rferl--2020-07-23--Swiss, Ukrainian Presidents Visit War-Torn East, Inspect Humanitarian Aid

KYIV – Visiting Swiss President Simonetta Sommaruga and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy have visited Ukraine ’ s eastern regions of Donetsk and Luhansk , known as the Donbas , parts of which have been under the control of Russia-backed separatists since April 2014 .
On July 23 , during the last day of Sommaruga 's three-day visit to Ukraine , the two presidents met with the governor of the Kyiv-controlled part of the Donetsk region , Pavlo Kyrylenko , and visited the Donbas water company , according to the Ukrainian president ’ s website .
Zelenskiy thanked Switzerland for humanitarian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ water company functioning to help avoid a “ humanitarian catastrophe ” in the war-torn region .
The company provides drinking water to about 4 million residents of the region , including people residing in separatist-controlled districts .
The presidents also inspected a Swiss humanitarian convoy of 17 trucks with equipment and chemical reagents for purifying water under the Donbas Water project and COVID-19 medical devices for hospitals in the city of Slovyansk .
“ Switzerland is , in fact , the only country that provides humanitarian assistance for people on both sides of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The main humanitarian projects are drinking water supplies in Donbas and delivery of medicines and medical equipment to the area , ” the presidential website said .
The two presidents laid flowers at a memorial honoring employees from the water company who were killed by shelling by Russia-backed separatists .
Since April 2014 , about 13,200 people have been killed in the ongoing conflict .

KYIV – Visiting Swiss President Simonetta Sommaruga and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy have visited Ukraine’s eastern regions of Donetsk and Luhansk, known as the Donbas, parts of which have been under the control of Russia-backed separatists since April 2014.
On July 23, during the last day of Sommaruga's three-day visit to Ukraine, the two presidents met with the governor of the Kyiv-controlled part of the Donetsk region, Pavlo Kyrylenko, and visited the Donbas water company, according to the Ukrainian president’s website.
Zelenskiy thanked Switzerland for humanitarian aid that was used to keep the water company functioning to help avoid a “humanitarian catastrophe” in the war-torn region. The company provides drinking water to about 4 million residents of the region, including people residing in separatist-controlled districts.
The presidents also inspected a Swiss humanitarian convoy of 17 trucks with equipment and chemical reagents for purifying water under the Donbas Water project and COVID-19 medical devices for hospitals in the city of Slovyansk.
“Switzerland is, in fact, the only country that provides humanitarian assistance for people on both sides of the line of contact in eastern Ukraine. The main humanitarian projects are drinking water supplies in Donbas and delivery of medicines and medical equipment to the area,” the presidential website said.
The two presidents laid flowers at a memorial honoring employees from the water company who were killed by shelling by Russia-backed separatists.
Since April 2014, about 13,200 people have been killed in the ongoing conflict.


rferl--2020-07-23--Moscow Police Detain Protesters Demanding Release Of Two 'Rostov' Activists

MOSCOW – Police in Moscow have detained several demonstrators who were demanding the immediate release of activists serving prison terms from the high-profile “ Rostov case , ” related to mass protests in 2017 .
The single-person pickets , which do not require permission from city authorities , were held on July 23 in front of the Supreme Court as it looks into the appeals of two jailed activists from the southwestern city of Rostov-on-Don .
Members of the non-registered Other Russia opposition party , Mikhail Galyashkin , Andrei Plygach , Timofei Filin , and Natalya Krivolapova were among the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ court in Rostov-on-Don handed prison terms to three activists for mass disturbances that the media have dubbed the Rostov case .
Yan Sidorov and Vladislav Mordasov were convicted for the “ attempted organization of mass disturbances ” and were sentenced to 6 1/2 years and 6 years and 7 months , respectively , in a penal colony over protests in Rostov-on-Don .
Sidorov and Mordasov were 18 and 21 years old when they were detained in November 2017 .
A third defendant in the case , Vyacheslav Shashmin , who was also 18 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was handed a suspended three-year prison term .
Amnesty International , which considers Sidorov and Mordasov to be prisoners of conscience , said they were prosecuted for trying to stage a peaceful protest in support of residents who had lost their houses in mass fires in Rostov-on-Don in August 2017 .
The sentences came after a summer of protests in Moscow to demand free and fair municipal elections .
Dozens of people have been fined or given jail sentences over the rallies .

MOSCOW – Police in Moscow have detained several demonstrators who were demanding the immediate release of activists serving prison terms from the high-profile “Rostov case,” related to mass protests in 2017.
The single-person pickets, which do not require permission from city authorities, were held on July 23 in front of the Supreme Court as it looks into the appeals of two jailed activists from the southwestern city of Rostov-on-Don.
Members of the non-registered Other Russia opposition party, Mikhail Galyashkin, Andrei Plygach, Timofei Filin, and Natalya Krivolapova were among the detained activists.
In October, a court in Rostov-on-Don handed prison terms to three activists for mass disturbances that the media have dubbed the Rostov case.
Yan Sidorov and Vladislav Mordasov were convicted for the “attempted organization of mass disturbances” and were sentenced to 6 1/2 years and 6 years and 7 months, respectively, in a penal colony over protests in Rostov-on-Don.
Sidorov and Mordasov were 18 and 21 years old when they were detained in November 2017.
A third defendant in the case, Vyacheslav Shashmin, who was also 18 when he was arrested in 2017, was handed a suspended three-year prison term.
Amnesty International, which considers Sidorov and Mordasov to be prisoners of conscience, said they were prosecuted for trying to stage a peaceful protest in support of residents who had lost their houses in mass fires in Rostov-on-Don in August 2017.
The sentences came after a summer of protests in Moscow to demand free and fair municipal elections. Dozens of people have been fined or given jail sentences over the rallies.


rferl--2020-07-23--Prime Minister Reshuffles Bulgarian Government Amid Anti-Government Protests

SOFIA -- Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov has replaced three key ministers in a reshuffle meant to appease weeks-long anti-corruption protests that have called for his resignation .
On July 23 , two days after surviving a no-confidence vote , Borisov dismissed the ministers of finance , economy , and interior , whose resignations he had asked for last week to curb speculation that the three were serving the interests of controversial businessman and media owner Delyan Peevski , who is linked to the opposition MRF party .
The tourism minister was also sacked , Borisov said .
The July @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against Borisov 's center-right coalition government since it took office in 2017 .
It was initiated by the opposition Socialists who accuse it of failing to fight endemic corruption .
After a meeting with his junior coalition partners , Borisov announced that Health Minister Kiril Ananiev , 65 , will replace Vladislav Goranov as the new finance minister .
Ananiev has served as deputy finance minister under four different governments since 1998 and was briefly finance minister in a caretaker cabinet in early 2017 .
He has a reputation as an expert in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the director of Bulgaria 's largest medical facility , the Alexandrovska Hospital in the capital , will take over the Health Ministry .
Interior Minister Mladen Marinov will be replaced by national police chief Hristo Terziiski , while Economy Minister Emil Karanikolov will cede his position to his deputy , Lachezar Borisov .
Tourism Minister Nikolina Angelkova will be replaced by Deputy Prime Minister Mariana Nikolova , Borisov said .
Thousands of mostly young people demonstrated for almost two weeks in a row this month in the capital against the government 's perceived @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were also held in Lovech , Haskovo , Plovdiv , Vratsa , Montana , Varna , Burgas , Kyustendil , and other cities .
Protesters accuse Borisov of turning a blind eye to endemic graft that has weakened state institutions and eroded the rule of law for the benefit of a few .
Borisov has vowed to carry out in full his third four-year mandate , which expires in March .
Bulgaria , the poorest European Union member , is also the most corrupt of the bloc 's 27 members , according to @ @ @

SOFIA -- Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov has replaced three key ministers in a reshuffle meant to appease weeks-long anti-corruption protests that have called for his resignation.
On July 23, two days after surviving a no-confidence vote, Borisov dismissed the ministers of finance, economy, and interior, whose resignations he had asked for last week to curb speculation that the three were serving the interests of controversial businessman and media owner Delyan Peevski, who is linked to the opposition MRF party.
The tourism minister was also sacked, Borisov said.
The July 21 vote was the fifth no-confidence motion against Borisov's center-right coalition government since it took office in 2017. It was initiated by the opposition Socialists who accuse it of failing to fight endemic corruption.
After a meeting with his junior coalition partners, Borisov announced that Health Minister Kiril Ananiev, 65, will replace Vladislav Goranov as the new finance minister.
Ananiev has served as deputy finance minister under four different governments since 1998 and was briefly finance minister in a caretaker cabinet in early 2017. He has a reputation as an expert in budget drafting.
Kostadin Angelov, currently the director of Bulgaria's largest medical facility, the Alexandrovska Hospital in the capital, will take over the Health Ministry.
Interior Minister Mladen Marinov will be replaced by national police chief Hristo Terziiski, while Economy Minister Emil Karanikolov will cede his position to his deputy, Lachezar Borisov.
Tourism Minister Nikolina Angelkova will be replaced by Deputy Prime Minister Mariana Nikolova, Borisov said.
Thousands of mostly young people demonstrated for almost two weeks in a row this month in the capital against the government's perceived favoritism of powerful behind-the-scenes oligarchs.
Rallies were also held in Lovech, Haskovo, Plovdiv, Vratsa, Montana, Varna, Burgas, Kyustendil, and other cities.
Protesters accuse Borisov of turning a blind eye to endemic graft that has weakened state institutions and eroded the rule of law for the benefit of a few.
Borisov has vowed to carry out in full his third four-year mandate, which expires in March.
Bulgaria, the poorest European Union member, is also the most corrupt of the bloc's 27 members, according to Transparency International.
With reporting by Reuters


rferl--2020-07-23--Citizens Frightened As Turkmenistan Sprays Disinfectants From Planes To Fight Coronavirus

Turkmenistan is using planes to spray disinfectants over fields and towns to battle “ infectious diseases , ” even as the reclusive Central Asian country continues to deny it has cases of the coronavirus .
The unorthodox practice of indiscriminately spraying disinfectants from the air is raising concern that authorities may be creating larger health and environmental problems .
RFE/RL ’ s Turkmen Service reported on July 22 that the disinfectants have an “ unpleasant smell ” and may be damaging the health of people and animals as well as destroying crops .
In cities , authorities are also using @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Turkmenistan 's state-run media has described the measures taken during the global coronavirus pandemic as `` a comprehensive decontamination campaign to prevent the spread of infectious diseases across the country . ''
According to official media , light aircraft are spraying a solution of 1 percent chlorine or 0.25 percent sodium hypochlorite solution , more commonly known as bleach .
Local experts interviewed by RFE/RL say that the disinfectants are sprayed in higher doses .
“ This scientifically based work is carried out in two stages .
The first of them is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out from 15- to 20-meter height .
The second stage is carried out from a height of 50-60 meters and it is aimed at destroying pathogenic microbes and viruses that are concentrated at a level of about 40 meters from the Earth ’ s surface , ” state media reported on July 15 .
State television for the first time showed the aircraft disinfection on the country 's border areas on July 15 .
Observers say the televised events are aimed at calming the population and reassuring them that the epidemiological situation in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ RFE/RL correspondent said many residents in southeastern Mary Province are concerned about the detrimental effects of the disinfectants on their health and that of their children .
Farmers are also worried the disinfectants are damaging their crops and hurting animals .
Turkmenistan insists that the country has no cases of the coronavirus , despite reports that hospitals are filling up with sick patients and deaths from suspected coronavirus cases are soaring across the country .
Despite ignoring the coronavirus , Turkmen authorities have taken unprecedented health measures recently in an apparent attempt to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ After prohibiting mask wearing up until July 8 , the authorities ordered people to wear face masks in public to protect against `` dust . ''
Movement around the country has been restricted and markets and shopping malls have also been closed .
The sudden reversal came as representatives from the World Health Organization ( WHO ) made a delayed visit to the country in early July to assess the epidemiological situation .
At a July 15 press conference , WHO mission chief Catherine Smallwood said the team had not seen or heard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ assertion that the coronavirus does not exist in Turkmenistan .
However , Smallwood did recommend that the authorities take `` critical public-health measures in Turkmenistan , as if COVID-19 was circulating '' in the country .
She also commented on the `` reports of increased cases of acute respiratory disease or pneumonia of unknown cause . ''
The WHO team visit in early July came after RFE/RL had earlier reported Turkmen authorities were trying to hide the extent of the pandemic in the country .

Turkmenistan is using planes to spray disinfectants over fields and towns to battle “infectious diseases,” even as the reclusive Central Asian country continues to deny it has cases of the coronavirus.
The unorthodox practice of indiscriminately spraying disinfectants from the air is raising concern that authorities may be creating larger health and environmental problems.
RFE/RL’s Turkmen Service reported on July 22 that the disinfectants have an “unpleasant smell” and may be damaging the health of people and animals as well as destroying crops. In cities, authorities are also using trucks to spray disinfectants on the streets.
Turkmenistan's state-run media has described the measures taken during the global coronavirus pandemic as "a comprehensive decontamination campaign to prevent the spread of infectious diseases across the country."
According to official media, light aircraft are spraying a solution of 1 percent chlorine or 0.25 percent sodium hypochlorite solution, more commonly known as bleach. Local experts interviewed by RFE/RL say that the disinfectants are sprayed in higher doses.
“This scientifically based work is carried out in two stages. The first of them is aimed at soil disinfection and is carried out from 15- to 20-meter height. The second stage is carried out from a height of 50-60 meters and it is aimed at destroying pathogenic microbes and viruses that are concentrated at a level of about 40 meters from the Earth’s surface,” state media reported on July 15.
State television for the first time showed the aircraft disinfection on the country's border areas on July 15. Observers say the televised events are aimed at calming the population and reassuring them that the epidemiological situation in the country is under control.
An RFE/RL correspondent said many residents in southeastern Mary Province are concerned about the detrimental effects of the disinfectants on their health and that of their children.
Farmers are also worried the disinfectants are damaging their crops and hurting animals.
Turkmenistan insists that the country has no cases of the coronavirus, despite reports that hospitals are filling up with sick patients and deaths from suspected coronavirus cases are soaring across the country.
Despite ignoring the coronavirus, Turkmen authorities have taken unprecedented health measures recently in an apparent attempt to prevent the spread of the disease.
After prohibiting mask wearing up until July 8, the authorities ordered people to wear face masks in public to protect against "dust." Movement around the country has been restricted and markets and shopping malls have also been closed.
The sudden reversal came as representatives from the World Health Organization (WHO) made a delayed visit to the country in early July to assess the epidemiological situation.
At a July 15 press conference, WHO mission chief Catherine Smallwood said the team had not seen or heard anything that would contradict the government's assertion that the coronavirus does not exist in Turkmenistan.
However, Smallwood did recommend that the authorities take "critical public-health measures in Turkmenistan, as if COVID-19 was circulating" in the country.
She also commented on the "reports of increased cases of acute respiratory disease or pneumonia of unknown cause."
The WHO team visit in early July came after RFE/RL had earlier reported Turkmen authorities were trying to hide the extent of the pandemic in the country.


rferl--2020-07-23--Deal Reached For Ukraine Cease-Fire From July 27

KYIV -- Negotiators from Ukraine , Russia , and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe ( OSCE ) have reached an agreement for a cease-fire in eastern Ukraine from July 27 .
“ The regime of full and comprehensive cease-fire , if observed by the other party , is a basic precondition for the implementation of the Minsk agreements and opens the way to the implementation of other provisions of these agreements , ” the Ukrainian president ’ s office said July 22 .
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy was elected last year on promises to end the conflict @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Luhansk .
Germany and France have mediated between Ukraine and Russia since a peace agreement was signed in the Belarusian capital , Minsk , in 2015 , but efforts at implementation have faltered .
The leaders of the four countries met at a summit in Paris in December 2019 to revive the peace process , leading to Kyiv and Russia-backed separatists in the east of Ukraine conducting a series of prisoner exchanges .
Lingering issues remain over a timeline for local elections , control over borders in the separatist-controlled regions , the withdrawal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and disarmament of separatist groups .
Moscow denies it has troops in eastern Ukraine .
Ukraine 's relationship with Russia has been tense ever since protests in Kyiv led to the overthrow of pro-Russian leader Viktor Yanukovych in February 2014 .
Russia forcibly annexed Ukraine 's Crimean Peninsula shortly thereafter and backed separatist forces in eastern Ukraine , sparking a war that has resulted in some 13,200 deaths .

KYIV -- Negotiators from Ukraine, Russia, and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) have reached an agreement for a cease-fire in eastern Ukraine from July 27.
“The regime of full and comprehensive cease-fire, if observed by the other party, is a basic precondition for the implementation of the Minsk agreements and opens the way to the implementation of other provisions of these agreements,” the Ukrainian president’s office said July 22.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy was elected last year on promises to end the conflict in the eastern regions of Donetsk and Luhansk.
Germany and France have mediated between Ukraine and Russia since a peace agreement was signed in the Belarusian capital, Minsk, in 2015, but efforts at implementation have faltered.
The leaders of the four countries met at a summit in Paris in December 2019 to revive the peace process, leading to Kyiv and Russia-backed separatists in the east of Ukraine conducting a series of prisoner exchanges.
Lingering issues remain over a timeline for local elections, control over borders in the separatist-controlled regions, the withdrawal of Russian military units and equipment, and disarmament of separatist groups.
Moscow denies it has troops in eastern Ukraine.
Ukraine's relationship with Russia has been tense ever since protests in Kyiv led to the overthrow of pro-Russian leader Viktor Yanukovych in February 2014.
Russia forcibly annexed Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula shortly thereafter and backed separatist forces in eastern Ukraine, sparking a war that has resulted in some 13,200 deaths.


rferl--2020-07-22--UN, EU's Top Diplomat Urge Armenia, Azerbaijan To De-Escalate Following Clashes

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell has held a three-way phone call with the foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan in a bid to de-escalate tensions amid a flare-up of violence along their border .
The July 22 call with Armenian Foreign Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanian and his Azerbaijani counterpart , Ceyhun Bayramov , was the first such direct diplomacy to bring the three parties together for talks .
Borell called on both sides to commit to a cease-fire and take immediate action to de-escalate the situation .
The EU ’ s top diplomat “ urged both sides to stop the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and rhetoric that provoke tension , in particular from any further threats to critical infrastructure in the region , ” the European Union External Action service said in a statement .
Also on July 22 , UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for `` immediate and full de-escalation '' and `` a return to negotiations '' between Azerbaijan and Armenia .
Guterres spoke by telephone separately with Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian .
Fighting between the neighboring South Caucasus countries has killed at least 12 Azerbaijani soldiers , including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ since a flare-up of violence began on July 12 that lasted several days .
Each side has blamed the other for starting the fighting , the worst outbreak of violence in the region since clashes in Nagorno-Karabakh in 2016 .
Armenia and Azerbaijan fought a war over Nagorno-Karabakh in the late 1980s and early 1990s as they transitioned into independent countries amid the dissolution of the Soviet Union .
About 30,000 people were killed .
Nagorno-Karabakh is internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan but is controlled by Armenian separatists .
The Organization for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) is urging the sides to resume peace talks .
Both Washington and Moscow have called on the countries to halt the violence immediately .

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


rferl--2020-07-22--Trump Campaign Ad Uses Ukraine Photo In Depicting U.S. Street 'Chaos'

A campaign ad for U.S. President Donald Trump that aims to promote him as a guarantor of public safety features a photo of pro-democracy protesters in Ukraine battling with police during the 2014 Maidan events .
The ad , which appeared on the president ’ s official Facebook page , consists of two images : one showing Trump standing alongside law enforcement officials on the left side and citizens in helmets fighting with police on the other side .
The caption below the photos reads “ Public Safety vs Chaos & Violence.
” The United States has been rocked by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Americans following the killing of George Floyd by Minnesota law enforcement officers .
Stores in major cities were looted and businesses destroyed while some activists and police were injured .
Though Trump has called the death of Floyd , an African American , “ terrible ” and said it should never have happened , he has stood by law enforcement , a key constituency .
Trump is seeking reelection in November .
However , the violence depicted in the Trump ad shows pro-democracy protesters fighting police in Ukraine in 2014 and not the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ since gone viral among Trump critics .
The Trump campaign did not immediately respond to media inquiries about the ad .
The United States backed the Ukrainian protesters , who took to the streets after then-President Viktor Yanukovych agreed to closer ties with Russia , angering those citizens who wanted Ukraine to eventually join the European Union .
The protesters , some of whom stood for weeks in the freezing cold and faced police brutality , were admired around the world .

A campaign ad for U.S. President Donald Trump that aims to promote him as a guarantor of public safety features a photo of pro-democracy protesters in Ukraine battling with police during the 2014 Maidan events.
The ad, which appeared on the president’s official Facebook page, consists of two images: one showing Trump standing alongside law enforcement officials on the left side and citizens in helmets fighting with police on the other side.
The caption below the photos reads “Public Safety vs Chaos & Violence.”
The United States has been rocked by violent protests over police brutality against black Americans following the killing of George Floyd by Minnesota law enforcement officers.
Stores in major cities were looted and businesses destroyed while some activists and police were injured.
Though Trump has called the death of Floyd, an African American, “terrible” and said it should never have happened, he has stood by law enforcement, a key constituency.
Trump is seeking reelection in November.
However, the violence depicted in the Trump ad shows pro-democracy protesters fighting police in Ukraine in 2014 and not the recent U.S. protests.
The ad has since gone viral among Trump critics. The Trump campaign did not immediately respond to media inquiries about the ad.
The United States backed the Ukrainian protesters, who took to the streets after then-President Viktor Yanukovych agreed to closer ties with Russia, angering those citizens who wanted Ukraine to eventually join the European Union.
The protesters, some of whom stood for weeks in the freezing cold and faced police brutality, were admired around the world.


rferl--2020-07-24--Canada Says Preliminary Analysis Of Data From Downed Ukrainian Airliner Is Complete

International investigators in France have completed the download and preliminary analysis of data from the black boxes recovered from the Ukraine International Airlines ( UIA ) jet accidentally shot down by Iran in January , killing all 176 people on board .
Canada 's Transportation Safety Board said on July 23 the download and preliminary analysis of the cockpit voice and flight data was an “ important milestone ” in the investigation into the doomed flight .
“ The work in Paris is finished , but the investigation is far from over .
There are still many key questions that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Safety Board Chair Kathy Fox said .
Fox did not say what the analysis had revealed , but she urged Iranian authorities leading the investigation to be transparent and credible .
Iran agreed in June to send the black boxes to France 's civil aviation investigation bureau , ending a long dispute with Canada , Ukraine , and France over access to the data .
Many of the crash victims were Canadian citizens or permanent residents , or had Canada as their final destination .
Iranian forces say they downed the Boeing 737 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an incoming missile at a time of high tensions with the United States .
Iran later called it a `` disastrous mistake '' by forces who were on high alert .
Iran 's Civil Aviation Organization ’ s interim report blamed tragedy on the misalignment of a radar system and lack of communication between the air-defense operator and his commanders .

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


rferl--2020-07-23--Home Of Prominent Ukrainian Anticorruption Activist Burned Down In Suspected Arson Attack

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has called on law enforcement to find those responsible for a suspected arson attack on the home of a prominent anticorruption activist that has caused deep concern among Western countries .
Vitaliy Shabunin , who serves as the head of the Anticorruption Action Center ’ s executive board , showed reporters on July 23 the remains of his home in the capital Kyiv that he said burned down overnight .
`` The culprits must be found and punished , '' Zelenskiy said in a statement , adding that such attacks `` cast a shadow on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ institutions of power , and especially on our law enforcement agencies . ''
No one was injured in the fire , which the anticorruption organization described as an `` assassination attempt '' on Shabunin .
Shabunin said his parents , who were at the house at the time , were able to escape unharmed .
A neighbor told Shabunin he saw an explosion before the home was engulfed in flames .
The activist said workers had inspected the gas meter and pipes just two weeks ago .
The police suspect arson and are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Anticorruption Action Center called on Zelenskiy to personally take control of all investigations into attacks on anticorruption activists , saying that they did not trust the police or Interior Minister Arsen Avakov .
Activists , journalists , and other individuals that expose corruption often face assaults and threats .
An investigative journalist in Cherkasy in central Ukraine was killed last June , while the nation ’ s former central banker who took on oligarchs had her home burned down in September .
If the fire at Shabunin 's home was the result of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first time that he has been targeted .
In 2018 , he suffered chemical burns when attackers threw a green antiseptic in his face as he took part in a demonstration outside a prosecutor 's office in Kyiv .
Shabunin said such attacks against activists continue under Zelenskiy , who won last year in a landslide on a promise to fight corruption , because the new head of state hasn ’ t taken any serious steps to thwart them .
“ These are the consequences of his silence and inaction , ” said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Shabunin has lobbied for anticorruption legislation and the recovery of assets stolen by officials .
He said an arson attack would only make him work `` even harder ” to fight corruption .
The suspected arson attack caused concern among Western diplomats who have pressured Ukraine to fight corruption and clean up its justice system .
The U.S. Embassy in Kyiv said it was concerned about suspected attacks targeting political and civil society leaders .
“ In thriving democracies , citizens must be able to voice opinions without fear for their physical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Matti Maasikas , the EU ’ s ambassador to Ukraine , wrote on Twitter that he was “ very disturbed ” by the suspected attack on Shabunin ’ s home .
“ I call on the authorities to investigate this case and if a deliberate act -- to bring the perpetrators to justice .
Civil activists must feel safe to carry on their mission , ” Maasikas wrote .
With reporting by Kyiv Post and Reuters

KYIV -- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has called on law enforcement to find those responsible for a suspected arson attack on the home of a prominent anti-corruption activist that has caused deep concern among Western countries.
Vitaliy Shabunin, who serves as the head of the Anti-Corruption Action Center’s executive board, showed reporters on July 23 the remains of his home in the capital, Kyiv, which burned down overnight.
"The culprits must be found and punished," Zelenskiy said in a statement, adding that such attacks "cast a shadow on the reputation of our state, on our institutions of power, and especially on our law enforcement agencies."
No one was injured in the fire, which the anti-corruption organization described as an "assassination attempt" on Shabunin.
Shabunin said his parents, who were in the house at the time, were able to escape unharmed.
A neighbor told Shabunin that he saw an explosion before the home was engulfed in flames. The activist said workers had inspected the gas meter and pipes just two weeks ago.
The police suspect arson and are investigating.
In a statement, the Anti-Corruption Action Center called on Zelenskiy to personally take control of all investigations into attacks on anti-corruption activists, saying that they did not trust the police or Interior Minister Arsen Avakov.
Activists, journalists, and other individuals that expose corruption often face assaults and threats.
An investigative journalist in Cherkasy in central Ukraine was killed last June, while the nation’s former central banker who had taken on oligarchs had her home burned down in September.
If the fire at Shabunin's home was the result of arson, it would not be the first time that he has been targeted. In 2018, he suffered chemical burns when attackers threw a green antiseptic in his face as he took part in a demonstration outside a prosecutor's office in Kyiv.
Shabunin said such attacks against activists continue under Zelenskiy, who won last year in a landslide on a promise to fight corruption, because the new head of state hasn’t taken any serious steps to thwart them.
“These are the consequences of his silence and inaction,” said Shabunin, referring to his destroyed home.
Shabunin has lobbied for anti-corruption legislation and the recovery of assets stolen by officials.
He said an arson attack would only make him work "even harder” to fight corruption.
The suspected arson attack caused concern among Western diplomats, who have pressured Ukraine to fight corruption and clean up its justice system.
The U.S. Embassy in Kyiv said it was concerned about suspected attacks targeting political and civil society leaders.
“In thriving democracies, citizens must be able to voice opinions without fear for their physical security,” it wrote on Twitter.
Matti Maasikas, the EU’s ambassador to Ukraine, wrote on Twitter that he was “very disturbed” by the suspected attack on Shabunin’s home.
“I call on the authorities to investigate this case and if a deliberate act -- to bring the perpetrators to justice. Civil activists must feel safe to carry on their mission,” Maasikas wrote.
With reporting by the Kyiv Post and Reuters


rferl--2020-07-23--Russia’s Media Watchdog Seeks To Tighten Restrictions On ‘Foreign Agent’ Outlets

The Russian state media watchdog has posted a draft instruction on how media outlets who have been registered as `` foreign agents '' must identify that fact in published or broadcast materials .
The draft order was posted on a government website on July 16 and is open for comment until July 30 .
The instruction would supplement a 2017 law on designating foreign-funded media as `` foreign agents . ''
After that law was adopted , the Justice Ministry listed the Voice of America , several services of RFE/RL , and Current Time as “ foreign agents.
” Under @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the Justice Ministry and create a legal entity within the Russian Federation to carry out all its financial transactions .
The new draft order would obligate such media entities to announce their status as `` foreign agents '' at the beginning of every published or broadcast report .
The text details that the announcement must be twice as large as the font size used for the headline of the article .
For video materials , the text must occupy at least 20 percent of the screen and be shown for at least @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may impose punishments for violations of the order .
For `` gross violations , '' individuals could face a fine up to 100,000 rubles ( $ 1,400 ) or 15 days in custody .
Organizations could be fined up to 5 million rubles ( $ 70,000 ) .
Acting RFE/RL President Daisy Sindelar said on July 23 that the proposed order was intended to further restrict the media in Russia and to instill fear in their audiences .
`` Every day millions of Russians receive uncensored news from Radio Liberty and Current Time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country , '' Sindelar said .
`` The intent of these draft normative acts is to frighten those who seek reliable information and to compel our viewers and readers to feel like criminals or to believe they are in danger if they watch or read our materials . ''
`` These draft measures are a clear attempt to increase censorship in Russia , '' she added .

The Russian state media regulator has posted a draft instruction on how media outlets who have been registered as "foreign agents" must identify that fact in published or broadcast materials.
The draft order was posted on a government website on July 16 and is open for comment until July 30.
The instruction would supplement a 2017 law on designating foreign-funded media as "foreign agents." After that law was adopted, the Justice Ministry listed Voice of America (VOA), several services of RFE/RL, and Current Time as “foreign agents.” Current Time is the Russian-language network led by RFE/RL in cooperation with VOA.
Under the law, media listed by the Justice Ministry as foreign agents must create a legal entity within the Russian Federation to carry out all their financial transactions and quarterly submit financial reports to the ministry to be published on their websites.
The new draft order would obligate such media entities to announce their status as "foreign agents" at the beginning of every published or broadcast report.
The text details that the announcement must be twice as large as the font size used for the headline of the article. For video materials, the text must occupy at least 20 percent of the screen and be shown for at least 15 seconds.
It specifies that Roskomnadzor may impose punishments for violations of the order. For "gross violations," individuals could face a fine up to 100,000 rubles ($1,400) or 15 days in custody. Organizations could be fined up to 5 million rubles ($70,000).
Acting RFE/RL President Daisy Sindelar said on July 23 that the proposed order was intended to further restrict the media in Russia and to instill fear in their audiences.
"Every day millions of Russians receive uncensored news from Radio Liberty and Current Time about events in the life of their country," Sindelar said. "The intent of these draft normative acts is to frighten those who seek reliable information and to compel our viewers and readers to feel like criminals or to believe they are in danger if they watch or read our materials."
"These draft measures are a clear attempt to increase censorship in Russia," she added.


rferl--2020-07-23--Putin Names Kadyrov Major General, Transfers Him To The National Guard

Russian President Vladimir Putin has awarded the rank of military major general to the head of the North Caucasus republic of Chechnya , Ramzan Kadyrov .
Kadyrovon July 23 posted a photograph of the president ’ s order on the VK social-media site and wrote that Putin had telephoned him personally to inform him of the decision .
`` During the telephone call , the president himself read the order and congratulated me and wished me further successes , '' Kadyrov wrote .
In 2009 , then President Dmitry Medvedev awarded Kadyrov the rank of police major general .
At @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the youngest major general in Russia .
In his July 23 social-media post , Kadyrov announced that he had been transferred from the Interior Ministry , which oversees the police , to the National Guard .
`` I also express enormous gratitude to my dear BROTHER , the director of the [ Federal Service of National Guard Forces ] and the commander of the National Guard forces of the Russian Federation , Viktor Zolotov for authorizing my transfer from the [ Interior Ministry ] to the National Guard , '' Kadyrov wrote .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ A former Chechen militant who fought against Russian forces in the first Chechen war , Kadyrov has been accused by Russian and international rights activists of numerous human rights violations , including torture , kidnapping , disappearances , extrajudicial executions , and the assassination of personal and political enemies both in Russia and abroad .
On July 20 , the United States levied additional targeted sanctions against Kadyrov , his wife , and his two daughters because of `` his involvement in gross violations of human rights . ''
Washington had already imposed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some of his associates in Chechnya .
`` I have always said and again I repeat that I am a faithful soldier of our president , '' Kadyrov wrote in his July 23 social-media post , `` and I am ready to carry out any order of whatever complexity on any continent . ''

Russian President Vladimir Putin has awarded the rank of military major general to the head of the North Caucasus republic of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov.
Kadyrovon July 23 posted a photograph of the president’s order on the VK social-media site and wrote that Putin had telephoned him personally to inform him of the decision.
"During the telephone call, the president himself read the order and congratulated me and wished me further successes," Kadyrov wrote.
In 2009, then President Dmitry Medvedev awarded Kadyrov the rank of police major general. At the time, Kadyrov was 33 and the youngest major general in Russia.
In his July 23 social-media post, Kadyrov announced that he had been transferred from the Interior Ministry, which oversees the police, to the National Guard.
"I also express enormous gratitude to my dear BROTHER, the director of the [Federal Service of National Guard Forces] and the commander of the National Guard forces of the Russian Federation, Viktor Zolotov for authorizing my transfer from the [Interior Ministry] to the National Guard," Kadyrov wrote.
Kadyrov has ruled Chechnya since 2007. A former Chechen militant who fought against Russian forces in the first Chechen war, Kadyrov has been accused by Russian and international rights activists of numerous human rights violations, including torture, kidnapping, disappearances, extrajudicial executions, and the assassination of personal and political enemies both in Russia and abroad.
On July 20, the United States levied additional targeted sanctions against Kadyrov, his wife, and his two daughters because of "his involvement in gross violations of human rights." Washington had already imposed multiple layers of sanctions against Kadyrov and some of his associates in Chechnya.
"I have always said and again I repeat that I am a faithful soldier of our president," Kadyrov wrote in his July 23 social-media post, "and I am ready to carry out any order of whatever complexity on any continent."


rferl--2020-07-23--Trump And Putin Discuss Arms, Coronavirus In First Call Since Afghan Bounty Claims

WASHINGTON -- U.S. President Donald Trump said he spoke with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin about an arms agreement and fighting the coronavirus in their first call since explosive allegations emerged last month that Moscow had put bounties on U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan .
Neither the White House nor Kremlin readouts of the July 23 call mentioned the Afghanistan bounties , which have not been confirmed .
The two leaders discussed the expiring New START nuclear agreement and combating the coronavirus pandemic , according to both readouts .
Trump and Putin also discussed Iran 's nuclear program , the Kremlin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which expires in February , limits the number of U.S. and Russian deployed strategic nuclear warheads to 1,550 each .
Trump wants China to be part of the treaty , a move that Beijing has rejected , raising concerns that the deal -- the last bilateral nuclear-arms agreement between Washington and Moscow -- could fall apart .
U.S. and Russian envoys held talks in Vienna last month to discuss a replacement for the pact and are scheduled to meet again to continue discussions .
Trump `` reiterated his hope of avoiding an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Russia , and the United States , '' adding that he `` looked forward to progress on upcoming arms control negotiations in Vienna , '' the White House statement said .
The Kremlin readout did not give any details about their dicussion regarding Iran 's nuclear program .
The Trump administration in 2018 pulled out of an international nuclear agreement with Iran , claiming it paved the way for Tehran to develop weapons-grade uranium in a few years and that it did not stop Iran 's missile program .
Russia is among the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Putin have held at least seven calls since March 30 amid the coronavirus pandemic , which has ravaged the global economy and sent the price of oil , Russia 's main export commodity , tumbling .
Trump and Putin spoke several times in April to negotiate a global oil production cut to shore up prices .
The White House readout of the call said Trump and Putin `` discussed efforts to defeat the coronavirus pandemic while continuing to reopen global economies . ''
The July 23 call comes a week after the United @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Russian military intelligence unit of trying to steal COVID-19 vaccine research and as Washington announced it would sanction any company helping build the Kremlin 's natural gas pipeline to Germany .
The New York Times reported at the end of June that U.S. intelligence officials concluded months ago that Russian military intelligence offered bounties to Taliban-linked militants to kill American soldiers .
The paper went on to claim that Trump was briefed on the matter , but did nothing in response .
The White House has said neither Trump nor Vice President @ @ @ @ @ @ @ alleged intelligence .
The House of Representatives has held several hearings on the topic about how the U.S. should respond if the allegations are substantiated .

WASHINGTON -- U.S. President Donald Trump said he spoke with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, about an arms agreement and fighting the coronavirus in their first call since explosive allegations emerged last month that Moscow had put bounties on U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan.
Neither the White House nor Kremlin readouts of the July 23 call mentioned the Afghanistan bounties, which have not been confirmed.
The two leaders discussed the expiring New START nuclear agreement and combating the coronavirus pandemic, according to both readouts. Trump and Putin also discussed Iran's nuclear program, the Kremlin statement said.
The New START treaty, which expires in February, limits the number of U.S. and Russian deployed strategic nuclear warheads to 1,550 each.
Trump wants China to be part of the treaty, a move that Beijing has rejected, raising concerns that the deal -- the last bilateral nuclear-arms agreement between Washington and Moscow -- could fall apart.
U.S. and Russian envoys held talks in Vienna last month to discuss a replacement for the pact and are scheduled to meet again to continue discussions.
Trump "reiterated his hope of avoiding an expensive three-way arms race between China, Russia, and the United States," adding that he "looked forward to progress on upcoming arms control negotiations in Vienna," the White House statement said.
Iran Nuclear Deal
The Kremlin readout did not give any details about their discussion regarding Iran's nuclear program.
The Trump administration in 2018 pulled out of an international nuclear agreement with Iran, claiming it paved the way for Tehran to develop weapons-grade uranium in a few years and that it did not stop Iran's missile program. Russia is among the parties to the pact.
Trump and Putin have held at least seven calls since March 30 amid the coronavirus pandemic, which has ravaged the global economy and sent the price of oil, Russia's main export commodity, tumbling. Trump and Putin spoke several times in April to negotiate a global oil production cut to shore up prices.
The White House readout of the call said Trump and Putin "discussed efforts to defeat the coronavirus pandemic while continuing to reopen global economies."
The July 23 call comes a week after the United States, Britain, and Canada accused a Russian military intelligence unit of trying to steal COVID-19 vaccine research and as Washington announced it would sanction any company helping build the Kremlin's natural gas pipeline to Germany.
The New York Times reported at the end of June that U.S. intelligence officials concluded months ago that Russian military intelligence offered bounties to Taliban-linked militants to kill American soldiers. The paper went on to claim that Trump was briefed on the matter, but did nothing in response.
The White House has said neither Trump nor Vice President Mike Pence had been briefed on the alleged intelligence. The House of Representatives has held several hearings on the topic about how the U.S. should respond if the allegations are substantiated.


rferl--2020-07-23--Prosecutors Of Russian Gulag Historian Plan To Appeal Sentence As Too Lenient

Prosecutors in the northern Russian city of Petrozavodsk have said they will appeal the 3 1/2-year prison term given to historian Yury Dmitriyev .
Gennady Sarayev , children ’ s rights ombudsman for the Karelia region , told journalists on July 23 that prosecutors believe the sentence handed down a day earlier was too lenient and “ does not correspond to common sense.
” Prosecutors had asked for a sentence of 15 years in prison in the case .
Dmitriyev was convicted of “ violent acts of a sexual nature committed against a person under 14 years of age , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ believes are aimed at stopping his research into the crimes of Soviet dictator Josef Stalin .
After the sentence was pronounced , Dmitriyev ’ s lawyer , Viktor Anufriyev , told journalists the historian could be released as early as November if time served during the investigations and the trial are taken into account .
Dmitriyev , 64 , is the head of the local branch of the Memorial human rights organization and has spent decades researching extrajudicial executions carried out in Karelia under Stalin .
Dozens of Russian and international scholars , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ others have issued statements of support .
The European Union has called for Dmitriyev to be released .
The high-profile case dates back to 2016 , when Dmitriyev was arrested on child-pornography charges based on photographs of his foster daughter that authorities found on his computer .
Dmitriyev said the images were not pornographic and were made at the request of social workers concerned about the child ’ s physical development .
He was acquitted in April 2018 , but the Karelia Supreme Court upheld an appeal by prosecutors and ordered a new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2018 and charged with the more serious crime of sexual assault against a minor .
Dmitriyev ’ s research has been viewed with hostility by the government of President Vladimir Putin .
Under Putin , Stalin has undergone a gradual rehabilitation , and the Russian government has emphasized his leadership of the Soviet Union while downplaying his crimes against the Soviet people .
Under Stalin , millions of people were executed , sent to labor camps , or starved to death in famines caused by forced collectivization .
During World War II , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ areas as collective punishment for alleged collaboration with the Nazis .

Prosecutors in the northern Russian city of Petrozavodsk have said they will appeal the 3 1/2-year prison term given to historian Yury Dmitriyev.
Gennady Sarayev, children’s rights ombudsman for the Karelia region, told journalists on July 23 that prosecutors believe the sentence handed down a day earlier was too lenient and “does not correspond to common sense.”
Prosecutors had asked for a sentence of 15 years in prison in the case.
Dmitriyev was convicted of “violent acts of a sexual nature committed against a person under 14 years of age,” allegations he denies and that he believes are aimed at stopping his research into the crimes of Soviet dictator Josef Stalin.
After the sentence was pronounced, Dmitriyev’s lawyer, Viktor Anufriyev, told journalists the historian could be released as early as November if time served during the investigations and the trial are taken into account.
Dmitriyev, 64, is the head of the local branch of the Memorial human rights organization and has spent decades researching extrajudicial executions carried out in Karelia under Stalin.
Dozens of Russian and international scholars, historians, writers, poets, and others have issued statements of support. The European Union has called for Dmitriyev to be released.
The high-profile case dates back to 2016, when Dmitriyev was arrested on child-pornography charges based on photographs of his foster daughter that authorities found on his computer. Dmitriyev said the images were not pornographic and were made at the request of social workers concerned about the child’s physical development.
He was acquitted in April 2018, but the Karelia Supreme Court upheld an appeal by prosecutors and ordered a new trial.
He was rearrested in June 2018 and charged with the more serious crime of sexual assault against a minor.
Dmitriyev’s research has been viewed with hostility by the government of President Vladimir Putin. Under Putin, Stalin has undergone a gradual rehabilitation, and the Russian government has emphasized his leadership of the Soviet Union while downplaying his crimes against the Soviet people.
Under Stalin, millions of people were executed, sent to labor camps, or starved to death in famines caused by forced collectivization. During World War II, entire ethnic groups were deported to remote areas as collective punishment for alleged collaboration with the Nazis.


rferl--2020-07-23--Kyrgyz Officer Who Raised Issue Of Graft In Border Guard System Dies Suddenly

BISHKEK -- An officer of the Kyrgyz Border Guard Service who publicly raised concerns about corruption in the agency has suddenly died of what officials called a `` heart attack , '' though relatives insist that he had no health problems .
The Border Guard Service said on July 22 that 38-year-old Colonel Talgat Alanov died a day earlier while visiting his relatives in the southern region of Osh .
Alanov 's brother Daniyar told RFE/RL that the officer suddenly felt unwell after lunch and died in the ambulance that took him to a hospital in the regional capital , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ next day , in accordance with Islamic traditions .
It is not clear if an autopsy was performed .
Alanov made news headlines in November after he told reporters in Bishkek that border guards have to pay bribes in order to receive higher positions and ranks .
Alanov also revealed the names of the officers involved in collecting bribes for the agency 's top brass .
The Border Guard Service rejected Alanov 's statement and accused him of violating the charter of the Armed Forces ' interior service .
He was later sued @ @ @ @ @ @ @ libel .
Like many states in the former Soviet Union , Kyrgyzstan suffers from widespread corruption that has kept the country enmeshed in poverty .
Attempts by whisle-blowers to call attention to corrupt practices in goverment agencies often ends in failure because law enforcement and courts are beholden to the nation 's elite .
The presidential press service said in January that a special investigative group had been created to probe Alanov 's allegations and the lawsuits filed against him , adding that the Security Council was monitoring the process .
The investigation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Kubanychbek Isabekov , a well-known civil right activist , told RFE/RL that Alanov `` failed to find the state 's support '' as a whistle-blower , adding that his death might send a signal to others to stay away from revealing facts of corruption among government officials .
Bishkek-based political observer Tologon Keldibaev told RFE/RL that Alanov 's death must be thoroughly investigated to remove any doubts about the cause of his death .
Alanov , a father of six , had served in the Border Guard Service since 2003 .

BISHKEK -- An officer of the Kyrgyz Border Guard Service who publicly raised concerns about corruption in the agency has suddenly died of what officials called a "heart attack," though relatives insist that he had no health problems.
The Border Guard Service said on July 22 that 38-year-old Colonel Talgat Alanov died a day earlier while visiting his relatives in the southern region of Osh.
Alanov's brother Daniyar told RFE/RL that the officer suddenly felt unwell after lunch and died in the ambulance that took him to a hospital in the regional capital, Osh. The officer was buried the next day, in accordance with Islamic traditions. It is not clear if an autopsy was performed.
Alanov made news headlines in November after he told reporters in Bishkek that border guards have to pay bribes in order to receive higher positions and ranks. Alanov also revealed the names of the officers involved in collecting bribes for the agency's top brass.
The Border Guard Service rejected Alanov's statement and accused him of violating the charter of the Armed Forces' interior service. He was later sued by five officers who accused him of libel.
Like many states in the former Soviet Union, Kyrgyzstan suffers from widespread corruption that has kept the country enmeshed in poverty. Attempts by whisle-blowers to call attention to corrupt practices in goverment agencies often ends in failure because law enforcement and courts are beholden to the nation's elite.
The presidential press service said in January that a special investigative group had been created to probe Alanov's allegations and the lawsuits filed against him, adding that the Security Council was monitoring the process.
The investigation's results have never been made public.
Kubanychbek Isabekov, a well-known civil right activist, told RFE/RL that Alanov "failed to find the state's support" as a whistle-blower, adding that his death might send a signal to others to stay away from revealing facts of corruption among government officials.
Bishkek-based political observer Tologon Keldibaev told RFE/RL that Alanov's death must be thoroughly investigated to remove any doubts about the cause of his death.
Alanov, a father of six, had served in the Border Guard Service since 2003.


rferl--2020-07-23--RFE/RL Investigation Identifies Several Who Served On Deadly Separatist Military Tribunals In Easter

RFE/RL Investigation Identifies Several Who Served On Deadly Separatist Military Tribunals In Eastern Ukraine

RFE/RL has determined the identities of and new details about seven of the nine men who served on so-called `` military tribunals '' and carried out several executions of those it `` convicted '' in the eastern Ukrainian city of Slovyansk .
Documents obtained by RFE/RL , outlined in an exposé published on July 23 , show how the fates of several men were decided by the `` tribunals , '' established by Igor Girkin , a former Russian intelligence officer better known by his nom de guerre Igor Strelkov , on the basis of a draconian law conceived by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Germany invaded the Soviet Union in World War II .
The investigation is based on documents recovered from Girkin ’ s former office at the city ’ s security service headquarters , open-source research , and interviews with alleged torture victims , witnesses , and family members of the victims .
On top of identifying the nine men who served on the tribunals along with Girkin , RFE/RL has found that one of them is tied through a Moscow-based organization for Russia-backed fighters to Vladislav Surkov , one of Russian President Vladimir Putin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the architect of the Kremlin ’ s Ukraine policy .
Girkin was a key commander in the Russia-backed separatist forces in the early stages of the war against Ukrainian government troops that has killed more than 13,200 civilians and combatants since April 2014 .
Ukraine 's government has called Girkin a Russian agent and accused him of war crimes .
He resigned as a rebel commander in August 2014 amid reports that he had been wounded in battle .
Girkin is one of four defendants charged with murder by Dutch prosecutors for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 2014 , shoot-down of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 over the battlefields of eastern Ukraine , which killed all 298 people on board .
The new information uncovered by RFE/RL about the tribunals and those who meted out its sentences weaves another layer of evidence into the fabric of what experts believe may constitute war crimes by Russia and the separatists it backs with soldiers , weapons , money , and political support in the conflict .
The revelations also come as Kyiv pursues justice through cases in Ukrainian courts and legal claims @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Court of Human Rights ( ECHR ) and International Criminal Court ( ICC ) .

RFE/RL has determined the identities of and new details about seven of the nine men who served on so-called "military tribunals" and carried out several executions of those it "convicted" in the eastern Ukrainian city of Slovyansk.
Documents obtained by RFE/RL, outlined in an exposé published on July 23, show how the fates of several men were decided by the "tribunals," established by Igor Girkin, a former Russian intelligence officer better known by his nom de guerre Igor Strelkov, on the basis of a draconian law conceived by dictator Josef Stalin and imposed shortly after Germany invaded the Soviet Union in World War II.
The investigation is based on documents recovered from Girkin’s former office at the city’s security service headquarters, open-source research, and interviews with alleged torture victims, witnesses, and family members of the victims.
On top of identifying the nine men who served on the tribunals along with Girkin, RFE/RL has found that one of them is tied through a Moscow-based organization for Russia-backed fighters to Vladislav Surkov, one of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s closest aides at the time and the architect of the Kremlin’s Ukraine policy.
Girkin was a key commander in the Russia-backed separatist forces in the early stages of the war against Ukrainian government troops that has killed more than 13,200 civilians and combatants since April 2014.
Ukraine's government has called Girkin a Russian agent and accused him of war crimes. He resigned as a rebel commander in August 2014 amid reports that he had been wounded in battle.
Girkin is one of four defendants charged with murder by Dutch prosecutors for their alleged roles in the July 17, 2014, shoot-down of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 over the battlefields of eastern Ukraine, which killed all 298 people on board.
The new information uncovered by RFE/RL about the tribunals and those who meted out its sentences weaves another layer of evidence into the fabric of what experts believe may constitute war crimes by Russia and the separatists it backs with soldiers, weapons, money, and political support in the conflict.
The revelations also come as Kyiv pursues justice through cases in Ukrainian courts and legal claims against the Russian state in the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) and International Criminal Court (ICC).


rferl--2020-07-23--Ukrainian Man Who Took 13 People Hostage Sent To Pretrial Detention

LUTSK , Ukraine -- A Ukrainian man , who was detained on July 21 after he held 13 people hostage inside a bus with a firearm and explosives in the northwestern town of Lutsk for 12 hours , has been sent to pretrial detention .
A court in Lutsk ruled on July 23 that 44-year-old Maksym Kryvosh must be held for at least 60 days .
Kryvosh , a native of the city of Dubno and a resident of Lutsk who has a criminal record and was once treated at a psychiatric center , said at the hearing that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kryvosh 's lawyer told reporters that his client will not appeal the ruling .
According to police , while holding hostages , Kryvosh ranted against `` the system '' in his negotiations , called the nation 's oligarchs and officials `` terrorists , '' and demanded that people watch the 2005 documentary film Earthlings about the suffering endured by animals at farms , research labs , and other locations .
In response , Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy posted a short video on Facebook recommending that people watch the documentary .
The video was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ detained .
Nobody was hurt in 12-hour ordeal .

LUTSK, Ukraine -- A Ukrainian man, who was detained on July 21 after he held 13 people hostage inside a bus with a firearm and explosives in the northwestern town of Lutsk for 12 hours, has been sent to pretrial detention.
A court in Lutsk ruled on July 23 that 44-year-old Maksym Kryvosh must be held for at least 60 days.
Kryvosh, a native of the city of Dubno and a resident of Lutsk who has a criminal record and was once treated at a psychiatric center, said at the hearing that the hostage-taking was "a performance."
Kryvosh's lawyer told reporters that his client will not appeal the ruling.
According to police, while holding hostages, Kryvosh ranted against "the system" in his negotiations, called the nation's oligarchs and officials "terrorists," and demanded that people watch the 2005 documentary film Earthlings about the suffering endured by animals at farms, research labs, and other locations.
In response, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy posted a short video on Facebook recommending that people watch the documentary. The video was removed from Facebook right after Kryvosh was detained. Nobody was hurt in 12-hour ordeal.


rferl--2020-07-23--Russian Police Question First Khabarovsk Activist As New Governor Refuses To Meet Protesters

KHABAROVSK , Russia -- Russian law enforcement have questioned a Khabarovsk activist for the first time since mass protests broke out in the Far East region two weeks ago following the arrest of the local governor .
Meanwhile , the new acting governor has refused to meet with protesters , saying doing so would be disrespectful to Russian President Vladimir Putin .
Khabarovsk police on July 23 summoned local activist Artyom Mozgov for questioning on suspicion of organizing an unsanctioned mass rally on July 11 in support of Governor Sergei Furgal , who was arrested days before on charges of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have rallied for 13 consecutive days to protest the arrest , accusing Moscow of removing their popularly elected governor on political grounds .
The Khabarovsk rallies have attracted thousands of people on the weekends and are the largest protests in the Far Eastern city since the fall of the Soviet Union .
Such large , spontaneous demonstrations far from the Russian capital are a rare public show of defiance against the Kremlin and follow on the heels of a controversial nationwide vote that set the stage for Putin to remain in power until @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Putin , though , has remained firm , officially firing Furgal on July 20 and appointing Mikhail Degtyaryov as his acting replacement .
Local residents have given Degtyaryov a cold welcome since his arrival on July 21 , protesting outside the government building the past three days .
More than 100 demonstrators gathered on the central square in front of the regional administration office in Khabarovsk on July 23 , chanting `` Degtyaryov !
Come out ! ''
and `` We are the power here ! ''
Degtyaryov told journalists earlier in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to meet the protesters .
`` I will not come out ...
It is disrespectful .
Disrespect to myself , to the president [ Putin ] for whom the majority of Russians voted , and mostly it is disrespect toward [ the protesters ] themselves .
Those who do such things , they do not respect themselves , '' Degtyaryov said .
Khabarovsk Krai residents overwhelmingly voted for Furgal , a member of the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia ( LDPR ) , in the 2018 gubernatorial elections .
His surprise victory was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ party .
After picketing the administration building , the protesters marched across the city , chanting slogans denouncing Degtyaryov as more and more people joined them .
Police did not interfere .
On July 21 , two local lawmakers , Pyotr Yemelyanov and Aleksandr Kayan , quit the LDPR to protest Furgal ’ s dismissal from office .
Both Furgal and Degtyaryov are members of that party .
Furgal , who was arrested in Khabarovsk on July 9 and transferred to Moscow , is charged with attempted murder and ordering two murders in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Authorities have been unnerved by the protests , with the regional capital 's mayor calling for calm and saying such rallies were illegal and could help accelerate the spread of the coronavirus .
Russia 's Federal Security Service ( FSB ) had also warned of an alleged terrorist threat involving explosives , which it claimed to have already foiled .
In addition , the authorities in Khabarovsk region said they were considering a return to strict quarantine measures and attributed this to the “ difficult situation with the spread of coronavirus infection .
@

KHABAROVSK, Russia -- Russian law enforcement have questioned a Khabarovsk activist for the first time since mass protests broke out in the Far East region two weeks ago following the arrest of the local governor.
Meanwhile, the new acting governor has refused to meet with protesters, saying doing so would be disrespectful to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Khabarovsk police on July 23 summoned local activist Artyom Mozgov for questioning on suspicion of organizing an unsanctioned mass rally on July 11 in support of Governor Sergei Furgal, who was arrested days before on charges of murder and attempted murder.
Local residents have rallied for 13 consecutive days to protest the arrest, accusing Moscow of removing their popularly elected governor on political grounds.
The Khabarovsk rallies have attracted thousands of people on the weekends and are the largest protests in the Far Eastern city since the fall of the Soviet Union.
Such large, spontaneous demonstrations far from the Russian capital are a rare public show of defiance against the Kremlin and follow on the heels of a controversial nationwide vote that set the stage for Putin to remain in power until 2036. The protests have unnerved Moscow.
Putin, though, has remained firm, officially firing Furgal on July 20 and appointing Mikhail Degtyaryov as his acting replacement. Local residents have given Degtyaryov a cold welcome since his arrival on July 21, protesting outside the government building the past three days.
More than 100 demonstrators gathered on the central square in front of the regional administration office in Khabarovsk on July 23, chanting "Degtyaryov! Come out!" and "We are the power here!"
Degtyaryov told journalists earlier in the day that he was not going to meet the protesters.
"I will not come out... It is disrespectful. Disrespect to myself, to the president [Putin] for whom the majority of Russians voted, and mostly it is disrespect toward [the protesters] themselves. Those who do such things, they do not respect themselves," Degtyaryov said.
Khabarovsk Krai residents overwhelmingly voted for Furgal, a member of the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia (LDPR), in the 2018 gubernatorial elections. His surprise victory was a blow to the ruling United Russia party.
After picketing the administration building, the protesters marched across the city, chanting slogans denouncing Degtyaryov as more and more people joined them. Police did not interfere.
On July 21, two local lawmakers, Pyotr Yemelyanov and Aleksandr Kayan, quit the LDPR to protest Furgal’s dismissal from office. Both Furgal and Degtyaryov are members of that party.
Furgal, who was arrested in Khabarovsk on July 9 and transferred to Moscow, is charged with attempted murder and ordering two murders in 2004-2005. He denies the allegations.
Authorities have been unnerved by the protests, with the regional capital's mayor calling for calm and saying such rallies were illegal and could help accelerate the spread of the coronavirus.
Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) had also warned of an alleged terrorist threat involving explosives, which it claimed to have already foiled.
In addition, the authorities in Khabarovsk region said they were considering a return to strict quarantine measures and attributed this to the “difficult situation with the spread of coronavirus infection.”


rferl--2020-07-23--Lukashenka Threatens Expulsion For Foreign Journalists Who Call For 'Mass Disturbances'

MINSK -- Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka says journalists who call for `` mass disturbances '' as a presidential election approaches should be expelled from the country .
Speaking at a government gathering in Minsk , on July 23 , Lukashenka attacked both Russian and Western media outlets for their coverage of developments in Belarus saying they `` do n't observe our country 's laws . ''
“ The BBC , [ Radio ] Liberty , [ Radio ] Free Europe , and so on ...
I am not just talking how biased they are , they are calling for mass @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this ?
It was you who accredited them , '' Lukashenka said addressing Foreign Minister Uladzimer Makey .
`` No need to wait until the election campaign is over .
Expel them out of here , if they do not follow our laws , calling people for Maidans , '' Lukashenka said , referring to pro-European protests known as Euromaidan in neighboring Ukraine that toppled Russia-friendly President Viktor Yanukovych in February 2014 .
RFE/RL Acting President Daisy Sindelar called Lukashenka 's accusation that the U.S. news agency is agitating for people to riot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pretext '' for shutting down the company 's operation .
`` RFE/RL is doing nothing of the sort -- to the contrary , our own journalists have themselves been the victims of unjustified police detentions and violence in recent days for simply doing their jobs , '' Sindelar said .
Sindelar said Lukashenka 's accusation seeks to `` demonize and distort the role of the independent media '' in Belarus as it reports on a wide range of important developments ahead of the August 9 presidential election .
`` We have every intention @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people of Belarus , and condemn officials ' use of reckless rhetoric and threats that put our journalists at risk , '' she said .
The August 9 election comes as Lukashenka faces mounting public opposition after 26 years in power .
Hundreds of people , including activists and bloggers have been arrested as the government has cracked down hard on rallies and demonstrations supporting opposition candidates , who were not registered by election officials .
Western governments and international institutions , including the United Nations , have called on Lukashenka 's government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Belarusian authorities detained at least 14 journalists for allegedly participating in unsanctioned protests , and in May , five journalists covering opposition candidates were detained , according to the Committee to Protect Journalists .
On June 25 , Komsomolskaya Pravda 's chief editor Vladimir Sungorkin said in a radio program that the outcome of the presidential election in Belarus was unpredictable as Lukashenka `` is making one mistake after another '' and would rely on the KGB to win the poll .
Reporters Without Borders has called on the authorities to `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the fundamental freedom to express oneself and to inform .
”

MINSK -- Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka says journalists who call for "mass disturbances" as a presidential election approaches should be expelled from the country.
Speaking at a government gathering in Minsk, on July 23, Lukashenka attacked both Russian and Western media outlets for their coverage of developments in Belarus saying they "don't observe our country's laws."
“The BBC, [Radio] Liberty, [Radio] Free Europe, and so on... I am not just talking how biased they are, they are calling for mass disturbances! How are you standing for this? It was you who accredited them," Lukashenka said addressing Foreign Minister Uladzimer Makey.
"No need to wait until the election campaign is over. Expel them out of here, if they do not follow our laws, calling people for Maidans," Lukashenka said, referring to pro-European protests known as Euromaidan in neighboring Ukraine that toppled Russia-friendly President Viktor Yanukovych in February 2014.
RFE/RL Acting President Daisy Sindelar called Lukashenka's accusation that the U.S. news agency is agitating for people to riot "outrageous" and "a possible pretext" for shutting down the company's operation.
"RFE/RL is doing nothing of the sort -- to the contrary, our own journalists have themselves been the victims of unjustified police detentions and violence in recent days for simply doing their jobs," Sindelar said.
'Demonize And Distort'
Sindelar said Lukashenka's accusation seeks to "demonize and distort the role of the independent media" in Belarus as it reports on a wide range of important developments ahead of the August 9 presidential election.
"We have every intention of continuing our important work for the people of Belarus, and condemn officials' use of reckless rhetoric and threats that put our journalists at risk," she said.
The August 9 election comes as Lukashenka faces mounting public opposition after 26 years in power.
Hundreds of people, including activists and bloggers have been arrested as the government has cracked down hard on rallies and demonstrations supporting opposition candidates, who were not registered by election officials.
Western governments and international institutions, including the United Nations, have called on Lukashenka's government to stop the crackdown.
Last month, Belarusian authorities detained at least 14 journalists for allegedly participating in unsanctioned protests, and in May, five journalists covering opposition candidates were detained, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists.
On June 25, Komsomolskaya Pravda's chief editor Vladimir Sungorkin said in a radio program that the outcome of the presidential election in Belarus was unpredictable as Lukashenka "is making one mistake after another" and would rely on the KGB to win the poll.
Reporters Without Borders has called on the authorities to "stop this escalation of the repression of the fundamental freedom to express oneself and to inform.”


rferl--2020-07-24--Protesters In Kyiv Demand Thorough Investigation Into Death Of Noted Activist

KYIV -- Dozens of protesters have picketed Ukraine 's Interior Ministry headquarters in Kyiv , demanding a thorough investigation of @ @ @ @ @ activist , Oleksiy Kuchapin .
Kuchapin was the 39-year-old leader of the House Of Mercy @ @ @ @ @ homeless people .
He was found dead in a Kyiv apartment on July 22 after @ @ @ @ @ days .
Police said at the time that his body did not carry any traces @ @ @ @ @ the evidence -- namely , unidentified pills and a note found near the body -- @ @ @ @ @ suicide .
The protesters demanded on July 24 that the case be investigated as a @ @ @ @ @ .
Kuchapin 's friends and colleagues say that in recent months he was involved in @ @ @ @ @ become victims of human trafficking .
They say he had also helped elderly people return @ @ @ @ @ illegally taken by others .
According to Kuchapin 's colleagues and friends , he had @ @ @ @ @ unknown individuals .
Based on reporting by Ukrayinska Pravda , Hromadske , and UNIAN

KYIV -- Dozens of protesters have picketed Ukraine's Interior Ministry headquarters in Kyiv, demanding a thorough investigation of the death of a well-known activist, Oleksiy Kuchapin.
Kuchapin was the 39-year-old leader of the House Of Mercy nongovernmental organization, which helps homeless people. He was found dead in a Kyiv apartment on July 22 after having been missing for six days.
Police said at the time that his body did not carry any traces of violence, adding that the evidence -- namely, unidentified pills and a note found near the body -- suggested that Kuchapin had committed suicide.
Autopsy results are pending.
The protesters demanded on July 24 that the case be investigated as a murder, not a suicide.
Kuchapin's friends and colleagues say that in recent months he was involved in assisting young girls who had become victims of human trafficking. They say he had also helped elderly people return to apartments that had been illegally taken by others.
According to Kuchapin's colleagues and friends, he had recently received numerous threats from unknown individuals.
Based on reporting by Ukrayinska Pravda, Hromadske, and UNIAN