rferl--2020-08-14--Belarus Opposition Candidate Calls On Supporters 'To Defend Our Choice'

The main challenger to Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka in the recent election , Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya , who was forced to leave the country the next day and is currently in Lithuania , has urged her supporters to `` defend our choice , '' while calling for weekend protests .
In a video statement on August 14 , Tsikhanouskaya said the majority of voters in the country had cast ballots for her and not Lukashenka , who , according to official poll results , received some 80 percent of the vote .
Tsikhanouskaya , who attracted huge crowds at campaign rallies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ under 10 percent .
`` We , the backers of changes , are the majority .
And that is confirmed by documents , copies of the protocols [ from polling stations ] .
At the places where the votes were counted honestly , my supporters made between 60-70 percent .
In Novaya Baravaya ( Minsk 's outskirts ) it was 90 percent .
Belarusians will never want to live with the previous authorities .
Nobody believes in his [ Lukashenka 's ] victory , '' Tsikhanouskaya said .
The Belarusian Interior Ministry on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who were detained during protests have been released .
The ministry said it was concerned by the problem of overcrowding in detention centers after around 6,700 people were detained in the crackdown .
Late on August 13 , the Belarusian leadership released some 1,000 detained protesters after issuing a rare public apology for the use of excessive force against some bystanders in a bid to quell nationwide protests that now pose the biggest challenge to Lukashenka in his 26 years in power .
At least two protesters have died .
Also on August @ @ @ @ @ @ @ declared that Lukashenka had won the August 9 election .
According to the commission 's website , Lukashneka got 80.1 percent of the vote , against Tsikhanouskaya 's 10.1 percent .
Protests were reported to have resumed early on August 14 , as people formed human chains in the capital , Minsk , and pressure was building on Lukashenka from outside .
European Union foreign ministers were due to hold an emergency meeting later on August 14 to discuss possible new sanctions .
European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen , the bloc @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We need additional sanctions against those who violated democratic values or abused human rights in Belarus .
I am confident today 's EU Foreign Ministers ' discussion will demonstrate our strong support for the rights of the people in Belarus to fundamental freedoms and democracy . ''
German Chancellor Angela Merkel demanded the unconditional and immediate release of detained demonstrators , her spokesman said .
The official BelTA news agency quoted Foreign Minister Uladzimer Makey as saying on August 14 that Belarus was ready for `` constructive and objective dialogue '' with its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ presidential election and its aftermath .
In her YouTube statement , Tsikhanouskaya accused the authorities of `` turning peaceful demonstrations into a bloody massacre . ''
`` It is necessary to stop the violence on the streets of Belarusian cities .
I call on the authorities to stop it and start a dialogue .
I ask the mayors of all cities to organize peaceful mass gatherings in every city on August 15 and 16 , '' Tsikhanouskaya said .
Tsikhanouskaya called on Belarusians to prove that the majority of them had voted for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be added to her website to register those who supported her during the poll .
The 37-year-old thanked her supporters , her campaign team , striking workers , and police officers who refused to follow their supervisors ' command to attack protesters .

The main challenger to Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka in the August 9 presidential election, Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who was forced to leave the country a day after the election and is currently in Lithuania, has called on her supporters to "defend our choice," while urging ongoing protests to continue into the weekend.
In a video statement on August 14, Tsikhanouskaya said the majority of voters in the country had cast ballots for her and not Lukashenka, who, according to official poll results, received some 80 percent of the vote.
Tsikhanouskaya, who attracted huge crowds at campaign rallies across the country, was given just under 10 percent.
"We, the backers of changes, are the majority. And that is confirmed by documents, copies of the protocols [from polling stations]. At the places where the votes were counted honestly, my supporters made between 60-70 percent. In Novaya Baravaya (Minsk's outskirts) it was 90 percent. Belarusians will never want to live with the previous authorities. Nobody believes in his [Lukashenka's] victory," Tsikhanouskaya said.
In a separate statement, Tsikhanouskaya said that she was initiating the creation of a “Coordination Council to ensure the transition of power.” She said the council would include civil society representatives, as well as prominent figures and “professionals in their fields.”
The Belarusian Interior Ministry on August 14 said more than 2,000 people who were detained during protests have been released.
The ministry said it was concerned by the problem of overcrowding in detention centers after around 6,700 people were detained in the crackdown.
Late on August 13, the Belarusian leadership released some 1,000 detained protesters after issuing a rare public apology for the use of excessive force against some bystanders in a bid to quell nationwide protests that now pose the biggest challenge to Lukashenka in his 26 years in power.
At least two protesters have died.
Also on August 14, the Central Election Commission officially declared that Lukashenka had won the August 9 election. According to the commission's website, Lukashenka got 80.1 percent of the vote, against Tsikhanouskaya's 10.1 percent.
During a televised meeting with government officials on August 14, Lukashenka urged Belarusians not to attend protests, claiming that the opposition wanted “to use you and your children as cannon fodder.”
Ongoing nationwide protests continued as European Union foreign ministers at an emergency meeting on July 14 discussed drawing up proposals for new sanctions on Belarus.
European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen, the bloc's chief executive, tweeted: "We need additional sanctions against those who violated democratic values or abused human rights in Belarus. I am confident today's EU Foreign Ministers' discussion will demonstrate our strong support for the rights of the people in Belarus to fundamental freedoms and democracy."
German Chancellor Angela Merkel demanded the unconditional and immediate release of detained demonstrators, her spokesman said.
The official BelTA news agency quoted Foreign Minister Uladzimer Makey as saying on August 14 that Belarus was ready for "constructive and objective dialogue" with its foreign partners on events related to the presidential election and its aftermath.
In her YouTube statement, Tsikhanouskaya accused the authorities of "turning peaceful demonstrations into a bloody massacre."
"It is necessary to stop the violence on the streets of Belarusian cities. I call on the authorities to stop it and start a dialogue. I ask the mayors of all cities to organize peaceful mass gatherings in every city on August 15 and 16," Tsikhanouskaya said.
Tsikhanouskaya called on Belarusians to prove that the majority of them had voted for her, saying that a special link will be added to her website to register those who supported her during the poll.
The 37-year-old thanked her supporters, her campaign team, striking workers, and police officers who refused to follow their supervisors' command to attack protesters.


rferl--2020-08-14--U.S. Envoy Announces Kosovo-Serbia Meeting At White House Next Month

The U.S. special envoy for Serbia and Kosovo negotiations has announced that the two countries ' leaders have agreed to meet at the White House next month , after a similar meeting was canceled in June following the indictment of Kosovar President Hashim Thaci for crimes against humanity .
`` We are happy to announce that the leaders of Kosovo and Serbia will meet at the White House for a negotiation on September 2 , '' Richard Grenell tweeted on April 14 .
A senior U.S. official told RFE/RL on condition of anonymity that national security adviser Robert O ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two leaders and Grenell .
`` The United States believes progress on economic issues is key in advancing the peace process , '' the official said .
Kosovar Prime Minister Avdullah Hoti and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic confirmed on August 14 that they will meet in Washington .
`` On Sept 2 , with Serbian side , as independent countries , we will meet at the White House for major projects that will change the economic perspective of Kosovo and the region , '' Hoti wrote on Twitter .
Vucic , speaking to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said he will attend the talks .
`` Serbia is not in a position , and it would not be good to refuse talks , '' Vucic said .
`` The topics , as far as I talked to Grenell , will be economic .
These are good topics for us , '' Vucic said .
However , the Serbian leader took issue with the term `` negotiation '' used by Grenell in his tweet .
He said that Serbia 's position was to talk to the other side , not the state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Brussels administration , and most European Union countries see Serbia and Kosovo as two independent states .
Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008 -- a move recognized by a vast majority of countries , including the United States , but not by Belgrade and Russia .
Washington stepped up its involvement in Serbia-Kosovo negotiations late last year with Grenell 's appointment .
Analysts say his efforts have all but sidelined the European Union from the normalization process between the two former foes that Brussels had been mediating since 2011 .
The EU-brokered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ normalize relations in the region , although many of them have not been implemented .
Nabila Massrali , spokeswoman for EU foreign affairs and security policy , welcomed Grenell 's announcement , but reaffirmed Brussels ' center-stage role in talks to normalize ties between Kosovo and Serbia and bring them closer to the 27-member bloc .
`` The path to the European Union for Kosovo and Serbia leads through the EU-facilitated dialogue .
The EU as the facilitator of the dialogue works since 2011 with Belgrade and Pristina towards a comprehensive normalization of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an e-mail to RFE/RL .
`` When it comes to the involvement of third parties in efforts to help Kosovo and Serbia to agree on the comprehensive normalization of their relations , we welcome all initiatives in support of the EU-facilitated dialogue .
`` In this regard , we take note of the announcement by Ambassador Grenell , '' Massrali said .
Grenell 's announcement marks the second attempt by Washington to bring the two former foes face-to-face at the White House .
Hoti on June 25 abruptly canceled his participation in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before their scheduled date , following Thaci 's indictment at The Hague for war crimes and crimes against humanity allegedly committed during or after the 1998-99 Kosovo war .
The Specialist Prosecutor ’ s Office ( SPO ) at The Hague said on June 24 that Thaci and other Kosovar officials `` are criminally responsible for nearly 100 murders , '' as well as the `` enforced disappearance of persons , persecution , and torture . ''
Thaci was a commander of the Kosovo Liberation Army ( UCK ) , an ethnic Albanian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ security forces in the 1998-99 Kosovo war .
Thaci has denied involvement in any war crimes .
The Kosovo Specialist Chambers in The Hague is currently reviewing the indictment to decide on whether to confirm the charges .
Thaci on August 14 hailed the announcement of the White House meeting .
`` I welcome the announced meeting at the White House on negotiations between # Kosovo and # Serbia .
We are greatful to the # US for the tremendous dedication to peace & stability in the region , '' he tweeted .

The U.S. special envoy for Serbia and Kosovo negotiations has announced that the two countries' leaders have agreed to meet at the White House next month, after a similar meeting was canceled in June following the indictment of Kosovar President Hashim Thaci for crimes against humanity.
"We are happy to announce that the leaders of Kosovo and Serbia will meet at the White House for a negotiation on September 2," Richard Grenell tweeted on April 14.
A senior U.S. official told RFE/RL on condition of anonymity that national security adviser Robert O’Brien will host the talks between the two leaders and Grenell.
"The United States believes progress on economic issues is key in advancing the peace process," the official said.
Kosovar Prime Minister Avdullah Hoti and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic confirmed on August 14 that they will meet in Washington.
"On Sept 2, with Serbian side, as independent countries, we will meet at the White House for major projects that will change the economic perspective of Kosovo and the region," Hoti wrote on Twitter.
Vucic, speaking to private television Pink on August 14, said he will attend the talks.
"Serbia is not in a position, and it would not be good to refuse talks," Vucic said.
"The topics, as far as I talked to Grenell, will be economic. These are good topics for us," Vucic said.
However, the Serbian leader took issue with the term "negotiation" used by Grenell in his tweet.
He said that Serbia's position was to talk to the other side, not the state, although the United States, the Brussels administration, and most European Union countries see Serbia and Kosovo as two independent states.
Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008 -- a move recognized by a vast majority of countries, including the United States, but not by Belgrade and Russia.
Washington stepped up its involvement in Serbia-Kosovo negotiations late last year with Grenell's appointment. Analysts say his efforts have all but sidelined the European Union from the normalization process between the two former foes that Brussels had been mediating since 2011.
The EU-brokered talks have produced multiple agreements seeking to normalize relations in the region, although many of them have not been implemented.
Nabila Massrali, spokeswoman for EU foreign affairs and security policy, welcomed Grenell's announcement, but reaffirmed Brussels' center-stage role in talks to normalize ties between Kosovo and Serbia and bring them closer to the 27-member bloc.
"The path to the European Union for Kosovo and Serbia leads through the EU-facilitated dialogue. The EU as the facilitator of the dialogue works since 2011 with Belgrade and Pristina towards a comprehensive normalization of their relations," Massrali said in an e-mail to RFE/RL.
"When it comes to the involvement of third parties in efforts to help Kosovo and Serbia to agree on the comprehensive normalization of their relations, we welcome all initiatives in support of the EU-facilitated dialogue.
"In this regard, we take note of the announcement by Ambassador Grenell," Massrali said.
Grenell's announcement marks the second attempt by Washington to bring the two former foes face-to-face at the White House.
Hoti on June 25 abruptly canceled his participation in the White House talks with Vucic two days before their scheduled date, following Thaci's indictment at The Hague for war crimes and crimes against humanity allegedly committed during or after the 1998-99 Kosovo war.
The Specialist Prosecutor’s Office (SPO) at The Hague said on June 24 that Thaci and other Kosovar officials "are criminally responsible for nearly 100 murders," as well as the "enforced disappearance of persons, persecution, and torture."
Thaci was a commander of the Kosovo Liberation Army (UCK), an ethnic Albanian guerrilla group that fought against Belgrade's security forces in the 1998-99 Kosovo war.
Thaci has denied involvement in any war crimes.
The Kosovo Specialist Chambers in The Hague is currently reviewing the indictment to decide on whether to confirm the charges.
Thaci on August 14 hailed the announcement of the White House meeting.
"I welcome the announced meeting at the White House on negotiations between #Kosovo and #Serbia. We are greatful to the #US for the tremendous dedication to peace & stability in the region," he tweeted.


rferl--2020-08-14--Afghan Government Begins Release Of Final Group Of Taliban Prisoners

The Afghan government says it has started releasing 400 Taliban militants , the final part of a prisoner swap meant to clear the way for the start of peace talks between Kabul and the Taliban .
Javid Faisal , spokesman for the Afghan National Security Council , made the announcement .
Taliban officials , speaking on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to speak to the media , said 86 detainees were freed .
It was n't immediately known when the remaining prisoners would be released .
The prisoner release would `` speed up efforts for direct talks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' the security body said .
President Ashraf Ghani announced on August 9 his intention to release the 400 Taliban militants , many of whom have been convicted for deadly attacks on Afghans and foreigners .
The decision came shortly after the move was recommended by a traditional Loya Jirga consultative assembly in Kabul .
The release of the prisoners is the last hurdle to opening peace talks between the internationally backed government in Kabul and the Taliban under a peace deal signed in February between the militants and the United States .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the final prisoners being released they are ready to begin intra-Afghan talks in Doha , Qatar .
There was no immediate response from the Taliban about the prisoner release .
But on August 12 the Taliban issued a statement warning that detainees released from Pul-e Charkhi prison , the country 's largest detention facility in Kabul , faced `` a serious security threat . ''
The Taliban claimed that the rival Islamic State extremist group , in cooperation with some government spoilers , planned to attack vehicles transporting the remaining detainees to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ freed 4,600 Taliban inmates out of the 5,000 pledged in the landmark U.S.-Taliban deal .
Afghan officials have described the remaining prisoners as the most dangerous , accusing them of masterminding attacks on embassies , public squares , and government offices , killing thousands of civilians in recent years .
The Taliban says it has freed all 1,000 government prisoners it had pledged in the agreement with the United States .
In addition to the withdrawal of U.S. and coalition troops , the U.S.-Taliban deal calls on the Taliban to guarantee that Afghanistan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ground for terrorist attacks on the United States or its allies .
U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper said in an interview on August 8 that the United States plans to cut its troop levels in Afghanistan to `` a number less than 5,000 '' by the end of November .
Although the Taliban hasn ’ t targeted U.S. forces since the February deal , militants have carried out multiple attacks on government forces that have killed 3,560 Afghan security personnel .
The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan has documented more than 1,280 Afghan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2020 -- mainly as a result of fighting between government forces and the Taliban .
On August 14 , a small bomb hidden in a motorcycle exploded near a mosque in Kabul just as worshipers were finishing their prayers , wounding a police officer .
No one immediately took responsibility but the Islamic State group has in the past targeted mosques in Afghanistan .

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


rferl--2020-08-14--EU Mulls Sanctions On Belarus Amid Accusations Of 'Widespread Torture'

The European Union is poised to ratchet up pressure on Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka in response to a brutal crackdown on protests triggered by elections the bloc described as `` neither free nor fair . ''
Ahead of an EU foreign ministers extraordinary meeting in Brussels on August 14 , Belarusian authorities began releasing hundreds of detainees early in the morning .
Many of those released described horrible conditions in detention facilities , beatings , and other mistreatment , while Amnesty International said the accounts suggested `` widespread torture . ''
At least two protesters have died and some 6,700 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ erupted on August 9 after an exit poll showed Lukashenka winning a sixth term with about 80 percent of the vote .
The claim was rejected by opposition candidate Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya , who was forced to leave for Lithuania .
EU foreign-policy chief Josep Borrell , who called for the bloc 's top diplomats to gather , demanded an end to the harsh crackdown and respect for human rights and democracy .
`` Over the last months , the Belarusians have clearly shown that they long for democracy and respect for human rights @ @ @ @ @ @ @ post on August 13 .
`` A substantial political change is a precondition for further development of the relations between the EU and Belarus . ''
In Berlin on August 13 , German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said the EU must `` increase pressure on the ruler '' in Minsk .
`` It is perfectly clear that the brutal crackdown and detention of peaceful demonstrators ... will not be tolerated in 21st-century Europe , '' said Maas , whose country holds the EU 's rotating presidency .
At the EU level there are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said .
Amnesty International said detainees had given `` horrifying testimonies '' that they received severe beatings and threats of rape .
`` Former detainees told us that detention centers have become torture chambers , where protesters are forced to lie in the dirt while police kick and beat them with truncheons , '' said Marie Struthers , Amnesty International 's director for Eastern Europe and Central Asia .
Meanwhile , the leaders of Estonia , Latvia , Lithuania , and Poland have issued a joint statement offering to act as mediators @ @ @ @ @ @ @ settlement of the crisis in Belarus . ''
The statement called for the creation of a forum that could produce `` a national dialogue . ''
Tsikhanouskaya , who was registered as a candidate after her vlogger husband , Syarhey Tsikhanouski , was jailed when he tried to register to become a candidate , was closely supported in the election by the campaigns of two other disqualified candidates .
One of them , Valery Tsapkala , a former Belarusian ambassador who fled the country ahead of the election , has called on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The EU imposed tough sanctions on Belarus following a harsh crackdown on the opposition in the wake of a rigged 2010 election .
Most restrictions were lifted in 2016 following the release of political prisoners that paved the way for a rapprochement between the EU and Belarus as the Eastern European country gained greater geopolitical importance following Russia 's aggression against Ukraine .
With reporting by RFE/RL 's Belarus Service , Current Time , and Tagesschau

The European Union is ratcheting up pressure on Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka in response to a brutal crackdown on protests triggered by elections the bloc described as "neither free nor fair."
EU foreign ministers, following an extraordinary video conference meeting in Brussels on August 14, said the bloc did not accept the results of the election and tasked the European Commission with drawing up sanctions proposals against Belarus.
"The European Union considers the results to have been falsified and therefore does not accept the results of the election as presented by the Belarus Central Election Commission,” the EU’s diplomatic corps, the European External Action Service, said in a statement.
Ahead of the meeting, Belarusian authorities began releasing hundreds of detainees rounded up since protests erupted following the August 9 vote.
Many of those released described horrible conditions in detention facilities, beatings, and other mistreatment, while Amnesty International said the accounts suggested "widespread torture."
At least two protesters have died and some 6,700 people have been detained since nationwide protests erupted after the August 9 vote.
Lukashenka, in power since 1994, was declared the winner of the election with some 80 percent of the vote. Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who drew crowds in the thousands at campaign rallies across the country and has left Belarus for Lithuania since the vote, finished a distant second with just under 10 percent.
EU foreign ministers demanded Belarusian authorities stop "the disproportionate and unacceptable violence against peaceful protesters" and release illegally detained persons.
They said that work would begin immediately to develop a list of sanctions on Belarus targeting those responsible for violence, repression, and the falsification of election results.
A decision on sanctions is expected by the end of the month.
Ahead of the meeting, EU foreign-policy chief Josep Borrell signaled there would be a momentous change in the EU's relationship with Belarus.
"Over the last months, the Belarusians have clearly shown that they long for democracy and respect for human rights,” Borrell wrote in a blog post on August 13. "A substantial political change is a precondition for further development of the relations between the EU and Belarus."
Meanwhile, the leaders of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland issued a joint statement offering to act as mediators "for the sake of a peace settlement of the crisis in Belarus." The statement called for the creation of a forum that could produce "a national dialogue."
The Council of Europe also urged Minsk not to use violence against protesters or detainees.
"Belarus needs to fully engage with civil society and this needs to start today," council head Marija Pejcinovic Buric said in a statement. She added that the Council of Europe was ready to help Belarus create and implement a reform plan.
Amnesty International said detainees had given "horrifying testimonies" that they received severe beatings and threats of rape.
"Former detainees told us that detention centers have become torture chambers, where protesters are forced to lie in the dirt while police kick and beat them with truncheons," said Marie Struthers, Amnesty International's director for Eastern Europe and Central Asia.
The EU imposed tough sanctions on Belarus following a harsh crackdown on the opposition in the wake of a rigged 2010 election.
Most restrictions were lifted in 2016 following the release of political prisoners that paved the way for a rapprochement between the EU and Belarus as the Eastern European country gained greater geopolitical importance following Russia's aggression against Ukraine.
With reporting by RFE/RL's Belarus Service, Current Time, and Tagesschau


rferl--2020-08-14--European Commission Considering Fact-Finding Mission To Minsk

BRUSSELS -- European Union Neighborhood Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi has expressed his readiness to travel to Minsk on an EU fact-finding mission to gather information following the government ’ s crackdown on protests triggered by the August 9 presidential election , which the bloc has described as `` neither free nor fair . ''
In an exclusive interview with RFE/RL after a video-link meeting of EU foreign ministers , Varhelyi suggested the possibility of traveling to the Belarusian capital , adding that he could go “ any time…when I am tasked ” and saying he would sit down with the EU @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how to proceed .
No high-ranking EU politician has traveled to the country since the vote , but the commissioner expressed his readiness to do so during the August 14 council meeting and received the backing from several EU foreign ministers , according to several RFE/RL sources .
Even though the EU has not officially called for a rerun of the vote , Varhelyi mentioned the possibility .
“ There have been not only major shortcomings , but the elections can not be considered free and fair , ” he said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and see the situation on the ground .
But , of course , this is a very strong likelihood that the elections might have to be rerun.
” At least two protesters have died and some 6,700 people have been detained since nationwide protests erupted on election day after the government announced an exit poll that showed strongman President Alyaksandr Lukashenka winning a sixth term with about 80 percent of the vote .
That claim was rejected by opposition candidate Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya , who was forced to leave for Lithuania the next day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ touch with officials from the Lukashenka government and underlined that his message to the Belarusian government was that “ we should try and create a situation where we can bridge all the differences between the government and the opposition and where we can get a common reading of the elections , a common reading on what needs to be done after that.
” At the meeting , the EU foreign ministers also tasked the commission and the EU ’ s diplomatic corps , the European External Action Service ( EEAS ) , with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been involved in the crackdown and individuals responsible for the alleged falsification of the election results .
Varhelyi said an agreement on sanctions such as visa bans and asset freezes could come at the end of the month when the ministers meet again in Berlin .
“ I think this will go ahead really fast , ” he said .
“ We agreed that 10 days from now…we will already be finalizing this .
”

BRUSSELS -- European Union Neighborhood Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi has expressed his readiness to travel to Minsk on an EU fact-finding mission to gather information following the government’s crackdown on protests triggered by the August 9 presidential election, which the bloc has described as "neither free nor fair."
In an exclusive interview with RFE/RL after a video-link meeting of EU foreign ministers, Varhelyi suggested the possibility of traveling to the Belarusian capital, adding that he could go “any time…when I am tasked” and saying he would sit down with the EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell to discuss how to proceed.
No high-ranking EU politician has traveled to the country since the vote, but the commissioner expressed his readiness to do so during the August 14 council meeting and received the backing from several EU foreign ministers, according to several RFE/RL sources.
Even though the EU has not officially called for a rerun of the vote, Varhelyi mentioned the possibility.
“There have been not only major shortcomings, but the elections cannot be considered free and fair,” he said. “So, we have to go there and see the situation on the ground. But, of course, this is a very strong likelihood that the elections might have to be rerun.”
At least two protesters have died and some 6,700 people have been detained since nationwide protests erupted on election day after the government announced an exit poll that showed strongman President Alyaksandr Lukashenka winning a sixth term with about 80 percent of the vote.
That claim was rejected by opposition candidate Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who was forced to leave for Lithuania the next day.
Varhelyi said he had been in touch with officials from the Lukashenka government and underlined that his message to the Belarusian government was that “we should try and create a situation where we can bridge all the differences between the government and the opposition and where we can get a common reading of the elections, a common reading on what needs to be done after that.”
At the meeting, the EU foreign ministers also tasked the commission and the EU’s diplomatic corps, the European External Action Service (EEAS), with drawing up sanctions proposals targeting people who have been involved in the crackdown and individuals responsible for the alleged falsification of the election results.
Varhelyi said an agreement on sanctions such as visa bans and asset freezes could come at the end of the month when the ministers meet again in Berlin.
“I think this will go ahead really fast,” he said. “We agreed that 10 days from now…we will already be finalizing this.”


rferl--2020-08-14--Belarus Releases Alleged Russian Mercenaries Detained In Purported Plot

Belarus has released 32 Russian citizens who were detained near Minsk last month and accused of being mercenaries plotting to “ destabilize ” the situation in Belarus around the August 9 presidential election .
The Russian Prosecutor-General 's Office posted a statement on August 14 that the men had been released and returned to Russia .
He added that they will not face criminal charges in Russia , even though mercenary activity is illegal under Russian law .
A 33rd man who was arrested at the same time was not released because he also has Belarusian citizenship , in addition @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sought the extradition of 28 of the men , saying they had fought on the side of Russia-backed separatist formations in parts of eastern Ukraine .
The men were detained at a resort near Minsk on July 29 and identified as employees of the Russia-based Vagner private security contractor .
Minsk claimed the men were in Belarus to conduct a “ color revolution ” as Lukashenka sought a sixth term as president in a highly contentious political campaign .
Moscow claimed the men were traveling through Belarus on their way to Istanbul before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ At the time the men were detained , Belarus claimed that up to 200 other Russian mercenaries were in the country as part of the purported destabilization plot .

Belarus has released 32 Russian citizens who were detained near Minsk last month and accused of being mercenaries plotting to “destabilize” the situation in Belarus around the August 9 presidential election.
The Russian Prosecutor-General's Office posted a statement on August 14 that the men had been released and returned to Russia. He added that they will not face criminal charges in Russia, even though mercenary activity is illegal under Russian law.
A 33rd man who was arrested at the same time was not released because he also has Belarusian citizenship, in addition to his Russian passport.
Ukraine had sought the extradition of 28 of the men, saying they had fought on the side of Russia-backed separatist formations in parts of eastern Ukraine.
Postelection Crackdown In Belarus Read our coverage as Belarusian strongman Alyaksandr Lukashenka continues his brutal crackdown on NGOs, activists, and independent media following the August 2020 presidential election.
The men were detained at a resort near Minsk on July 29 and identified as employees of the Russia-based Vagner private security contractor. Minsk claimed the men were in Belarus to conduct a “color revolution” as Lukashenka sought a sixth term as president in a highly contentious political campaign.
Moscow claimed the men were traveling through Belarus on their way to Istanbul before flying to “a third country.”
At the time the men were detained, Belarus claimed that up to 200 other Russian mercenaries were in the country as part of the purported destabilization plot.


rferl--2020-08-14--U.S. Seizes Tankers Loaded With Iranian Fuel Bound For Venezuela

The United States has seized four tankers en route from Iran to Venezuela in what the Justice Department says is the government ’ s largest-ever seizure of fuel shipments from Iran .
The Justice Department said on August 14 that U.S. law enforcement seized the cargo on the tankers -- approximately 1.116 million barrels of petroleum -- saying it was tied to the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps ( IRGC ) .
The department described the seizure as “ the successful disruption of a multimillion dollar fuel shipment ” by the IRGC that was bound for Venezuela .
“ With the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ property is now in U.S. custody , ” the Justice Department said in a news release .
U.S. President Donald Trump said on August 14 that the tankers were being moved to Houston , Texas .
“ Iran is not supposed to be doing that , ” Trump said , speaking at a White House briefing .
The seizure follows a complaint filed July 1 by the Justice Department in the U.S. District Court in Washington seeking forfeiture of all the “ petroleum-product cargo ” aboard the tankers Bella , Bering , Pandi @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the sale was arranged by an Iranian businessman with ties to the IRGC , a U.S.-designated foreign terrorist organization .
Since September 2018 , the IRGC 's elite Quds Force has moved oil in violation of U.S. sanctions through a shipping network involving dozens of ship managers , vessels , and facilitators , according to the July 1 complaint .
The Justice Department said the IRGC arranges shipments for Venezuela using offshore front companies and ship-to-ship transfers to avoid sanctions on Iran .
The complaint said profits from the sale of the fuel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of nefarious activities , including the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery , support for terrorism , and a variety of human rights abuses , at home and abroad . ''
After the tankers were seized , Iran ’ s navy forcibly boarded an unrelated ship in an apparent attempt to recover the seized petroleum , but was unsuccessful , the Justice Department said .
U.S. Central Command on August 13 published a video of the operation .
Sanctions against President Nicolas Maduro 's regime have forced Venezuela @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to alleviate a gasoline shortage .
Oil production in Venezuela has fallen to roughly a quarter of its 2008 level .
The South American country ’ s economy has been devastated by six years of recession .

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


rferl--2020-08-14--UN Security Council Rejects U.S. Resolution To Extend Iran Arms Embargo

The UN Security Council has rejected a U.S.-sponsored resolution to extend an arms embargo on Iran that is due to expire in October , setting the stage for Washington to act on threats that could kill the Iran nuclear deal and plunge the United Nations into diplomatic crisis .
The August 14 vote on the resolution was widely expected to fail in the 15-member Security Council due to strong opposition from veto-wielding members Russia and China .
“ The UN Security Council failed today to hold Iran accountable .
It enabled the world ’ s top state sponsor of terrorism @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ignored the demands of countries in the Middle East .
America will continue to work to correct this mistake , ” U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said after the vote .
In a diplomatic blow revealing Washington ’ s isolation at the UN over the issue , the resolution failed with two voting in favor and two against , while 11 members abstained .
Washington didn ’ t even receive the nine votes it needed in favor that would have required Russia and China to use their vetoes .
`` The result @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and bullying will fail , '' China 's UN mission tweeted .
The U.S.-drafted resolution sought to extend an international arms embargo on Iran , which is set to be progressively eased beginning on October 18 under UN Security Council Resolution 2231 that enshrined the 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers .
Washington has threatened to trigger a “ snapback ” of all UN sanctions on Iran if the embargo vote failed , a move experts say will throw the Security Council into crisis .
Pompeo and Iran hard-liners in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ participant ” in the nuclear accord because it was listed as such in the 2015 resolution and can therefore bring back sanctions since Iran has not fully complied with its nuclear commitments .
`` Under Resolution 2231 , the United States has every right to initiate snapback of provisions of previous Security Council resolutions , '' U.S .
Ambassador to the UN Kelly Craft said in a statement .
`` In the coming days , the United States will follow through on that promise to stop at nothing to extend the arms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as well as European countries that were signatories to the nuclear pact officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action ( JCPOA ) , have questioned the U.S. claim it is able to trigger the snapback mechanism because it quit the nuclear deal in 2018 and reimposed sanctions on Iran .
In response to the U.S. withdrawal , Iran gradually started breaching its nuclear commitments .
Britain , France , and Germany – all signatories to the JCPOA who have sought to keep it alive – have expressed worries about the arm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because they feared it would end the nuclear deal .
Iran has threatened to completely exit the JCPOA and hinted it will pull out of another key nonproliferation treaty if the arms embargo is extended or there is a snapback of sanctions .
Iran 's UN Ambassador Majid Takht Ravanchi again warned the United States against trying to trigger a return of sanctions .
`` Imposition of any sanctions or restrictions on Iran by the Security Council will be met severely by Iran and our options are not limited .
And the United @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it or acquiesce in its illegal behavior will bear the full responsibility , '' he said in a statement .
Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed that the next step should be an online summit gathering China , France , Russia , Britain , the United States , Germany , and Iran to try to avoid further `` confrontation and escalation '' at the United Nations over Iran .
`` Further growth of tensions and greater risks of a conflict are the alternative , '' Putin said in a statement posted on the Kremlin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` This march of events must be avoided .
Russia is open to constructive cooperation with all those interested in moving away from the dangerous line . ''
With reporting by AP , Reuters , and dpa


rferl--2020-08-14--Bulgarian PM Calls For New Constitution As Political Crisis Continues

SOFIA -- After more than a month of protests calling for his resignation , Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov has called for the convening of a grand national assembly to consider and adopt a new constitution .
“ It is time not only to change the political system but to restart the country , ” Borisov said in a televised address on August 14 , noting that the current constitution had been adopted “ in a different historical period for different political circumstances.
” Borisov also said he is prepared to step down as soon as parliament sets a date @ @ @ @ @ @ @ currently set for March 2021 .
The prime minister said the ruling GERB party had already drafted a new constitution that called for reducing the number of parliament deputies from 240 to 120 and overhauling the judiciary to make it more independent , while also boosting the accountability of prosecutors and judges .
Two-thirds of parliament would be required to approve the convocation of a grand national assembly .
Protesters , who accuse the government of corruption and undermining state institutions , issued a statement calling Borisov ’ s proposal “ yet another @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protesters have been gathering regularly in central Sofia since the beginning of July calling for Borisov and chief prosecutor Ivan Geshev to step down .
On July 21 , Borisov ’ s government survived a no-confidence vote in parliament , the fifth such vote since it took power in 2017 .
With reporting by The Guardian

SOFIA -- After more than a month of protests calling for his resignation, Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov has called for the convening of a grand national assembly to consider and adopt a new constitution.
“It is time not only to change the political system but to restart the country,” Borisov said in a televised address on August 14, noting that the current constitution had been adopted “in a different historical period for different political circumstances.”
Borisov also said he is prepared to step down as soon as parliament sets a date for new elections. The elections are currently set for March 2021.
The prime minister said the ruling GERB party had already drafted a new constitution that called for reducing the number of parliament deputies from 240 to 120 and overhauling the judiciary to make it more independent, while also boosting the accountability of prosecutors and judges.
Two-thirds of parliament would be required to approve the convocation of a grand national assembly.
Protesters, who accuse the government of corruption and undermining state institutions, issued a statement calling Borisov’s proposal “yet another attempt to win time.”
Thousands of protesters have been gathering regularly in central Sofia since the beginning of July calling for Borisov and chief prosecutor Ivan Geshev to step down.
On July 21, Borisov’s government survived a no-confidence vote in parliament, the fifth such vote since it took power in 2017.
With reporting by The Guardian


rferl--2020-08-14--Azerbaijani Ambassador In Balkans Detained On Embezzlement Charges

Azerbaijan 's ambassador to Serbia , Bosnia-Herzegovina , and Montenegro , Eldar Hasanov , has been detained on embezzlement charges @ @ @ @ @ Service said in a statement on August 13 that Hasanov is suspected of embezzling from @ @ @ @ @ directorate .
`` The complex financial investigations revealed that the country 's ambassador to Serbia @ @ @ @ @ , Eldar Hasanov , had committed significant financial and other mishandling , '' the statement @ @ @ @ @ that further information would be provided at a later time .

Azerbaijan's ambassador to Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Montenegro, Eldar Hasanov, has been detained on embezzlement charges.
Azerbaijan's State Security Service said in a statement on August 13 that Hasanov is suspected of embezzling from the Foreign Ministry's consulate directorate.
"The complex financial investigations revealed that the country's ambassador to Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Montenegro, Eldar Hasanov, had committed significant financial and other mishandling," the statement said.
The statement added that further information would be provided at a later time.


rferl--2020-08-14--Striking Workers Lead Demonstrators In Minsk March As Protests Spread

MINSK -- Several thousand protesters gathered in front of the main government building in the Belarusian capital to demand a recount of the country ’ s disputed August 9 election , which handed strongman President Alyaksandr Lukashenka a sixth term and sparked nationwide protests that have been brutally put down by security forces .
The spontaneous August 14 march was led by workers from the Minsk Tractor Works , one of numerous plants around the country where workers have walked off the job .
Drivers in passing cars honked their horns in support , and there were few signs of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was later joined by railway workers and others .
Unverified reports put the number of protesters at as high as 20,000 .
Demonstrators demanded that the August 9 election be invalidated , that a new election be held under a new Central Election Commission , and that all “ political prisoners ” currently in custody be released .
Security forces told demonstrators that “ if the protest is peaceful , no force will be used ” and warned them not to allow any “ provocations.
” After about four hours , the demonstrators @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” to indicate their intention to continue pressing their demands .
The united campaign headquarters of the opposition has called for “ peaceful demonstrations ” in cities across the country on August 15 and 16 .
During a televised meeting with government officials , Lukashenka urged Belarusians not to attend protests , claiming that the opposition wanted “ to use you and your children as cannon fodder.
” He added the accusation that the protests were being organized by foreigners from Poland , the Netherlands , Ukraine , and Russia .
In remarks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the day , Lukashenka said if the strikes continued , the workers `` will not be able to feed '' their families .
His remarks televised on August 14 came amid reports that Prime Minister Raman Halouchanka had met face-to-face with striking workers at two major industrial plants in Minsk .
In one of the latest work stoppages , thousands of workers at the Hrodna Azot chemical plant in the western Belarusian city of Hrodna walked off the job and met plant administrators and city authorities .
The workers held up posters , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' `` We did not elect him , '' and `` Our votes have been stolen . ''
WATCH : Strikes Add Momentum To Wave Of Election Protests In Belarus Hrodna Mayor Mechyslau Hoy , and the plant 's director , Ihar Babyr , were at the meeting , where independent labor-union representatives and workers condemned the ongoing crackdown on protesters across the country .
Lukashenka , in power since 1994 , was declared the winner of the August 9 poll with some 80 percent of the vote .
Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaign rallies across the country and who has since left Belarus for Lithuania since the vote , finished a distant second with just under 10 percent .
The United States and European Union criticized the vote and condemned the postelection crackdown , as have NGOs like Amnesty International .
On August 13 , workers of the BelAZ plant in the city of Zhodzina near Minsk , which manufactures trucks and other construction vehicles and equipment , walked off the job , demanding new presidential election .
Managers of BelAZ , one of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Union , met with the workers in the evening on August 13 .
No members of the media were allowed to attend that gathering .
One of the plant 's employees , a technician who requested his name not be mentioned , told RFE/RL that the workers had put forward four demands : the resignation of Lukashenka and his government , an immediate halt to police violence against protesters , the release of all political prisoners and thousands of protesters detained during the last several days , and the holding a new presidential @ @ @ @ @ @ @ barred from the recent poll .
According to the employee , the workers warned that they will go on strike if their demands are not handed over to the leadership of the plant by 3 p.m. on August 17 .
After the BelAZ workers ' protest , Zhodzina city Mayor Dzmitry Zablotski announced a meeting with the workers and other city residents near a shopping mall in downtown Zhodzina in the evening that same day , which was attended by thousands of people .
The workers and other residents demanded Zablotski 's resignation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people that he was aware of the mass arrests of protesters in the city .
People started chanting `` Go away ! ''
and Zablotski left the podium .
A doctor from a local hospital said at the meeting that every day `` people with terrible injuries are being brought to us , '' adding that she had `` never seen such injuries in my life . ''
People at the meeting carried out an impromptu poll with a majority raising their hand to indicate they had voted for Tsikhanouskaya .
Media reports @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 20 other industrial facilities and organizations across Belarus are on strike or are about to .
The information has not been officially confirmed , while at some facilities workers said vital part of plants and factories continue to operate .
Meanwhile , Lukashenka , in a televised report on August 14 , said that strikes at plants and factories could negatively affect the future of the affected industrial complexes .
`` If you want , go on strike , if you want to work , work ...
Yes , you can walk on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ] .
There are thousands of them .
You can join , walk around with them .
But even if they give you money , it will last only for two days…and then what ?
” Lukashenka said in a statement .
The 65-year-old authoritarian leader , who is facing the greatest challenge to his 26-year rule , stressed that he is in the country and did not flee , `` as our informed ones insist . ''
His comments came as Halouchanka on August 14 visited the Minsk Tractor Works and MAZ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to talk to the striking workers .
No further details were immediately available on the outcome of those discussions .
With reporting by Nasha Niva and Tut.by

MINSK -- Several thousand protesters gathered in front of the main government building in the Belarusian capital to demand a recount of the country’s disputed August 9 election, which handed strongman President Alyaksandr Lukashenka a sixth term and sparked nationwide protests that have been brutally put down by security forces.
The spontaneous August 14 march was led by workers from the Minsk Tractor Works, one of numerous plants around the country where workers have walked off the job. Drivers in passing cars honked their horns in support, and there were few signs of police or security forces.
The demonstration was later joined by railway workers and others. Unverified reports put the number of protesters at as high as 20,000.
Demonstrators demanded that the August 9 election be invalidated, that a new election be held under a new Central Election Commission, and that all “political prisoners” currently in custody be released.
Security forces told demonstrators that “if the protest is peaceful, no force will be used” and warned them not to allow any “provocations.”
After about four hours, the demonstrators dispersed, chanting “Every day!” to indicate their intention to continue pressing their demands.
The united campaign headquarters of the opposition has called for “peaceful demonstrations” in cities across the country on August 15 and 16. During a televised meeting with government officials, Lukashenka urged Belarusians not to attend protests, claiming that the opposition wanted “to use you and your children as cannon fodder.”
He added the accusation that the protests were being organized by foreigners from Poland, the Netherlands, Ukraine, and Russia.
In remarks on the growing work stoppages earlier in the day, Lukashenka said if the strikes continued, the workers "will not be able to feed" their families.
His remarks televised on August 14 came amid reports that Prime Minister Raman Halouchanka had met face-to-face with striking workers at two major industrial plants in Minsk.
In one of the latest work stoppages, thousands of workers at the Hrodna Azot chemical plant in the western Belarusian city of Hrodna walked off the job and met plant administrators and city authorities.
The workers held up posters, saying "We demand Lukashenka's resignation," "We did not elect him," and "Our votes have been stolen."
WATCH: Strikes Add Momentum To Wave Of Election Protests In Belarus
Hrodna Mayor Mechyslau Hoy, and the plant's director, Ihar Babyr, were at the meeting, where independent labor-union representatives and workers condemned the ongoing crackdown on protesters across the country.
Lukashenka, in power since 1994, was declared the winner of the August 9 poll with some 80 percent of the vote. Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who drew crowds in the thousands at campaign rallies across the country and who has since left Belarus for Lithuania since the vote, finished a distant second with just under 10 percent.
The United States and European Union criticized the vote and condemned the postelection crackdown, as have NGOs like Amnesty International.
On August 13, workers of the BelAZ plant in the city of Zhodzina near Minsk, which manufactures trucks and other construction vehicles and equipment, walked off the job, demanding new presidential election.
Managers of BelAZ, one of the largest industrial facilities in the former Soviet Union, met with the workers in the evening on August 13. No members of the media were allowed to attend that gathering.
One of the plant's employees, a technician who requested his name not be mentioned, told RFE/RL that the workers had put forward four demands: the resignation of Lukashenka and his government, an immediate halt to police violence against protesters, the release of all political prisoners and thousands of protesters detained during the last several days, and the holding a new presidential election with all candidates who had been barred from the recent poll.
According to the employee, the workers warned that they will go on strike if their demands are not handed over to the leadership of the plant by 3 p.m. on August 17.
After the BelAZ workers' protest, Zhodzina city Mayor Dzmitry Zablotski announced a meeting with the workers and other city residents near a shopping mall in downtown Zhodzina in the evening that same day, which was attended by thousands of people.
The workers and other residents demanded Zablotski's resignation after he admitted in front of the people that he was aware of the mass arrests of protesters in the city.
People started chanting "Go away!" and Zablotski left the podium.
A doctor from a local hospital said at the meeting that every day "people with terrible injuries are being brought to us," adding that she had "never seen such injuries in my life."
People at the meeting carried out an impromptu poll with a majority raising their hand to indicate they had voted for Tsikhanouskaya.
Media reports say thousands of workers at more than 20 other industrial facilities and organizations across Belarus are on strike or are about to.
The information has not been officially confirmed, while at some facilities workers said vital part of plants and factories continue to operate.
Meanwhile, Lukashenka, in a televised report on August 14, said that strikes at plants and factories could negatively affect the future of the affected industrial complexes.
"If you want, go on strike, if you want to work, work...Yes, you can walk on the street [to join the protesters]. There are thousands of them. You can join, walk around with them. But even if they give you money, it will last only for two days…and then what?” Lukashenka said in a statement.
The 65-year-old authoritarian leader, who is facing the greatest challenge to his 26-year rule, stressed that he is in the country and did not flee, "as our informed ones insist."
His comments came as Halouchanka on August 14 visited the Minsk Tractor Works and MAZ truck-manufacturing plant in the Belarusian capital, to talk to the striking workers.
No further details were immediately available on the outcome of those discussions.
With reporting by Nasha Niva and Tut.by


rferl--2020-08-15--Lukashenka Discusses Protests With Putin As Pressure On Him Mounts

Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka has discussed the mass street protests rocking his country with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin , Belarusian state media report .
The phone conversation on August 15 came as Lukashenka faces growing pressure to step down following a disputed election that has triggered unprecedented protests and a harsh government crackdown .
`` The presidents discussed the situation that is unfolding inside and around Belarus , '' state news agency BelTA reported , citing Lukashenka 's press service , without providing any details .
Thousands of Belarusians staged a seventh day of peaceful protests on August 15 over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bloody crackdown that has drawn international outrage .
The nationwide protests pose the biggest challenge yet to Lukashenka ’ s 26-year rule .
Earlier , Lukashenka said he wanted to speak to Putin , warning that street protests were not just a threat to Belarus .
`` There is a need to contact Putin so that I can talk to him now , because it is not a threat to just Belarus anymore , '' he said , according to BelTA .
Over the years , Lukashenka has cemented his reputation as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the West to leverage Belarus ’ s strategic position -- while in recent years welcoming in Chinese influence and investment to gain space to rebuff Russia .
The postelection turmoil comes after a period of rising tensions between Minsk and Moscow over Russian loans , subsidized energy , and Kremlin efforts to further integrate Belarus through a union-state treaty .
While Putin did congratulate Lukashenka on his `` victory '' at the polls , his statement implied conditions for Russian support , and Moscow is looking for ways to gain leverage over a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ help .
`` Defending Belarus today is no less than defending our entire space , the union state , and an example to others , '' Lukashenka added .
`` If Belarus can not withstand it , this wave will roll there . ''
With reporting by Reuters and AFP

MINSK -- A defiant Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka has rejected the possibility of foreign mediation in his country's ongoing postelection crisis, and told military officials that Russia has promised to provide a "full range of assistance" if requested.
"We will not give up the country to anyone," he said during a televised meeting with defense officials on August 15. "We don't need any foreign governments, any intermediaries."
The statement came shortly after Lukashenka discussed the crisis with Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying that the unrest following the disputed August 9 election that gave Lukashenka a sixth term in office "is not a threat to just Belarus anymore."
Earlier, the leaders of Poland, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania offered to help mediate an end to the Belarus crisis.
The phone conversation on August 15 came as Lukashenka faces growing pressure to step down following a disputed election that has triggered unprecedented protests and a harsh government crackdown.
"The presidents discussed the situation that is unfolding inside and around Belarus," Belarusian state news agency BelTA reported, citing Lukashenka's press service, without providing any details.
The Kremlin said that during their conversation the two leaders "expressed confidence" that the "problems" in Belarus would be "resolved soon.”
"These problems should not be exploited by destructive forces seeking to harm the mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries," the Kremlin said in its statement.
Lukashenka later in the day told a meeting with military officials that Putin had agreed to provide military assistance to cope with the protests.
"I agreed with him that at our first request we will be provided with a full range of assistance to ensure the security of the Republic of Belarus," he said.
He described the phone conversation as "long and substantial."
During the meeting with defense officials, Lukashenka claimed that members of the military had been receiving threats from protesters.
He addressed the protesters directly, saying: "Do not play with fire! Our soldiers have enough resources to protect themselves and their families and to ensure the security of the state."
He also accused the protesters of hiding behind "girls," following mass demonstrations earlier in the week in which thousands of women formed human chains to protest the election.
"If there are men among you, be men," Lukashenka said. "If you want to fight and scuffle, go ahead. But let's do it man-to-man. Don't put forward girls and threaten families."
Since the election, the country of some 9.5 million people has been gripped by peaceful protests and strikes, which have often been met by brutal force by police. At least two protesters have been killed and thousands have been injured and detained.
Meanwhile, thousands of Belarusians staged a seventh day of peaceful protests on August 15 over the August 9 vote and a bloody crackdown that has drawn international outrage.
Postelection Crackdown In Belarus Read our coverage as Belarusian strongman Alyaksandr Lukashenka continues his brutal crackdown on NGOs, activists, and independent media following the August 2020 presidential election.
The nationwide protests pose the biggest challenge yet to Lukashenka’s 26-year rule.
Earlier, Lukashenka said he wanted to speak to Putin, warning that street protests were not just a threat to Belarus.
"There is a need to contact Putin so that I can talk to him now, because it is not a threat to just Belarus anymore," he said, according to BelTA.
Over the years, Lukashenka has cemented his reputation as a political survivor -- weaving between Moscow and the West to leverage Belarus’s strategic position -- while in recent years welcoming in Chinese influence and investment to gain space to rebuff Russia.
The postelection turmoil comes after a period of rising tensions between Minsk and Moscow over Russian loans, subsidized energy, and Kremlin efforts to further integrate Belarus through a union-state treaty.
While Putin did congratulate Lukashenka on his "victory" at the polls, his statement implied conditions for Russian support, and Moscow is looking for ways to gain leverage over a weakened Lukashenka, who is desperate for help.
"Defending Belarus today is no less than defending our entire space, the union state, and an example to others," Lukashenka added. "If Belarus cannot withstand it, this wave will roll there."
With reporting by Reuters and AFP


rferl--2020-08-15--Thousands In Russia's Far East Continue Anti-Putin Protests, Chant 'Long Live Belarus!'

Thousands of protesters have marched in Russia 's Far Eastern city of Khabarovsk , where rallies against President Vladimir Putin 's role in a regional political crisis have been held for over a month .
Some of the protesters chanted `` Long live Belarus ! ''
as they marched through Khabarovsk on August 15 , voicing support for demonstrations against the disputed presidential vote in Belarus .
The disputed August 9 election in Belarus handed strongman President Alyaksandr Lukashenka a sixth term and sparked nationwide protests that have been brutally put down by security forces .
Demonstrators have attended weeks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ express anger since central authorities arrested Governor Sergei Furgal and transferred him to custody in the capital Moscow .
There were no immediate reports of detentions at the Khabarovsk event .
Authorities in Khabarovsk said the number of protesters `` has dropped significantly '' and said that only about 1,500 people attended the August 15 march .
But live footage of the march showed several thousand protesters in attendance .
Protesters also demanded the immediate release of Furgal .
A member of the nationalist Liberal Democratic Party of Russia ( LDPR ) , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 2018 over the incumbent candidate from Putin 's ruling United Russia party .
Furgal was arrested on July 9 and transferred to a jail in Moscow for what authorities said was suspicion of involvement in several murders in 2004 and 2005 .
Furgal was then dismissed by Putin , who appointed LDPR member Mikhail Degtyaryov as the Khabarovsk region 's acting governor .
Furgal 's supporters say the charges against him are politically motivated retribution for his 2018 election defeat of Putin 's ally .
The Kremlin says Furgal has serious charges @ @ @ @ @ @ @ discontent in the Far East over what demonstrators see as Moscow-dominated policies that often neglect their views and interests .
Putin 's popularity has been declining as the Kremlin tries to deal with an economy suffering from the coronavirus pandemic and years of ongoing international sanctions .
The pro-Furgal demonstrations have attracted tens of thousands of protesters on weekends since they started on July 11 .

Thousands of protesters have marched in Russia's Far Eastern city of Khabarovsk, where rallies against President Vladimir Putin's role in a regional political crisis have been held for over a month.
Some of the protesters chanted "Long live Belarus!" as they marched through Khabarovsk on August 15, voicing support for demonstrations against the disputed presidential vote in Belarus.
The disputed August 9 election in Belarus handed strongman President Alyaksandr Lukashenka a sixth term and sparked nationwide protests that have been brutally put down by security forces.
Demonstrators have attended weeks of the mass demonstrations in Khabarovsk to express anger since central authorities arrested Governor Sergei Furgal and transferred him to custody in the capital Moscow.
There were no immediate reports of detentions at the Khabarovsk event.
Authorities in Khabarovsk said the number of protesters "has dropped significantly" and said that only about 1,500 people attended the August 15 march.
But live footage of the march showed several thousand protesters in attendance.
After the protest, police detained Aleksei Vorsin, the head of the local office of opposition politician Aleksei Navalny. He was being held overnight before facing on judge on administrative charges of participating in an unsanctioned demonstration.
During the August 15 rally, Vorsin gave a speech in which he suggested that workers in Khabarovsk follow the example of Belarus and organize a general strike.
Protesters also demanded the immediate release of Furgal.
A member of the nationalist Liberal Democratic Party of Russia (LDPR), Furgal was elected by a wide margin in 2018 over the incumbent candidate from Putin's ruling United Russia party.
Furgal was arrested on July 9 and transferred to a jail in Moscow for what authorities said was suspicion of involvement in several murders in 2004 and 2005.
Furgal was then dismissed by Putin, who appointed LDPR member Mikhail Degtyaryov as the Khabarovsk region's acting governor.
Furgal's supporters say the charges against him are politically motivated retribution for his 2018 election defeat of Putin's ally.
The Kremlin says Furgal has serious charges to answer.
The protests highlight growing discontent in the Far East over what demonstrators see as Moscow-dominated policies that often neglect their views and interests.
Putin's popularity has been declining as the Kremlin tries to deal with an economy suffering from the coronavirus pandemic and years of ongoing international sanctions.
The pro-Furgal demonstrations have attracted tens of thousands of protesters on weekends since they started on July 11.


rferl--2020-08-15--Baltic States Urge New Election In Belarus, Call For EU Sanctions

The prime ministers of Estonia , Latvia , and Lithuania have called on Belarus to conduct a new , `` free and fair '' vote after the country 's disputed August 9 presidential election .
The vote handed strongman Alyaksandr Lukashenka a sixth term and sparked nationwide protests that have been brutally put down by security forces .
A new vote should be held `` in a transparent way with the participation of international observers , '' the leaders said in a joint statement on August 15 after a meeting in the Estonian city of Tartu .
The three Baltic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and release political prisoners and detained protesters .
They also called for European Union sanctions on those responsible for the violence .
The statement came as Belarus braces for massive weekend protests calling for the end of Lukashenka 26-year rule .
Opposition leader Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya has called for peaceful rallies on August 15-16 , after she was forced to leave the country for neighboring Lithuania after disputing Lukashenka ’ s claim to a landslide victory .
Protests since the controversial election have witnessed unprecedented scenes on the streets of Minsk and other cities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ brutal crackdown .

The prime ministers of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania have called on Belarus to conduct a new, "free and fair" vote after the country's disputed August 9 presidential election.
The vote handed strongman Alyaksandr Lukashenka a sixth term and sparked nationwide protests that have been brutally put down by security forces.
A new vote should be held "in a transparent way with the participation of international observers," the leaders said in a joint statement on August 15 after a meeting in the Estonian city of Tartu.
The three Baltic states urged Belarus to refrain from violence and release political prisoners and detained protesters.
They also called for European Union sanctions on those responsible for the violence.
The statement came as Belarus braces for massive weekend protests calling for the end of Lukashenka 26-year rule.
Opposition leader Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya has called for peaceful rallies on August 15-16, after she was forced to leave the country for neighboring Lithuania after disputing Lukashenka’s claim to a landslide victory.
Protests since the controversial election have witnessed unprecedented scenes on the streets of Minsk and other cities, energizing opposition to Lukashenka despite a brutal crackdown.
With reporting by Reuters