rferl--2020-10-04--Azerbaijan Says Armenian Forces Shell Big City, Yerevan Denies

Azerbaijan 's Defense Ministry said on October 4 that Armenian forces targeted Ganja , its second city , with missiles in an escalation of the war in the South Caucasus that broke out one week ago .
Armenia denied that it had directed fire `` of any kind '' toward Azerbaijan , but the de facto leader of the breakaway Nagorno-Karabakh region said his forces had destroyed a military air base in Ganja .
In statements posted on its website , the ministry in Baku said Ganja , a city of more than 330,000 in western Azerbaijan , and several @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rockets and shelling .
RFE/RL 's Azerbaijani Service quoted the ministry as saying the Azerbaijani Army `` is taking adequate retaliatory measures . ''
Defense Minister Zakir Hasanov said the shelling of Azerbaijan ’ s territory from Armenia is an open provocation that expands the area of the battle and added that Azerbaijan took `` retaliatory measures . ''
`` Delivering fire on the territory of Azerbaijan from the territory of Armenia is clearly provocative and expands the zone of hostilities , '' Hasanov said .
The Azerbaijani cities of Terter and Goradiz @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
It did not say what kind of measures it had taken , but journalists on the ground reported that explosions were rocking Stepanakert , the main city of Nagorno-Karabakh .
`` Azerbaijani forces are shelling civilian targets in Stepanakert with rockets , '' Armenian Defense Ministry spokesman Artsrun Hovhannisian was quoted as saying .
Hovhannisian denied that Armenia had targeted Ganja , but Nagorno-Karabakh 's de facto leader , Arayik Harutiunian , said his forces had destroyed a military air base in Ganja .
WATCH : The Azerbaijanis And Armenians Demanding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that Stepanakert was being targeted by Polonez and Smerch multiple rocket launchers and threatened retaliation against `` military objectives '' in Azerbajani cities , calling for civilians to leave the cities `` to avoid inevitable loss . ''
On October 3 , Azerbaijani troops captured several villages in fighting over the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh , President Ilham Aliyev said .
Aliyev said seven villages in the Terter , Jabrail , and Fuzuli districts had been “ liberated.
” Hovhannisian did not confirm that villages had been captured but said there had been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the continuous battle was six to seven hours , ” Hovhannisian said , according to RFE/RL ’ s Armenian Service .
“ These were rather heavy and difficult battles , and it is clear that all this is not easy for our troops . ''
Hovhannisian said the Armenian forces shot down drones and destroyed armored vehicles .
He said the enemy “ lost ” hundreds of fighters on October 3 , but there was no independent confirmation .
Both sides of the conflict regularly exaggerate losses inflicted on their opponent as part @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian said in an address on October 3 that the scale of the attack was unprecedented .
`` We are experiencing , perhaps , the most decisive moment in our millennial history , '' Pashinian said , adding : `` Today , more than ever , we are determined to defend our identity , our homeland , our right . ''
`` As of now , we already have sustained significant human losses -- both military and civilian .
Large numbers of military equipment are no longer usable , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to resolve any of its strategic issues , '' he said .
Pashinian said about 150 high-ranking Turkish military personnel “ are at the command posts of various levels of the armed forces of Azerbaijan and are in charge of military operations.
” Pashinian was referring to allegations Turkey has provided material military support to Azerbaijani forces .
The fighting sides have reported nearly 200 deaths , including many civilians in a week of fighting .
This includes 19 Azerbaijani civilians , according Prosecutor-General Kamran Aliyev .
The clashes have taken place along @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that separates the ethnic Armenian forces from Azerbaijan 's troops .
There are concerns that the violence could grow into a full-blown war between the archfoes and draw in regional powers Russia and NATO-member Turkey .
In an interview with the Al Jazeera broadcaster earlier on October 3 , Aliyev urged Russia , the United States , and France -- the so-called Minsk Group that has spearheaded peace efforts over Nagorno-Karabakh since the early 1990s -- to continue efforts to resolve the conflict .
“ I think these three countries should continue working @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but on the condition that they remain neutral , ” Aliyev said in the interview .
The comments came one day after the Armenian Foreign Ministry said it welcomed a joint call the previous day from the Minsk Group for an immediate cessation of hostilities between forces fighting over Nagorno-Karabakh .
Nagorno-Karabakh is internationally recognized as Azerbaijani territory , but it is controlled by ethnic Armenian separatists with close ties to Yerevan .
Armenian forces hold control over seven regions adjacent to Nagorno-Karabakh .
Azerbaijan and Armenia have been locked in a conflict @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years of the Soviet Union .
They fought a war that ended in 1994 with an uneasy cease-fire and an estimated 30,000 killed .
With reporting by AFP , AP , Interfax , and Reuters

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has demanded that Armenia set a timetable for withdrawing from Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding Azerbaijani territories, saying that Azerbaijan would not end military action until that happened.
In a televised speech in the evening on October 4, Aliyev said Azerbaijani forces were advancing in a week-long offensive to retake territories that they lost to ethnic Armenians in the 1990s.
"Azerbaijan has one condition, and that is the liberation of its territories," he said. "Nagorno-Karabakh is the territory of Azerbaijan. We must return and we shall return."
Aliyev’s speech comes as fighting continues between Azerbaijan and ethnic Armenian forces, killing and wounding hundreds of people, including many civilians from both sides. The latest clashes in the long-simmering conflict over the breakaway Nagorno-Karabakh region began on September 27.
Earlier on October 4, Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry said on October 4 that Armenian forces targeted Ganca, its second city, with missiles in an escalation of the war in the South Caucasus that broke out one week ago.
Armenia denied that it had directed fire "of any kind" toward Azerbaijan.
In statements posted on its website, the ministry in Baku said Ganca, a city of more than 330,000 in western Azerbaijan, and several other civilian areas were under fire from rockets and shelling. RFE/RL's Azerbaijani Service quoted the ministry as saying the Azerbaijani Army "is taking adequate retaliatory measures."
Defense Minister Zakir Hasanov said the shelling of Azerbaijan’s territory from Armenia is an open provocation that expands the area of the battle and added that Azerbaijan took "retaliatory measures."
"Delivering fire on the territory of Azerbaijan from the territory of Armenia is clearly provocative and expands the zone of hostilities," Hasanov said.
The Azerbaijani cities of Terter and Goradiz had also been targeted, the ministry said.
It did not say what kind of measures it had taken, but Armenia said that Stepanakert, the main city of Nagorno-Karabakh, which has been under artillery fire since October 2, was hit again, and journalists on the ground reported that explosions were rocking the city.
Armenian officials published video footage showing burning buildings and vehicles in the aftermath of the attack on the city.
"Azerbaijani forces are shelling civilian targets in Stepanakert with rockets," Armenian Defense Ministry spokesman Artsrun Hovhannisian was quoted as saying.
Hovhannisian denied that Armenia had targeted Ganca, but Nagorno-Karabakh's de facto leader, Arayik Harutiunian, said his forces had destroyed a military air base in Ganca.
WATCH: The Azerbaijanis And Armenians Demanding Peace Instead Of War
Azerbaijan on October 4 claimed to have wounded Harutiunian in retaliation for the attack on Ganca, RFE/RL's Azerbaijani Service reported.
Hikmat Hajiyev, an aide to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, said Harutiunian was hiding in a bunker and was heavily wounded in a targeted attack. The claim could not be independently confirmed.
World powers have been calling for a cease-fire amid concerns that the violence could grow into a full-blown war between the archfoes and draw in regional powers Russia and NATO-member Turkey.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel demanded an immediate end to all fighting during a phone call with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, her press office said on October 4.
Merkel also expressed concern about the ongoing fighting and growing number of victims.
Nagorno-Karabakh is internationally recognized as Azerbaijani territory, but it is controlled by ethnic Armenian separatists with close ties to Yerevan. Armenian forces hold control over seven regions adjacent to Nagorno-Karabakh.
Azerbaijan and Armenia have been locked in a conflict over the mountainous region since the waning years of the Soviet Union. They fought a war that ended in 1994 with an uneasy cease-fire and an estimated 30,000 killed.
With reporting by AFP, AP, Interfax, and Reuters


rferl--2020-10-03--Kyrgyzstan Votes In Parliamentary Elections Amid Reports of Irregularities

Voting is under way in Kyrgyzstan in parliamentary elections on October 4 amid fears of vote-buying and reports of attacks on journalists .
Polls opened at 8 a.m. local time on October 4 and are scheduled to close at 8 p.m .
Almost 37 percent of the 3.5 million registered Kyrgyz voters cast their ballot by 4 p.m. local time , with the largest participation -- 45 percent -- in Osh , Kyrgyzstan 's second-largest city , RFE/RL 's Kyrgyz Service reported .
Also by noon , the Central Election Commission received 21 complaints , mainly about voters being ferried @ @ @ @ @ @ @ escorting voters into polling stations , and watching them casting their ballots .
Sixteen political parties are competing for seats in the 120-member Jogorku Kenesh ( the Supreme Council ) in the election , with pro-government parties Birimdik and Mekenim Kyrgyzstan expected to be front-runners in the race , ahead of opposition groups Ata-Meken and Respublika .
The Central Election Commission ( CEC ) said it is investigating complaints that members of criminal groups are putting pressure on voters .
`` Criminals are putting pressure on our citizens ; the state does not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The complaints are being investigated , '' Tynchtykbek Shainazarov , a member of the CEC , told RFE/RL at a news conference in Bishkek .
Shainazarov was speaking after Ata-Meken candidate Zhanarbek Akaev complained about violations during the vote , including the appearance of athletic-looking men in villages where they were pressuring voters .
Kyrgyzstan ’ s electoral laws stipulate that no single party can take more than 65 seats in the legislature , a departure from a trend in Central Asia where ruling parties dominate rubberstamp parliaments .
Since the early 1990s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ island of democracy ” in Central Asia .
Still , like all of the country 's election campaigns , this one has had its share of controversies .
But it has also shown once again how very different the country 's elections are compared with its authoritarian , undemocratic neighbors .
However , RFE/RL correspondents reported that in some areas , people waiting outside the polling stations on October 4 were marking what appeared to be lists of names and handing envelopes to voters .
In the northwestern town of Talas , an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the voters ' queue hit her camera and demanded that she stop filming .
In Osh , two journalists from the independent news outlet Kloop.kg , reported that athletic-looking men attacked them , beat their cameraman , and took their phones , while police officers there ignored the incident until they were urged to intervene .
Criticism of President Sooronbai Jeenbekov and the Kyrgyz government has been heard frequently on the campaign trail and in the many debates that are held on prime-time television almost every night on a range of topics and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Smaller parties have accused Birimdik , widely considered loyal to Jeenbekov , of using administrative resources to promote its candidates , an allegation the party denies .
The president ’ s brother Asylbek Jeenbekov and several high-ranking members of the current parliament are among the party ’ s candidates .
Mekenim Kyrgyzstan is closely associated to the wealthy and influential Matraimov family .
The clan ’ s figurehead , Raiymbek Matraimov , a former top customs official , was the target of large protests in November and December last year , with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ corruption and massive outflows of cash from the country .
Some of the new parties in Kyrgyzstan are , according to professor and columnist Asel Doolotkeldieva , only a cover for `` long-standing , informal elite political and economic networks . ''
Meanwhile , Birimdik party chairman , Marat Amankulov , drew criticism and even a protest rally after a video -- from several months ago -- emerged that shows him saying it was time for Kyrgyzstan to reconsider its independence and “ return ” to Russia ’ s fold .
In the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Moscow-led Eurasian Economic Union , which includes post-Soviet states Armenia , Belarus , Kazakhstan , and Kyrgyzstan , should become a single country .
Russia hosts hundreds of thousands of migrant workers from the impoverished former Soviet nation of some 6.5 million .
The COVID-19 pandemic and measures to contain it have dried up work for migrants in Russia , reduced remittances , and led to a rise in unemployment in Kyrgyzstan .
The election comes as Kyrgyz authorities warn of a rise in COVID-19 infections , with some regions reimposing restrictions on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mostly defied warnings by health authorities and held large gatherings with supporters .
There are 2,475 polling stations , including 45 abroad .
The election is being monitored by more than 270 observers from 43 countries and 33 international organizations .

Kyrgyz opposition parties have announced that they will not recognize the official results of the October 4 parliamentary elections, after preliminary figures showed that four parties -- three of them with close ties to the government -- are set to gain seats in the 120-member Jogorku Kenesh (Supreme Council).
Shortly after the polls closed at 8 p.m. local time, opposition supporters gathered for peaceful rallies in the capital, Bishkek, and the northwestern city of Talas to protest what they described as widespread irregularities in the vote. Protesters later dispersed, but opposition leaders said more rallies will take place on October 5.
Out of the 16 parties in the race, pro-government Birimdik, Mekenim Kyrgyzstan, and the Kyrgyzstan parties, as well as the opposition Butun Kyrgyzstan party, have surpassed the 7-percent threshold to enter the parliament. The final results are expected on October 5.
Opposition Ata-Meken party leaders called the vote "the dirtiest elections" in the country's history. The party officials said they have recorded mass irregularities in all polling stations across the country.
They said the party was to submit their findings and demand the election authorities to annul vote-count results in some districts of the southern Osh Province.
Opposition monitors said that they noticed minibuses transporting the same groups of people to several polling stations to cast ballots. In some areas, they have reportedly seen people holding apparent lists of candidates to give to voters.
Reforma party leader Klara Sooronkulova said that she was attacked by an unknown man at a polling station in Osh.
"There were no signs of the government, state, or police there," Sooronkulova said, adding that all polling station in Osh have been controlled by “members of criminal groups.”
Supporters of Reforma and Social Democrat parties gathered in Bishkek for several hours in the evening on October 4, for what they called a peaceful protest. Opposition Respublika party supporters staged a protest rally in Talas.
By noon, the Central Election Commission (CEC) received 21 complaints, mainly about voters being ferried in buses to polling stations, people escorting voters into polling stations, and watching them casting their ballots.
The CEC said it is investigating complaints that members of criminal groups are putting pressure on voters.
"Criminals are putting pressure on our citizens; the state does not allow violation of citizens' rights. The complaints are being investigated," Tynchtykbek Shainazarov, a member of the CEC, told RFE/RL at a news conference in Bishkek.
Shainazarov was speaking after Ata-Meken candidate Zhanarbek Akaev complained about violations during the vote, including the appearance of athletic-looking men in villages where they were pressuring voters.
Kyrgyzstan’s electoral laws stipulate that no single party can take more than 65 seats in the legislature, a departure from a trend in Central Asia where ruling parties dominate rubberstamp parliaments.
'Island Of Democracy'
Since the early 1990s, Kyrgyzstan has been called an “island of democracy” in Central Asia. Still, like all of the country's election campaigns, this one has had its share of controversies. But it has also shown once again how very different the country's elections are compared with its authoritarian, undemocratic neighbors.
RFE/RL correspondents reported that in some areas, people waiting outside the polling stations on October 4 were marking what appeared to be lists of names and handing envelopes to voters.
In Talas, an RFE/RL correspondent reported that a woman in the voters' queue hit her camera and demanded that she stop filming.
In Osh, two journalists from the independent news outlet Kloop.kg, reported that athletic-looking men attacked them, beat their cameraman, and took their phones, while police officers there ignored the incident until they were urged to intervene.
The election campaign was also marred by allegations of violence when at least 12 people were hospitalized, and several vehicles set on fire after a scuffle between supporters of Mekenim Kyrgyzstan and Birimdik in the southern Osh Province.
On October 1, the Respublika party claimed that one of its activists had been stabbed to death by a supporter of another unspecified political party in the southern district of Uzgen on September 30.
Criticism of President Sooronbai Jeenbekov and the Kyrgyz government has been heard frequently on the campaign trail and in the many debates that are held on prime-time television almost every night on a range of topics and with pro-government and opposition candidates taking part.
Smaller parties have accused Birimdik, widely considered loyal to Jeenbekov, of using administrative resources to promote its candidates, an allegation the party denies. The president’s brother Asylbek Jeenbekov and several high-ranking members of the current parliament are among the party’s candidates.
Mekenim Kyrgyzstan is closely associated to the wealthy and influential Matraimov family.
The clan’s figurehead, Raiymbek Matraimov, a former top customs official, was the target of large protests in November and December last year, with demonstrators demanding a probe into allegations of corruption and massive outflows of cash from the country.
Some of the new parties in Kyrgyzstan are, according to professor and columnist Asel Doolotkeldieva, only a cover for "long-standing, informal elite political and economic networks."
Meanwhile, Birimdik party chairman, Marat Amankulov, drew criticism and even a protest rally after a video -- from several months ago -- emerged that shows him saying it was time for Kyrgyzstan to reconsider its independence and “return” to Russia’s fold.
In the leaked video, Amankulov added that the Moscow-led Eurasian Economic Union, which includes post-Soviet states Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan, should become a single country.
Russia hosts hundreds of thousands of migrant workers from the impoverished former Soviet nation of some 6.5 million. The COVID-19 pandemic and measures to contain it have dried up work for migrants in Russia, reduced remittances, and led to a rise in unemployment in Kyrgyzstan.
The election comes as Kyrgyz authorities warn of a rise in COVID-19 infections, with some regions reimposing restrictions on people’s movements.
Political parties mostly defied warnings by health authorities and held large gatherings with supporters.
Election officials said that almost 54 percent of the 3.5 million registered Kyrgyz voters cast their ballots in 2,475 polling stations, including 45 abroad.
The election is being monitored by more than 270 observers from 43 countries and 33 international organizations.


rferl--2020-10-03--Former Ukrainian President Poroshenko Hospitalized With COVID-19-Related Pneumonia

Former Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has been hospitalized with bilateral pneumonia after he tested positive for COVID-19 , his wife said on October 3 .
Poroshenko is in a hospital in Kyiv , his wife , Maryna Poroshenko , said in a video posted on Facebook .
`` Despite the fact that my husband has bilateral pneumonia , he is strong-willed and is demonstrating this in the fight against the disease , '' his wife said .
The 55-year-old former president announced on September 29 he had tested positive for the coronavirus and said he was receiving treatment at home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is associated with an increased risk of developing complications from the coronavirus .
A billionaire confectioner , Poroshenko is currently a member of parliament and leader of the European Solidarity party .
He led Ukraine after Russia 's 2014 annexation of the Crimean Peninsula and the outbreak of conflict with Moscow-backed separatists in the east of the country .
In 2019 , he lost the presidential election to Volodymyr Zelenskiy .
Ukraine , with a population of some 40 million , has reported more than 222,000 cases of coronavirus and more than 4,300 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Zelenskiy 's wife both contracted the virus but have recovered .

A former top FBI counterintelligence agent pleaded guilty to charges related to his work for notorious Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska, changing his plea after federal prosecutors filed new, reduced charges of conspiring to violate U.S. sanctions on Russia by working for the billionaire industrialist.
The move by Charles McGonigal, made on August 15 before a federal judge in New York City, ends a prosecution that had stunned the FBI, where McGonigal had investigated Russian influence operations for years while climbing the bureau’s ranks.
The 55-year-old also still faces a separate set of foreign agent charges in Washington, D.C., related to work he did for Albanian officials.
McGonigal, who retired as head counterintelligence in the FBI's New York bureau in 2018, was originally indicted in January by a grand jury on more serious charges of money laundering and violating U.S. sanctions.
Prosecutors alleged that McGonigal and a former Russian diplomat with whom he was associated, were paid more than $200,000 to do work for Deripaska, a wealthy Russian metals tycoon who has long been seen as a Kremlin insider. Deripaska was hit with sanctions by the U.S. Treasury Department in 2018.
U.S. authorities said McGonigal was hired to dig up negative information on Vladimir Potanin, a rival oligarch to Deripaska. McGonigal and the former diplomat, Sergei Shestakov, also worked to try and get Deripaska removed from U.S. sanctions lists.
Shestakov has pleaded not guilty to the more serious charges than had been originally filed against McGonigal.
They "attempted to conceal Deripaska's involvement by, among other means, not directly naming Deripaska in electronic communications, using shell companies as counterparties in the contract that outlined the services to be performed, using a forged signature on that contract, and using the same shell companies to send and receive payment from Deripaska," the Justice Department said in a press release after McGonigal entered his plea.
McGonigal could receive up to five years in prison when he is sentenced in December.
The separate case filed in Washington, D.C., by federal prosecutors centers on work McGonigal allegedly did on behalf of a former Albanian intelligence officer, for which he was paid $225,000.
McGonigal also allegedly lied to the FBI about his contacts with foreign nationals and foreign travel while he was still employed by the bureau.
Deripaska also faces charges of violating U.S. sanctions through real estate deals and a complicated scheme under which he allegedly arranged for his girlfriend to travel to the United States to give birth to two of their children.


rferl--2020-10-03--Russian Activists Warn Of 'Ecological Catastrophe' With Kamchatka Marine Life

Authorities in Russia ’ s Far East are warning people to avoid beaches on the coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula after a mass die-off of marine life .
Videos of the mass die-off appeared on social media on October 2 , showing dead seals , fish , and other marine creatures littering at least three beaches on the Avacha Bay .
Surfers reported eye and skin irritation following contact with the water .
Activists believe the die-off was caused by a release of petroleum products .
Acting Natural Resources Minister Aleksei Kumarkov said that after checking water samples , experts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ phenol , and other substances , according to the Russian branch of the Greenpeace environmental group .
`` The extent of the pollution has not yet been determined , but the fact that dead animals are found all over the coast confirms the seriousness of the situation , '' Greenpeace said in a press release on October 2 .
The organization said many people who have been in contact with water also show symptoms , such as nausea , vomiting , weakness , high fever , which may indicate phenol poisoning .
Officials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ water samples would be available on October 5 .
Greenpeace called the incident “ an ecological catastrophe ” and urged the Natural Resources Ministry , the Defense Ministry , and the Prosecutor General ’ s Office to investigate the incident and undertake a clean-up .
The Russian Defense Ministry issued a statement on October 3 saying the Pacific Fleet played no role in the incident .
With reporting by dpa and Reuters

Authorities in Russia’s Far East are warning people to avoid beaches on the coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula after a mass die-off of marine life.
Videos of the mass die-off appeared on social media on October 2, showing dead seals, fish, and other marine creatures littering at least three beaches on the Avacha Bay.
Surfers reported eye and skin irritation following contact with the water.
Activists believe the die-off was caused by a release of petroleum products.
Acting Natural Resources Minister Aleksei Kumarkov said that after checking water samples, experts found an excess of oil products, phenol, and other substances, according to the Russian branch of the Greenpeace environmental group.
"The extent of the pollution has not yet been determined, but the fact that dead animals are found all over the coast confirms the seriousness of the situation," Greenpeace said in a press release on October 2.
The organization said many people who have been in contact with water also show symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting, weakness, high fever, which may indicate phenol poisoning.
Officials said the results of an analysis of water samples would be available on October 5.
Greenpeace called the incident “an ecological catastrophe” and urged the Natural Resources Ministry, the Defense Ministry, and the Prosecutor General’s Office to investigate the incident and undertake a clean-up.
The Russian Defense Ministry issued a statement on October 3 saying the Pacific Fleet played no role in the incident.
With reporting by dpa and Reuters


rferl--2020-10-05--Azerbaijan-Armenia Fighting Over Nagorno-Karabakh Escalates Into Cities

Azerbaijani and Armenian forces engaged in intense battles over the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh on October 4 , with the breakaway region 's capital and Azerbaijani cities also being hit with rocket and artillery fire in a major escalation .
Each side accused the other of targeting civilians as fighting in the long-simmering dispute over the territory shows no signs of abating since it flared-up with renewed vengeance on September 27 .
The International Red Cross on October 4 condemned reports of “ indiscriminate shelling and other alleged unlawful attacks using explosive weaponry in cities , towns , and other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been killed since fighting erupted last week , including many civilians .
The true number of casualties is believed to be higher as Azerbaijan has not published its military losses .
The fighting is the biggest escalation in years in the decades-old conflict over the region , which is internationally recognized as Azerbaijani territory but controlled by ethnic Armenian separatists with close ties to Yerevan .
Armenian forces also hold control over seven regions adjacent to Nagorno-Karabakh .
Nagorno-Karabakh authorities said October 4 that missile and artillery attacks on the capital Stepanakert @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a third day , injuring an unspecified number of civilians and damaging infrastructure .
Meanwhile , Azerbaijan ’ s Defense Ministry said that Armenian forces targeted Ganca , the country ’ s second-largest city , with missiles and artillery in a significant escalation of the conflict beyond the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region .
In the evening , Azerbaijan said three missiles had targeted the city of Mingacevir , located 100 kilometers from the frontline and home to a strategic hydroelectric power plant and the biggest dam in Caucasus region .
Authorities said one rocket @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did not explode .
Two other rockets were said to have reached Xizi and Absheron districts , both near the capital Baku .
Azerbaijan ’ s Defense Minister Zakir Hasanov said the shelling of Azerbaijan ’ s territory from Armenia is an open provocation that expands the area of the battle and added that Azerbaijan took `` retaliatory measures . ''
`` Delivering fire on the territory of Azerbaijan from the territory of Armenia is clearly provocative and expands the zone of hostilities , '' Hasanov said .
Armenia ’ s Defense Ministry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from its territory on Ganca , Mingacevir , or other cities .
But Nagorno-Karabakh 's de facto leader , Arayik Harutiunian , said his forces had targeted a military base in Ganca and that he later ordered a halt to the strikes to avoid civilian casualties .
He said the attack was “ warning fire ” and would “ continue to other cities ” in response to the Azerbaijani offensive .
Azerbaijan on October 4 claimed to have wounded Harutiunian in retaliation for the attack on Ganca , RFE/RL 's Azerbaijani Service reported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev , said Harutiunian was hiding in a bunker and was wounded in a targeted attack .
The claim could not be independently confirmed .
Both sides of the conflict regularly exaggerate losses inflicted on their opponent as part of parallel information war .
In a televised speech in the evening on October 4 , Aliyev issues a set of demands to halt the fighting that would be near-impossible for Armenia to accept .
Azerbaijan 's strongman president demanded that Armenia set a timetable for withdrawing from Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not end military action until that happened .
Aliyev said Azerbaijani forces were advancing in a week-long offensive to retake territories that they lost to ethnic Armenians in the 1990s .
Azerbaijan ’ s military says it has retaken control of seven villages since fighting erupted .
`` Azerbaijan has one condition , and that is the liberation of its territories , '' he said .
`` Nagorno-Karabakh is the territory of Azerbaijan .
We must return and we shall return . ''
Turkey , which is openly backing Azerbaijan , has issued @ @ @ @ @ @ @ calling for a cease-fire amid concerns that the violence could grow into a full-blown war between the archfoes , potentially further drawing in regional powers Russia and NATO-member Turkey .
The United States , France , and Russia – the co-chairs of the so-called Minsk Group which has spearheaded peace efforts over Nagorno-Karabakh since the early 1990s under the auspices of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe ( OSCE ) – have called for an immediate cease-fire and resumption of negotiations over the territory .
Armenia has said it is willing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ OSCE .
Azerbaijan and Armenia have been locked in a conflict over the mountainous region since the waning years of the Soviet Union .
They fought a war that ended in 1994 with an uneasy cease-fire and an estimated 30,000 killed and hundreds of thousands displaced .
With reporting by AFP , AP , Interfax , and Reuters

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BAKU/YEREVAN -- Russia, France, and the United States have reiterated their call for an immediate cease-fire in and around the breakaway territory of Nagorno-Karabakh, saying the escalating conflict represented an "unacceptable threat" to the region's stability.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, and U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo made the call in a joint statement on October 5 as fighting between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces continued to rage with both sides shelling major cities amid growing concerns for the safety of civilians.
Lavrov, Le Drian, and Pompeo, whose countries are the co-chairs of the so-called Minsk Group of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), which has spearheaded peace efforts over Nagorno-Karabakh since the early 1990s, condemned "in the strongest terms the unprecedented and dangerous escalation of violence."
The ministers "stress unconditionally that recent attacks allegedly targeting civilian centers - both along the Line of Contact and on the territories of Azerbaijan and Armenia outside the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone - and the disproportionate nature of such attacks constitute an unacceptable threat to the stability of the region."
They also urged the sides to accept an "immediate and unconditional" cease-fire and to "commit now to resuming the settlement process" under the auspices of the Minsk Group.
The conflicting parties have ignored a similar plea made by the president of Russia, France, and the United States on October 1.
Ethnic Armenian separatist forces in Nagorno-Karabakh on October 5 reported firefights along the front line, with the regional capital, Stepanakert, under heavy artillery fire for the fourth day in a row.
Firefights "of various intensity...continue to rage" in the conflict zone, Armenian Defense Ministry spokeswoman Shushan Stepanian said on Facebook on October 5.
Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry said Armenian forces were shelling the country's second-largest city, Ganca, for a second day in a significant escalation of the conflict beyond the separatist region. The ministry said the fire was coming from the Berd region in northeastern Armenia.
The ministry also accused Armenian forces of shelling the towns of Tartar, Barda, and Beylagan.
Armenia's Defense Ministry has denied targeting Azerbaijani territory, but the de facto leader of Nagorno-Karabakh, Arayik Harutiunian, said his forces had targeted a military base in Ganca and that he later ordered a halt to the strikes to avoid civilian casualties.
Each side has accused the other of targeting civilians as fighting in the long-simmering dispute over the territory shows no signs of abating since it flared up with renewed intensity on September 27.
Increasing shelling and rocket fire targeting urban areas has raised concerns of mass civilian casualties.
The two sides have reported 244 deaths since the fighting erupted, including 60 civilians, but the actual toll is expected to be much higher as both sides are claiming to have inflicted heavy military casualties.
The International Red Cross on October 4 condemned reports of “indiscriminate shelling and other alleged unlawful attacks using explosive weaponry in cities, towns, and other populated areas.”
On October 4, Azerbaijan said that, late in the evening, three missiles had targeted the city of Mingacevir, located 100 kilometers from the front line and home to a strategic hydroelectric power plant and the biggest dam in Caucasus region.
Authorities said one rocket injured five civilians, while two others did not explode.
Two other rockets were said to have reached the Xizi and Abseron districts, both near the capital, Baku.
Armenia's Defense Ministry denied claims that any missiles were fired from its territory on Ganca, Mingacevir, or other cities.
Azerbaijan on October 4 claimed to have wounded Harutiunian in retaliation for the attack on Ganca, RFE/RL's Azerbaijani Service reported.
Hikmat Haciyev, an aide to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, said Harutiunian was hiding in a bunker and was wounded in a targeted attack. The claim could not be independently confirmed.
Both sides in the conflict regularly exaggerate losses inflicted on their opponent as part of a parallel information war.
In a fiery televised speech on the evening of October 4, Aliyev issued a set of demands to halt the fighting that would be nearly impossible for Armenia to accept.
Azerbaijan's strongman president demanded that Armenia set a timetable for withdrawing from Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding Azerbaijani territories, saying that Azerbaijan would not end military action until that happened.
Aliyev said Azerbaijani forces were advancing in a weeklong offensive to retake territories that they lost to ethnic Armenians in the 1990s. Azerbaijan’s military says it has retaken control of seven villages since fighting erupted.
"Azerbaijan has one condition, and that is the liberation of its territories," he said. "Nagorno-Karabakh is the territory of Azerbaijan. We must return and we shall return."
Yerevan rejected Aliyev's demands, which were also reiterated by Turkey, Azerbaijan closest regional ally.
World powers have been calling for a cease-fire amid concerns that the violence could grow into a full-blown war between the archfoes, potentially further drawing in regional powers Russia and NATO-member Turkey.
U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun spoke separately to the Azerbaijani and Armenian foreign ministers on October 5 to "express deep concern over reports of the escalation of military action and expanding theater of operations" in the conflict, according to the State Department.
Armenia has said it was willing to engage in peace talks through the OSCE.
However, Olesya Vartanyan from the International Crisis Group told RFE/RL that, for the time being, the conflict appears to be intensifying and engulfing even more civilian areas.
"The fighting is continuously escalating with more attacks [on] the civilian areas and more advanced weaponry being used," Vartanyan said, adding that "the spread of fighting to the areas located far from the front line is what we are to continue seeing in the coming days."
During a visit to Ankara on October 5, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg called for a cease-fire and said he expected Turkey to use its "considerable" influence to calm the conflict.
"We are deeply concerned by the escalation of hostilities. All sides should immediately cease fighting and find a way forward towards a peaceful resolution," Stoltenberg said following talks with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu.
Cavusoglu said NATO should approach the escalation "in a balanced fashion," adding: "Everyone, particularly NATO, should call on Armenia to withdraw."
Meanwhile, Israeli President Reuven Rivlin said Israel was prepared to send Armenia humanitarian aid, hoping to smooth bilateral relations strained by Israeli arms sales to Azerbaijan.
Yerevan recalled its ambassador from Tel Aviv for consultations last week.
Speaking by telephone with his Armenian counterpart, Armen Sarkisian, Rivlin said that Israel's relations with Azerbaijan are "not aimed against any side," his office said.
Azerbaijan and Armenia have been locked in a conflict over the mountainous region since the waning years of the Soviet Union. They fought a war that ended in 1994 with an uneasy cease-fire and an estimated 30,000 killed and hundreds of thousands displaced.
With reporting by AFP, AP, Interfax, and Reuters


rferl--2020-10-04--Videos Show Apparent Vote-Buying In Kyrgyz Elections

Kyrgyzstan has been called an `` island of democracy '' in Central Asia , and parliamentary elections on October 4 @ @ @ @ @ variety of political parties .
Nevertheless , voting was marred by complaints of irregularities , @ @ @ @ @ vote-buying were sent to RFE/RL .

Kyrgyzstan has been called an "island of democracy" in Central Asia, and parliamentary elections on October 4 were contested by a wide variety of political parties. Nevertheless, voting was marred by complaints of irregularities, and videos appearing to show vote-buying were sent to RFE/RL.


rferl--2020-10-04--Detentions, Water Cannons In Minsk Protests, Day 57

Detentions accompanied a new day of anti-government protests in the Belarusian capital , Minsk , on October 4 .
Police @ @ @ @ @ to disperse a march as people chanted `` Shame ! ''
at marching officers .
@ @ @ @ @ notorious Akrestsina prison , in which some of the people detained during recent protests have @ @ @ @ @ the 57th day of protests in a row since the August 9 presidential election in @ @ @ @ @ amid reported irregularities .

Detentions accompanied a new day of anti-government protests in the Belarusian capital, Minsk, on October 4. Police trucks with water cannons tried to disperse a march as people chanted "Shame!" at marching officers. The march reached Minsk's notorious Akrestsina prison, in which some of the people detained during recent protests have been held. This was the 57th day of protests in a row since the August 9 presidential election in which Alyaksandr Lukashenka claimed victory amid reported irregularities.


rferl--2020-10-04--Pakistani Army Kills Two Militants In Operation In North Waziristan

The Pakistani army says it has killed two militants in a shoot-out in the North Waziristan district , a former @ @ @ @ @ ’ s northwest .
A third , a militant , was arrested in the military @ @ @ @ @ Mir Ali in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province on October 4 , the army statement said @ @ @ @ @ hardcore terrorists , ” the statement said the militants had been involved in multiple attacks @ @ @ @ @ .
This was the second such operation in the area in recent days .
Two @ @ @ @ @ army on the Mir Ali outskirts on October 2 .
The remote tribal area along @ @ @ @ @ Afghanistan has long been a sanctuary for the Pakistani Taliban or Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan and other @ @ @ @ @ military claims that troops cleared the area in a major offensive that was launched in @ @ @ @ @ continued .

The Pakistani Army says it has killed two militants in a shoot-out in the North Waziristan district, a former militant stronghold in the country’s northwest.
A third, a militant, was arrested in the military operation in the town of Mir Ali in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province on October 4, the army statement said.
Describing them as “hard-core terrorists,” the statement said the militants had been involved in multiple attacks on civilians and security forces.
This was the second such operation in the area in recent days. Two militants were killed by the army on the Mir Ali outskirts on October 2.
The remote tribal area along Pakistan’s border with Afghanistan has long been a sanctuary for the Pakistani Taliban or Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan and other militant groups.
But the military claims that troops cleared the area in a major offensive that was launched in 2014. Occasional attacks have continued.
Based on reporting by AP and tribune.com.pk


rferl--2020-10-04--Kyrgyz Voters Line Up Outside Polling Stations

Kyrgyz President Sooronbai Jeenbekov cast his vote in Kyrgyzstan 's parliamentary elections on October 4 .
Long lines of voters @ @ @ @ @ , Bishkek , and in the city of Osh as strengthened hygiene measures were adopted @ @ @ @ @ the coronavirus pandemic .

Kyrgyz President Sooronbai Jeenbekov cast his vote in Kyrgyzstan's parliamentary elections on October 4. Long lines of voters were seen in the capital, Bishkek, and in the city of Osh as strengthened hygiene measures were adopted at polling stations due to the coronavirus pandemic.


rferl--2020-10-04--Belarus Police Use Water Cannons To Disperse Protesters

Tens of thousands of Belarusians took to the streets in support of the country ’ s political prisoners on October 4 , the eighth weekend in a row of protests against long-time ruler Alyaksandr Lukashenka .
Opposition news channel Nexta said that more than 100,000 people rallied in the capital , Minsk , where police used water cannons to disperse the protesters .
Waving white flags with a red stripe , which have become the symbol of the Belarusian opposition , protesters marched to the beat of drums towards detention facilities .
Authorities cordoned off streets in central Minsk , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doors for commuters to hinder access to the city center .
Security forces detained scores of protesters .
The Belarusian journalists ' association said that at least three media representatives had been taken into custody by police .
Local observers reported that mobile Internet was turned off as authorities tried to prevent protesters from discussing which routes to take .
Protests against Lukashenka have been ongoing since the disputed presidential election on August 9 , with several deaths , hundreds of injuries , and more than 10,000 arrests since .
Lukashenka , in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the election winner with more than 80 percent of the vote -- a result which the opposition said was rigged and that their candidate , Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya , won .
Tsikhanouskaya took refuge in neighboring Lithuania following the vote .
She announced on September 30 she has begun creating a shadow cabinet , saying `` Alyaksandr Lukashenka 's regime is not just illegitimate , but also is not capable of carrying out its duties . ''
Protesters have been asked to bring pictures of political prisoners and to march in front of detention @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opposition are currently in detention , including leader Maryya Kalesnikava , who is facing up to five years in jail on charges of endangering national security .
The latest march comes after the United States and EU on October 2 slapped sanctions on Belarusian officials responsible for fraud in the August presidential election and the brutal crackdown on protesters and opposition members .
Britain and Canada have also sanctioned Belarusian officials , including Lukashenka .
Belarus quickly responded with tit-for-tat sanctions against the EU , although it was vague on who would be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ advised the embassies of its western neighbors Poland and Latvia to reduce their staffs and summoned the ambassadors of the two countries .
In a statement on October 4 , the EU 's top diplomat , Josep Borrell , blasted the Belarusian move against the Lithuanian and Polish diplomats .
`` The demand of the Belarusian authorities that Poland and Lithuania withdraw their ambassadors and significantly reduce their diplomatic representations in Minsk is unfounded and regrettable .
It goes against the logic of dialogue and will only further isolate the authorities in Minsk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the moves against Latvia and Poland , the Belarusian Foreign Ministry said it was revoking the accreditations of all foreign media , claiming it was a long-considered move aimed at streamlining the process .
Ahead of the protest , the top opposition Telegram channel , Nexta Live , which has coordinated protesters and has more than 2 million subscribers , said that authorities have opened more than 250 criminal cases against Lukashenka 's would-be rivals , activists , bloggers and ordinary Belarusians .
Lukashenka has accused Western countries and NATO of supporting protesters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ With reporting by dpa and Reuters

MINSK -- More than 300 people were detained across Belarus on October 4 as tens of thousands of Belarusians took to the streets in support of the country’s political prisoners, in the eighth weekend in a row of massive protests against long-time ruler Alyaksandr Lukashenka.
Opposition news channel Nexta said that more than 100,000 people rallied in the capital, Minsk, where police used water cannons to disperse the protesters.
Waving the white-and-red flag of the opposition, protesters marched to the beat of drums toward detention facilities.
Security forces cordoned off streets in central Minsk, while some metro stations temporarily closed their doors to commuters to hinder access to the city center.
Protests were also held in Brest, Hrodna, Homel, Mahilyou, and other cities.
The Interior Ministry said 317 people were detained nationwide. The majority of those detained, 258, remain in custody pending a court appearance.
Seventeen journalists were also detained. All but five were released after police checked their documents.
Similar to past protests, local observers reported that mobile Internet was turned off as authorities tried to prevent protesters from organizing.
Protests against Lukashenka have continued since the disputed presidential election on August 9 despite a crackdown, with several killed, hundreds of injured, and more than 10,000 detained.
Lukashenka, in office since 1994, was officially declared the election winner with more than 80 percent of the vote -- a result which the opposition and the West assert was rigged.
Opposition candidate Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya took refuge in neighboring Lithuania following the vote. She announced on September 30 she has begun creating a shadow cabinet, saying, "Alyaksandr Lukashenka's regime is not just illegitimate, but also is not capable of carrying out its duties."
Crisis 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.
Several prominent members of the opposition are currently in detention, including leader Maryya Kalesnikava, who is facing up to five years in jail on charges of endangering national security.
Tsikhanouskaya's husband, Syarhey Tsikhanouski, has been in prison since before the election on charges he and supporters say are politically motivated.
Ahead of the protest, Nexta, which has coordinated protesters and has more than 2 million subscribers, said that authorities have opened more than 250 criminal cases against Lukashenka's would-be rivals, activists, bloggers and ordinary Belarusians.
The latest march comes after the United States and EU on October 2 slapped sanctions on Belarusian officials responsible for fraud in the August presidential election and the brutal crackdown on protesters and opposition members.
Britain and Canada have also sanctioned Belarusian officials, including Lukashenka.
Belarus quickly responded with tit-for-tat sanctions against the EU, although it was vague on who would be on its blacklist.
The Foreign Ministry advised the embassies of its western neighbors Poland and Latvia to reduce their staffs and summoned the ambassadors of the two countries.
In a statement on October 4, the EU's top diplomat, Josep Borrell, blasted the Belarusian move against the Lithuanian and Polish diplomats.
"The demand of the Belarusian authorities that Poland and Lithuania withdraw their ambassadors and significantly reduce their diplomatic representations in Minsk is unfounded and regrettable. It goes against the logic of dialogue and will only further isolate the authorities in Minsk," Borrell said.
In tandem with the moves against Latvia and Poland, the Belarusian Foreign Ministry said it was revoking the accreditation of all foreign media, claiming it was a long-considered move aimed at streamlining the process.
Lukashenka has accused Western countries and NATO of supporting protesters and trying to destabilize the country.
With reporting by dpa and Reuters


rferl--2020-10-04--Azerbaijan Demands Armenia Set Timetable For Troops Withdrawal

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has demanded that Armenia set a timetable for withdrawing from Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding Azerbaijani territories , saying that Azerbaijan would not end military action until that happened .
In a televised speech in the evening on October 4 , Aliyev said Azerbaijani forces were advancing in a week-long offensive to retake territories that they lost to ethnic Armenians in the 1990s .
`` Azerbaijan has one condition , and that is the liberation of its territories , '' he said .
`` Nagorno-Karabakh is the territory of Azerbaijan .
We must return and we shall return @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as fighting continues between Azerbaijan and ethnic Armenian forces , killing and wounding hundreds of people , including many civilians from both sides .
The latest clashes in the long-simmering conflict over the breakaway Nagorno-Karabakh region began on September 27 .
Earlier on October 4 , Azerbaijan 's Defense Ministry said on October 4 that Armenian forces targeted Ganca , its second city , with missiles in an escalation of the war in the South Caucasus that broke out one week ago .
Armenia denied that it had directed fire `` of any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ posted on its website , the ministry in Baku said Ganca , a city of more than 330,000 in western Azerbaijan , and several other civilian areas were under fire from rockets and shelling .
RFE/RL 's Azerbaijani Service quoted the ministry as saying the Azerbaijani Army `` is taking adequate retaliatory measures . ''
Defense Minister Zakir Hasanov said the shelling of Azerbaijan ’ s territory from Armenia is an open provocation that expands the area of the battle and added that Azerbaijan took `` retaliatory measures . ''
`` Delivering fire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ territory of Armenia is clearly provocative and expands the zone of hostilities , '' Hasanov said .
The Azerbaijani cities of Terter and Goradiz had also been targeted , the ministry said .
It did not say what kind of measures it had taken , but Armenia said that Stepanakert , the main city of Nagorno-Karabakh , which has been under artillery fire since October 2 , was hit again , and journalists on the ground reported that explosions were rocking the city .
Armenian officials published video footage showing burning buildings and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the city .
`` Azerbaijani forces are shelling civilian targets in Stepanakert with rockets , '' Armenian Defense Ministry spokesman Artsrun Hovhannisian was quoted as saying .
Hovhannisian denied that Armenia had targeted Ganca , but Nagorno-Karabakh 's de facto leader , Arayik Harutiunian , said his forces had destroyed a military air base in Ganca .
WATCH : The Azerbaijanis And Armenians Demanding Peace Instead Of War Azerbaijan on October 4 claimed to have wounded Harutiunian in retaliation for the attack on Ganca , RFE/RL 's Azerbaijani Service reported .
Hikmat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ilham Aliyev , said Harutiunian was hiding in a bunker and was heavily wounded in a targeted attack .
The claim could not be independently confirmed .
World powers have been calling for a cease-fire amid concerns that the violence could grow into a full-blown war between the archfoes and draw in regional powers Russia and NATO-member Turkey .
German Chancellor Angela Merkel demanded an immediate end to all fighting during a phone call with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan , her press office said on October 4 .
Merkel also expressed concern @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of victims .
Nagorno-Karabakh is internationally recognized as Azerbaijani territory , but it is controlled by ethnic Armenian separatists with close ties to Yerevan .
Armenian forces hold control over seven regions adjacent to Nagorno-Karabakh .
Azerbaijan and Armenia have been locked in a conflict over the mountainous region since the waning years of the Soviet Union .
They fought a war that ended in 1994 with an uneasy cease-fire and an estimated 30,000 killed .
With reporting by AFP , AP , Interfax , and Reuters


rferl--2020-10-03--Kyrgyz Opposition Decries Mass Irregularities In Parliamentary Elections

Kyrgyz opposition parties have announced that they will not recognize the official results of the October 4 parliamentary elections , after preliminary figures showed that four parties -- three of them with close ties to the government -- are set to gain seats in the 120-member Jogorku Kenesh ( Supreme Council ) .
Shortly after the polls closed at 8 p.m. local time , opposition supporters gathered for peaceful rallies in the capital , Bishkek , and the northwestern city of Talas to protest what they described as widespread irregularities in the vote .
Protesters later dispersed , but opposition @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on October 5 .
Out of the 16 parties in the race , pro-government Birimdik , Mekenim Kyrgyzstan , and the Kyrgyzstan parties , as well as the opposition Butun Kyrgyzstan party , have surpassed the 7-percent threshold to enter the parliament .
The final results are expected on October 5 .
Opposition Ata-Meken party leaders called the vote `` the dirtiest elections '' in the country 's history .
The party officials said they have recorded mass irregularities in all polling stations across the country .
They said the party was to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ authorities to annul vote-count results in some districts of the southern Osh Province .
Opposition monitors said that they noticed minibuses transporting the same groups of people to several polling stations to cast ballots .
In some areas , they have reportedly seen people holding apparent lists of candidates to give to voters .
Reforma party leader Klara Sooronkulova said that she was attacked by an unknown man at a polling station in Osh .
`` There were no signs of the government , state , or police there , '' Sooronkulova said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Osh have been controlled by “ members of criminal groups.
” Supporters of Reforma and Social Democrat parties gathered in Bishkek for several hours in the evening on October 4 , for what they called a peaceful protest .
Opposition Respublika party supporters staged a protest rally in Talas .
By noon , the Central Election Commission ( CEC ) received 21 complaints , mainly about voters being ferried in buses to polling stations , people escorting voters into polling stations , and watching them casting their ballots .
The CEC said it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ groups are putting pressure on voters .
`` Criminals are putting pressure on our citizens ; the state does not allow violation of citizens ' rights .
The complaints are being investigated , '' Tynchtykbek Shainazarov , a member of the CEC , told RFE/RL at a news conference in Bishkek .
Shainazarov was speaking after Ata-Meken candidate Zhanarbek Akaev complained about violations during the vote , including the appearance of athletic-looking men in villages where they were pressuring voters .
Kyrgyzstan ’ s electoral laws stipulate that no single party can take @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a departure from a trend in Central Asia where ruling parties dominate rubberstamp parliaments .
Since the early 1990s , Kyrgyzstan has been called an “ island of democracy ” in Central Asia .
Still , like all of the country 's election campaigns , this one has had its share of controversies .
But it has also shown once again how very different the country 's elections are compared with its authoritarian , undemocratic neighbors .
RFE/RL correspondents reported that in some areas , people waiting outside the polling stations on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be lists of names and handing envelopes to voters .
In Talas , an RFE/RL correspondent reported that a woman in the voters ' queue hit her camera and demanded that she stop filming .
In Osh , two journalists from the independent news outlet Kloop.kg , reported that athletic-looking men attacked them , beat their cameraman , and took their phones , while police officers there ignored the incident until they were urged to intervene .
The election campaign was also marred by allegations of violence when at least 12 people were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fire after a scuffle between supporters of Mekenim Kyrgyzstan and Birimdik in the southern Osh Province .
On October 1 , the Respublika party claimed that one of its activists had been stabbed to death by a supporter of another unspecified political party in the southern district of Uzgen on September 30 .
Criticism of President Sooronbai Jeenbekov and the Kyrgyz government has been heard frequently on the campaign trail and in the many debates that are held on prime-time television almost every night on a range of topics and with pro-government and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have accused Birimdik , widely considered loyal to Jeenbekov , of using administrative resources to promote its candidates , an allegation the party denies .
The president ’ s brother Asylbek Jeenbekov and several high-ranking members of the current parliament are among the party ’ s candidates .
Mekenim Kyrgyzstan is closely associated to the wealthy and influential Matraimov family .
The clan ’ s figurehead , Raiymbek Matraimov , a former top customs official , was the target of large protests in November and December last year , with demonstrators demanding a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outflows of cash from the country .
Some of the new parties in Kyrgyzstan are , according to professor and columnist Asel Doolotkeldieva , only a cover for `` long-standing , informal elite political and economic networks . ''
Meanwhile , Birimdik party chairman , Marat Amankulov , drew criticism and even a protest rally after a video -- from several months ago -- emerged that shows him saying it was time for Kyrgyzstan to reconsider its independence and “ return ” to Russia ’ s fold .
In the leaked video , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Union , which includes post-Soviet states Armenia , Belarus , Kazakhstan , and Kyrgyzstan , should become a single country .
Russia hosts hundreds of thousands of migrant workers from the impoverished former Soviet nation of some 6.5 million .
The COVID-19 pandemic and measures to contain it have dried up work for migrants in Russia , reduced remittances , and led to a rise in unemployment in Kyrgyzstan .
The election comes as Kyrgyz authorities warn of a rise in COVID-19 infections , with some regions reimposing restrictions on people ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by health authorities and held large gatherings with supporters .
Election officials said that almost 54 percent of the 3.5 million registered Kyrgyz voters cast their ballots in 2,475 polling stations , including 45 abroad .
The election is being monitored by more than 270 observers from 43 countries and 33 international organizations .


rferl--2020-10-05--Son Of Jailed Former Khabarovsk Governor Detained, Reports Say

Media reports in Russia 's Far Eastern Khabarovsk Krai region say the son of the region 's former governor , Sergei Furgal , who is in custody on charges of attempted murder and ordering two killings in 2004-05 , has been detained .
According to the October 5 reports , Anton Furgal has been charged with organizing illegal protest rallies in the regional capital , Khabarovsk .
Furgal 's detainment has not been officially confirmed .
His father , Sergei Furgal of the nationalist Liberal Democratic Party of Russia , was elected in 2018 in a runoff that he won @ @ @ @ @ @ @ incumbent from the ruling United Russia party .
His arrest on July 9 sparked mass protests in Khabarovsk and several other towns and cities in the region by his supporters that have been held almost daily since then .
The protests highlight growing discontent in the Far East over what demonstrators see as Moscow-dominated policies that often neglect their views and interests .
President Vladimir 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 .
With @ @ @ @ @ @

Media reports in Russia's Far Eastern Khabarovsk Krai region say the son of the region's former governor, Sergei Furgal, who is in custody on charges of attempted murder and ordering two killings in 2004-05, has been detained.
According to the October 5 reports, Anton Furgal has been charged with organizing illegal protest rallies in the regional capital, Khabarovsk.
Furgal's detainment has not been officially confirmed.
His father, Sergei Furgal of the nationalist Liberal Democratic Party of Russia, was elected in 2018 in a runoff that he won handily against the region’s longtime incumbent from the ruling United Russia party.
His arrest on July 9 sparked mass protests in Khabarovsk and several other towns and cities in the region by his supporters that have been held almost daily since then.
The protests highlight growing discontent in the Far East over what demonstrators see as Moscow-dominated policies that often neglect their views and interests.
President Vladimir 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.
With reporting by Amur Media and 5-tv.ru


rferl--2020-10-05--Afghan President Arrives In Qatar Amid Peace Talks With Taliban

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has arrived in Qatar for a bilateral meeting with the leaders of the Gulf state but will not hold talks with Taliban representatives even as peace talks are under way in the country 's capital city , Doha , according to officials .
Negotiations between the Afghan government and the Taliban that started last month are aimed at the warring sides agreeing to a reduction of violence and a possible new power-sharing agreement .
So far , there has been no progress as the two sides have become bogged down on processes and procedures , according @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are part of a landmark deal signed between the United States and the Taliban in February .
Under the deal , foreign forces will leave Afghanistan by May 2021 in exchange for counterterrorism guarantees from the Taliban , which agreed to negotiate a permanent cease-fire and a power-sharing formula with the Afghan government .
Scores of Afghan soldiers and Taliban fighters have been killed in clashes and suicide attacks that have also left dozens of civilians dead in recent weeks across the war-torn country .
Ghani and his team will be stopping first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the late emir of Kuwait , Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah , before traveling to Qatar later on October 5 , according to a close aide to Ghani .
`` Several meetings are planned to discuss efforts for deepening Afghanistan-Qatar ties and mutual cooperation in various areas , '' said the official , adding that Ghani will also meet the Afghan representatives who are holding talks with the Taliban .
`` But it is clear that Ghani will not meet the Taliban officials as there has been no reduction of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ civilians , '' said a senior Western diplomat overseeing the ongoing peace process .
At least eight people were killed in a car-bomb explosion on October 5 targeting the governor of the eastern Laghman Province , Rahmatullah Yarmal , officials said .
At least 30 others -- mostly civilians -- were also wounded in the attack , which took place in the provincial capital , Mehtarlam , the Afghan Interior Ministry said .
No group has claimed responsibility for the incident .
Over the weekend , at least 15 people , mostly civilians @ @ @ @ @ @ @ others wounded in a truck-bomb attack that targeted a government building in eastern Afghanistan , officials said .
No one has so far claimed responsibility for the attack .
Both the Taliban and the Islamic State extremist group are active in the region .
According to the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan ( UNAMA ) , at least 1,282 civilians were killed and at least 2,176 others were wounded in the first six months of the year .
With reporting by Reuters , dpa , and AFP

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--2020-10-05--Kyrgyz Opposition Takes To The Streets To Challenge Results Of Parliamentary Elections

BISHKEK -- Several political parties in Kyrgyzstan are holding rallies in the capital , Bishkek , calling for the annulment of results from parliamentary elections over the weekend that handed victories to parties close to Kyrgyzstan ’ s pro-Russia president , Sooronbai Jeenbekov .
Thousands of activists and supporters of eight parties -- Ata-Meken ( Fatherland ) , Respublika ( Republic ) , Zamandash ( Contemporary ) , the Social Democrats , Chon Kazat ( Big Crusade ) , Meken Yntymagy ( Homeland Unity ) , Bir Bol ( Stay United ) , and Reforma ( Reform ) -- gathered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ October 5 , where they alleged the vote from the previous day was rigged , with votes being bought and other irregularities marring the polls .
The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe ( OSCE ) appeared to back the opposition claims , saying on October 5 that the Kyrgyz elections were tarnished by `` credible allegations of vote-buying . ''
The protesters chanted , `` President Jeenbekov must go away ! ''
as opposition leaders said that 10 political parties will establish a joint opposition coordination center and sign a memorandum @ @ @ @ @ @ @ results voided .
A group of military and law enforcement officials announced that they will call on police and other security structures not to conduct measures against people .
Similar protests were held in the northern city of Talas and the central region of Naryn .
According to the OSCE , the elections were `` generally well run and candidates could campaign freely , but credible allegations of vote-buying remain a serious concern . ''
The OSCE also emphasized that a lack of transparency in campaign financing and a `` ban on some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ funding constraints . ''
Near-complete preliminary results early on October 5 showed four parties clearing the 7 percent threshold needed to enter the 120-member Jogorku Kenesh , or Supreme Council .
The pro-government Birimdik ( Unity ) , a newly formed party , won 24.5 percent of the vote , followed by Mekenim Kyrgyzstan ( My Homeland Kyrgyzstan ) at 23.88 percent , and Kyrgyzstan at 8.76 percent .
The three parties are broadly considered pro-government or of having an interest in maintaining the status quo .
Both Birimdik and Mekenim Kyrgyzstan have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Economic Union and closer security ties with Russia .
Butun ( United ) Kyrgyzstan was alone among opposition parties in overcoming the threshold with 7.13 percent of the vote .
The remaining 12 parties in the race failed to receive the required number of votes .
The turnout in the election was 56.5 percent .
Smaller parties have accused Birimdik , widely considered to be loyal to Jeenbekov , of using administrative resources to promote its candidates , an allegation the party denies .
The president ’ s brother , Asylbek Jeenbekov , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ parliament were among the party ’ s candidates .
Mekenim Kyrgyzstan is closely associated with the wealthy and influential Matraimov family .
The clan ’ s figurehead , Raiymbek Matraimov , a former top customs official , was the target of large protests in November and December 2019 , with demonstrators demanding a probe into allegations of corruption and massive outflows of cash from the country .
Shortly after the polls closed on the evening of October 4 , opposition parties announced that they would not recognize the results and began protesting in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they described as widespread irregularities .
Protesters later dispersed , but opposition leaders said more rallies will take place on October 5 .
Opposition Ata-Meken party leaders called the vote `` the dirtiest elections '' in the country 's history .
Party officials said they had recorded mass irregularities in all polling stations across the country .
Opposition monitors said they noticed minibuses transporting the same groups of people to several polling stations to cast ballots .
In some areas , they have reportedly seen people holding lists of candidates to give to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said that she was attacked by an unknown man at a polling station in Osh .
`` There were no signs of the government , state , or police there , '' Sooronkulova said , adding that all polling stations in Osh were controlled by “ members of criminal groups.
” The Central Election Commission received information about voters being ferried in buses to polling stations , people escorting voters into polling stations , and even people watching them casting their ballots .
`` Criminals are putting pressure on our citizens ; the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ' rights .
The complaints are being investigated , '' Tynchtykbek Shainazarov , a member of the commission , told RFE/RL at a news conference in Bishkek .
RFE/RL correspondents reported that , in some areas , people waiting outside polling stations on October 4 were marking what appeared to be lists of names and handing envelopes to voters .
In Talas , an RFE/RL correspondent reported that a woman in the voters ' queue hit her camera and demanded that she stop filming .
In Osh , two journalists from the independent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them , beat their cameraman and took their phones , while police officers there ignored the incident until they were urged to intervene .
Since the early 1990s , Kyrgyzstan has been called an “ island of democracy ” in Central Asia .
Criticism of Jeenbekov and the Kyrgyz government was heard frequently on the campaign trail and in the many televised debates held on a range of topics , with pro-government and opposition candidates taking part .
Still , like all of the country 's election campaigns , this one has had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaign was also marred by allegations of violence when at least 12 people were hospitalized , and several vehicles set on fire , after a scuffle between supporters of Mekenim Kyrgyzstan and Birimdik in southern Osh Province .
On October 1 , the Respublika party claimed that one of its activists had been stabbed to death by a supporter of another unspecified political party in the southern district of Uzgen on September 30 .
The election came as Kyrgyz authorities warn of a rise in COVID-19 infections , with some regions reimposing restrictions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ parties mostly defied warnings by health authorities and held large gatherings with supporters .

Kyrgyz security forces have used rubber bullets, tear gas, and stun grenades against thousands of people gathered in the center of the capital, Bishkek, to protest against the results of parliamentary elections over the weekend that handed victories to parties close to pro-Russian President Sooronbai Jeenbekov.
Activists and supporters from 10 parties -- Ata-Meken (Fatherland), Respublika (Republic), Zamandash (Contemporary), the Social Democrats, Chon Kazat (Big Crusade), Meken Yntymagy (Homeland Unity), Bir Bol (Stay United), Yiman Nuru (Ray of the Faith), Ordo (The Horde), and Reforma (Reform) -- gathered in Ala-Too square on October 5, where they alleged the vote from the previous day was rigged, with votes being bought and other irregularities marring the polls.
Riot police used force to disperse the crowd after some demonstrators tried to break into government headquarters.
Clashes are ongoing near the Government House with sporadic shootings as protesters are trying to go back to the square.
Bishkek hospitals reported that they treated more than 120 patients who sustained injures during the violence.
Those injured included 40 "representatives of law enforcement," according to the Health Ministry.
Janarbek Akaev, leader of Ata-Meken, was also brought to hospital with a leg injury.
Live Feed Of Bishkek Protests (RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service, natural sound)
Several people were injured, including at least two police officers and Janarbek Akaev, the leader of Ata-Meken, who was taken to hospital with leg injuries.
Akaev and the leader of Respublika, Mirlan Jeenchoroev, announced at the rally that leaders of 12 parties had signed a petition requesting that the Central Election Commission annul the official results of the votes by midnight.
According to the two politicians, the leaders of two parties, Mekenchil (Patriot) and Butun Kyrgyzstan (United Kyrgyzstan), which won seats in the elections, are signatories to the petition.
The commission said the final results would be announced in 20 days.
The presidential press service released a statement saying that President Jeenbekov planned to meet on October 6 with the leaders of all 16 political parties that participated in the parliamentary elections.
Akaev and Jeenchoroev, announced at the rally that leaders of 12 parties had signed a petition requesting that the Central Election Commission annul the officials results of the votes by midnight.
According to the two politicians, leaders of two parties, Mekenchil (Patriot) and Butun Kyrgyzstan (United Kyrgyzstan), which were cited among the winners in the elections, are signatories to the petition.
The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) appeared to back the opposition claims, saying on October 5 that the Kyrgyz elections were tarnished by "credible allegations of vote-buying."
The protesters chanted "President Jeenbekov, must go away!" as opposition leaders pledged to establish a joint opposition coordination center.
Protests against the results broke out in other towns and cities, including the northern city of Talas and the central region of Naryn, as well as in the capital.
A group of military and law enforcement officials announced that they will call on police and other security structures not to conduct measures against people.
Similar protests were held in the northern city of Talas and the central region of Naryn.
According to the OSCE, the elections were "generally well run and candidates could campaign freely, but credible allegations of vote-buying remain a serious concern."
The OSCE "acknowledges that vote-buying is a serious issue in this country," the head of the OSCE observer mission, Thomas Boserup, told a televised press conference, without providing specific examples.
The OSCE also noted that a lack of transparency in campaign financing and a "ban on some forms of donation disadvantaged parties with greater funding constraints."
Near-complete preliminary results early on October 5 showed four parties clearing the 7 percent threshold needed to enter the 120-member Jogorku Kenesh, or Supreme Council.
The pro-government Birimdik (Unity), a newly formed party, won 24.5 percent of the vote, followed by Mekenim Kyrgyzstan (My Homeland Kyrgyzstan) at 23.88 percent, and Kyrgyzstan at 8.76 percent.
The three parties are broadly considered pro-government or of having an interest in maintaining the status quo. Both Birimdik and Mekenim Kyrgyzstan have supported deeper integration with the Moscow-led Eurasian Economic Union and closer security ties with Russia.
Butun (United) Kyrgyzstan was alone among opposition parties in overcoming the threshold with 7.13 percent of the vote. The remaining 12 parties in the race failed to receive the required number of votes.
The turnout in the election was 56.5 percent.
Smaller parties have accused Birimdik, widely considered to be loyal to Jeenbekov, of using administrative resources to promote its candidates, an allegation the party denies.
The president’s brother, Asylbek Jeenbekov, and several high-ranking members of the current parliament were among the party’s candidates.
Mekenim Kyrgyzstan is closely associated with the wealthy and influential Matraimov family.
The clan’s figurehead, Raimbek Matraimov, a former top customs official, was the target of large protests in November and December 2019, with demonstrators demanding a probe into allegations of corruption and massive outflows of cash from the country.
Opposition Ata-Meken party leaders called the vote "the dirtiest elections" in the country's history. The party officials said they recorded mass irregularities in all polling stations across the country.
Opposition monitors also said they noticed minibuses transporting the same groups of people to several polling stations to cast ballots. In some areas, they have reportedly seen people holding lists of candidates to give to voters.
Reforma party leader Klara Sooronkulova said that she was attacked by an unknown man at a polling station in Osh.
"There were no signs of the government, state, or police there," Sooronkulova said, adding that all polling stations in Osh were controlled by "members of criminal groups."
Since the early 1990s, Kyrgyzstan has been called an "island of democracy" in Central Asia.
Criticism of Jeenbekov and the Kyrgyz government was heard frequently on the campaign trail and in the many televised debates held on a range of topics, with pro-government and opposition candidates taking part.
The election was seen a test of the country's close ties with Russia, with the Birimdik party, most closely associated with Jeenbekov, touting ties with Russia as part of its campaign pitch.
Kyrgyzstan's leadership has been reinforcing its relationship with Russia in recent years under the Moscow-led Eurasian Economic Union and the post-Soviet military alliance of the Collective Security Treaty Organization.
Jeenbekov met with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in the Russian city of Sochi just days before the elections, where he denounced opposition movements opposing the close ties as infringing on Kyrgyzstan's independence.
The election came as Kyrgyz authorities warn of a rise in COVID-19 infections, with some regions reimposing restrictions on people’s movements.
Political parties mostly defied warnings by health authorities and held large gatherings with supporters.
With reporting by RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service


rferl--2020-10-04--Tens of Thousands March In Minsk Demanding Release of Belarusian Political Prisoners

MINSK -- Tens of thousands of Belarusians took to the streets in support of the country ’ s political prisoners on October 4 , in the eighth weekend in a row of massive protests against long-time ruler Alyaksandr Lukashenka .
Opposition news channel Nexta said that more than 100,000 people rallied in the capital , Minsk , where police used water cannons to disperse the protesters .
Waving the white-and-red flag of the opposition , protesters marched to the beat of drums toward detention facilities .
Security forces cordoned off streets in central Minsk , while some metro stations temporarily @ @ @ @ @ @ @ access to the city center .
Protests were also held in Brest , Hrodna , Homel , Mahilyou , and other cities .
More than 200 people were detained nationwide , the Vyasna human rights group reported .
Seventeen journalists were also detained .
All but five were released after police checked their documents .
Similar to past protests , local observers reported that mobile Internet was turned off as authorities tried to prevent protesters from organizing .
Protests against Lukashenka have continued since the disputed presidential election on August 9 despite a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of injured , and more than 10,000 detained .
Lukashenka , in office since 1994 , was officially declared the election winner with more than 80 percent of the vote -- a result which the opposition and the West assert was rigged .
Opposition candidate Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya took refuge in neighboring Lithuania following the vote .
She announced on September 30 she has begun creating a shadow cabinet , saying , `` Alyaksandr Lukashenka 's regime is not just illegitimate , but also is not capable of carrying out its duties . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ currently in detention , including leader Maryya Kalesnikava , who is facing up to five years in jail on charges of endangering national security .
Tsikhanouskaya 's husband , Syarhey Tsikhanouski , has been in prison since before the election on charges he and supporters say are politically motivated .
Ahead of the protest , Nexta , which has coordinated protesters and has more than 2 million subscribers , said that authorities have opened more than 250 criminal cases against Lukashenka 's would-be rivals , activists , bloggers and ordinary Belarusians .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and EU on October 2 slapped sanctions on Belarusian officials responsible for fraud in the August presidential election and the brutal crackdown on protesters and opposition members .
Britain and Canada have also sanctioned Belarusian officials , including Lukashenka .
Belarus quickly responded with tit-for-tat sanctions against the EU , although it was vague on who would be on its blacklist .
The Foreign Ministry advised the embassies of its western neighbors Poland and Latvia to reduce their staffs and summoned the ambassadors of the two countries .
In a statement on October @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Josep Borrell , blasted the Belarusian move against the Lithuanian and Polish diplomats .
`` The demand of the Belarusian authorities that Poland and Lithuania withdraw their ambassadors and significantly reduce their diplomatic representations in Minsk is unfounded and regrettable .
It goes against the logic of dialogue and will only further isolate the authorities in Minsk , '' Borrell said .
In tandem with the moves against Latvia and Poland , the Belarusian Foreign Ministry said it was revoking the accreditation of all foreign media , claiming it was a long-considered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lukashenka has accused Western countries and NATO of supporting protesters and trying to destabilize the country .
With reporting by dpa and Reuters


rferl--2020-10-05--Kyrgyz Police Forcibly Break Up Demonstration In Bishkek After Disputed Elections

Kyrgyz security forces used rubber bullets , tear gas , and stun grenades on October 5 against thousands of people @ @ @ @ @ the capital , Bishkek , to protest against the results of parliamentary elections over the @ @ @ @ @ parties close to pro-Russian President Sooronbai Jeenbekov .

Kyrgyz security forces used rubber bullets, tear gas, and stun grenades on October 5 against thousands of people gathered in the center of the capital, Bishkek, to protest against the results of parliamentary elections over the weekend that handed victories to parties close to pro-Russian President Sooronbai Jeenbekov.


rferl--2020-10-05--U.S., Russian Officials Hold Arms-Control Talks In Finland

Negotiators from Russia and the United States have met in the Finnish capital for a new round of arms-control talks as the two powers ' last remaining bilateral nuclear arms pact is due to expire early next year .
The October 5 meeting in Helsinki was led by Marshall Billingslea , the U.S. special presidential envoy for arms control , and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov .
`` The sides exchanged views on the current state and further prospects for bilateral cooperation in the area of arms control , '' the Russian Foreign Ministry said .
It did not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ heavyweights are discussing the future of the New START treaty , which expires in February unless the two sides agree to extend it for five years .
Several rounds of talks took place over the summer with no breakthrough on a possible extension .
The United States has said it wants any new nuclear arms-control treaty to cover all types of warheads , stronger verification and transparency measures , and bring China on board , a move Beijing has rejected .
Russia has said it is ready to extend New START without preconditions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time to renegotiate a complicated new treaty .
`` In the current world situation , all dialogue is important , and I welcome its continuation between the United States and Russia , '' said Finnish President Sauli Niinisto , who held separate meetings with Billingslea and Ryabkov after their talks .
Russia and the United States jointly possess about 90 percent of the world 's nuclear weapons , according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute .
The think tank estimated that the United States had 5,800 warheads , while Russia had about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
With reporting by dpa , TASS , and Interfax

Negotiators from Russia and the United States have met in the Finnish capital for a new round of arms-control talks as the two powers' last remaining bilateral nuclear arms pact is due to expire early next year.
The October 5 meeting in Helsinki was led by Marshall Billingslea, the U.S. special presidential envoy for arms control, and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov.
"The sides exchanged views on the current state and further prospects for bilateral cooperation in the area of arms control," the Russian Foreign Ministry said. It did not provide further details.
The two nuclear heavyweights are discussing the future of the New START treaty, which expires in February unless the two sides agree to extend it for five years.
Several rounds of talks took place over the summer with no breakthrough on a possible extension.
The United States has said it wants any new nuclear arms-control treaty to cover all types of warheads, stronger verification and transparency measures, and bring China on board, a move Beijing has rejected.
Russia has said it is ready to extend New START without preconditions and warned that there is not enough time to renegotiate a complicated new treaty.
"In the current world situation, all dialogue is important, and I welcome its continuation between the United States and Russia," said Finnish President Sauli Niinisto, who held separate meetings with Billingslea and Ryabkov after their talks.
Russia and the United States jointly possess about 90 percent of the world's nuclear weapons, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.
The think tank estimated that the United States had 5,800 warheads, while Russia had about 6,375 at the beginning of the year.
With reporting by dpa, TASS, and Interfax