rferl--2020-05-27--U.S. Ends Sanctions Waivers On Iran's Civilian Nuclear Program

The United States will end sanctions waivers that allow Russian , Chinese , and European firms to carry out civilian nuclear cooperation with Iran , effectively scrapping the last remnants of 2015 Iran nuclear deal .
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on May 27 that Iran ’ s continued “ nuclear brinkmanship ” by breaching some of its nuclear commitments did not justify renewing the waivers .
“ The regime ’ s nuclear extortion will lead to increased pressure on Iran and further isolate the regime from the international community , ” he said .
Nonproliferation experts say that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ eye into Tehran ’ s nuclear activities and that its scientific research is for legitimate civilian purposes , such as medicine .
The U.S. move may also further ratchet up tensions with other signatories to the Iran nuclear deal who have tried to salvage it – Russia , China , France , Germany , and Britain – at a time Washington is seeking their cooperation to extend a UN arms embargo on Iran .
President Donald Trump withdrew from the Iran nuclear deal , also known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reimposed crushing sanctions on Tehran .
In response , Iran has breached several provisions of the JCPOA at the fringes , saying that it can reverse them if other parties to the deal come back into compliance .
“ Ending the waivers puts the remaining parties to the deal in a tough spot -- proceeding with the projects risks U.S. sanctions , but halting work puts them in violation of their obligations under the nuclear deal and gives Iran further justification to violate the accord or withdraw from it all together , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ policy at the Arms Control Association , told RFE/RL .
The end of the “ civilian-nuclear cooperation ” waivers applies to international work at Iran 's Arak heavy water research reactor , the provision of enriched uranium for the Tehran Research Reactor , and the transfer abroad of spent and scrap reactor fuel .
Companies involved at these facilities now have a 60-day wind-down period to cease operations or face sanctions .
The Trump administration also provided a 90-day extension for the waiver covering international activity at the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ civilian cooperation parts of the JCPOA were designed to make Iran ’ s nuclear program more transparent and less capable of producing weapons .
Iran hawks in Congress and the Trump administration say the civilian nuclear waivers allow Iran access to technology that could be used for nuclear weapons .
But in extending the waivers in the past , the Trump administration implicitly recognized the nonproliferation benefits of the civilian projects .
Critics of the Trump administration say that its policy of `` maximum pressure '' has failed to convince Iran to negotiate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the strategy is to completely eliminate the nuclear accord , making it harder for other signatories or a future president to reenter the JCPOA .
“ It ’ s is clear that this is a political decision by an administration bent on killing the nuclear deal , irrespective of the consequences , ” Davenport said .
“ Trump 's action shows a blatant disregard for the security concerns of U.S. allies and partners and further undermines U.S. credibility .
”


rferl--2020-05-27--U.S. Releases More Details About MiG-29s, Su-24s It Says Were Flown To Libya

The U.S. military has provided more details about an alleged Russian deployment of fighter jets to Libya , as officials in Russia continued to deny the presence of Russian military aircraft or personnel in the North African country .
The United States says Moscow deployed the jets to provide support for Russian mercenaries helping a local warlord battle Libya ’ s internationally recognized government .
The alleged deployment could have a big impact on the war pitting the eastern-based Libyan National Army ( LNA ) of Khalifa Haftar and forces of the Government of National Accord ( GNA ) , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The conflict has drawn in multiple regional actors , with Russia , France , Egypt , Jordan , and the United Arab Emirates backing Haftar 's command .
Turkey , which deployed troops , drones , and Syrian rebel mercenaries to Libya in January , supports the government in Tripoli , alongside Qatar and Italy .
As Libya continues to be subjected to a UN arms embargo , the U.S. military 's Africa Command ( AFRICOM ) on May 26 said it assessed Russia had recently deployed military jets to Libya via @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the LNA .
It said the jets were repainted in Syria to remove Russian Federation Air Force markings .
In a tweet on May 27 , AFRICOM added that MiG-29 and Su-24 fighters bearing Russian Federation Air Force markings departed Russia “ over multiple days in May.
” After the aircraft landed at the Russian military base of Hmeimim in western Syria , the MiG-29s “ are repainted and emerge with no national markings.
” AFRICOM wrote in a separate tweet that the jets were flown by “ Russian military personnel ” and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fighters ” based in Syria .
The planes first landed near Tobruk in eastern Libya to refuel , it said , adding : “ At least 14 newly unmarked Russian aircraft are then delivered to Al Jufra Air Base ” in central Libya , an LNA stronghold .
Meanwhile , LNA spokesman Ahmed Mismari denied that new jets had arrived , calling it `` media rumors and lies , '' according to Reuters .
Viktor Bondarev , the chairman of the Federation Council ’ s committee on defense and security , dismissed the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ If the warplanes are in Libya , they are Soviet , not Russian , ” Bondarev said .
Vladimir Dzhabarov , first deputy head of the Federation Council ’ s international affairs committee , said Russia had not sent military personnel to Libya and the Russian upper house of parliament has not received a request to approve such a dispatch .
Vagner Group , a private military contractor believed to be close to the Kremlin , has been helping Haftar 's forces .
A UN report earlier this month estimated the number @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1,200 .
The Bondarev and Dzhabarov comments are the latest denials from Moscow that the Russian state is responsible for any deployments .
But U.S. Army General Stephen Townsend , commander of AFRICOM , said on May 26 : `` For too long , Russia has denied the full extent of its involvement in the ongoing Libyan conflict .
Well , there is no denying it now .
We watched as Russia flew fourth-generation jet fighters to Libya -- every step of the way . ''
Oil-rich Libya has been torn by civil @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and killed the country ’ s longtime dictator , Muammar Qaddafi , in 2011 .
Haftar , who controls the eastern part of the country , is seeking to capture the capital , Tripoli , from GNA forces .
But his LNA lost a string of western towns and a key air base in the past two months after Turkey stepped up military support for his rivals .
With reporting by Reuters , AP , and Interfax

The U.S. military has provided more details about an alleged Russian deployment of fighter jets to Libya, as officials in Russia continued to deny the presence of Russian military aircraft or personnel in the North African country.
The United States says Moscow deployed the jets to provide support for Russian mercenaries helping a local warlord battle Libya’s internationally recognized government.
The alleged deployment could have a big impact on the war pitting the eastern-based Libyan National Army (LNA) of Khalifa Haftar and forces of the Government of National Accord (GNA), which is recognized by the United Nations.
The conflict has drawn in multiple regional actors, with Russia, France, Egypt, Jordan, and the United Arab Emirates backing Haftar's command.
Turkey, which deployed troops, drones, and Syrian rebel mercenaries to Libya in January, supports the government in Tripoli, alongside Qatar and Italy.
As Libya continues to be subjected to a UN arms embargo, the U.S. military's Africa Command (AFRICOM) on May 26 said it assessed Russia had recently deployed military jets to Libya via Syria to support Russian mercenaries fighting alongside the LNA. It said the jets were repainted in Syria to remove Russian Federation Air Force markings.
In a tweet on May 27, AFRICOM added that MiG-29 and Su-24 fighters bearing Russian Federation Air Force markings departed Russia “over multiple days in May.”
After the aircraft landed at the Russian military base of Hmeimim in western Syria, the MiG-29s “are repainted and emerge with no national markings.”
AFRICOM wrote in a separate tweet that the jets were flown by “Russian military personnel” and were escorted to Libya by “Russian fighters” based in Syria.
The planes first landed near Tobruk in eastern Libya to refuel, it said, adding: “At least 14 newly unmarked Russian aircraft are then delivered to Al Jufra Air Base” in central Libya, an LNA stronghold.
Meanwhile, LNA spokesman Ahmed Mismari denied that new jets had arrived, calling it "media rumors and lies," according to Reuters.
Viktor Bondarev, the chairman of the Federation Council’s committee on defense and security, dismissed the U.S. claims as "stupidity."
“If the warplanes are in Libya, they are Soviet, not Russian,” Bondarev said.
Vladimir Dzhabarov, first deputy head of the Federation Council’s international affairs committee, said Russia had not sent military personnel to Libya and the Russian upper house of parliament has not received a request to approve such a dispatch.
Vagner Group, a private military contractor believed to be close to the Kremlin, has been helping Haftar's forces. A UN report earlier this month estimated the number of Russian mercenaries at between 800 and 1,200.
The Bondarev and Dzhabarov comments are the latest denials from Moscow that the Russian state is responsible for any deployments.
But U.S. Army General Stephen Townsend, commander of AFRICOM, said on May 26: "For too long, Russia has denied the full extent of its involvement in the ongoing Libyan conflict. Well, there is no denying it now. We watched as Russia flew fourth-generation jet fighters to Libya -- every step of the way."
Oil-rich Libya has been torn by civil war since a NATO-backed popular uprising ousted and killed the country’s longtime dictator, Muammar Qaddafi, in 2011.
Haftar, who controls the eastern part of the country, is seeking to capture the capital, Tripoli, from GNA forces.
But his LNA lost a string of western towns and a key air base in the past two months after Turkey stepped up military support for his rivals.
With reporting by Reuters, AP, and Interfax


rferl--2020-05-27--Chechen Leader Says He's Healthy But Doesn't Deny Hospital Stay For COVID-19

Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov says he is feeling well , in an apparent attempt to dispel media reports about his hospitalization with COVID-19 .
`` I 'm an absolutely healthy person , '' the Chechen leader said in an interview on May 27 streamed live on Instagram with his aide Akhmed Dudayev .
In an apparent reference to media reports that pointed to a catheter visible in his right arm during a televised meeting in Grozny on May 26 , he argued that there was nothing special about it but did n't deny having been in the hospital .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of people in the world were infected with the coronavirus , tens of thousands have died , and am I not a human ?
” he said .
“ Do n't I have the right to fall ill ?
Do n't I have the right to have a catheter to boost my immunity , my hemoglobin level ?
” During the interview , Kadyrov stretched his arms out and turned his palms up and down when he was asked about rumored evidence that he has received treatment .
Russian news agencies said last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flown to Moscow and hospitalized due to suspicions of a coronavirus infection .
On May 23 , Chechen parliament speaker Magomed Daudov rejected the reports .
Kadyrov has run predominantly Muslim Chechnya with an iron fist since 2007 .
He is a loyal ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin and has been accused of wide-ranging rights violations in the North Caucasus region .
He was absent over the weekend during the end of Ramadan but issued a recorded message congratulating Muslims on Eid al-Fitr .
Kadyrov did not appear in that video but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chechnya for supporting measures imposed to halt the spread of the coronavirus .
He urged everyone to follow medical advice to counter the pandemic .
Kadyrov has sought to project an air of authority amid the coronavirus pandemic .
As of one week ago , Chechnya had officially reported 1,046 confirmed cases , and 11 fatalities from the disease .
With reporting by AP and AFP

Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov says he is feeling well, in an apparent attempt to dispel media reports about his hospitalization with COVID-19.
"I'm an absolutely healthy person," the Chechen leader said in an interview on May 27 streamed live on Instagram with his aide Akhmed Dudayev.
In an apparent reference to media reports that pointed to a catheter visible in his right arm during a televised meeting in Grozny on May 26, he argued that there was nothing special about it but didn't deny having been in the hospital.
“Even if I fell ill, millions of people in the world were infected with the coronavirus, tens of thousands have died, and am I not a human?” he said. “Don't I have the right to fall ill? Don't I have the right to have a catheter to boost my immunity, my hemoglobin level?”
During the interview, Kadyrov stretched his arms out and turned his palms up and down when he was asked about rumored evidence that he has received treatment.
Russian news agencies said last week that Kadyrov, 43, was flown to Moscow and hospitalized due to suspicions of a coronavirus infection. On May 23, Chechen parliament speaker Magomed Daudov rejected the reports.
Kadyrov has run predominantly Muslim Chechnya with an iron fist since 2007. He is a loyal ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin and has been accused of wide-ranging rights violations in the North Caucasus region.
He was absent over the weekend during the end of Ramadan but issued a recorded message congratulating Muslims on Eid al-Fitr.
Kadyrov did not appear in that video but he expressed gratitude to the people of Chechnya for supporting measures imposed to halt the spread of the coronavirus. He urged everyone to follow medical advice to counter the pandemic.
Kadyrov has sought to project an air of authority amid the coronavirus pandemic. As of one week ago, Chechnya had officially reported 1,046 confirmed cases, and 11 fatalities from the disease.
With reporting by AP and AFP


rferl--2020-05-27--Iran's Rohani Calls For Stricter Laws On 'Honor Killings' After Beheading Of 13-Year-Old Girl

Iranian President Hassan Rohani has called for harsher laws to tackle so-called `` honor killings '' after the particularly shocking slaying of a teenage girl , allegedly by her father , prompted a nationwide outcry .
Rohani on May 27 pushed for the speedy adoption of relevant bills , some which have apparently circulated for years among various Iranian decision-making bodies without any tangible results .
The call comes after 13-year-old Romina Ashrafi was killed last week in Hovigh , some 320 kilometers northwest of Tehran .
Local media reported that the teenager was beheaded while she slept by her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The father , Reza Ashrafi , was said to be enraged after Romina fled the family home to marry a 35-year-old man she loved .
Both of their families complained to the authorities , and security forces detained Romina and her boyfriend , Bahamn Khavari , following a five-day hunt .
Although Romina reportedly told police she would be in danger at home and feared for her life , the girl was handed over to her father as required by Iranian laws .
After the killing , the father allegedly turned himself @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crime .
Hovigh district Governor Kazem Razmi said the man was in custody , charged with murder .
He said the investigation into the case was still under way .
Meanwhile , the vice president for women 's affairs , Masoumeh Ebtekar , was quoted as announcing a “ special order ” from Rohani to investigate the killing .
Under current law , her father faces a prison sentence of up to 10 years if convicted .
According to the Islamic Penal Code , he was Romina 's “ guardian , ” so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kind , ” meaning the death penalty in this case .
Iranian media occasionally report on cases related to honor killings carried out by relatives , usually male family members , when the actions of women and girls are perceived as violating conservative traditions on love , marriage , and public behavior .
It is not known how many women and girls die from such killings .
In 2014 , a Tehran police official reported that 20 percent of all murders in the country were “ honor ” killings .
Romina 's boyfriend @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s laws , girls can marry after the age of 13 , though the average age of marriage for Iranian women is 23 .
With reporting by AP and IRNA

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--2020-05-27--Heavy Storms Kill Two People In Siberia, Damage Houses, Infrastructure

KEMEROVO , Russia -- Heavy storms and rains in Russia 's Siberian region of Kemerovo have left two people dead @ @ @ @ @ and social infrastructure .
The Kemerovo regional administration said on May 27 that the storms @ @ @ @ @ in the evening on May 26 , toppling a grain depot that was under construction @ @ @ @ @ injuring one , while destroying 18 of the 31 houses in the village of Konstantinovka @ @ @ @ @ storms and rains that lasted for several hours damaged 147 buildings , mainly private houses @ @ @ @ @ 's villages and cities , including the regional capital , Kemerovo .
More than two @ @ @ @ @ some 280 trees were felled , local officials said .
The heavy storms and rains @ @ @ @ @ Tomsk regions in Siberia .
Tens of thousands of people were left without electricity for @ @ @ @ @ caused floods in many towns and cities across the regions .

KEMEROVO, Russia -- Heavy storms and rains in Russia's Siberian region of Kemerovo have left two people dead and damaged dozens of houses and social infrastructure.
The Kemerovo regional administration said on May 27 that the storms swept across the area late in the evening on May 26, toppling a grain depot that was under construction, killing two people and injuring one, while destroying 18 of the 31 houses in the village of Konstantinovka.
In general, the storms and rains that lasted for several hours damaged 147 buildings, mainly private houses and apartments in the region's villages and cities, including the regional capital, Kemerovo.
More than two dozen automobiles were damaged and some 280 trees were felled, local officials said.
The heavy storms and rains also hit the Novosibirsk and Tomsk regions in Siberia.
Tens of thousands of people were left without electricity for hours as the heavy rains caused floods in many towns and cities across the regions.
With reporting by TASS


rferl--2020-05-27--COVID-19: Moscow Offers Free Antibody Tests; Georgia Reopening Public Transport

The global death toll from the coronavirus is almost 350,000 with more than 5.4 million infections confirmed , causing mass disruptions as governments continue to try to slow the spread of the new respiratory illness .
Medical institutions in Moscow have begun conducting free tests to gather information on the presence of coronavirus antibodies in the Russian capital 's residents .
Deputy Mayor Anastasia Rakova said on May 27 that Muscovites could now register electronically at hospitals close to their homes to get tested for the presence of antibodies .
`` The appointments will be made 14 days prior [ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ test results will be available in three days for everyone online on their electronic medical chart , '' Rakova said , adding that Moscow 's hospitals were capable of collecting 5,000 samples per day .
Rakova 's announcement comes after officials said the total number of coronavirus cases in the country had decreased for a second day in a row .
In the last 24 hours , 8,338 new cases of coronavirus infection have been identified , official statistics show , and 11,079 people had recovered from the virus .
Russia has recorded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 3,968 deaths , including 161 in the last 24 hours .
Russia 's official statistics have been challenged by some researchers , who say they may be incomplete , inaccurate , and even partially falsified , which the authorities have denied .
Meanwhile , Moscow authorities will reopen all non-food stores , repair shops , laundromats , and dry cleaners as of June 1 .
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said on May 27 during a conversation with President Vladimir Putin that as of June 1 , Moscow residents will be allowed to move @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with a schedule that will be outlined prior to that date .
Restrictions introduced in Moscow on March 29 to slow the spread of the coronavirus included the temporary closure of non-food stores , theaters , restaurants , cafes , fitness centers , beauty salons , recreational sites , parks and other nonessential venues and facilities .
Later , operations of retail facilities selling medical and optical-ophthalmic products , as well as those of companies licensed to provide medical services , were allowed to reopen .
On May 12 , Moscow authorities allowed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ operations .
Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia says public transportation in Georgia , including the subway system in Tbilisi , will resume operations as of May 29 .
Gakharia said on May 27 that passengers taking public transport will be required to wear face masks .
As of June 1 , open-space shops and outdoor restaurants will resume operations , Gakharia said , adding that trips between towns and cities will be allowed as of June 8 .
`` Also , starting June 8 , all other restaurants and hotels that have passed the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have the appropriate permits will resume work , '' he said .
Georgia will resume domestic tourism on June 15 with an eye on opening the country to foreign tourists as of July 1 , he said .
Health authorities in the South Caucasus nation said on May 27 that the total number of officially registered coronavirus cases in the country was 735 , including 12 deaths .
With reporting by TASS , Interfax , and RFE/RL 's Georgian Service

The global death toll from the coronavirus is almost 350,000 with more than 5.4 million infections confirmed, causing mass disruptions as governments continue to try to slow the spread of the new respiratory illness.
Here's a roundup of COVID-19 developments in RFE/RL's broadcast regions.
Russia
Medical institutions in Moscow have begun conducting free tests to gather information on the presence of coronavirus antibodies in the Russian capital's residents.
Deputy Mayor Anastasia Rakova said on May 27 that Muscovites could now register electronically at hospitals close to their homes to get tested for the presence of antibodies.
"The appointments will be made 14 days prior [to the tests].... The test results will be available in three days for everyone online on their electronic medical chart," Rakova said, adding that Moscow's hospitals were capable of collecting 5,000 samples per day.
Rakova's announcement comes after officials said the total number of coronavirus cases in the country had decreased for a second day in a row.
In the last 24 hours, 8,338 new cases of coronavirus infection have been identified, official statistics show, and 11,079 people had recovered from the virus.
Russia has recorded 370,680 cases of the infection, with 3,968 deaths, including 161 in the last 24 hours.
Russia's official statistics have been challenged by some researchers, who say they may be incomplete, inaccurate, and even partially falsified, which the authorities have denied.
Meanwhile, Moscow authorities will reopen all non-food stores, repair shops, laundromats, and dry cleaners as of June 1.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said on May 27 during a conversation with President Vladimir Putin that as of June 1, Moscow residents will be allowed to move about the city without restrictions in accordance with a schedule that will be outlined prior to that date.
Restrictions introduced in Moscow on March 29 to slow the spread of the coronavirus included the temporary closure of non-food stores, theaters, restaurants, cafes, fitness centers, beauty salons, recreational sites, parks and other nonessential venues and facilities.
Later, operations of retail facilities selling medical and optical-ophthalmic products, as well as those of companies licensed to provide medical services, were allowed to reopen.
On May 12, Moscow authorities allowed industrial facilities and construction companies to resume operations.
Georgia
Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia says public transportation in Georgia, including the subway system in Tbilisi, will resume operations as of May 29.
Gakharia said on May 27 that passengers taking public transport will be required to wear face masks.
RFE/RL's Coronavirus Crisis Archive Features and analysis, videos, and infographics explore how the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting the countries in our region.
As of June 1, open-space shops and outdoor restaurants will resume operations, Gakharia said, adding that trips between towns and cities will be allowed as of June 8.
"Also, starting June 8, all other restaurants and hotels that have passed the inspections of the Ministry of Health and have the appropriate permits will resume work," he said.
Georgia will resume domestic tourism on June 15 with an eye on opening the country to foreign tourists as of July 1, he said.
Health authorities in the South Caucasus nation said on May 27 that the total number of officially registered coronavirus cases in the country was 735, including 12 deaths.
With reporting by TASS, Interfax, and RFE/RL's Georgian Service


rferl--2020-05-27--Former Uzbek Military Think-Tank Chief Gets 12 Years In Prison For Treason

TASHKENT -- Rafik Saifulin , the former chief of Uzbekistan 's presidential military think tank , has been sentenced to 12 years in prison after being found guilty of high treason .
A top jurist of the Interior Ministry who took part in the trial , which started behind closed doors in February , told RFE/RL on May 26 that the Military Court of Uzbekistan had found Saifulin guilty of spying for Russia and disclosing state secrets and handed down the sentence a day earlier .
According to the jurist , who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ case , the 61-year-old Saifulin pleaded partially guilty , saying that the materials he had handed over to Russia included analytical information but not classified documents .
In the early 1990s , after the collapse of the Soviet Union , the former KGB operative , who in addition to his native Tatar , speaks Uzbek , Russian , Persian , and Pashtu , worked at Uzbekistan 's State Committee for Prognosis and Statistics .
He later became the head of the presidential Institute for Strategic and Regional Studies .
Many in Uzbekistan say @ @ @ @ @ @ @ once-influential former chief of the National Security Service , Rustam Inoyatov , who was dismissed in 2018 .
Inoyatov , the long-serving security chief under late President Islam Karimov , turned the Security Service into a powerful and feared agency .
In March , the Military Court sentenced retired army Colonel Vladimir Kaloshin to 12 years in prison on high-treason charges .
Sources close to Uzbek law enforcement structures told RFE/RL in February that Kaloshin , Saifullin , and the chief of a directorate of the United Staff of Uzbekistan 's Armed Forces @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on espionage charges .

TASHKENT -- Rafik Saifulin, the former chief of Uzbekistan's presidential military think tank, has been sentenced to 12 years in prison after being found guilty of high treason.
A top jurist of the Interior Ministry who took part in the trial, which started behind closed doors in February, told RFE/RL on May 26 that the Military Court of Uzbekistan had found Saifulin guilty of spying for Russia and disclosing state secrets and handed down the sentence a day earlier.
According to the jurist, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to reveal details of the case, the 61-year-old Saifulin pleaded partially guilty, saying that the materials he had handed over to Russia included analytical information but not classified documents.
In the early 1990s, after the collapse of the Soviet Union, the former KGB operative, who in addition to his native Tatar, speaks Uzbek, Russian, Persian, and Pashtu, worked at Uzbekistan's State Committee for Prognosis and Statistics.
He later became the head of the presidential Institute for Strategic and Regional Studies.
Many in Uzbekistan say Saifullin was a close associate of the once-influential former chief of the National Security Service, Rustam Inoyatov, who was dismissed in 2018.
Inoyatov, the long-serving security chief under late President Islam Karimov, turned the Security Service into a powerful and feared agency.
In March, the Military Court sentenced retired army Colonel Vladimir Kaloshin to 12 years in prison on high-treason charges.
Sources close to Uzbek law enforcement structures told RFE/RL in February that Kaloshin, Saifullin, and the chief of a directorate of the United Staff of Uzbekistan's Armed Forces, Akbar Yarbabaev, went on trial on espionage charges.


rferl--2020-05-27--Russian Fighters Intercept U.S. Aircraft, Risk Midair Collision, U.S. Navy Says

Two Russian Su-35 fighter jets flew in an unsafe and unprofessional manner while intercepting a U.S. Navy P-8A maritime patrol aircraft over international waters in the Eastern Mediterranean , the U.S. Navy has said .
The U.S. Navy 's 6th Fleet said the incident on May 26 lasted around 65 minutes , during which the Russian pilots simultaneously flew on each wing of the P-8A and restricted the aircraft 's ability to maneuver .
`` The unnecessary actions of the Russian Su-35 pilots were inconsistent with good airmanship and international flight rules , and jeopardized the safety of flight of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Italy-based fleet said .
`` Actions like these increase the potential for midair collisions , '' it added .
It was the third time in two months that Russian pilots unsafely intercepted P-8A reconnaissance aircraft over international waters in the Mediterranean .
On April 19 , the U.S. Navy said an Su-35 conducted a maneuver that left only 8 meters separation in front of the P-8A , exposing the U.S. aircraft to wake turbulence and jet exhaust .
In another interception on April 15 , an SU-35 conducted a high-speed inverted maneuver just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In all cases , the U.S. aircraft were operating in international airspace , consistent with international law , with due regard for safety of flight , and did not provoke this Russian activity , '' the U.S. Navy said .

Two Russian Su-35 fighter jets flew in an unsafe and unprofessional manner while intercepting a U.S. Navy P-8A maritime patrol aircraft over international waters in the Eastern Mediterranean, the U.S. Navy has said.
The U.S. Navy's 6th Fleet said the incident on May 26 lasted around 65 minutes, during which the Russian pilots simultaneously flew on each wing of the P-8A and restricted the aircraft's ability to maneuver.
"The unnecessary actions of the Russian Su-35 pilots were inconsistent with good airmanship and international flight rules, and jeopardized the safety of flight of both aircraft," the Naples, Italy-based fleet said.
"Actions like these increase the potential for midair collisions," it added.
It was the third time in two months that Russian pilots unsafely intercepted P-8A reconnaissance aircraft over international waters in the Mediterranean.
On April 19, the U.S. Navy said an Su-35 conducted a maneuver that left only 8 meters separation in front of the P-8A, exposing the U.S. aircraft to wake turbulence and jet exhaust.
In another interception on April 15, an SU-35 conducted a high-speed inverted maneuver just meters from the reconnaissance plane.
"In all cases, the U.S. aircraft were operating in international airspace, consistent with international law, with due regard for safety of flight, and did not provoke this Russian activity," the U.S. Navy said.


rferl--2020-05-28--Bulgarian Prosecutor's Office Drops Graft Probe Into Former Ruling Party Official

The Bulgarian Prosecutor-General ’ s Office has terminated a 14-month investigation into how Tsvetan Tsvetanov , the former deputy chairman of the GERB ruling party , acquired a luxury apartment in the capital , Sofia .
The Prosecutor-General ’ s Office launched the investigation into the real-estate deal , known as Apartmentgate , after a series of RFE/RL reports in March 2019 documented how Tsvetanov obtained a new luxury apartment in Sofia in June 2018 from the Bulgarian construction firm Arteks in a cash-and-property-swap deal .
But more than a year later , the prosecution decided not to start pretrial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clearing Tsvetanov of any wrongdoing , according to a document from the Prosecutor-General ’ s Office , published late on May 27 on the website of the civil movement Fighter .
Despite repeated inquiries by RFE/RL over the past week about the course of the investigation , the Prosecutor-General ’ s Office refused to offer details until Fighter , whose complaint had triggered the investigation , obtained and published the decision .
RFE/RL 's investigation last year found that Tsvetanov , widely considered to be the second most-powerful politician in the country after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Boyko Borisov , received the new apartment from Arteks at a price that was a quarter of its actual market value .
RFE/RL found that Tsvetanov gave Arteks 100,000 euros ( $ 130,000 ) and two apartments in exchange for the luxury flat .
The decree terminating the investigation , dated May 18 , concludes that `` given the failure to establish any factual evidence of a criminal offense within the competence of the SP ( specialized prosecutor 's office ) , the office declines to initiate pretrial proceedings . ''
The ruling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Prosecutor 's Office .
Follow-up reporting by RFE/RL and the Bivol.bg news website revealed that at least three other members of the GERB party , including Justice Minister Tsetska Tsacheva , former Deputy Energy Minister Krasimir Parvanov , and Deputy Sports Minister Vanya Koleva , also purchased luxury apartments in the same area from Arteks at prices that were from 30 percent to more than 50 percent of their market value .
Following the reports , Tsacheva , Parvanov , and Koleva resigned on March 23 , 2019 , but maintained their innocence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his resignation four days later as chairman of GERB ’ s parliamentary group .
Tsvetanov also told journalists that he would give up his parliamentary seat .
On May 30 , Tsvetanov was removed from the leadership of GERB .
But in June , Bulgaria 's Anti-Corruption Commission , whose members had been elected by the GERB ruling coalition , said that a three-month investigation concluded there was no conflict of interest on the part of any officials from the ruling GERB-coalition when GERB lawmakers amended the country 's construction code to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the politicians involved in Apartmentgate bought property from Arteks after GERB deputies in January 2017 had amended Bulgaria 's Construction Code in a way that allowed Arteks to continue building a 34-story luxury apartment tower in Sofia .

The Bulgarian Prosecutor-General’s Office has terminated a 14-month investigation into how Tsvetan Tsvetanov, the former deputy chairman of the GERB ruling party, acquired a luxury apartment in the capital, Sofia.
The Prosecutor-General’s Office launched the investigation into the real-estate deal, known as Apartmentgate, after a series of RFE/RL reports in March 2019 documented how Tsvetanov obtained a new luxury apartment in Sofia in June 2018 from the Bulgarian construction firm Arteks in a cash-and-property-swap deal.
But more than a year later, the prosecution decided not to start pretrial proceedings, thus terminating the investigation and clearing Tsvetanov of any wrongdoing, according to a document from the Prosecutor-General’s Office, published late on May 27 on the website of the civil movement Fighter.
Despite repeated inquiries by RFE/RL over the past week about the course of the investigation, the Prosecutor-General’s Office refused to offer details until Fighter, whose complaint had triggered the investigation, obtained and published the decision.
RFE/RL's investigation last year found that Tsvetanov, widely considered to be the second most-powerful politician in the country after the GERB party leader, Prime Minister Boyko Borisov, received the new apartment from Arteks at a price that was a quarter of its actual market value.
RFE/RL found that Tsvetanov gave Arteks 100,000 euros ($130,000) and two apartments in exchange for the luxury flat.
The decree terminating the investigation, dated May 18, concludes that "given the failure to establish any factual evidence of a criminal offense within the competence of the SP (specialized prosecutor's office), the office declines to initiate pretrial proceedings."
The ruling can be appealed to the Appellate Specialized Prosecutor's Office.
Follow-up reporting by RFE/RL and the Bivol.bg news website revealed that at least three other members of the GERB party, including Justice Minister Tsetska Tsacheva, former Deputy Energy Minister Krasimir Parvanov, and Deputy Sports Minister Vanya Koleva, also purchased luxury apartments in the same area from Arteks at prices that were from 30 percent to more than 50 percent of their market value.
Following the reports, Tsacheva, Parvanov, and Koleva resigned on March 23, 2019, but maintained their innocence, as did Tsvetanov, who announced his resignation four days later as chairman of GERB’s parliamentary group. Tsvetanov also told journalists that he would give up his parliamentary seat.
On May 30, Tsvetanov was removed from the leadership of GERB.
But in June, Bulgaria's Anti-Corruption Commission, whose members had been elected by the GERB ruling coalition, said that a three-month investigation concluded there was no conflict of interest on the part of any officials from the ruling GERB-coalition when GERB lawmakers amended the country's construction code to the benefit of Arteks.
All four of the politicians involved in Apartmentgate bought property from Arteks after GERB deputies in January 2017 had amended Bulgaria's Construction Code in a way that allowed Arteks to continue building a 34-story luxury apartment tower in Sofia.


rferl--2020-05-28--Scientists Warn 'Zombie Fires' In The Arctic May Signal Return Of Massive Blazes

Scientists say they have discovered strong signals of a reigniting of the fires that raged across the Arctic following an unusually warm spring .
The European Union 's Copernicus Atmospheric Monitoring Service ( CAMS ) said on May 27 that the smoldering piles , so-called `` zombie fires , '' were picked up by satellites monitoring emissions from the region and are expected to spread and increase in number as the seasons change .
The risk of wildfires increases with hot weather and low humidity , and Europe in particular has seen record temperatures for March and April this year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Parrington , the CAMS senior scientist and wildfire expert , the hot spots are particularly concentrated in areas that burned last summer -- namely Russia , Greenland , Canada , and the U.S. state of Alaska .
“ We have seen satellite observations of active fires that hint that ‘ zombie ’ fires might have reignited , yet it has not been confirmed by ground measurements , '' he said .
`` The anomalies are quite widespread in areas that were burning last summer .
If this is the case , then under @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a cumulative effect of last year ’ s fire season in the Arctic , which will feed into the upcoming season and could lead to large-scale and long-term fires across the same region once again.
” At one point in August 2019 , a record 5.5 million hectares was ablaze in Russia alone , mostly in Siberia , with smoke clouds covering more than 5 million square kilometers , bigger than the size of the European Union .
Scientists fear that the blazes may trigger a permafrost melt that might cause mass carbon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ destabilization of glaciers , and a rise in the sea level .
Last year ’ s wildfires in the region were unprecedented , releasing an estimated 50 megatons of carbon dioxide in June and 79 megatons of carbon dioxide in July -- equal to the exhaust fumes from 36 million cars .

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


rferl--2020-05-28--Kazakh Parliament's Upper Chamber Approves Bill On 'Parliamentary Opposition'

NUR-SULTAN -- Kazakh parliament 's upper chamber , the Senate , has approved a draft law introducing the concept of an opposition , legislation that has been dubbed in the media as the “ parliamentary opposition ” bill and harshly criticized as misleading by the tightly controlled Central Asian nation 's political opposition .
The bill approved by the Senate on May 28 is expected to get endorsed by President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev .
The bicameral Kazakh parliament consists mainly of members of the president-backed Nur-Otan party led by the former President Nursultan Nazarbaev , and two other parties loyal to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ formalizing the concept of the opposition was proposed by Toqaev in December 2019 at a session of the National Council of Public Confidence , a forum initiated by Toqaev to mediate between the authorities and civil rights activists .
Toqaev was picked by Nazarbaev as his successor last year after suddenly resigning from the post he held for almost 30 years .
Toqaev officially won an election last June -- a vote that was roundly criticized as rigged -- and has tried to position himself as a reformer , pushing forward proposals that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ called populist .
Toqaev 's critics note that there is no prospect for real opposition groups to be allowed to get seats in a parliament dominated by the Nur-Otan party , which Nazarbaev continues to lead and control while also remaining the head of the powerful Security Council and carrying the title of elbasy , or national leader .
The next parliamentary elections are scheduled for 2021 .

NUR-SULTAN -- Kazakh parliament's upper chamber, the Senate, has approved a draft law introducing the concept of an opposition, legislation that has been dubbed in the media as the “parliamentary opposition” bill and harshly criticized as misleading by the tightly controlled Central Asian nation's political opposition.
The bill approved by the Senate on May 28 is expected to get endorsed by President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev.
The bicameral Kazakh parliament consists mainly of members of the president-backed Nur-Otan party led by the former President Nursultan Nazarbaev, and two other parties loyal to the ruling party.
The idea of formalizing the concept of the opposition was proposed by Toqaev in December 2019 at a session of the National Council of Public Confidence, a forum initiated by Toqaev to mediate between the authorities and civil rights activists.
Toqaev was picked by Nazarbaev as his successor last year after suddenly resigning from the post he held for almost 30 years.
Toqaev officially won an election last June -- a vote that was roundly criticized as rigged -- and has tried to position himself as a reformer, pushing forward proposals that many in the former Soviet republic have called populist.
Toqaev's critics note that there is no prospect for real opposition groups to be allowed to get seats in a parliament dominated by the Nur-Otan party, which Nazarbaev continues to lead and control while also remaining the head of the powerful Security Council and carrying the title of elbasy, or national leader.
The next parliamentary elections are scheduled for 2021.


rferl--2020-05-28--Seven Afghan Troops Killed In First 'Taliban Attack' Since End Of Cease-Fire

Seven Afghan soldiers have been killed in an attack in the northern Parwan Province that officials blamed on the Taliban -- the first deadly incident since a three-day cease-fire ended .
Waheeda Shahkar , spokeswoman to the provincial governor , said on May 28 that the militants attacked a checkpoint in Parwan .
`` The Taliban have also suffered casualties , '' Shahkar added .
District police chief Hussain Shah said militants set fire to the checkpoint , killing five security force personnel .
Two more were shot dead .
The Taliban has not immediately claimed the attack -- the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ three-day cease-fire declared by the militants that provided a rare break from the violence ended on May 26 .
The government has called on the militants to extend the cease-fire so long-delayed peace talks could begin .
During the cease-fire , Afghan authorities released some 1,000 Taliban prisoners -- part of a pledge by the government to free up to 2,000 militants in response to the Taliban 's cease-fire move .
A senior member of the Taliban on May 27 told AFP that militants were planning to free about 50 to 100 Afghan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Earlier , a senior Taliban figure was quoted as saying the group is considering an extension of the cease-fire “ if these developments , like the announcement of prisoner releases , continues . ''
The prisoner exchange is part of a February 29 U.S.-Taliban agreement that did not include the Afghan government .
Under a key point of the deal , Washington agreed to reduce its military presence in Afghanistan from about 13,000 to 8,600 by mid-July in a first stage , before a complete withdrawal by May next year .
U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he has not set a target date for a troop withdrawal from Afghanistan , amid speculation he may make ending America ’ s longest war a campaign issue ahead of November ’ s presidential election .
But U.S. and NATO officials speaking on condition of anonymity said U.S. troop strength in Afghanistan is down to nearly 8,600 , well ahead of schedule , in part because of concerns about the spread of the coronavirus .
Trump said there were `` 7,000-some-odd '' U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan , but officials clarified that number was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by Reuters , AFP , AP , and dpa

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


rferl--2020-05-28--U.S. Blacklists Bosnian Politician Over Involvement In 'Significant Corruption’

The U.S. Department of State has blacklisted Amir Zukic , a former member of Bosnia-Herzegovina ’ s lower house of @ @ @ @ @ `` significant corruption ” in the Balkan country .
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said @ @ @ @ @ 28 that as a member of Bosnia ’ s House of Representatives and as the @ @ @ @ @ Muslim party , the Party of Democratic Action ( SDA ) , Zukic was involved @ @ @ @ @ undermined the rule of law ” in the country .
The move means Zukic and @ @ @ @ @ ineligible for entry into the United States .
“ This designation reaffirms U.S. commitment to @ @ @ @ @ Pompeo said , adding that the State Department “ will continue to use these authorities @ @ @ @ @ actors in this region and globally .
”

The U.S. State Department has blacklisted Amir Zukic, a former member of Bosnia-Herzegovina’s lower house of parliament who is accused of involvement in "significant corruption” in the Balkan country.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement on May 28 that as a member of Bosnia’s House of Representatives and as the leader of the largest Bosnian Muslim party, the Party of Democratic Action (SDA), Zukic was involved in “corrupt acts that undermined the rule of law” in the country.
The move means Zukic and his immediate family members are ineligible for entry into the United States.
“This designation reaffirms U.S. commitment to combating corruption” in Bosnia, Pompeo said, adding that the State Department “will continue to use these authorities to promote accountability for corrupt actors in this region and globally.”


rferl--2020-05-28--RSF Calls For Independent Investigation Into Pakistani Journalist’s Killing

Reporters Without Borders ( RSF ) is calling for a special independent team to investigate this week ’ s “ shocking murder ” of a Pakistani journalist , saying there is “ every reason to doubt ” local police claims that it was a so-called honor killing .
The body of Zulfiqar Mandrani , a reporter for the Sindhi-language dailies Kawish and Koshish , was found on May 26 in the town of Dodapur in southeastern Sindh Province with two bullets in the head and marks of torture across his back .
The same day , police in the nearby @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two suspects , who allegedly confessed to killing Mandrani for reasons of “ honor.
” However , the journalist ’ s father filed a complaint with the police on May 28 naming several different suspects , including a police officer , said to be linked to a local drug trafficker , RSF said in a statement .
Mandrani , who had been investigating the activities of this drug trafficker , received death threats from the suspects before his murder , the father was quoted as saying .
“ The initial findings reported by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ everything is being done to ensure that those behind Zulfiqar Mandrani ’ s murder get off scot-free , ” said Daniel Bastard , the head of RSF ’ s Asia-Pacific desk .
“ It is absolutely unacceptable that the death of a journalist who was murdered because of his reporting is being passed off as an honor killing , ” Bastard said , calling on the chief minister of Sindh , Syed Murad Ali Shah , to send an independent team from Karachi to investigate the case .
RSF said the perpetrators of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ justice if they can pass it off as an “ honor killing ” because a village assembly of elders , or panchayat , may then try the case .
Then , the perpetrators could avoid punishment if they obtain the family ’ s forgiveness , by paying financial compensation if necessary , the Paris-based media freedom watchdog added .
Mandrani is the second journalist to be killed in Sindh Province since the beginning of the year .
The body of Aziz Memon , who also worked for Kawish News Network , was found @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mehrabpur with wire tied around his neck in February .
Pakistan is ranked 145th out of 180 countries in RSF 's 2020 World Press Freedom Index .

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) is calling for a special independent team to investigate this week’s “shocking murder” of a Pakistani journalist, saying there is “every reason to doubt” local police claims that it was a so-called honor killing.
The body of Zulfiqar Mandrani, a reporter for the Sindhi-language dailies Kawish and Koshish, was found on May 26 in the town of Dodapur in southeastern Sindh Province with two bullets in the head and marks of torture across his back.
The same day, police in the nearby city of Larkana announced the arrest of two suspects, who allegedly confessed to killing Mandrani for reasons of “honor.”
However, the journalist’s father filed a complaint with the police on May 28 naming several different suspects, including a police officer, said to be linked to a local drug trafficker, RSF said in a statement.
Mandrani, who had been investigating the activities of this drug trafficker, received death threats from the suspects before his murder, the father was quoted as saying.
“The initial findings reported by the local police are clearly unreliable because everything is being done to ensure that those behind Zulfiqar Mandrani’s murder get off scot-free,” said Daniel Bastard, the head of RSF’s Asia-Pacific desk.
“It is absolutely unacceptable that the death of a journalist who was murdered because of his reporting is being passed off as an honor killing,” Bastard said, calling on the chief minister of Sindh, Syed Murad Ali Shah, to send an independent team from Karachi to investigate the case.
RSF said the perpetrators of a murder in Pakistan can escape criminal justice if they can pass it off as an “honor killing” because a village assembly of elders, or panchayat, may then try the case. Then, the perpetrators could avoid punishment if they obtain the family’s forgiveness, by paying financial compensation if necessary, the Paris-based media freedom watchdog added.
Mandrani is the second journalist to be killed in Sindh Province since the beginning of the year.
The body of Aziz Memon, who also worked for Kawish News Network, was found in a canal near his hometown of Mehrabpur with wire tied around his neck in February.
Pakistan is ranked 145th out of 180 countries in RSF's 2020 World Press Freedom Index.


rferl--2020-05-28--Kosovo's President Welcomes Court Ruling On Appointment Of Prime Minister

PRISTINA – Kosovo President Hashim Thaci has welcomed a decision of the Constitutional Court upholding his decree appointing a new prime minister to replace acting Prime Minister Albin Kurti .
Thaci says he is convinced that every step he has taken has been in accordance with the Constitution of Kosovo .
He added in a statement on Facebook on May 28 that Kosovo faces many challenges and therefore no time should be wasted in forming a new government .
`` Political parties and all institutions should show political maturity , respect for Kosovo 's order , law , and institutions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and implement the decisions of the last authority for the interpretation of the Constitution , '' he wrote .
Isa Mustafa , president of the Democratic League of Kosovo ( LDK ) , a party seeking to form the new government , said the court ’ s ruling proves that `` the state and justice '' are working in Kosovo .
Avdullah Hoti , whom Thaci appointed the prime minister-designate of the new government , also welcomed the decision , saying `` it is time for us to unite for the future of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Restoring trust and respecting order “ is our common task and obligation , '' he wrote on Facebook .
U.S. special envoy for Serbia and Kosovo peace negotiations Richard Grenell also reacted to the ruling , urging all parties to respect the court ’ s decision “ to ensure peace and stability — and uphold the integrity of Kosovo ’ s justice system.
” The verdict is expected to trigger mass street protests in support of the leftist-nationalist Vetevendosje ( Self-Determination ) party , which is calling for early general elections .
Ahead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Vetevendosje supporters staged a `` rehearsal '' protest in the center of the capital , Pristina , saying they were practicing to be ready for demonstrations if the court verdict does not go their way .
In keeping with anti-coronavirus measures , the demonstrators observed strict social distancing and wore masks and gloves .
Kurti has not yet reacted to the ruling , but members of his cabinet , including Deputy Prime Minister Haki Abazi and Justice Minister Albulena Haxhiu , commented on Facebook that the ruling is `` scandalous and a blow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and said the `` state has been captured . ''
Thaci on April 30 nominated Hoti of the center-right LDK to replace Kurti as prime minister .
But Kurti ’ s Vetevendosje party argued the decree was unconstitutional and filed a complaint with the Constitutional Court challenging it .
Kurti and his supporters want to hold new parliamentary elections , while their rivals , led by Thaci , claim that the LDK should be given a chance to form a new government first .
The LDK finished second in the October parliamentary elections @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an uneasy coalition .
But Kurti ’ s government collapsed in March after only 50 days in power , losing a no-confidence vote initiated by the LDK , amid disputes over the handling of the coronavirus pandemic and the removal of trade tariffs on Serbian goods .
Kurti has since stayed on in a caretaker capacity .

PRISTINA – Kosovar President Hashim Thaci has welcomed a decision of the Constitutional Court upholding his decree appointing a new prime minister to replace acting Prime Minister Albin Kurti.
Thaci says he is convinced that every step he has taken has been in accordance with the constitution of Kosovo. He added in a statement on Facebook on May 28 that Kosovo faces many challenges and therefore no time should be wasted in forming a new government.
"Political parties and all institutions should show political maturity, respect for Kosovo's order, law, and institutions. They should respect, accept, and implement the decisions of the last authority for the interpretation of the constitution," he wrote.
Kurti called the decision unfair and unacceptable. He said in a Facebook post on May 29 that by backing Thaci's move, the court "unfortunately sided with those who captured the state."
"Our fight against this corrupt group continues together with those who are aware" Kurti wrote, adding, "We will inform the citizens about further political steps in the coming days."
Isa Mustafa, president of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), a party seeking to form the new government, said the court’s ruling proves that "the state and justice" are working in Kosovo.
He said that a vote in parliament on a new government could be held as early as May 30 or June 1.
Avdullah Hoti, whom Thaci appointed the prime minister-designate of the new government, also welcomed the decision, saying, "It is time for us to unite for the future of the state and our citizens."
Restoring trust and respecting order “is our common task and obligation," he wrote on Facebook.
The U.S. special envoy for Serbia and Kosovar peace negotiations, Richard Grenell, also reacted to the ruling, urging all parties to respect the court’s decision “to ensure peace and stability -- and uphold the integrity of Kosovo’s justice system.”
The verdict is expected to trigger mass street protests in support of the leftist-nationalist Vetevendosje (Self-Determination) party, which is calling for early general elections.
Ahead of the court ruling, several thousand Vetevendosje supporters staged a "rehearsal" protest in the center of the capital, Pristina, saying they were practicing to be ready for demonstrations if the court verdict did not go their way.
In keeping with anti-coronavirus measures, the demonstrators observed strict social distancing and wore masks and gloves.
Thaci on April 30 nominated Hoti of the center-right LDK to replace Kurti as prime minister.
But Kurti’s Vetevendosje party argued the decree was unconstitutional and filed a complaint with the Constitutional Court challenging it.
Kurti and his supporters want to hold new parliamentary elections, while their rivals, led by Thaci, claim that the LDK should be given a chance to form a new government first.
The LDK finished second in the October parliamentary elections behind Vetevendosje and the two parties formed an uneasy coalition.
But Kurti’s government collapsed in March after only 50 days in power, losing a no-confidence vote initiated by the LDK, amid disputes over the handling of the coronavirus pandemic and the removal of trade tariffs on Serbian goods.
Kurti has since stayed on in a caretaker capacity.


rferl--2020-05-28--Tajikistan Accuses Kyrgyzstan Of 'Destabilizing' Border Situation After Another Shooting

DUSHANBE -- Tajikistan 's Border Guarding Directorate has accused Kyrgyzstan of `` attempting to destabilize '' the situation at a disputed segment of the border between the two Central Asian nations after fresh clashes in recent days .
The Tajik side said in a statement on May 27 that the latest provocation came as a Kyrgyz man allegedly shot a 25-year-old Tajik woman , who was hospitalized with a gunshot wound .
`` We consider it as an attempt of premeditated destabilization of the situation along the state border that might cause a response by Tajik citizens residing close to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
Officials of the Kyrgyz Border Guarding Service told RFE/RL that Tajikistan 's latest claim about the shooting is being investigated .
Several days earlier , on May 24 , Tajik authorities said a Tajik man suffered a gunshot wound after border guards of the two countries exchanged fire in the same area , while on May 8 , Kyrgyz authorities said another shooting along the border with Tajikistan in Kyrgyzstan 's southern region of Batken left three Kyrgyz border guards injured , one of whom sustained serious wounds and has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tajik authorities said at the time that two Tajik citizens were wounded in the shooting .
The situation along the border has been tense for years , with each nation accusing the other of escalating tensions .
The Tajik-Kyrgyz border was discussed on May 26 at an online session of foreign ministers of member states of the Collective Security Treaty Organization ( CSTO ) , which includes Armenia , Belarus , Kazakhstan , Kyrgyzstan , Russia , and Tajikistan .
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said after the session that his country had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ solve the issue peacefully and offered to mediate a deal between the two countries .
Many segments of borders between former Soviet republics in Central Asia have been disputed since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 and clashes frequently take place .
In the wake of intensified tensions along the Tajik-Kyrgyz borders last July , Kyrgyz President Sooronbai Jeenbekov and Tajik President Emomali Rahmon held meetings in Tajikistan 's city of Isfara and the Kyrgyz city of Cholpon-Ata to discuss the situation , but the tensions have remained .
With reporting @ @ @

DUSHANBE -- Tajikistan's Border Guarding Directorate has accused Kyrgyzstan of "attempting to destabilize" the situation at a disputed segment of the border between the two Central Asian nations after fresh clashes in recent days.
The Tajik side said in a statement on May 27 that the latest provocation came as a Kyrgyz man allegedly shot a 25-year-old Tajik woman, who was hospitalized with a gunshot wound.
"We consider it as an attempt of premeditated destabilization of the situation along the state border that might cause a response by Tajik citizens residing close to the vulnerable area," the statement said.
Officials of the Kyrgyz Border Guarding Service told RFE/RL that Tajikistan's latest claim about the shooting is being investigated.
Several days earlier, on May 24, Tajik authorities said a Tajik man suffered a gunshot wound after border guards of the two countries exchanged fire in the same area, while on May 8, Kyrgyz authorities said another shooting along the border with Tajikistan in Kyrgyzstan's southern region of Batken left three Kyrgyz border guards injured, one of whom sustained serious wounds and has been treated in a hospital since then.
Tajik authorities said at the time that two Tajik citizens were wounded in the shooting.
The situation along the border has been tense for years, with each nation accusing the other of escalating tensions.
The Tajik-Kyrgyz border was discussed on May 26 at an online session of foreign ministers of member states of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), which includes Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and Tajikistan.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said after the session that his country had called on Tajik and Kyrgyz authorities to solve the issue peacefully and offered to mediate a deal between the two countries.
Many segments of borders between former Soviet republics in Central Asia have been disputed since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 and clashes frequently take place.
In the wake of intensified tensions along the Tajik-Kyrgyz borders last July, Kyrgyz President Sooronbai Jeenbekov and Tajik President Emomali Rahmon held meetings in Tajikistan's city of Isfara and the Kyrgyz city of Cholpon-Ata to discuss the situation, but the tensions have remained.
With reporting by Asia Plus


rferl--2020-05-28--Russian Journalist Gets 15 Days In Jail For Violating Protest Laws

MOSCOW -- A Moscow district court has sentenced a prominent Russian journalist to 15 days in jail , while police detained several other journalists who were rallying in his support .
Ilya Azar , a 35-year-old local legislator and journalist for the independent Novaya gazeta newspaper , was sentenced on May 25 after being found guilty of repeatedly violating Russia 's strict protest laws .
According to OVD-Info , an independent website tracking detentions at political protests , six journalists who had gathered at Moscow police headquarters in solidarity with Azar were detained .
They were holding single-person pickets , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reports said .
Those confirmed as being detained by police included Sergei Smirnov , editor in chief of the online news outlet Mediazona , and Tatyana Felgengauer , a journalist with the radio station Ekho Moskvy .
Azar was arrested on May 26 during a one-person protest in support of activist Vladimir Vorontsov , who has worked to expose violations within Russia 's law enforcement agencies .
Vorontsov , a former police officer , was arrested in early May on extortion charges .
He was later accused of also illegally distributing pornography .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ police are seeking to punish him for his activism .
Police said on May 26 that Azar was detained for violating a ban on rallies during Moscow 's citywide lockdown aimed at slowing the spread of the coronavirus .
Azar 's arrest sparked outrage among his supporters , who said it would be dangerous to hold the journalist in jail for two weeks during the coronavirus pandemic .
`` Azar had every right to hold this rally according to law , the constitution , and common sense , '' opposition figure Aleksei Navalny @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` None of these three things exists in Russia right now , '' Navalny added .
Calling Azar ’ s detention a “ cowardly act , ” Amnesty International accused the authorities of “ crushing activism and impinging on human rights to silence critics.
” “ In the midst of a global pandemic , the government is enforcing muzzles instead of protective masks , and solely for its own protection , ” Natalia Zviagina , the London-based watchdog 's Russia director , said in a statement .
“ Not only has Ilya Azar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to peaceful assembly , but he has been thrown into a crowded cell where he , and others like him , are at risk of contracting COVID-19 , '' Zviagina said .
The OSCE representative on freedom of the media , Harlem Desir , said he was `` alarmed '' by the detention of the journalists who were rallying in support of Azar , and called for their immediate release .
With reporting by AFP and Interfax

MOSCOW -- A Moscow district court has sentenced a prominent Russian journalist to 15 days in jail, while police detained several other journalists who were rallying in his support.
Ilya Azar, a 35-year-old local legislator and journalist for the independent Novaya gazeta newspaper, was sentenced on May 25 after being found guilty of repeatedly violating Russia's strict protest laws.
According to OVD-Info, an independent website tracking detentions at political protests, six journalists who had gathered at Moscow police headquarters in solidarity with Azar were detained.
They were holding single-person pickets, which are allowed under Russian law, reports said.
Those confirmed as being detained by police included Sergei Smirnov, editor in chief of the online news outlet Mediazona, and Tatyana Felgengauer, a journalist with the radio station Ekho Moskvy.
Azar was arrested on May 26 during a one-person protest in support of activist Vladimir Vorontsov, who has worked to expose violations within Russia's law enforcement agencies.
Vorontsov, a former police officer, was arrested in early May on extortion charges. He was later accused of also illegally distributing pornography.
Vorontsov has denied the charges, saying police are seeking to punish him for his activism.
Police said on May 26 that Azar was detained for violating a ban on rallies during Moscow's citywide lockdown aimed at slowing the spread of the coronavirus.
Azar's arrest sparked outrage among his supporters, who said it would be dangerous to hold the journalist in jail for two weeks during the coronavirus pandemic.
"Azar had every right to hold this rally according to law, the constitution, and common sense," opposition figure Aleksei Navalny wrote on Twitter on May 28.
"None of these three things exists in Russia right now," Navalny added.
Calling Azar’s detention a “cowardly act,” Amnesty International accused the authorities of “crushing activism and impinging on human rights to silence critics.”
“In the midst of a global pandemic, the government is enforcing muzzles instead of protective masks, and solely for its own protection,” Natalia Zviagina, the London-based watchdog's Russia director, said in a statement.
“Not only has Ilya Azar been arrested simply for exercising his right to peaceful assembly, but he has been thrown into a crowded cell where he, and others like him, are at risk of contracting COVID-19," Zviagina said.
The OSCE representative on freedom of the media, Harlem Desir, said he was "alarmed" by the detention of the journalists who were rallying in support of Azar, and called for their immediate release.
With reporting by AFP and Interfax


rferl--2020-05-28--Prosecutors Close Case In Mysterious Death Of Kazakh Activist

NUR-SULTAN -- Prosecutors in the Kazakh capital , Nur-Sultan , say they have closed the investigation into the mysterious death of a prominent Kazakh civil rights activist who died while in custody , in a case that sparked protests across the Central Asian nation .
The Nur-Sultan City Prosecutor ’ s Office said on May 28 that its investigators and forensic experts had concluded that Dulat Aghadil , a 43-year old father of six , had died of a heart attack in a detention center and that the case had been closed on May 25 .
Aghadil ’ s mother @ @ @ @ @ @ @ made public that Aghadil 's relatives had not been informed about the decision to close the case .
Aghadil died while being held in pretrial detention in Nur-Sultan in late February , just one day after being arrested for failing to comply with a court order to report to local police .
Rallies in Nur-Sultan and several other cities in February and March demanding thorough investigations into Aghadil 's death were sparked after a video emerged on February 28 showing what appeared to be wounds on the dead man 's hands and feet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , back , upper arms , and other areas of the body .
Friends and fellow rights defenders have questioned the official account of Aghadil 's detention that alleged he was intoxicated , saying he did not drink due to a medical condition .
They also say he had no history of heart issues .
Kazakh President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev broke his public silence on Aghadil 's death in an interview on February 29 , saying , `` Given the public outcry , I carefully examined this matter [ and ] I can confidently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ died as a result of heart failure .
To say the opposite is to deny the truth . ''
Aghadil had spent a combined two months in jail since his arrest in August for taking part in unsanctioned rallies and had made headlines with an escape one day before his planned release in November in what he said was a `` protest [ of ] my illegal arrest . ''

NUR-SULTAN -- Prosecutors in the Kazakh capital, Nur-Sultan, say they have closed the investigation into the mysterious death of a prominent Kazakh civil rights activist who died while in custody, in a case that sparked protests across the Central Asian nation.
The Nur-Sultan City Prosecutor’s Office said on May 28 that its investigators and forensic experts had concluded that Dulat Aghadil, a 43-year old father of six, had died of a heart attack in a detention center and that the case had been closed on May 25.
Aghadil’s mother told RFE/RL right after the statement was made public that Aghadil's relatives had not been informed about the decision to close the case.
Aghadil died while being held in pretrial detention in Nur-Sultan in late February, just one day after being arrested for failing to comply with a court order to report to local police.
Rallies in Nur-Sultan and several other cities in February and March demanding thorough investigations into Aghadil's death were sparked after a video emerged on February 28 showing what appeared to be wounds on the dead man's hands and feet and discolored areas scattered across his shoulders, back, upper arms, and other areas of the body.
Friends and fellow rights defenders have questioned the official account of Aghadil's detention that alleged he was intoxicated, saying he did not drink due to a medical condition.
They also say he had no history of heart issues.
Kazakh President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev broke his public silence on Aghadil's death in an interview on February 29, saying, "Given the public outcry, I carefully examined this matter [and] I can confidently say that, unfortunately, activist Aghadil died as a result of heart failure. To say the opposite is to deny the truth."
Aghadil had spent a combined two months in jail since his arrest in August for taking part in unsanctioned rallies and had made headlines with an escape one day before his planned release in November in what he said was a "protest [of] my illegal arrest."


rferl--2020-05-28--Armenia Marks Republic Day Without Public Events Due To Coronavirus

YEREVAN -- Armenia has marked Republic Day without the traditional public events and festive ceremonies due to restrictive measures imposed @ @ @ @ @ the coronavirus .
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian congratulated all Armenian citizens on May 28 , @ @ @ @ @ Armenian Republic was officially established in 1918 .
`` The Republic of Armenia must exist @ @ @ @ @ , Armenia 's flag must fly forever , symbolizing our spirit and pride , our @ @ @ @ @ Pashinian said in a statement .
The First Democratic Republic of Armenia ended after communist @ @ @ @ @ in December 1920 .
Armenia regained its independence after the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991 @ @ @ @ @ Moscow on September 21 each year .

YEREVAN -- Armenia has marked Republic Day without the traditional public events and festive ceremonies due to restrictive measures imposed to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian congratulated all Armenian citizens on May 28, the day when the First Armenian Republic was officially established in 1918.
"The Republic of Armenia must exist on the planet Earth forever, Armenia's flag must fly forever, symbolizing our spirit and pride, our freedom and sovereignty," Pashinian said in a statement.
The First Democratic Republic of Armenia ended after communist forces took over the nation in December 1920.
Armenia regained its independence after the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991 and marks its independence from Moscow on September 21 each year.