rferl--2020-11-10--Angry Mob Assaults Armenian Lawmaker, Threatens RFE/RL Bureau Following Nagorno-Karabakh Truce

YEREVAN -- Armenia 's ombudsman , Arman Tatoyan , has condemned the violence by protesters amid unrest triggered by the signing of a Russian-brokered agreement with Azerbaijan to end fighting over the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh .
Tatoyan said in a statement on November 10 that an attack on parliament speaker Ararat Mirzoyan , and a subsequent incident involving about 40 men who swarmed the bureau of RFE/RL 's Armenian Service ( Azatutyun ) in Yerevan threatening journalists was `` unacceptable . ''
`` Violence against Ararat Mirzoyan is unacceptable and deserves all condemnation , especially as he had a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the statement .
`` The attack on the Yerevan office of Radio Liberty should be condemned .
According to the information at this time , there was an attempt to attack the property and equipment of the media , and there was also an attack on media personnel , '' the ombudsman added .
The November 10 announcement of a Russia-brokered truce to end fighting between Azerbaijan and ethnic Armenians in the enclave has threatened to spark a political crisis in Armenia , where angry protesters stormed government buildings and parliament .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , calling the broadcaster 's Armenian Service `` traitors '' and `` Turks '' in a tirade against the government over what they perceive as a surrender in Nagorno-Karabakh .
`` You are responsible for the deaths of my friends [ in Nagorno-Karabakh ] , '' one of the attackers charged .
Others said they wanted to destroy Azatutyun 's computer servers to keep journalists from going on the air .
RFE/RL acting President Daisy Sindelar said that what happened at the Yerevan bureau was `` a reprehensible assault on the essential duty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during major news events . ''
`` Our Armenian Service , Azatutyun , is one of the few media outlets in Armenia that has aimed to present all sides of a deeply divisive conflict .
We call on the police and public alike to support the right of Azatutyun and all independent journalists to report the news , objectively and in full , without threat of violence or scapegoating , '' Sindelar added .
The Union of Journalist of Armenia also strongly condemned the attacks and any threats against media .
Artak Hambardzumian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Armenian Service , said he identified one of the men as Gerasim Vardanian , a member of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation ( Dashnaktsutiun ) , one of nearly two dozen political parties that are demanding Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian ’ s resignation .
Hambardzumian said the men tried to break the door to the bureau and attack him and a cameraman .


rferl--2020-11-11--Turkmenistan Toughens Face Mask Regime But Still Claims No Coronavirus

Authorities in Turkmenistan , where no coronavirus cases have been officially reported , have tightened controls over mandatory mask wearing , carrying out raids in organizations , companies , and schools , and imposing fines on individuals who do n't wear face coverings .
RFE/RL 's correspondents reported on November 11 that the raids are organized by teams consisting of staff members of local authorities , police officers , and sanitary officials .
`` Those caught without masks outside are fined 20 manats ( $ 5.7 ) , while people without masks indoors are ordered to pay a 50-manat ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a significant sum of money for ordinary citizens , '' they said .
In Turkmenabat , the capital of the eastern Lebap Province , lines have appeared in front of the city 's sanitary control office in recent days as people wait to pay fines for mask violations .
In the neighboring province of Mary , police officers , accompanied by teachers and representatives of local government , have been patrolling streets of the region 's towns and cities detaining people without masks .
Some teachers told RFE/RL that they were forced to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they called `` shameful . ''
Very often such patrols hide in unexpected places and catch individuals without masks by surprise , they added .
Police sources told RFE/RL that law enforcement officers in some provinces were given a quota of catching at least one person without a mask a day and issue a fine .
According to the source , if police officers fail to catch at least one person a day without a mask , they are obliged to pay the equivalent of a fine from their own pocket .
RFE/RL @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mary , as well as local police , were unsuccessful .
The administration of authoritarian President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov has maintained that there have been no confirmed coronavirus infections since the virus emerged from China and has since infected almost 52 million people globally .
Despite the claim , many Turkmen citizens say they prefer to stay home when ill , fearing they may become infected with the coronavirus during visits to hospitals that are overwhelmed with patients with COVID-19-like symptoms .
The bodies of those dying of COVID-19-like lung problems are being delivered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and the number of fresh graves across the country is increasing exponentially .
In August , the World Health Organization ( WHO ) expressed concern over an increase of atypical pneumonia cases in Turkmenistan and unsuccessfully urged Ashgabat to allow it to organize independent coronavirus tests in the country .

Authorities in Turkmenistan, where no coronavirus cases have been officially reported, have tightened controls over mandatory mask wearing, carrying out raids in organizations, companies, and schools, and imposing fines on individuals who don't wear face coverings.
RFE/RL's correspondents reported on November 11 that the raids are organized by teams consisting of staff members of local authorities, police officers, and sanitary officials.
"Those caught without masks outside are fined 20 manats ($5.7), while people without masks indoors are ordered to pay a 50-manat ($14.3) fine, which is a significant sum of money for ordinary citizens," they said.
In Turkmenabat, the capital of the eastern Lebap Province, lines have appeared in front of the city's sanitary control office in recent days as people wait to pay fines for mask violations.
In the neighboring province of Mary, police officers, accompanied by teachers and representatives of local government, have been patrolling streets of the region's towns and cities detaining people without masks.
Some teachers told RFE/RL that they were forced to take part in such patrols, which they called "shameful."
Very often such patrols hide in unexpected places and catch individuals without masks by surprise, they added.
Police sources told RFE/RL that law enforcement officers in some provinces were given a quota of catching at least one person without a mask a day and issue a fine. According to the source, if police officers fail to catch at least one person a day without a mask, they are obliged to pay the equivalent of a fine from their own pocket.
RFE/RL attempts to reach officials in Lebap and Mary, as well as local police, were unsuccessful.
The administration of authoritarian President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov has maintained that there have been no confirmed coronavirus infections since the virus emerged from China and has since infected almost 52 million people globally.
Despite the claim, many Turkmen citizens say they prefer to stay home when ill, fearing they may become infected with the coronavirus during visits to hospitals that are overwhelmed with patients with COVID-19-like symptoms.
The bodies of those dying of COVID-19-like lung problems are being delivered to their relatives in special plastic bags, and the number of fresh graves across the country is increasing exponentially.
In August, the World Health Organization (WHO) expressed concern over an increase of atypical pneumonia cases in Turkmenistan and unsuccessfully urged Ashgabat to allow it to organize independent coronavirus tests in the country.


rferl--2020-11-11--Atambaev's Trial Resumes In Bishkek, Case To Be Handed To Another Judge

BISHKEK -- The high-profile trial of former Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambaev has resumed in Bishkek with Judge Marat Sadykov agreeing with a defense team motion to hand the case to another judge .
Atambaev was present at the November 11 hearing , the first time he has come to the court since early June when the judge barred him from attending because the ex-leader of the Central Asian nation refused to sit together with other defendants in the courtroom ’ s caged area .
The former president complied with the order at the resumption of the trial over deadly clashes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ compound in a Bishkek suburb .
One of Atambaev 's codefendants , Kunduz Joldubaeva , who is under house arrest , told RFE/RL that a lawyer of one of the defendants expressed a lack of confidence in Judge Sadykov and demanded that he be replaced , adding that the motion was accepted .
The trial has been postponed several times since March due to Atambaev ’ s health problems , the failure of some defense lawyers to appear , and because of the state of emergency imposed to slow the spread of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mass protests against the official results of parliamentary elections two days earlier , Atambaev was released from a detention center in Bishkek .
He was rearrested on October 10 and additionally charged with organizing an illegal demonstration in Bishkek on October 9 .
Earlier in June , Atambaev was sentenced to 11 years and two months in prison for his involvement in the illegal release of notorious crime boss Aziz Batukaev in 2013 .
Batukaev , who immediately left the Central Asian nation for Russia after his release , was convicted of several @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Kyrgyz lawmaker and an Interior Ministry official .
Atambaev was arrested in August 2019 after he surrendered to police following a deadly two-day standoff between security forces and his supporters .
The move to detain Atambaev was sparked by his refusal to obey three summons to appear at the Interior Ministry for questioning involving Batukaev ’ s release .
The standoff between security forces and his supporters resulted in the death of a senior security officer and more than 170 injuries -- 79 of them sustained by law enforcement officers .
Atambaev @ @ @ @ @ @ @ murder , attempted murder , threatening or assaulting representatives of authorities , hostage taking , and the forcible seizure of power .

BISHKEK -- The high-profile trial of former Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambaev has resumed in Bishkek with Judge Marat Sadykov agreeing with a defense team motion to hand the case to another judge.
Atambaev was present at the November 11 hearing, the first time he has come to the court since early June when the judge barred him from attending because the ex-leader of the Central Asian nation refused to sit together with other defendants in the courtroom’s caged area.
The former president complied with the order at the resumption of the trial over deadly clashes with security forces last year at his compound in a Bishkek suburb.
One of Atambaev's codefendants, Kunduz Joldubaeva, who is under house arrest, told RFE/RL that a lawyer of one of the defendants expressed a lack of confidence in Judge Sadykov and demanded that he be replaced, adding that the motion was accepted.
The trial has been postponed several times since March due to Atambaev’s health problems, the failure of some defense lawyers to appear, and because of the state of emergency imposed to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
On October 6, during mass protests against the official results of parliamentary elections two days earlier, Atambaev was released from a detention center in Bishkek.
He was rearrested on October 10 and additionally charged with organizing an illegal demonstration in Bishkek on October 9.
Earlier in June, Atambaev was sentenced to 11 years and two months in prison for his involvement in the illegal release of notorious crime boss Aziz Batukaev in 2013.
Batukaev, who immediately left the Central Asian nation for Russia after his release, was convicted of several notorious crimes -- including the murders of a Kyrgyz lawmaker and an Interior Ministry official.
Atambaev was arrested in August 2019 after he surrendered to police following a deadly two-day standoff between security forces and his supporters.
The move to detain Atambaev was sparked by his refusal to obey three summons to appear at the Interior Ministry for questioning involving Batukaev’s release.
The standoff between security forces and his supporters resulted in the death of a senior security officer and more than 170 injuries -- 79 of them sustained by law enforcement officers.
Atambaev and his 13 codefendants were charged with murder, attempted murder, threatening or assaulting representatives of authorities, hostage taking, and the forcible seizure of power.


rferl--2020-11-11--Defying Martial Law, Thousands Of Angry Armenians Protest After Truce Deal

YEREVAN -- Thousands of protesters have gathered in the Armenian capital amid anger over Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian 's decision to sign an agreement with Azerbaijan to end more than six weeks of fighting over the breakaway Nagorno-Karabakh region .
Defying martial law that bans street rallies , the demonstrators filled Yerevan ’ s central Liberty Square on November 11 , calling Pashinian a “ traitor ” and calling for his resignation .
Some scuffles took place as police tried to prevent the gathering .
Several participants , including Gagik Tsarukian , the leader of the opposition Prosperous Armenia Party @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ahead of the demonstration , the government warned the opposition against attempting a `` coup '' as tensions grew in the Caucasus nation after Pashinian signed a Russian-brokered agreement to end the fighting between Azerbaijan and ethnic Armenians in and around Nagorno-Karabakh .
While the announcement of the cease-fire deal early on November 10 triggered celebrations in Azerbaijan , it sparked angry protests in the Armenian capital with demonstrators storming government buildings and parliament .
Representatives of 17 opposition parties called for Pashinian to step down , blaming him for what they described @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as part of the deal .
Addressing the Yerevan rally , Ishkhan Saghatelian , a leader of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation ( Dashnaktsutiun ) , charged that `` the war was brought to us '' by Pashinian and `` his inconsistent policies . ''
`` Throughout the war he showed inaction and treachery , ” Saghatelian added .
Armenian police on November 11 warned that holding rallies continues to be banned in the country , which has been under martial law since the latest fighting broke out in the enclave on September 27 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Prime Minister Tigran Avinian did not rule out that the current government could resign , but warned against any “ coup ” attempt .
“ I want to assure all of the political forces that are trying to catch fish in murky waters in conditions of martial law that there will be no tolerance in this matter , ” the deputy prime minister said .
He said that the time for looking for those responsible in a domestic political process will still come .
“ If necessary , this government will go , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but our team and I personally can not allow any coup attempts , ” Avinian said .
President Armen Sarkisian has launched “ consultations ” with representatives of several political parties in a bid to defuse tensions and maintain national “ unity , ” his office said .
Under the Russian-brokered truce deal , which includes the deployment of Russian peacekeeping troops to Nagorno-Karabakh , Azerbaijan will keep territory in the region and surrounding areas captured during the recent fighting .
It also calls for Armenian forces to hand over some areas it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ More than 400 Russian troops , eight helicopters , and other military equipment have been deployed to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone in the past day as part of a renewable five-year peacekeeping mission , according to the Russian military .
Units of the Russian contingent “ have taken control of the Lachin Corridor ” linking Nagorno-Karabakh 's main city , Stepanakert , to Armenia , and deployed “ provisional observation outposts , '' Colonel General Sergei Rudskoi , head of the Russian General Staff ’ s Main Operations Department , told a press @ @ @ @ @ @ @ eventually be active in the region with 90 armored personnel carriers as part of the peacekeeping mission .
The truce came after Azerbaijani forces made major battlefield gains , including reports they were approaching Stepanakert after taking the nearby strategic town of Shushi , known as Susa in Azeri .
Nagorno-Karabakh is recognized as part of Azerbaijan , but the ethnic Armenians who make up most of the population reject Azerbaijani rule .
They have been governing their own affairs , with support from Armenia , since Azerbaijan 's troops and ethnic Azeri @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a war that ended in a cease-fire in 1994 .
Efforts to resolve the conflict by the OSCE Minsk Group -- cochaired by Russia , France , and the United States -- have not brought any results since 1992 and three previous cease-fires signed since fighting broke out again in late September have failed to hold .
Several thousand people are believed to have been killed on both sides in nearly two months of fighting , and thousands of others have fled Nagorno-Karabakh .
Announcing the trilateral agreement with the presidents of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” of the war early on November 10 , Pashinian said it was “ the best possible solution for the current situation.
” The prime minister defended the deal in a live broadcast on his Facebook page on November 11 , saying the document was signed at a time `` Shushi had already fallen and Stepanakert was under direct threat . ''
He said the agreement will allow ethnic Armenians to “ preserve ” territory they previously controlled .
`` The assessment of the General Staff of the Armed Forces and the president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nagorno-Karabakh ) was that Stepanakert was very weakly defended or was symbolically defended .
And if Stepanakert fell , that would leave thousands of our soldiers encircled , ” Pashinian said .
According to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev , the agreement amounted to a `` capitulation '' by Armenia .
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said his country , which is an ally of Azerbaijan , had signed an agreement on November 11 with Russia to establish a joint center to monitor the cease-fire .
`` A memorandum of mutual understanding on a joint @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a cease-fire in Nagorno-Karabakh was signed this morning , '' he told deputies from his ruling AK Party in parliament .
Kremlin press secretary Dmitry Peskov earlier said that the deployment of a joint Russian-Turkish peacekeeping force had “ never been discussed.
” With reporting by Reuters , Interfax , and TASS

YEREVAN – Thousands of demonstrators have demanded Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian's resignation, as they took to the streets in protest at a peace agreement ending more than six weeks of fighting with Azerbaijan over the breakaway Nagorno-Karabakh region.
The deal, announced early November 10, sparked a furious reaction in the Armenian capital, with protesters defying martial law, filling Yerevan’s central Liberty Square, and calling Pashinian a traitor.
The Russian-brokered deal is a major defeat for forces backed by Armenia, who have controlled Nagorno-Karabakh since a 1994 cease-fire ended all-out war.
The deal, which ends fighting that has killed more than 2,000 soldiers and civilians on both sides, stipulates that Azerbaijan will keep a sizable chunk of the small mountain region, along with the surrounding areas captured during the fighting.
It also calls for deploying Russian peacekeeping troops.
In Yerevan, on November 11, several hundred protesters marched to the National Assembly and shouted anti-Pashinian slogans as they stood outside the building. Scuffles took place as police tried to prevent the gathering, and several participants, including opposition leader Gagik Tsarukian were detained.
Representatives of 17 opposition parties called for Pashinian to step down, blaming him for what they described as heavy concessions.
Another opposition leader, Ishkhan Saghatelian, gave Pashinian until midnight to resign and demanded together with other opposition figures that parliament convene a special session. Otherwise, he said, further steps will be presented to "solve the Pashinian problem" until the end of the day on November 12.
However, the opposition failed to muster a quorum.
Ahead of the demonstration, the government warned the opposition against attempting a “coup” amid growing tensions. Earlier, police officials warned that rallies were banned in the country under martial law, which was declared after the Nagorno-Karabakh fighting erupted on September 27.
Speaking on state television, Deputy Prime Minister Tigran Avinian did not rule out that the current government could resign, but warned against any “coup” attempt.
Less than 24 hours after the peace deal was signed, more than 400 Russian troops, eight helicopters, and other military equipment had already deployed to Nagorno-Karabakh.
In Moscow, Colonel General Sergei Rudskoi, of the Russian joint chiefs of staff, told reporters that Russian forces had taken control of the Lachin Corridor -- a critical mountain road pass that links Nagorno-Karabakh to Armenia.
Nearly 2,000 Russian troops will eventually be active in the region, with 90 armored personnel carriers as part of the peacekeeping mission, he said.
The peace deal came after Azerbaijani forces made major battlefield gains, including the strategic town of Shushi, known as Susa in Azeri.
Efforts to resolve the decades-old conflict by the Minsk Group of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) -- co-chaired by Russia, France, and the United States -- have repeatedly failed, and three previous cease-fires signed since fighting broke out again in late September collapsed.
The peace deal, Pashinian said on November 10, was “the best possible solution for the current situation.”
The agreement will allow ethnic Armenians to “preserve” territory they previously controlled, he said.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, meanwhile, said the agreement amounted to a "capitulation" by Armenia.
There was continuing confusion about whether troops from Turkey, Azerbaijan's staunch ally, would also deploy to the region, along with Russian troops. Turkish officials insisted that was the case, but the text of the deal published by the Kremlin made no mention of it.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Turkey would work with Russia to establish a joint center to monitor the cease-fire.
Prior to the peace deal announcement, there was also growing concern that mercenary soldiers from Syria and elsewhere were being brought in on both sides of the conflict.
A United Nations working group issued a statement on November 11 calling on both sides to withdraw any mercenary groups from the region.
“In this context, it is even more worrisome that the Syrian fighters deployed to Azerbaijan are allegedly affiliated with armed groups and individuals that, in some cases, have been accused of war crimes and serious human rights abuses during the conflict in Syria, thus seemingly perpetuating a cycle of impunity and risking further abuses of international law,” the UN group said.
With reporting by Reuters, Interfax, and TASS


rferl--2020-11-11--Teenage Son Of Late Kazakh Rights Activist Stabbed To Death

NUR-SULTAN -- The teenage son of late Kazakh activist Dulat Aghadil , whose mysterious death while in custody sparked mass protests across the country earlier this year , has been stabbed to death in what officials described as a brawl between young men .
A spokeswoman of the Nur-Sultan city police department , Elmira Shaulenova , told reporters on November 11 that 17-year-old Zhanbolat Aghadil sustained stab wounds in a brawl overnight that took place in the district of Koktal , a suburb of the Kazakh capital .
`` Zhanbolat Aghadil was pronounced dead after an ambulance arrived to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that another person was hospitalized with unidentified injuries .
No more details were provided .
According to Shaulenova , a probe has been launched into what was defined by prosecutors as murder and hooliganism .
Sources close to Nur-Sultan 's law enforcement structures told RFE/RL that one person allegedly involved in the stabbing was detained and two suspects are still at large .
Earlier in February , the victim 's father , a well-known 43-year-old civil rights activist , died while being held in pretrial detention in Nur-Sultan just hours after being arrested @ @ @ @ @ @ @ order to report to local police .
Authorities said Aghadil died from a heart attack , but his family and fellow rights defenders say he had no history of heart issues .
Rallies were held in Nur-Sultan and other cities in February and March to demand a thorough investigation into his death .

NUR-SULTAN -- The teenage son of late Kazakh activist Dulat Aghadil, whose mysterious death while in custody sparked mass protests across the country earlier this year, has been stabbed to death in what officials described as a brawl between young men.
A spokeswoman of the Nur-Sultan city police department, Elmira Shaulenova, told reporters on November 11 that 17-year-old Zhanbolat Aghadil sustained stab wounds in a brawl overnight that took place in the district of Koktal, a suburb of the Kazakh capital.
"Zhanbolat Aghadil was pronounced dead after an ambulance arrived to the scene," Shaulenova said, adding that another person was hospitalized with unidentified injuries. No more details were provided.
According to Shaulenova, a probe has been launched into what was defined by prosecutors as murder and hooliganism.
Sources close to Nur-Sultan's law enforcement structures told RFE/RL that one person allegedly involved in the stabbing was detained and two suspects are still at large.
Earlier in February, the victim's father, a well-known 43-year-old civil rights activist, died while being held in pretrial detention in Nur-Sultan just hours after being arrested for failing to comply with a court order to report to local police.
Authorities said Aghadil died from a heart attack, but his family and fellow rights defenders say he had no history of heart issues.
Rallies were held in Nur-Sultan and other cities in February and March to demand a thorough investigation into his death.


rferl--2020-11-11--Russian Journalist Fined For Spreading 'False' Information About Coronavirus

A court in Russia 's Volga Federal District has fined a journalist for spreading `` false '' information about the coronavirus after he criticized a church 's religious gatherings for being superspreader events .
The Bogorodsk city court on November 11 found Aleksandr Pichugin guilty for his post on Telegram where he criticized an Orthodox church for holding a religious gathering for its parish amid the coronavirus pandemic , calling the service `` a planned action to infect people with a deadly disease . ''
The court convicted Pichugin of `` posing a threat to citizens ' lives and health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fine of 300,000 rubles ( $ 3,920 ) .
Prosecutors had asked the court to sentence the journalist to 2 1/2 years in prison .
Pichugin 's lawyer Tumas Misakyan said the ruling will be appealed .
Ahead of the November 11 verdict in the central Russian city of Nizhny Novgorod , the Committee to Protect Journalists ( CPJ ) said Russian authorities should stop harassing and pursuing legal action against Pichugin over satire .
“ Authorities should drop all the charges against journalist Aleksandr Pichugin , and ensure that no one faces @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of public interest , ” said Gulnoza Said , the New York-based media rights group 's Europe and Central Asia program coordinator .
The April satirical post described a purported message by the Russian Federal Security Service calling the church ’ s Palm Sunday services “ a planned activity…with the aim to infect people with a deadly disease , ” and called potentially infected people “ suicide bombers , ” CPJ said .
Pichugin said the post reflected his exasperation with the church ’ s failure to comply with coronavirus restrictions .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the governor of the Nizhny Novgorod region asked him and other bloggers to use their influence to encourage people to follow COVID-19 restrictions .
Pichugin 's lawyer had argued that the case would discourage journalists from discussing sensitive topics .

A court in Russia's Volga Federal District has fined a journalist for spreading "false" information about the coronavirus after he criticized a church's religious gatherings for being superspreader events.
The Bogorodsk city court on November 11 found Aleksandr Pichugin guilty for his post on Telegram where he criticized an Orthodox church for holding a religious gathering for its parish amid the coronavirus pandemic, calling the service "a planned action to infect people with a deadly disease."
The court convicted Pichugin of "posing a threat to citizens' lives and health" and ordered him to pay a fine of 300,000 rubles ($3,920). Prosecutors had asked the court to sentence the journalist to 2 1/2 years in prison.
Pichugin's lawyer Tumas Misakyan said the ruling will be appealed.
Ahead of the November 11 verdict in the central Russian city of Nizhny Novgorod, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) said Russian authorities should stop harassing and pursuing legal action against Pichugin over satire.
“Authorities should drop all the charges against journalist Aleksandr Pichugin, and ensure that no one faces criminal convictions over their commentary on events of public interest,” said Gulnoza Said, the New York-based media rights group's Europe and Central Asia program coordinator.
The April satirical post described a purported message by the Russian Federal Security Service calling the church’s Palm Sunday services “a planned activity…with the aim to infect people with a deadly disease,” and called potentially infected people “suicide bombers,” CPJ said.
Pichugin said the post reflected his exasperation with the church’s failure to comply with coronavirus restrictions. He also said he published the post after the governor of the Nizhny Novgorod region asked him and other bloggers to use their influence to encourage people to follow COVID-19 restrictions.
Pichugin's lawyer had argued that the case would discourage journalists from discussing sensitive topics.


rferl--2020-11-11--Iranian Activist Sotoudeh Contracts Coronavirus, Husband Says, Amid 'Catastrophic' Prison Conditions

Nasrin Sotoudeh , an Iranian human rights lawyer who was temporarily released from prison last week , has tested positive for the coronavirus , her husband has said .
Reza Khandan wrote on Facebook on November 11 that his wife contracted the virus at the Gharchak women 's prison in Tehran , where she was transferred last month .
The conditions at the prison were particularly “ catastrophic , ” he said .
Sotoudeh was released from prison on November 8 , after warnings last month by human rights groups that her health had severely deteriorated following a seven-week hunger @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has represented opposition activists including women prosecuted for removing their mandatory headscarf , was arrested in 2018 and charged with spying , spreading propaganda , and insulting Iran 's supreme leader .
Sotoudeh , who denied the charges , was sentenced to a total of 38 1/2 years in prison and 148 lashes .
In September , she was transferred from a prison cell to a hospital north of Tehran following her hunger strike for better prison conditions and the release of political prisoners and rights activists .
Days later , Sotoudeh was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and ended her hunger strike after nearly 50 days due to deteriorating health , according to her husband .
The European Parliament awarded her the Sakharov Prize for human rights in 2012 .
Iran has granted temporary release to thousands of prisoners following concerns over the spread of the coronavirus in jails in the Middle East 's worst-hit country .
The Iranian health authorities have registered nearly 40,000 deaths in connection with the virus and more than 700,000 infections since the beginning of the pandemic .
On November 11 , 11,780 new infections @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , with over 462 deaths .

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


rferl--2020-11-11--Russian Government Body Links Norilsk Arctic Fuel Spill To Shoddy Construction, Not Permafrost Melt

A spill that dumped thousands of tons of diesel fuel into the Russian Arctic earlier this year was caused by violations during construction and operation of a storage tank , not permafrost melt , according to a preliminary investigation .
More than 21,000 tons of diesel leaked into the environment from a tank at the power plant near the industrial city of Norilsk in May , causing one of the world ’ s worst Arctic ecological disasters .
The power plant is owned by a subsidiary of Norilsk Nickel , the world 's leading nickel and palladium producer , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pillars supporting a storage tank sinking due to thawing permafrost soil .
Russia 's nuclear and environmental watchdog Rostechnadzor said in a statement on November 10 that the disaster was caused by “ interrelated technical and organizational violations committed both at the stage of tank construction and during its operation.
” Specifically , it said there were problems with the design and construction of the pile foundation of the reservoir , which did not rest on rocky ground and led to an uneven distribution of the tank .
“ At the same time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ basement and in the adjacent territory were not found , ” it said .
Rostechnadzor , which plans to publish a final investigation on November 13 , also said Norilsk Nickel began operating the tank in 2019 after repairs without notifying the authorities and in violation of safety requirements .
The owner of Norilsk Nickel , Vladimir Potanin , is Russia ’ s richest man .
He previously linked the accident to melting of permafrost .
The Prosecutor-General 's Office previously issued preliminary findings revealing that sagging ground helped trigger the disaster .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ President Vladimir Putin ordered a state of emergency after the extent of the spill became known .
Norilsk Nickel initially promised to pay for the cleanup , but has disputed the $ 1.94 billion environmental cost of the spill by Russia 's environment watchdog , Rosprirodnadzor .

A spill that dumped thousands of tons of diesel fuel into the Russian Arctic earlier this year was caused by violations during construction and operation of a storage tank, not permafrost melt, according to a preliminary investigation.
More than 21,000 tons of diesel leaked into the environment from a tank at the power plant near the industrial city of Norilsk in May, causing one of the world’s worst Arctic ecological disasters.
The power plant is owned by a subsidiary of Norilsk Nickel, the world's leading nickel and palladium producer, which had said the leak was caused by pillars supporting a storage tank sinking due to thawing permafrost soil.
Russia's nuclear and environmental watchdog Rostechnadzor said in a statement on November 10 that the disaster was caused by “interrelated technical and organizational violations committed both at the stage of tank construction and during its operation.”
Specifically, it said there were problems with the design and construction of the pile foundation of the reservoir, which did not rest on rocky ground and led to an uneven distribution of the tank.
“At the same time, signs of permafrost degradation under the basement and in the adjacent territory were not found,” it said.
Rostechnadzor, which plans to publish a final investigation on November 13, also said Norilsk Nickel began operating the tank in 2019 after repairs without notifying the authorities and in violation of safety requirements.
The owner of Norilsk Nickel, Vladimir Potanin, is Russia’s richest man. He previously linked the accident to melting of permafrost.
The Prosecutor-General's Office previously issued preliminary findings revealing that sagging ground helped trigger the disaster.
In the wake of the disaster, President Vladimir Putin ordered a state of emergency after the extent of the spill became known.
Norilsk Nickel initially promised to pay for the cleanup, but has disputed the $1.94 billion environmental cost of the spill by Russia's environment watchdog, Rosprirodnadzor.


rferl--2020-11-11--Merkel Calls On Balkans To Overcome Differences As Bulgaria Holds Up North Macedonia EU Talks

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has called on Balkan states to bury historical tensions as she expressed optimism EU accession talks could be launched with North Macedonia and Albania by the end of the year .
Merkel , whose country holds the EU ’ s rotating presidency until the end of the year , was speaking on November 10 via video link at a meeting in the Bulgarian capital , Sofia , bringing together countries involved in the so-called Berlin Process , a forum established to foster the European integration of the Western Balkan countries .
The EU enlargement summit comes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ path toward European Union membership over a history and language dispute with its neighbor .
“ The Berlin Process and its progress always have something to do with reconciliation , with overcoming historical tensions , and that is why we naturally want this process to continue , '' Merkel said at the summit .
“ You have to say ‘ yes ’ in the region , get along with each other .
This is very important , '' Merkel said .
The summit was cohosted by EU member Bulgaria and neighboring North Macedonia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his North Macedonia counterpart Zoran Zaev met in person in Sofia as they seek a solution to their disputes before November 17 talks on Skopje 's EU accession bid .
Neither side made public comments on the dispute between their two countries .
Bulgaria wants Skopje to acknowledge that both its identity and language have Bulgarian roots , thereby ending any claims that there is a distinct Macedonian minority in Bulgaria .
Skopje has long insisted Macedonian is a distinct South Slavic language that forms part of the country 's culture and national @ @ @ @ @ @ @ merely a regional dialect of Bulgarian .
Leaders of EU countries and of membership candidates Montenegro , Serbia , North Macedonia , Albania , Bosnia , and Kosovo discussed their accession prospects at the summit .
In a declaration , summit participants set the goal of establishing a common regional market in the Western Balkans based on EU rules .
They also agreed to develop a green agenda to unlock the renewable energy potential of the region modeled on the EU ’ s Green Pact .
With reporting by AFP , AP , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Allgemeine

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


rferl--2020-11-12--Russia Plans Naval Base On Sudan's Strategic Red Sea

Russia plans to build a naval base in Sudan , according to a bilateral draft agreement between the two nations .
The agreement would allow Russia to establish a naval logistics base in Sudan for the repair and supply of warships as well as provide rest to sailors , according to the document published on November 11 on a Russian government website after Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin approved it .
A naval base in Sudan would expand Russian influence in northeast Africa along vital shipping routes in the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb Strait .
The draft agreement says that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may stay at the naval logistics base , including ships with nuclear propulsion systems .
Russia has economic and geopolitical interests in Sudan , a country rich in oil and other minerals .
Sudan is also one of the top importers of Russian arms in Africa .
The agreement states that Russia is willing to deliver weapons and military hardware to Sudan for free in order maintain the air defense of the Sudanese naval base at Port Sudan , where the Russian naval facility would be built .
Sudan 's economic crisis deepened @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Omar al-Bashir in a coup that left the country in the hands of a joint civilian-military transitional government that is seeking to end the country ’ s international isolation .
Bashir first asked Russia to build a base along the Red Sea in 2017 , due in part to concerns about the United States .
Last month , the United States announced plans to remove Sudan from its state sponsors of terrorism list as part of diplomatic opening between Khartoum and Washington following Bashir ’ s ouster .
Saudi Arabia and the United @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sudan , providing much-needed financial aid to the new government .
With reporting by dpa , TASS , and Interfax .

Russia plans to build a naval base in Sudan, according to a bilateral draft agreement between the two nations.
The agreement would allow Russia to establish a naval logistics base in Sudan for the repair and supply of warships as well as provide rest to sailors, according to the document published on November 11 on a Russian government website after Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin approved it.
A naval base in Sudan would expand Russian influence in northeast Africa along vital shipping routes in the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
The draft agreement says that up to 300 crew and four warships may stay at the naval logistics base, including ships with nuclear-propulsion systems.
Russia has economic and geopolitical interests in Sudan, a country rich in oil and other minerals.
Sudan is also one of the top importers of Russian arms in Africa.
The agreement states that Russia is willing to deliver weapons and military hardware to Sudan for free in order maintain the air defense of the Sudanese naval base at Port Sudan, where the Russian naval facility would be built.
Sudan's economic crisis deepened following the 2019 ouster of longtime dictator Omar al-Bashir in a coup that left the country in the hands of a joint civilian-military transitional government that is seeking to end the country’s international isolation.
Bashir first asked Russia to build a base along the Red Sea in 2017, due in part to concerns about the United States.
Last month, the United States announced plans to remove Sudan from its list of state sponsors of terrorism as part of a diplomatic opening between Khartoum and Washington following Bashir’s ouster.
Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are also major players in Sudan, providing much-needed financial aid to the new government.
With reporting by dpa, TASS, and Interfax


rferl--2020-11-11--Iran's Enriched Uranium Stockpile 12 Times Higher Than 2015 Limit, Says UN Watchdog

Iran keeps increasing its stockpile of low-enriched uranium far beyond the limits set in a landmark nuclear agreement with world powers and continues to enrich it to a higher purity than allowed , the UN 's atomic watchdog agency said on November 11 .
The International Atomic Energy Agency ( IAEA ) said in its quarterly report seen by the media that Iran , as of November 2 , had a stockpile of 2,442.9 kilograms of low-enriched uranium , up from 2,105.4 kilograms reported on August 25 .
The 2015 nuclear deal signed by Iran with the United States , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and Russia , known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action , or JCPOA , allows Tehran to only keep a stockpile of 202.8 kilograms .
The IAEA reported that Iran has also been continuing to enrich uranium to a purity of up to 4.5 percent , higher than the 3.67 percent allowed under the JCPOA .
The IAEA also said that Iran 's explanations for the presence of nuclear material at an undeclared site in the country were `` not credible . ''
Although Iranian authorities provided some information about the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that it continues to consider Iran 's response to be not technically credible , '' the report said .
`` A full and prompt explanation from Iran regarding the presence of uranium particles of anthropogenic origin ... at a location in Iran not declared to the Agency , is needed , '' it added .
While the IAEA has not identified the site in question , diplomatic sources have indicated that it is in the Turquzabad district of Tehran .
The report did not provide any new details about two other locations where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where undeclared nuclear activity may have taken place in the early 2000s .
The analysis of those samples is ongoing .
With reporting by AP , AFP , and dpa


rferl--2020-11-11--Russian Muslim Clerics Spark Controversy By Banning Interfaith Marriages

A group of Russian Muslim scholars have ordered a ban on believers marrying non-Muslims , a ruling that sparked dissent within the country 's national Islamic council and raised eyebrows nationwide .
The Councils of Clerics of the Spiritual Directorate of Muslims issued its fatwa , or ruling , in July , banning interfaith marriages for Muslims .
The ruling was only published on November 10 , though it was not immediately unclear why .
According to the fatwa , Muslim men can marry non-Muslim women only in `` exclusive situations '' and with the approval of local muftis .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , however , the deputy chairman of the spiritual directorate Damir Mukhetdinov issued a statement saying that the decision did not necessarily reflect the opinion of the larger directorate .
`` In this particular matter , the opinions differ and part of our clergy does not support or only partially supports the fatwa in question , '' Mukhetdinov said in his statement .
Russia was a secular state , he also argued , and therefore the decisions by the Council of Clerics has no legal power .
The ruling theoretically affects more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ largest denomination in the country after Orthodox Christians .
Russian Muslims are a growing political presence in the country , something the Kremlin has sought to finesse given the surge in interest among Russian Christians and the political power of the Orthodox Church along with concerns from other major religions .
Besides Islam , these denominations include Buddhism , Judaism , and some Christian faiths that have comparatively small communities in Russia , such as Roman Catholicism .
One religious expert told the Interfax news agency that fatwas must be supported by all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ directorate 's leading clerics , otherwise they are invalid .
Roman Silantyev , an Islamic expert at Moscow ’ s State Linguistic University , also said that there were many Islamic clerics across Russia whose wives were not Muslim .
He said that the vast majority of Russians Muslims in Russia were followers of a specific branch of Sunni Islam that allows for interfaith marriages .

A group of Russian Muslim scholars have ordered a ban on believers marrying non-Muslims, a ruling that sparked dissent within the country's national Islamic council and raised eyebrows nationwide.
The Councils of Clerics of the Spiritual Directorate of Muslims issued its fatwa, or ruling, in July, banning interfaith marriages for Muslims. The ruling was only published on November 10, though it was not immediately unclear why.
According to the fatwa, Muslim men can marry non-Muslim women only in "exclusive situations" and with the approval of local muftis.
One day after the fatwa was published, however, the deputy chairman of the spiritual directorate Damir Mukhetdinov issued a statement saying that the decision did not necessarily reflect the opinion of the larger directorate.
"In this particular matter, the opinions differ and part of our clergy does not support or only partially supports the fatwa in question," Mukhetdinov said in his statement.
Russia was a secular state, he also argued, and therefore the decisions by the Council of Clerics has no legal power.
The ruling theoretically affects more than 15 million Russian Muslims -- the second largest denomination in the country after Orthodox Christians.
Russian Muslims are a growing political presence in the country, something the Kremlin has sought to finesse given the surge in interest among Russian Christians and the political power of the Orthodox Church along with concerns from other major religions.
Besides Islam, these denominations include Buddhism, Judaism, and some Christian faiths that have comparatively small communities in Russia, such as Roman Catholicism.
One religious expert told the Interfax news agency that fatwas must be supported by all clergy if they are issued by the directorate's leading clerics, otherwise they are invalid.
Roman Silantyev, an Islamic expert at Moscow’s State Linguistic University, also said that there were many Islamic clerics across Russia whose wives were not Muslim.
He said that the vast majority of Russians Muslims in Russia were followers of a specific branch of Sunni Islam that allows for interfaith marriages.
With reporting by Interfax


rferl--2020-11-11--COVID-19: Hungary Imposes Strict Restrictions As Virus Situation Worsens

The Hungarian government has imposed its strictest pandemic measures so far amid a quickly worsening COVID-19 situation , drastically changing course after weeks of lax restrictions and an optimistic outlook from Prime Minister Viktor Orban .
The new restrictions kicked in early on November 11 and include an 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew , restaurants and bars being limited to takeout and home delivery , mandatory mask-wearing in public areas , a 10-person ceiling on family gatherings , remote learning for high school and university students , and limits on sports events .
They new measures will remain in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In announcing the lockdown on November 9 , Orban said that , if the number of infections continued to grow at the current rate , `` then our doctors ... and our hospitals ( won ’ t be able to ) cope with the burden . ''
Daily coronavirus deaths in Hungary jumped above 100 for the third time on November 11 , bringing the total to 2,697 -- with about half recorded in the past two weeks .
Nearly 123,000 confirmed infections have been reported so far in the country of nearly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s opposition have criticized the measures as being too little , too late .
Based on reporting by AFP , Reuters , and dpa

The Hungarian government has imposed its strictest pandemic measures so far amid a quickly worsening COVID-19 situation, drastically changing course after weeks of lax restrictions and an optimistic outlook from Prime Minister Viktor Orban.
The new restrictions kicked in early on November 11 and include an 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew, restaurants and bars being limited to takeout and home delivery, mandatory mask-wearing in public areas, a 10-person ceiling on family gatherings, remote learning for high school and university students, and limits on sports events.
They new measures will remain in effect for at least 30 days.
In announcing the lockdown on November 9, Orban said that, if the number of infections continued to grow at the current rate, "then our doctors...and our hospitals [won’t be able to] cope with the burden."
Daily coronavirus deaths in Hungary jumped above 100 for the third time on November 11, bringing the total to 2,697 -- with about half recorded in the past two weeks.
Nearly 123,000 confirmed infections have been reported so far in the country of nearly 10 million.
Members of Hungary’s opposition have criticized the measures as being too little, too late.
Based on reporting by AFP, Reuters, and dpa


rferl--2020-11-11--Siberian Court Orders Falun Gong Movement Banned

NOVOSIBIRSK , Russia -- A Siberian regional court has banned Falun Gong , the Chinese spiritual movement that China 's Communist Party has sought to stamp out since the late 1990s .
The ruling , by an appeals court in the city of Novosibirsk , was the latest in a number of court cases that have targeted not only Falun Gong , but other religious and spiritual organizations under Russia 's strict extremism laws .
In July , the Supreme Court in the region of Khakasia , east of Novosibirsk , rejected local prosecutors ' request to classify the Chinese @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shuts down an organization .
But on November 10 , the Novosibirsk appeals court overruled the local court 's decision .
A representative of the organization , Oskana Shchyotkina , told RFE/RL that between 2014 and 2019 , one of the movement 's members was fined and another one was jailed for three days for distributing a book containing the movement 's teachings .
She said the two cases were used by prosecutors to file a request to classify the group as extremist .
`` We consider the case fabricated and , of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which will not affect activities of the movement 's other branches [ in Russia ] , '' she said .
It 's unclear what sort of legal consequences the Siberian court ruling will have beyond the region .
Since the 2016 passage of a measure known informally as Yarovaya 's Law , Russian authorities have stepped up investigation and prosecution of some smaller religious groups .
Among those targeted most aggressively are the Jehovah ’ s Witnesses , a denomination that was labeled an extremist group in 2017 .
Prosecutors have arrested @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Established in the early 1990s , Falun Gong is a spiritual teaching that combines meditation and traditional Chinese gymnastics with a moral philosophy .
The group , which has been dogged by accusations from former practitioners of a harsh , cult-like belief system , has been aggressively persecuted by the Chinese authorities .
The group 's world headquarters is currently in a town in upstate New York .

NOVOSIBIRSK, Russia -- A Siberian regional court has banned Falun Gong, the Chinese spiritual movement that China's Communist Party has sought to stamp out since the late 1990s.
The ruling, by an appeals court in the city of Novosibirsk, was the latest in a number of court cases that have targeted not only Falun Gong, but other religious and spiritual organizations under Russia's strict extremism laws.
In July, the Supreme Court in the region of Khakasia, east of Novosibirsk, rejected local prosecutors' request to classify the Chinese movement as extremist, something that effectively shuts down an organization.
But on November 10, the Novosibirsk appeals court overruled the local court's decision.
A representative of the organization, Oskana Shchyotkina, told RFE/RL that between 2014 and 2019, one of the movement's members was fined and another one was jailed for three days for distributing a book containing the movement's teachings.
She said the two cases were used by prosecutors to file a request to classify the group as extremist.
"We consider the case fabricated and, of course, we will appeal the ruling, which will not affect activities of the movement's other branches [in Russia]," she said.
It's unclear what sort of legal consequences the Siberian court ruling will have beyond the region.
Since the 2016 passage of a measure known informally as Yarovaya's Law, Russian authorities have stepped up investigation and prosecution of some smaller religious groups.
Among those targeted most aggressively are the Jehovah’s Witnesses, a denomination that was labeled an extremist group in 2017. Prosecutors have arrested and tried dozens of members since then.
Established in the early 1990s, Falun Gong is a spiritual teaching that combines meditation and traditional Chinese gymnastics with a moral philosophy.
The group, which has been dogged by accusations from former practitioners of a harsh, cult-like belief system, has been aggressively persecuted by the Chinese authorities. The group's world headquarters is currently in a town in upstate New York.


rferl--2020-11-11--Kazakh Activist  Demands Registration Of Party Before Parliamentary Vote

SHYMKENT , Kazakhstan -- An activist in Kazakhstan 's southern city of Shymkent has held a single-person picket to demand the registration of the opposition Democratic Party ahead of parliamentary elections scheduled for January 10 , 2021 .
Wearing posters on his chest and on his back with slogans put forward by the Democratic Party and demands for it to be registered , Zhambyl Zhunisbekov picketed in the center of Shymkent on November 11 accompanied by about a dozen of his supporters , who did not take part in the picket .
Single-person pickets do not require authorities ' permission @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as very often police in Shymkent detain activists holding such types of protest despite the law .
Police were present at the site , but did not interfere .
`` The parliamentary elections on January 10 , 2021 , are again going to be a mockery of an election .
What we need now is political reform , the Democratic Party must be registered , '' Zhunisbekov said .
Last week , Democratic Party leader Zhanbolat Mamai told RFE/RL that he had obtained permission to organize a rally in Kazakhstan 's largest city @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to demand the party 's registration .
The Central Election Commission said on November 5 that six officially registered parties will take part in the January 10 elections .
The parties include the ruling Nur Otan , four pro-government parties -- Aq Zhol , Auyl , Birlik , and the Communist People 's Party -- and the All-National Social Democratic Party , which describes itself as an opposition group .
Democratic Party activists insist that there are no real independent or opposition parties among the registered political groups in the oil-rich Central Asian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be the first parliamentary elections since President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev succeeded Nursultan Nazarbaev , who resigned in March last year after nearly three decades in power .
Nazarbaev still maintains key positions of power , including being head of the country ’ s powerful Security Council and the ruling Nur Otan party .
He also enjoys almost limitless powers and immunity as `` elbasy '' -- leader of the nation .
The 107-seat Mazhlis is currently dominated by Nazarbaev 's Nur Otan , which has 84 deputies .
The Communist People ’ s Party @ @ @ @ @ @ @ each have seven seats .
The remaining nine seats are appointed by the Assembly of the People of Kazakhstan , an advisory body controlled by Nazarbaev .
The last parliamentary elections were held in March 2016. International election observers say that past elections in Kazakhstan have been neither free nor fair , citing electoral fraud , repression of opposition candidates , and restrictions on the freedom of the press .

SHYMKENT, Kazakhstan -- An activist in Kazakhstan's southern city of Shymkent has held a single-person picket to demand the registration of the opposition Democratic Party ahead of parliamentary elections scheduled for January 10, 2021.
Wearing posters on his chest and on his back with slogans put forward by the Democratic Party and demands for it to be registered, Zhambyl Zhunisbekov picketed in the center of Shymkent on November 11 accompanied by about a dozen of his supporters, who did not take part in the picket.
Single-person pickets do not require authorities' permission, but Zhunisbekov obtained an official permit as very often police in Shymkent detain activists holding such types of protest despite the law.
Police were present at the site, but did not interfere.
"The parliamentary elections on January 10, 2021, are again going to be a mockery of an election. What we need now is political reform, the Democratic Party must be registered," Zhunisbekov said.
Last week, Democratic Party leader Zhanbolat Mamai told RFE/RL that he had obtained permission to organize a rally in Kazakhstan's largest city, Almaty, on November 14, to demand the party's registration.
The Central Election Commission said on November 5 that six officially registered parties will take part in the January 10 elections. The parties include the ruling Nur Otan, four pro-government parties -- Aq Zhol, Auyl, Birlik, and the Communist People's Party -- and the All-National Social Democratic Party, which describes itself as an opposition group.
Democratic Party activists insist that there are no real independent or opposition parties among the registered political groups in the oil-rich Central Asian nation.
The January 10 polls will be the first parliamentary elections since President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev succeeded Nursultan Nazarbaev, who resigned in March last year after nearly three decades in power.
Nazarbaev still maintains key positions of power, including being head of the country’s powerful Security Council and the ruling Nur Otan party. He also enjoys almost limitless powers and immunity as "elbasy" -- leader of the nation.
The 107-seat Mazhlis is currently dominated by Nazarbaev's Nur Otan, which has 84 deputies.
The Communist People’s Party of Kazakhstan and the Aq Zhol party each have seven seats.
The remaining nine seats are appointed by the Assembly of the People of Kazakhstan, an advisory body controlled by Nazarbaev.
The last parliamentary elections were held in March 2016.
International election observers say that past elections in Kazakhstan have been neither free nor fair, citing electoral fraud, repression of opposition candidates, and restrictions on the freedom of the press.


rferl--2020-11-11--Russian Sputnik-V Producer Claims COVID-19 Vaccine Is 92 Percent Effective

The Russian Sputnik-V vaccine against the coronavirus is more than 90 percent effective at protecting people , the producer said on November 11 , as Moscow rushes to keep pace with Western drug makers in the race for a vaccine .
Based on the numbers of those individuals who contracted the virus after being vaccinated or given a placebo in a trial study of 16,000 volunteers , the Sputnik-V vaccine had an efficacy rate of 92 percent , the state-sponsored Gamaleya Institute said in a statement .
The statement comes shortly after U.S. pharma giant Pfizer and Germany 's BioNTech @ @ @ @ @ @ @ percent effective .
Gamaleya Director Aleksandr Gintsburg said interim results demonstrated Sputnik-V 's effectiveness and that mass doses would be rolled out in Russia in the coming weeks .
Scientists have raised concerns about Moscow launching mass vaccinations before full trials to test its safety and efficacy had been completed .
`` I assume there was political pressure after the press release from Pfizer and BioNTech earlier in the week to now draw level with their own data , '' said Bodo Plachter , deputy director of the Institute of Virology at Mainz @ @ @ @ @ @ @ missing for now is an analysis of statistical significance . ''
Russia was the first country to approve its coronavirus vaccine for widespread use by the public , registering Sputnik-V in August , ahead of the start of the large-scale trial in September .
Around a dozen vaccines are said to be in the final stages of testing worldwide .
On November 11 , Russia said it had registered 19,851 new coronavirus infections in the past 24 hours and a record high of 432 deaths .
Russia 's official tally -- 1,836,960 cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , behind the United States , India , Brazil , and France .
Based on reporting by Reuters and dpa

The Russian Sputnik-V vaccine against the coronavirus is more than 90 percent effective at protecting people, the producer said on November 11, as Moscow rushes to keep pace with Western drug makers in the race for a vaccine.
Based on the numbers of those individuals who contracted the virus after being vaccinated or given a placebo in a trial study of 16,000 volunteers, the Sputnik-V vaccine had an efficacy rate of 92 percent, the state-sponsored Gamaleya Institute said in a statement.
The statement comes shortly after U.S. pharma giant Pfizer and Germany's BioNTech said their vaccine was more than 90 percent effective.
Gamaleya Director Aleksandr Gintsburg said interim results demonstrated Sputnik-V's effectiveness and that mass doses would be rolled out in Russia in the coming weeks.
Scientists have raised concerns about Moscow launching mass vaccinations before full trials to test its safety and efficacy had been completed.
"I assume there was political pressure after the press release from Pfizer and BioNTech earlier in the week to now draw level with their own data," said Bodo Plachter, deputy director of the Institute of Virology at Mainz University in Germany.
"What is missing for now is an analysis of statistical significance."
Russia was the first country to approve its coronavirus vaccine for widespread use by the public, registering Sputnik-V in August, ahead of the start of the large-scale trial in September.
Around a dozen vaccines are said to be in the final stages of testing worldwide.
On November 11, Russia said it had registered 19,851 new coronavirus infections in the past 24 hours and a record high of 432 deaths.
Russia's official tally -- 1,836,960 cases -- is the fifth-largest in the world, behind the United States, India, Brazil, and France.
Based on reporting by Reuters and dpa


rferl--2020-11-11--Kyrgyzstan's Acting President Signs Amendments To Election Law

BISHKEK -- Kyrgyzstan 's acting President Sadyr Japarov has signed amendments changing the law on elections that lower the threshold for political parties to enter parliament from 7 percent to 3 percent , while also reducing the registration fee for candidates from 5 million soms ( $ 62,000 ) to 1 million soms .
The law , signed by Japarov on November 11 , was approved by lawmakers on October 22 .
Japarov initiated amendments to the constitution to change the rules for elections last month after he became prime minister in the midst of protests against the official results @ @ @ @ @ @ @ authorities to cancel the results of the poll and caused a political crisis that led to the resignation of the government and President Sooronbai Jeenbekov .
After Jeenbekov left office in mid-October amid the protests , Japarov , who had been released from prison where he was serving a sentence for kidnapping a political rival , was handed presidential powers .
He had already been approved by lawmakers as prime minister .
Japarov then signed legal changes that postponed fresh parliamentary elections tentatively set for December 20 to an unspecified date in 2021 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vote come within two months .
That move cleared the way for early presidential elections on January 10 .
Under current Kyrgyz law , anyone serving in an acting or interim capacity as president may not then run in an election for the post .
But Japarov has argued that he will become eligible by stepping down in December .
As of November 11 , 15 other people had officially informed the Central Election Commission ( BShK ) of their intention to run for president .

BISHKEK -- Kyrgyzstan's acting President Sadyr Japarov has signed amendments changing the law on elections that lower the threshold for political parties to enter parliament from 7 percent to 3 percent, while also reducing the registration fee for candidates from 5 million soms ($62,000) to 1 million soms.
The law, signed by Japarov on November 11, was approved by lawmakers on October 22.
Japarov initiated amendments to the constitution to change the rules for elections last month after he became prime minister in the midst of protests against the official results of parliamentary elections.
The demonstrations prompted authorities to cancel the results of the poll and caused a political crisis that led to the resignation of the government and President Sooronbai Jeenbekov.
After Jeenbekov left office in mid-October amid the protests, Japarov, who had been released from prison where he was serving a sentence for kidnapping a political rival, was handed presidential powers. He had already been approved by lawmakers as prime minister.
Japarov then signed legal changes that postponed fresh parliamentary elections tentatively set for December 20 to an unspecified date in 2021, despite a requirement that such a vote come within two months.
That move cleared the way for early presidential elections on January 10.
Under current Kyrgyz law, anyone serving in an acting or interim capacity as president may not then run in an election for the post.
But Japarov has argued that he will become eligible by stepping down in December.
As of November 11, 15 other people had officially informed the Central Election Commission (BShK) of their intention to run for president.


rferl--2020-11-11--U.S. Condemns 'Arbitrary' Expulsion Of U.K. Diplomats From Belarus

The United States has condemned the “ harassment ” and expulsion of two British diplomats from Belarus this week amid a deterioration in relations between Minsk and Western capitals over a disputed presidential election and authoritarian leader Alyaksandr Lukashenka 's violent crackdown on postelection protests .
“ This arbitrary and unjustified act by Belarusian authorities is only the latest attempt to hide the daily harassment and repression everyday Belarusians , including activists and members of the media , continue to face in their fight for democracy , ” State Department spokesman Cale Brown said in a statement on November 11 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ call for Belarusian authorities to “ cease their crackdown and heed the demands of the Belarusian people for free and fair elections under independent observation.
” The statement comes a day after Britain announced it had expelled two Belarusian diplomats following Minsk 's “ unjustified expulsion '' of two U.K. diplomats .
Belarus said it had expelled the pair on November 9 after they had engaged in `` destructive '' activities .
Lukashenka , who has ruled Belarus for 26 years , has faced almost daily protests calling for his resignation since a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opposition says was rigged and that the West has refused to accept .
Thousands of people have been arrested since authorities declared Lukashenka the landslide winner of the vote .
Most of the country 's opposition leaders have been arrested or forced to leave the country .
Lukashenka has called the protesters and members of the opposition Western `` puppets . ''
In response to the crackdown and “ falsification ” of the presidential vote , the United States , Britain , and the European Union have imposed sanctions on dozens of Belarusian @ @ @ @ @

The United States has condemned the “harassment” and expulsion of two British diplomats from Belarus this week amid a deterioration in relations between Minsk and Western capitals over a disputed presidential election and authoritarian leader Alyaksandr Lukashenka's violent crackdown on postelection protests.
“This arbitrary and unjustified act by Belarusian authorities is only the latest attempt to hide the daily harassment and repression everyday Belarusians, including activists and members of the media, continue to face in their fight for democracy,” State Department spokesman Cale Brown said in a statement on November 11.
Brown also reiterated Washington’s call for Belarusian authorities to “cease their crackdown and heed the demands of the Belarusian people for free and fair elections under independent observation.”
The statement comes a day after Britain announced it had expelled two Belarusian diplomats following Minsk's “unjustified expulsion" of two U.K. diplomats. Belarus said it had expelled the pair on November 9 after they had engaged in "destructive" activities.
Lukashenka, who has ruled Belarus for 26 years, has faced almost daily protests calling for his resignation since a presidential election on August 9 that the opposition says was rigged and that the West has refused to accept.
Thousands of people have been arrested since authorities declared Lukashenka the landslide winner of the vote. Most of the country's opposition leaders have been arrested or forced to leave the country.
Lukashenka has called the protesters and members of the opposition Western "puppets."
In response to the crackdown and “falsification” of the presidential vote, the United States, Britain, and the European Union have imposed sanctions on dozens of Belarusian officials, including Lukashenka.


rferl--2020-11-11--Thousands Of Armenians Defy Martial Law, Demand Government Resignation Over Karabakh Peace Deal

YEREVAN – Thousands of demonstrators have demanded Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian 's resignation , as they took to the streets in protest at a peace agreement ending more than six weeks of fighting with Azerbaijan over the breakaway Nagorno-Karabakh region .
The deal , announced early November 10 , sparked a furious reaction in the Armenian capital , with protesters defying martial law , filling Yerevan ’ s central Liberty Square , and calling Pashinian a traitor .
The Russian-brokered deal is a major defeat for forces backed by Armenia , who have controlled Nagorno-Karabakh since a 1994 cease-fire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which ends fighting that has killed more than 2,000 soldiers and civilians on both sides , stipulates that Azerbaijan will keep a sizable chunk of the small mountain region , along with the surrounding areas captured during the fighting .
It also calls for deploying Russian peacekeeping troops .
In Yerevan , on November 11 , several hundred protesters marched to the National Assembly and shouted anti-Pashinian slogans as they stood outside the building .
Scuffles took place as police tried to prevent the gathering , and several participants , including opposition leader @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 17 opposition parties called for Pashinian to step down , blaming him for what they described as heavy concessions .
Another opposition leader , Ishkhan Saghatelian , gave Pashinian until midnight to resign and demanded together with other opposition figures that parliament convene a special session .
Otherwise , he said , further steps will be presented to `` solve the Pashinian problem '' until the end of the day on November 12 .
However , the opposition failed to muster a quorum .
Ahead of the demonstration , the government warned the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ amid growing tensions .
Earlier , police officials warned that rallies were banned in the country under martial law , which was declared after the Nagorno-Karabakh fighting erupted on September 27 .
Speaking on state television , Deputy Prime Minister Tigran Avinian did not rule out that the current government could resign , but warned against any “ coup ” attempt .
Less than 24 hours after the peace deal was signed , more than 400 Russian troops , eight helicopters , and other military equipment had already deployed to Nagorno-Karabakh .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Russian joint chiefs of staff , told reporters that Russian forces had taken control of the Lachin Corridor -- a critical mountain road pass that links Nagorno-Karabakh to Armenia .
Nearly 2,000 Russian troops will eventually be active in the region , with 90 armored personnel carriers as part of the peacekeeping mission , he said .
The peace deal came after Azerbaijani forces made major battlefield gains , including the strategic town of Shushi , known as Susa in Azeri .
Efforts to resolve the decades-old conflict by the Minsk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cooperation in Europe ( OSCE ) -- co-chaired by Russia , France , and the United States -- have repeatedly failed , and three previous cease-fires signed since fighting broke out again in late September collapsed .
The peace deal , Pashinian said on November 10 , was “ the best possible solution for the current situation.
” The agreement will allow ethnic Armenians to “ preserve ” territory they previously controlled , he said .
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev , meanwhile , said the agreement amounted to a `` capitulation '' by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whether troops from Turkey , Azerbaijan 's staunch ally , would also deploy to the region , along with Russian troops .
Turkish officials insisted that was the case , but the text of the deal published by the Kremlin made no mention of it .
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Turkey would work with Russia to establish a joint center to monitor the cease-fire .
Prior to the peace deal announcement , there was also growing concern that mercenary soldiers from Syria and elsewhere were being brought in on both sides @ @ @ @ @ @ @ working group issued a statement on November 11 calling on both sides to withdraw any mercenary groups from the region .
“ In this context , it is even more worrisome that the Syrian fighters deployed to Azerbaijan are allegedly affiliated with armed groups and individuals that , in some cases , have been accused of war crimes and serious human rights abuses during the conflict in Syria , thus seemingly perpetuating a cycle of impunity and risking further abuses of international law , ” the UN group said .
With reporting by @ @ @ @ @ @


rferl--2020-11-12--Noted Belarusian Journalist Gets 15 Days In Jail For Covering Anti-Lukashenka Rally

MINSK -- Noted Belarusian journalist Aleh Hruzdzilovich has been sentenced to 15 days in jail over covering one of the ongoing mass rallies demanding Alyaksandr Lukashenka 's resignation .
Judge Maryna Yarokhina of the Frunze district court in Minsk on November 12 found the 61-year-old journalist and former RFE/RL correspondent guilty of taking part in an unsanctioned mass gathering on October 25 , and ordered him jailed for 15 days .
Hruzdzilovich pleaded not guilty , insisting that he was covering the rally as a reporter for the Narodnaya Volya ( People 's Will ) newspaper .
According to him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ press '' written on it and his journalist identification documents with him at the rally .
However , Hruzdzilovich was found guilty and joined 15 other journalists who are serving administrative arrests over covering the ongoing rallies that erupted after August 9 presidential poll that election officials said was won by Lukashenka , while tens of thousands of protesters have insisted that the election was rigged .
Hruzdzilovich is one of Belarus 's most well-known journalists .
He worked for 25 years as an RFE/RL correspondent in Belarus .
After the Belarusian Foreign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hruzdzilovich and three other RFE/RL correspondents in August , Hruzdzilovich had to suspend his work for RFE/RL .
He has since been working with independent media outlets of the country .
There have been protests almost daily against Lukashenka in Minsk and elsewhere in the country since an August 9 presidential election that protesters alleged was rigged and that Western countries have refused to accept .
Lukashenka has directed a brutal postelection crackdown that has included thousands of arrests , beatings , and other mistreatment of peaceful protesters , as well as expulsions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , European Union member states agreed to slap sanctions on Lukashenka , along with 14 other Belarusian officials , in response to the crackdown .

MINSK -- Noted Belarusian journalist Aleh Hruzdzilovich has been sentenced to 15 days in jail over covering one of the ongoing mass rallies demanding Alyaksandr Lukashenka's resignation.
Judge Maryna Yarokhina of the Frunze district court in Minsk on November 12 found the 61-year-old journalist and RFE/RL correspondent guilty of taking part in an unsanctioned mass gathering on October 25, and ordered him jailed for 15 days.
Hruzdzilovich pleaded not guilty, insisting that he was covering the rally as a reporter for the Narodnaya Volya (People's Will) newspaper, which granted him a local press card after Belarusian authorities revoked his RFE/RL accreditation.
However, Hruzdzilovich was found guilty and joined 15 other journalists who are serving administrative arrests over covering the ongoing rallies that erupted after August 9 presidential poll that election officials said was won by Lukashenka, while tens of thousands of protesters have insisted that the election was rigged.
Hruzdzilovich is one of Belarus's most well-known journalists.
He worked for 25 years as an RFE/RL correspondent in Belarus. After the Belarusian Foreign Ministry refused to prolong the accreditations of Hruzdzilovich and three other RFE/RL correspondents in August, Hruzdzilovich had to suspend his work for RFE/RL.
He has since been working with independent media outlets of the country.
There have been protests almost daily against Lukashenka in Minsk and elsewhere in the country since an August 9 presidential election that protesters alleged was rigged and that Western countries have refused to accept.
Lukashenka has directed a brutal postelection crackdown that has included thousands of arrests, beatings, and other mistreatment of peaceful protesters, as well as expulsions of foreign journalists.
On November 4, European Union member states agreed to slap sanctions on Lukashenka, along with 14 other Belarusian officials, in response to the crackdown.


rferl--2020-11-12--Lavrov Says Moscow To Announce Tit-For-Tat Sanctions Against Top German, French Officials

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says Moscow is going to be announcing retaliatory measures against top German and French officials in tit-for-tat sanctions sparked by the poisoning of outspoken Kremlin critic Aleksei Navalny with a nerve agent in August .
Navalny fell severely ill aboard a plane on his way from the Siberian city of Tomsk to Moscow , prompting the plane 's emergency landing in the city of Omsk .
He was transferred later to the Charite clinic in Berlin , where doctors concluded that he had been poisoned with a nerve agent .
Last month , the European @ @ @ @ @ @ @ travel bans against six senior Russian officials believed to be responsible for the `` attempted assassination '' of Navalny , as well as one entity involved in the program that has produced a group of military-grade nerve agents known as Novichok .
The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons ( OPCW ) earlier in October confirmed the findings of specialized laboratories in Germany , France , and Sweden that Navalny had been poisoned with a substance from the Novichok group .
Novichok was identified by British authorities as the toxin used in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Skripal and his daughter , Yulia , in 2018 in the English city of Salisbury .
`` Since Germany was a locomotive of the European Union 's sanctions over Navalny and because those sanctions directly target leading employees of the presidential office of the Russian Federation , our response sanctions will be mirror .
They have been decided already and we will inform our German and French colleagues about them soon , '' Lavrov said during a press conference with foreign journalists on November 12 .
He added that the Russian sanctions will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ administrations .
Lavrov also suggested that Navalny might have been poisoned with a nerve agent either in the Charite clinic in Berlin or aboard the plane that brought him from Omsk to the German capital .
Navalny , who remains in Germany receiving treatment , has blamed Russian President Vladimir Putin for ordering the poison attack , while the Kremlin has denied any involvement .
With reporting by Reuters , TASS , and Interfax

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says Moscow is going to be announcing retaliatory measures against top German and French officials in tit-for-tat sanctions sparked by the poisoning of outspoken Kremlin critic Aleksei Navalny with a nerve agent in August.
Navalny fell severely ill aboard a plane on his way from the Siberian city of Tomsk to Moscow, prompting the plane's emergency landing in the city of Omsk. He was transferred later to the Charite clinic in Berlin, where doctors concluded that he had been poisoned with a nerve agent.
Last month, the European Union and Britain imposed asset freezes and travel bans against six senior Russian officials believed to be responsible for the "attempted assassination" of Navalny, as well as one entity involved in the program that has produced a group of military-grade nerve agents known as Novichok.
The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) earlier in October confirmed the findings of specialized laboratories in Germany, France, and Sweden that Navalny had been poisoned with a substance from the Novichok group.
Novichok was identified by British authorities as the toxin used in the near-fatal poisoning of Russian double-agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter, Yulia, in 2018 in the English city of Salisbury.
"Since Germany was a locomotive of the European Union's sanctions over Navalny and because those sanctions directly target leading employees of the presidential office of the Russian Federation, our response sanctions will be mirror. They have been decided already and we will inform our German and French colleagues about them soon," Lavrov said during a press conference with foreign journalists on November 12.
He added that the Russian sanctions will target employees in the German and French administrations.
Lavrov also suggested that Navalny might have been poisoned with a nerve agent either in the Charite clinic in Berlin or aboard the plane that brought him from Omsk to the German capital.
Navalny, who remains in Germany receiving treatment, has blamed Russian President Vladimir Putin for ordering the poison attack, while the Kremlin has denied any involvement.
With reporting by Reuters, TASS, and Interfax