.
Prosecutors, who had asked for 15 years in prison in the high-profile case, said the original sentence was "too lenient" and appealed the sentence. Dmitriyev's defense, meanwhile, insisted their client was innocent and also appealed the sentence.
On September 29, weeks before the 64-year-old historian was due to be released because of time served, the Supreme Court of the Karelia slapped another 9 1/2 years onto Dmitriyev's sentence
Dmitriyev has spent decades researching extrajudicial executions carried out in Karelia under Stalin.
Dozens of Russian and international scholars, historians, writers, poets, and others have issued statements in support of the scholar, while the European Union has called for Dmitriyev to be released.
The high-profile case dates back to 2016, when Dmitriyev was arrested on child-pornography charges based on photographs of his foster daughter that authorities found on his computer. Dmitriyev said the images were not pornographic and were made at the request of social workers concerned about the child’s physical development.
He was acquitted in April 2018, but the Karelia Supreme Court upheld an appeal by prosecutors and ordered a new trial.
He was rearrested in June 2018 and charged with the more serious crime of sexual assault against a minor.
Dmitriyev’s research has been viewed with hostility by the government of President Vladimir Putin. Under Putin, Stalin has undergone a gradual rehabilitation, and the Russian government has emphasized his leadership of the Soviet Union while downplaying his crimes against Soviet citizens.
Under Stalin, millions of people were executed, sent to labor camps, or starved to death in famines caused by forced collectivization. During World War II, entire ethnic groups were deported to remote areas as collective punishment for alleged collaboration with the Nazis.


rferl--2020-11-19--EU To Expand Belarus Sanctions To Businesses Over 'Brutal' Crackdown

European Union foreign ministers have agreed to expand sanctions on Belarus to include businesses in response to the “ brutality of authorities ” against weeks of pro-democracy protests triggered by a disputed presidential election in August .
Noting that previous sanctions on strongman Alyaksandr Lukashenka and dozens of senior officials failed to halt repression , EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said on November 19 that the new set of sanctions “ should go not only to the individuals , but also to institutions and entrepreneurs , and firms.
” The move `` will affect normal economic activity '' in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did not elaborate on the sanctions to target companies and businesspeople supporting Lukashenka 's regime .
Lukashenka , who has ruled Belarus for 26 years , has faced almost daily protests calling for his resignation since the August 9 presidential election , which the opposition says was rigged and the West has refused to accept .
Several protesters have been killed and thousands of people arrested since authorities declared Lukashenka the landslide winner of the vote .
There have also been credible reports of torture during a widening security crackdown .
Most of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arrested or forced to leave the country .
On November 15 , police in Minsk used tear gas and stun grenades to disperse tens of thousands of protesters and arrested hundreds of people .
Lukashenka lashed out at the protesters on November 13 , vowing not to hand over power to anyone just days after the death of a 31-year-old Belarusian man who is believed to have been badly beaten by masked security forces .
The EU has already slapped visa bans and asset freezes on Lukashenka and 53 officials over their role @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ falsification ” of the vote .
The United States , Canada , Britain , and other Western countries have also imposed sanctions on Belarusian officials .
The EU foreign ministers , meeting by videoconference , considered that “ there is no positive sign at all ” from Minsk , Borrell told a news conference .
The ministers decided as a result `` to proceed with the preparation of the next round of sanctions as a response to the brutality of the authorities and in support for the democratic rights of the Belarusian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
Borrell said it was up to EU member states to propose targets .
The next meeting of EU foreign ministers is to take place on December 7 , when they are expected to back proposals by the European Commission to scale back cooperation with Belarus .
The next meeting of EU foreign ministers is to take place on December 7 .
Belarus opposition leader Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya , who left Belarus for neighboring Lithuania due to security concerns for her and her family , urged EU leaders earlier this week to impose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who are in the pockets of Lukashenka.
” Tsikhanouskaya is also calling on the International Ice Hockey Federation ( IIHF ) `` to be firm '' as they consider pulling the 2021 World Championships from the country .
The Zurich-based IIHF has said it is having `` serious discussions '' over the status of the tournament because of issues surrounding protests over the election , Latvia 's threat to withdraw as cohost , and the coronavirus pandemic .
With reporting by AFP and Reuters

MINSK – Thousands of Belarusians have bid farewell to Raman Bandarenka, the slain anti-government protester whose killing intensified ongoing protests demanding the resignation of authoritarian leader Alyaksandr Lukashenka over a disputed election.
Many in the crowd outside of the Church of the Resurrection of Christ in Minsk on November 20 raised their arms and chanted, "You are a hero!" and "Long live Belarus!"
Bandarenka's death has been a flashpoint months into almost daily demonstrations following a presidential election on August 9 that the opposition says was rigged and the West has refused to accept.
After Bandarenka's body was brought out of the church and taken by car to the Northern Cemetery of Minsk, thousands of people followed on foot to the burial site.
The 31-year-old Bandarenka died in a hospital on November 12 after he was reportedly beaten by masked security forces.
Bandarenka's last known written words -- "I'm going out" -- have turned into one of the slogans of the ongoing protests against Lukashenka.
Several protesters have been killed and thousands of people arrested since authorities declared Lukashenka, who has ruled Belarus for 26 years, the landslide winner of the vote.
There have also been credible reports of torture during a widening security crackdown.
Most of the country's opposition leaders have been arrested or forced to leave the country.
Meanwhile, European Union foreign ministers have agreed to expand sanctions on Belarus to include businesses in response to the “brutality of authorities.”
Noting that previous sanctions on Lukashenka and dozens of senior officials had failed to halt repression, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said on November 19 that the new set of sanctions “should go not only to the individuals but also to institutions and entrepreneurs, and firms.”
The move "will affect normal economic activity" in the country, Borrell said.
He did not elaborate on the sanctions to target companies and businesspeople supporting Lukashenka's regime.
The EU foreign ministers, meeting by videoconference, considered that “there is no positive sign at all” from Minsk, Borrell told a news conference.
The EU has already slapped visa bans and asset freezes on Lukashenka and 53 officials over their role in the crackdown on protest and the “falsification” of the vote. The United States, Canada, Britain, and other Western countries have also imposed sanctions on Belarusian officials.
The next meeting of EU foreign ministers is to take place on December 7, when they are expected to back proposals by the European Commission to scale back cooperation with Belarus.
Belarus opposition leader Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who left Belarus for neighboring Lithuania due to security concerns for her and her family, urged EU leaders earlier this week to impose "targeted financial sanctions against people...who are in the pockets of Lukashenka.”
Tsikhanouskaya is also calling on the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) "to be firm" as they consider pulling the 2021 World Championships from the country.
The Zurich-based IIHF has said it is having "serious discussions" over the status of the tournament because of issues surrounding protests over the election, Latvia's threat to withdraw as cohost, and the coronavirus pandemic.
With reporting by AFP and Reuters


rferl--2020-11-19--Tsikhanouskaya Urges International Ice Hockey Officials To 'Be Firm' On Belarus

Belarusian opposition leader Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya has urged the International Ice Hockey Federation `` to be firm '' as they consider pulling the 2021 World Championships from the country amid a row with cohost Latvia over ethical and security concerns because of a crackdown by authorities following a disputed election .
The Zurich-based IIHF has said it is having `` serious discussions '' over the status of the tournament because of issues surrounding protests over the August 9 election , Latvia 's threat to withdraw as cohost , and the COVID-19 pandemic .
Given the issues at hand , the IIHF @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more time to review the situation and decide on the `` best course of action '' given the tournament is its crown jewel and must be played somewhere .
`` While the regime terrorizes Belarusians , we must deprive Lukashenka of the world 's recognition .
@ IIHFHockey announced that they need more time to review the situation with playing the 2021 IHWC in Belarus .
Thank you for hearing us .
We ask the IIHF Council to be firm on the matter , '' Tsikhanouskaya , who left Belarus for neighboring Lithuania @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her family , said in a tweet on November 19 .
Embattled strongman Alyaksandr Lukashenka , who has ruled Belarus for 26 years , has faced almost daily protests calling for his resignation since the presidential election , which the opposition says was rigged and the West has refused to accept .
Several protesters have been killed and thousands of people arrested since authorities declared Lukashenka the landslide winner of the vote .
There have also been credible reports of torture during a widening security crackdown .
Most of the country 's opposition @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leave the country , including Tsikhanouskaya .
Lukashenka lashed out at the protesters on November 13 , vowing not to hand over power to anyone just days after the death of a 31-year-old Belarusian man who is believed to have been badly beaten by masked security forces .
The turmoil prompted Latvia to blacklist the head of Belarus ’ s ice hockey federation on November 16 as the Baltic country seeks to prevent its neighbor from cohosting the 2021 world championships .
Baskau , the president of the Belarusian hockey federation and head @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is a close ally of Lukashenka .
Losing the tournament would be a further blow to Lukashenka , who has cultivated an image as a jock , regularly taking to the ice to play hockey , his favorite sporting pastime .
“ We must be assured that a World Championship can take place in a safe and responsible way , for everyone , ” said IIHF President Rene Fasel .
“ These are very real and very serious considerations , as this tournament is the most important asset of the IIHF and supports @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
If you take a normal season situation it wouldn ’ t be realistic right now that Belarus and Latvia could guarantee their capability to conduct World Championship tournament operations , ” he added .
Latvian Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins has spoken with Fasel to discuss Latvia 's ability to hold the tournament on its own .
In response to the crackdown on protesters , the European Union and Western countries have imposed sanctions on dozens of Belarusian officials , including Lukashenka .
The Baltic states and Poland have taken the lead in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

Belarusian opposition leader Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya has urged the International Ice Hockey Federation "to be firm" as they consider pulling the 2021 World Championships from the country amid a row with cohost Latvia over ethical and security concerns because of a crackdown by authorities following a disputed election.
The Zurich-based IIHF has said it is having " serious discussions" over the status of the tournament because of issues surrounding protests over the August 9 election, Latvia's threat to withdraw as cohost, and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Given the issues at hand, the IIHF said on November 18 that it needs more time to review the situation and decide on the "best course of action" given the tournament is its crown jewel and must be played somewhere.
"While the regime terrorizes Belarusians, we must deprive Lukashenka of the world's recognition. @IIHFHockey announced that they need more time to review the situation with playing the 2021 IHWC in Belarus. Thank you for hearing us. We ask the IIHF Council to be firm on the matter," Tsikhanouskaya, who left Belarus for neighboring Lithuania due to security concerns for her and her family, said in a tweet on November 19.
Embattled strongman Alyaksandr Lukashenka, who has ruled Belarus for 26 years, has faced almost daily protests calling for his resignation since the presidential election, which the opposition says was rigged and the West has refused to accept.
Several protesters have been killed and thousands of people arrested since authorities declared Lukashenka the landslide winner of the vote. There have also been credible reports of torture during a widening security crackdown.
Most of the country's opposition leaders have been arrested or forced to leave the country, including Tsikhanouskaya.
Lukashenka lashed out at the protesters on November 13, vowing not to hand over power to anyone just days after the death of a 31-year-old Belarusian man who is believed to have been badly beaten by masked security forces.
The turmoil prompted Latvia to blacklist the head of Belarus’s ice hockey federation on November 16 as the Baltic country seeks to prevent its neighbor from cohosting the 2021 world championships.
Baskau, the president of the Belarusian hockey federation and head of the Dynamo Minsk hockey team, is a close ally of Lukashenka.
Losing the tournament would be a further blow to Lukashenka, who has cultivated an image as a jock, regularly taking to the ice to play hockey, his favorite sporting pastime.
“We must be assured that a World Championship can take place in a safe and responsible way, for everyone,” said IIHF President Rene Fasel.
“These are very real and very serious considerations, as this tournament is the most important asset of the IIHF and supports so much of what we do.... If you take a normal season situation it wouldn’t be realistic right now that Belarus and Latvia could guarantee their capability to conduct World Championship tournament operations,” he added.
Latvian Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins has spoken with Fasel to discuss Latvia's ability to hold the tournament on its own.
In response to the crackdown on protesters, the European Union and Western countries have imposed sanctions on dozens of Belarusian officials, including Lukashenka.
The Baltic states and Poland have taken the lead in pressing for a tough stance against Belarus.


rferl--2020-11-20--Iran Tightens Restrictions Amid Sharp Rise In COVID-19 Cases, Deaths

The Iranian government is to impose tougher restrictions nationwide from November 21 as the country hardest hit in the Middle @ @ @ @ @ a new wave of infections .
Nonessential businesses and services are to close in the @ @ @ @ @ in about 160 other high-risk `` red '' cities and towns , the national coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ November 20 .
Driving restrictions aimed at encouraging people to stay home mean that cars @ @ @ @ @ leave or enter `` red '' areas .
Lighter restrictions will be imposed in lower-risk @ @ @ @ @ yellow '' areas .
The measures are to last at least two weeks .
The @ @ @ @ @ 20 that the country reported 479 deaths caused by COVID-19 over the past 24 hours @ @ @ @ @ toll to 43,896 .
The number of coronavirus cases rose by 13,260 to 828,377 , @ @ @ @

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--2020-11-20--Iran Says It Seized Panama-Flagged Tanker For Alleged Fuel Smuggling

Iran 's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps ( IRGC ) has detained a Panama-flagged oil tanker in the Persian Gulf that @ @ @ @ @ illegal oil , local media report .
The 10 foreign crew members were detained and @ @ @ @ @ to prosecutors in the port city of Parsian , the semiofficial Fars news agency quoted @ @ @ @ @ on November 20 .
The report did not give the nationality of the crew members @ @ @ @ @ incident .
Iran , which has some of the world ’ s cheapest fuel prices @ @ @ @ @ the fall of its national currency , has been fighting fuel smuggling to neighboring countries @ @ @ @ @ liters of fuel are smuggled from Iran every day , according to Iranian media reports @ @ @ @ @ dpa and Reuters


rferl--2020-11-20--Gunman Arrested In Tbilisi After Taking Nine People Hostage

TBILISI – Georgian officials say they have arrested an unidentified gunman who was holding nine people hostage at a microfinance @ @ @ @ @ , Tbilisi .
Vazha Siradze , Tbilisi 's police chief , told reporters late on @ @ @ @ @ hostages held at the offices of the microlender MBC had been released .
Police officers @ @ @ @ @ around the building on the central Tsereteli Avenue .
It was not immediately clear what @ @ @ @ @ been .
Last month , a masked gunman took 43 hostages during a bank robbery @ @ @ @ @ of Zugdidi .
The man disappeared after receiving a ransom and releasing all hostages .

TBILISI – Georgian officials say they have arrested an unidentified gunman who was holding nine people hostage at a microfinance lending institution in the capital, Tbilisi.
Vazha Siradze, Tbilisi's police chief, told reporters late on November 20 that all the hostages held at the offices of the microlender MBC had been released.
Police officers earlier blocked off the area around the building on the central Tsereteli Avenue.
It was not immediately clear what the gunman's demands had been.
Last month, a masked gunman took 43 hostages during a bank robbery in the western Georgian town of Zugdidi.
The man disappeared after receiving a ransom and releasing all hostages.


rferl--2020-11-20--North Macedonia, Montenegro, Ukraine Joining EU Sanctions Against Belarus

Seven European countries that are not members of the EU have aligned themselves with the sanctions imposed by the 27-member bloc on Belarus in response to a brutal crackdown on pro-democracy protests triggered by a disputed presidential election in August .
EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said in a statement on November 20 that the seven countries included EU candidates North Macedonia , Montenegro , and Albania , as well as Iceland , Liechtenstein , Norway , and Ukraine .
Alyaksandr Lukashenka , who has ruled Belarus for 26 years , has faced almost daily protests calling for his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which the opposition says was rigged and the West has refused to recognize .
Several protesters have been killed and thousands of people arrested since authorities declared the Belarusian strongman the landslide winner of the vote .
There have also been credible reports of torture during a widening security crackdown .
Most of the country 's opposition leaders have been arrested or forced to flee the country , while dozens of reporters have been incarcerated , including contributors to RFE/RL ’ s Belarus Service .
The EU has slapped visa bans and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 50 senior officials over their roles in the crackdown on protests and the rigging of the vote .
Noting that previous measures failed to halt repression in Belarus , Borrell said on November 19 that the EU foreign ministers agreed to expand the bloc ’ s sanctions to include “ institutions , entrepreneurs , and firms.
” The European Commission is also recommending the EU scale back cooperation with Belarus , including in trade , justice , and security .
Exceptions are made in areas such as the environment , nuclear safety , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Baltic EU states -- Lithuania , Latvia , and Estonia – added 28 Belarusian individuals to their own blacklists already containing Lukashenka and more than 100 officials , AFP reported on November 20 .
Lithuanian Foreign Minister Linas Linkevicius told the French news agency that Belarusian Information Minister Ihar Lutski , who is blamed for Internet shutdowns to prevent protests , was among those newly blacklisted .
Sports Minister Syarhey Kavalchuk was also sanctioned for putting pressure on athletes who have spoken out against Lukashenka .

Seven European countries that are not members of the EU have aligned themselves with the sanctions imposed by the 27-member bloc on Belarus in response to a brutal crackdown on pro-democracy protests triggered by a disputed presidential election in August.
EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said in a statement on November 20 that the seven countries included EU candidates North Macedonia, Montenegro, and Albania, as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Ukraine.
Alyaksandr Lukashenka, who has ruled Belarus for 26 years, has faced almost daily protests calling for his resignation since the August 9 presidential election, which the opposition says was rigged and the West has refused to recognize.
Several protesters have been killed and thousands of people arrested since authorities declared the Belarusian strongman the landslide winner of the vote. There have also been credible reports of torture during a widening security crackdown.
Most of the country's opposition leaders have been arrested or forced to flee the country, while dozens of reporters have been incarcerated, including contributors to RFE/RL’s Belarus Service.
The EU has slapped visa bans and asset freezes on Lukashenka and more than 50 senior officials over their roles in the crackdown on protests and the rigging of the vote.
Noting that previous measures failed to halt repression in Belarus, Borrell said on November 19 that the EU foreign ministers agreed to expand the bloc’s sanctions to include “institutions, entrepreneurs, and firms.”
The European Commission is also recommending the EU scale back cooperation with Belarus, including in trade, justice, and security. Exceptions are made in areas such as the environment, nuclear safety, and civil society.
Meanwhile, the Baltic EU states -- Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia – added 28 Belarusian individuals to their own blacklists already containing Lukashenka and more than 100 officials, AFP reported on November 20.
Lithuanian Foreign Minister Linas Linkevicius told the French news agency that Belarusian Information Minister Ihar Lutski, who is blamed for Internet shutdowns to prevent protests, was among those newly blacklisted.
Sports Minister Syarhey Kavalchuk was also sanctioned for putting pressure on athletes who have spoken out against Lukashenka.
With reporting by AFP


rferl--2020-11-20--Wife Of Former Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian Dies Of COVID-19

YEREVAN – The wife of former Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian has died after being infected with the coronavirus .
She @ @ @ @ @ s office said Rita Sarkisian died on November 20 , days after being hospitalized in @ @ @ @ @ November 16 .
She was born in 1962 in Nagorno-Karabakh , an enclave that is @ @ @ @ @ by ethnic Armenians .
It was the site of weeks of recent fighting between Armenia @ @ @ @ @ was brokered by Russia .
Serzh Sarkisian , also a native of Nagorno-Karabakh , served @ @ @ @ @ of Armenia and was the third president of Armenia between 2008 and 2018 .

YEREVAN – The wife of former Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian has died after being infected with the coronavirus. She was 58.
Sarkisian’s office said Rita Sarkisian died on November 20, days after being hospitalized in critical condition with COVID-19 on November 16.
She was born in 1962 in Nagorno-Karabakh, an enclave that is inside Azerbaijan but mainly populated by ethnic Armenians. It was the site of weeks of recent fighting between Armenia and Azerbaijan until a truce was brokered by Russia.
Serzh Sarkisian, also a native of Nagorno-Karabakh, served twice as the prime minister of Armenia and was the third president of Armenia between 2008 and 2018.


rferl--2020-11-20--Thousands Bid Farewell To Dead Belarusian Protester

Thousands came to pay tribute to Raman Bandarenka on November 20 at the Church of Christ 's Resurrection in a @ @ @ @ @ died in a hospital last week after reportedly being badly beaten by masked security forces @ @ @ @ @ was drunk and that the police acted to pacify him .
Mourners and Belarusian opposition @ @ @ @ @ victim of a police crackdown against protests that followed a disputed presidential election .
There @ @ @ @ @ following the August 9 presidential election that Alyaksandr Lukashenka claims he won .
The opposition @ @ @ @ @ and the West has refused to accept the result .

Thousands came to pay tribute to Raman Bandarenka on November 20 at the Church of Christ's Resurrection in a Minsk suburb. The 31-year-old died in a hospital last week after reportedly being badly beaten by masked security forces. The authorities claim Bandarenka was drunk and that the police acted to pacify him. Mourners and Belarusian opposition figures say he was the victim of a police crackdown against protests that followed a disputed presidential election. There have been almost daily demonstrations following the August 9 presidential election that Alyaksandr Lukashenka claims he won. The opposition says the vote was rigged and the West has refused to accept the result.