themoscowtimes--2020-11-16--Russia Pulls ‘Transgender Ban’ Bill

Russia Pulls ‘Transgender Ban’ Bill

Lawyers , activists and President Vladimir Putin ’ s human rights council have criticized the transgender ban bill , co-authored by Senator Yelena Mizulina , who also spearheaded Russia 's notorious 2013 law banning “ gay propaganda.
” If passed , the bill would have simultaneously banned same-sex marriage and adoption , as well as barred transgender people from legally changing their gender .
A group of conservative lawmakers has pulled for consolidation two overlapping child custody bills , one of which would have also banned transgender people from legally changing their gender , Russian media reported Monday .
Like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ authored by two other senators — and also introduced this summer — would require a court order to seize children from homes that pose a threat to their life or health .
“ Both bills are being withdrawn in order to find a version that all interested parties will accept , if possible , ” Senator Andrei Klishas , who co-authored the second bill , told Interfax .
“ I ’ m confident we ’ ll find this common path , taking into account a large number of proposals , ” Senator Alexander @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s bill , told the RBC news website .
“ We won ’ t have discrepancies , contradictions and disagreements.
” Klishas noted that both pieces of proposed legislation “ caused a lot of controversy and discord among the public.
” Interfax reported earlier Monday that the pro-Kremlin United Russia party , which holds a supermajority in the State Duma , has recommended that Klishas ’ bill be pulled from the floor debate this week .
According to the Znak.com news website , this recommendation followed “ a barrage of criticism from radical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ social media , including from bot accounts .
The outlet cited unnamed sources as speculating that Mizulina may have been behind the online attacks on the rival bill .
Mizulina ’ s bill , according to previous reporting , has received disapproval from the cabinet and the Duma ’ s committee overseeing legislation , in addition to Putin ’ s human rights council .

Lawyers, activists and President Vladimir Putin’s human rights council have criticized the transgender ban bill, co-authored by Senator Yelena Mizulina, who also spearheaded Russia's notorious 2013 law banning “gay propaganda.” If passed, the bill would have simultaneously banned same-sex marriage and adoption, as well as barred transgender people from legally changing their gender.
A group of conservative lawmakers has pulled for consolidation two overlapping child custody bills, one of which would have also banned transgender people from legally changing their gender, Russian media reported Monday.
Like Mizulina's legislation, the second bill authored by two other senators — and also introduced this summer — would require a court order to seize children from homes that pose a threat to their life or health.
“Both bills are being withdrawn in order to find a version that all interested parties will accept, if possible,” Senator Andrei Klishas, who co-authored the second bill, told Interfax.
“I’m confident we’ll find this common path, taking into account a large number of proposals,” Senator Alexander Bashkin, a co-author of Mizulina’s bill, told the RBC news website. “We won’t have discrepancies, contradictions and disagreements.”
Klishas noted that both pieces of proposed legislation “caused a lot of controversy and discord among the public.”
Interfax reported earlier Monday that the pro-Kremlin United Russia party, which holds a supermajority in the State Duma, has recommended that Klishas’ bill be pulled from the floor debate this week.
According to the Znak.com news website, this recommendation followed “a barrage of criticism from radical Orthodox [Christian] activists” on social media, including from bot accounts. The outlet cited unnamed sources as speculating that Mizulina may have been behind the online attacks on the rival bill.
Mizulina’s bill, according to previous reporting, has received disapproval from the cabinet and the Duma’s committee overseeing legislation, in addition to Putin’s human rights council.


themoscowtimes--2020-11-16--In Photos: Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh Burn Down Homes Ahead of Azerbaijan Handover

A Russia-brokered peace deal signed last week has ended six weeks of fierce fighting between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the @ @ @ @ @ but this peace hasn ’ t come without a price .
As part of the @ @ @ @ @ must return the Aghdam , Kalbajar and Lachin districts to Azerbaijan starting on Nov. 20 @ @ @ @ @ of Dec. 1 .
Armenians living in the Kalbajar district , which had been controlled @ @ @ @ @ 1990s Nagorno-Karabakh war , are fleeing and setting fire to their homes rather than hand @ @ @ @ @ Though Kalbajar ’ s departing residents are bound for a difficult journey through the mountainous @ @ @ @ @ with Armenia , most chose to leave few of their belongings behind — and many @ @ @ @ @ to make them unusable for future Azerbaijani residents .
Here are some of the images @ @ @

In Photos: Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh Burn Down Homes Ahead of Azerbaijan Handover
A Russia-brokered peace deal signed last week has ended six weeks of fierce fighting between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh — but this peace hasn’t come without a price.
As part of the deal, Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh must return the Aghdam, Kalbajar and Lachin districts to Azerbaijan starting on Nov. 20, with a completion deadline of Dec. 1.
Armenians living in the Kalbajar district, which had been controlled by Armenian forces since the 1990s Nagorno-Karabakh war, are fleeing and setting fire to their homes rather than hand them over to Azerbaijan.
Though Kalbajar’s departing residents are bound for a difficult journey through the mountainous landscape that connects the region with Armenia, most chose to leave few of their belongings behind — and many set their homes on fire to make them unusable for future Azerbaijani residents.
Here are some of the images from Kalbajar:


themoscowtimes--2020-11-16--After Military Defeat, What's Next for Nagorno-Karabakh?

These districts and four others that Baku captured during the six-week conflict between September 27 and November 9 had been occupied by Armenia since a post-Soviet war in the 1990s .
The districts were not in Nagorno-Karabakh proper but formed a security belt around the region .
As part of the deal , Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh must return the Aghdam , Kalbajar and Lachin districts to Azerbaijan starting on November 20 , with a completion deadline of Dec. 1 .
But despite Armenia ceding swaths of territory and the deployment of a Russian peacekeeping mission , a lasting solution to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has come to an end in the breakaway Nagorno-Karabakh region a week after Armenia agreed to sign a Russian-brokered peace accord sealing its defeat to longtime rival Azerbaijan .
Now tens of thousands of ethnic Armenians who were encouraged to move into the region after the 1990s war are fleeing as Azerbaijanis did some 30 years ago .
AFP journalists have witnessed a mass exodus from the Kalbajar district , whose handover was delayed until November 25 to allow the Armenians time to leave the region .
Many set their homes alight to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
An influx of refugees is expected to result in an economic , social and humanitarian challenge for Armenia , an impoverished country of three million people .
Despite losing swathes of territory , including the strategically vital second-largest town of Shusha , Nagorno-Karabakh will see its existence guaranteed by some 2,000 Russian peacekeepers to be deployed for an initial period of five years .
“ The presence of Russian soldiers in the region will be one of the most important factors in ensuring that a war does not start again , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Russian mission will also guard the strategic Lachin corridor , the sole link between the region and Armenia .
Between 75,000 and 90,000 of the region ’ s 150,000 inhabitants have already fled the fighting , and local authorities have called on residents to return .
The first buses began arriving in Karabakh 's main city Stepanakert at the weekend .
A long-term solution to the Karabakh conflict , which has plagued the South Caucasus since the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991 , is not mooted in the peace @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the mid-1990s , efforts by the co-chairs of the Minsk Group — Russia , France and the United States — have not produced lasting results .
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has adopted a hard stance in victory , backtracking on an earlier promise of autonomy for Nagorno-Karabakh .
“ Karabakh will have no [ autonomous ] status as long as I am president , ” Aliyev has said .
Baku can also count on the unwavering support of Turkey , which after having armed and supported Azerbaijan in the latest war , has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the region .
Ankara will also play a part in the peacekeeping operations , even if its role remains vague .
Aliyev , who sees the Minsk Group members as pro-Armenian , has welcomed a new negotiating format that would include Turkey .
Historically , Yerevan sees Turkey as a foe determined to wipe Armenia off the map and will push to exclude it from any future negotiations on Nagorno-Karabakh .

These districts and four others that Baku captured during the six-week conflict between September 27 and November 9 had been occupied by Armenia since a post-Soviet war in the 1990s. The districts were not in Nagorno-Karabakh proper but formed a security belt around the region.
As part of the deal, Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh must return the Aghdam, Kalbajar and Lachin districts to Azerbaijan starting on November 20, with a completion deadline of Dec. 1.
But despite Armenia ceding swaths of territory and the deployment of a Russian peacekeeping mission, a lasting solution to the decades-long conflict remains elusive.
Fighting has come to an end in the breakaway Nagorno-Karabakh region a week after Armenia agreed to sign a Russian-brokered peace accord sealing its defeat to longtime rival Azerbaijan.
Now tens of thousands of ethnic Armenians who were encouraged to move into the region after the 1990s war are fleeing as Azerbaijanis did some 30 years ago.
AFP journalists have witnessed a mass exodus from the Kalbajar district, whose handover was delayed until November 25 to allow the Armenians time to leave the region.
Many set their homes alight to make them uninhabitable for the incoming Azerbaijanis.
An influx of refugees is expected to result in an economic, social and humanitarian challenge for Armenia, an impoverished country of three million people.
Russian peacekeepers
Despite losing swathes of territory, including the strategically vital second-largest town of Shusha, Nagorno-Karabakh will see its existence guaranteed by some 2,000 Russian peacekeepers to be deployed for an initial period of five years.
“The presence of Russian soldiers in the region will be one of the most important factors in ensuring that a war does not start again,” Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has said.
The Russian mission will also guard the strategic Lachin corridor, the sole link between the region and Armenia.
Between 75,000 and 90,000 of the region’s 150,000 inhabitants have already fled the fighting, and local authorities have called on residents to return.
The first buses began arriving in Karabakh's main city Stepanakert at the weekend.
Elusive lasting solution
A long-term solution to the Karabakh conflict, which has plagued the South Caucasus since the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, is not mooted in the peace accord ending the latest fighting.
Since the mid-1990s, efforts by the co-chairs of the Minsk Group — Russia, France and the United States — have not produced lasting results.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has adopted a hard stance in victory, backtracking on an earlier promise of autonomy for Nagorno-Karabakh.
“Karabakh will have no [autonomous] status as long as I am president,” Aliyev has said.
Baku can also count on the unwavering support of Turkey, which after having armed and supported Azerbaijan in the latest war, has established itself as a key player in the region.
Ankara will also play a part in the peacekeeping operations, even if its role remains vague.
Aliyev, who sees the Minsk Group members as pro-Armenian, has welcomed a new negotiating format that would include Turkey.
Historically, Yerevan sees Turkey as a foe determined to wipe Armenia off the map and will push to exclude it from any future negotiations on Nagorno-Karabakh.


themoscowtimes--2020-11-16--Over 1,000 Belarus Protesters Detained Amid Ongoing Protests

On Nov. 15 , Belarusian security forces detained over 1,200 protesters across the country in the latest weekly demonstration calling @ @ @ @ @ step down and hold a new presidential election .
Security forces also reportedly used tear @ @ @ @ @ the protesters , and 23 journalists were reportedly among those detained .
With Sunday seeing @ @ @ @ @ detained since the protests began in early August , the country 's political crisis appears @ @ @ @

On Nov. 15, Belarusian security forces detained over 1,200 protesters across the country in the latest weekly demonstration calling for President Alexander Lukashenko to step down and hold a new presidential election.
Security forces also reportedly used tear gas and stun grenades on the protesters, and 23 journalists were reportedly among those detained.
With Sunday seeing the highest number of protesters detained since the protests began in early August, the country's political crisis appears set to continue.


themoscowtimes--2020-11-16--Siberian Environmentalist Detained for Poaching World’s Largest Sheep – Reports

The Saylyugemsky National Park on the Russian-Kazakh-Mongolian border , which oversees the protection of the argali and snow leopards , said a group of hunters was caught Saturday and charged with administrative offenses .
A Siberian environmentalist has been detained on suspicion of poaching the world ’ s largest sheep , the argali , media outlets reported Monday .
“ They said they arrived to hunt the ibex , but ecologists and local residents know that they haven ’ t lived on this site ” for the past decade , the park said .
“ The only ungulate recorded here @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the detained individuals as Ermen S. , who it said heads an environmental organization and volunteers at the republic of Altai ’ s protected natural areas .
The Tayga.info news website , citing an unnamed source familiar with the investigation , said Ermen S. ’ s last name is Surkashev and that he is a staffer at the republic 's directorate of protected territories .
A person with that name also heads the republic of Altai ’ s Argut environmental foundation that has won a $ 70,000 presidential grant for preserving the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by poaching .
Security services apprehended Ermen Surkashev with the two others during a hunting tour near the argali habitat in Altai , Tayga.info reported .
Surkashev was detained along with a Moscow businessman and an Altai-based trophy hunting organizer , the national park and Tayga.info reported .
Surkashev maintained that he was wrongfully accused in comments to the Podyom news website .
“ It was a tourist trip , ” he was quoted as saying .
“ What made them think it was argali hunting ?
” The Saylyugemsky National Park estimates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ threatened by overhunting and habitat loss , remained in Russia in 2019 .

The Saylyugemsky National Park on the Russian-Kazakh-Mongolian border, which oversees the protection of the argali and snow leopards, said a group of hunters was caught Saturday and charged with administrative offenses.
A Siberian environmentalist has been detained on suspicion of poaching the world’s largest sheep, the argali, media outlets reported Monday.
“They said they arrived to hunt the ibex, but ecologists and local residents know that they haven’t lived on this site” for the past decade, the park said. “The only ungulate recorded here is the argali.”
It identified one of the detained individuals as Ermen S., who it said heads an environmental organization and volunteers at the republic of Altai’s protected natural areas.
The Tayga.info news website, citing an unnamed source familiar with the investigation, said Ermen S.’s last name is Surkashev and that he is a staffer at the republic's directorate of protected territories. A person with that name also heads the republic of Altai’s Argut environmental foundation that has won a $70,000 presidential grant for preserving the Siberian musk deer, another species threatened by poaching.
Security services apprehended Ermen Surkashev with the two others during a hunting tour near the argali habitat in Altai, Tayga.info reported.
Surkashev was detained along with a Moscow businessman and an Altai-based trophy hunting organizer, the national park and Tayga.info reported.
Surkashev maintained that he was wrongfully accused in comments to the Podyom news website.
“It was a tourist trip,” he was quoted as saying. “What made them think it was argali hunting?”
The Saylyugemsky National Park estimates that only 1,400 argali, which are threatened by overhunting and habitat loss, remained in Russia in 2019.