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Russia Guilty Of Violations, But Not Anti-Yukos Campaign
The court in Strasbourg, France, did not rule on the issue of compensation sought by the former management of Yukos, saying there was no evidence that the tax probes which led to the company's bankruptcy in 2006 were illegal or politically motivated.
Yukos was dismantled after the 2003 arrest of its CEO Mikhail Khodorkovsky, who was later convicted of fraud, tax evasion, and embezzlement in a case his supporters say was aimed at thwarting his political ambitions.
In its September 20 verdict, the European Court of Human Rights faulted Moscow for unfairness in the way it handled the bankruptcy proceedings against Yukos.
The judges in Strasbourg ruled that Russia violated some basic safeguards enshrined in the European Convention on Human Rights, RFE/RL's Russian Service reported. They said the right to a fair trial had been violated because Yukos and its executives had insufficient time to prepare parts of their case before the lower courts.
The Strasbourg-based court also criticized the calculation of "disproportionate" tax debt penalties in the case, and the way Yukos was forced to sell off the firm Yuganskneftegaz.
No Campaign
But the judges rejected the claim that the case against Yukos was politically motivated, saying the proceedings by the Russian courts had "resulted from legitimate actions by the Russian government" to respond to tax evasion by Yukos.
The court also said there was insufficient evidence to support claims that Yukos had been treated differently from other companies in Russia.
Thus, the judges wrote, "there was no indication of any further issues or defects in the proceedings against Yukos" that would support the claim that Russia misused the courts to destroy Yukos and take control of its assets.
Nonetheless, Bruce Misamore, the former chief financial officer for Yukos, told a press conference in New York on September 20 that he was "personally satisfied" with the decision.
He maintained that the ruling had confirmed that Yukos was destroyed by the way tax debt penalties were enforced by Russia:
"It wasn't the tax that caused the company to fail," he said. "It was the inability of Yukos to pay those taxes because of the freezes on all our assets. So that was really a very key part of the whole Yukos story and as a result we are very, very pleased with the rulings that have come out today."
Misamore added that he still expected the court to rule on the plaintiffs' claim for some $100 billion in damages from Moscow as a result of the demise of Yukos -- funds they say would be distributed to former shareholders and other stakeholders.
Piers Gardner, a lawyer representing Yukos, acknowledged that the legal and management team would have "preferred a different conclusion" from the court on the claim of political motivation.
Asked by RFE/RL why the Yukos team was treating today's ruling as a victory, Gardner responded by highlighting issues in which the Strasbourg court had ruled in Yukos' favor.
"There is no question at all that the finding -- of the unfairness of the proceedings whereby the tax liabilities were imposed on Yukos -- is a finding by the European Court that Yukos' rights were violated," he said.
"Similarly, the finding that penalties and fines were imposed on Yukos without a legal foundation is a finding of a violation of [the 1950 European Convention on Human Rights] and naturally it's one of great importance."
'Indisputable Victory'
The judgment is not final. During the next three months, any party involved can request that the case be referred to the Grand Chamber of the Court.
If such a request is made, a panel of five judges would consider whether the case deserved further examination. If the case were accepted, the Grand Chamber's eventual ruling would be the final judgment. But if the referral request were rejected, the September 20 ruling would be considered the final word.
Irina Yasina, an economist and journalist in Moscow who once headed the Yukos-funded educational foundation Open Russia, told RFE/RL that she was surprised by the ruling.
"I am surprised, to be honest, because I thought that anyone who followed the situation understood what was going on here," Yasina said. "But, once again, Europe's respect for the letter of the law played a bad joke -- the law, the taxes, that everything should be just right."
Yasina added that "they don't get our situation at all. They don't understand that any law can be put in quotation marks here" in Russia.
However, prominent Moscow-based lawyer Vladimir Gladyshev, who has testified in several extradition cases involving Yukos managers, told RFE/RL that the decision is the first time the human rights court has taken up a case that considers whether tax laws were used to violate broader rights.
Human rights activists allege that Russian authorities have repeatedly used tax cases to target individuals or seize their holdings.
“In this case the court established a precedent that is important not only for the Yukos case but also for other companies that now can go to court and show that unfair taxing -- unfair application of the tax laws -- could lead to the violation of their private property rights and not only their right to fair legal treatment,” Gladyshev said.
In May, the court in Strasbourg found that Khodorkovsky's rights were violated after his arrest in 2003 but rejected his complaint that the prosecution against him was politically motivated. Khodorkovsky is due to remain in jail until 2016.
The case that was decided on September 20 is not formally related to the case of Khodorkovsky or that of his former business partner who is also serving jail time, Platon Lebedev.
Rights activists and opposition politicians in Russia recently appealed to the U.S. Senate, urging them to blacklist 305 officials in Russia involved in the prosecution of Yukos and Khodorkovsky.
written by Ron Synovitz based on RFE/RL Russian Service reports
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Germany Orders Deportation of Tajik Activist Despite Torture Concerns
An administrative court in Germany has ordered the deportation of Dilmurod Ergashev, a Tajik opposition activist, despite significant concerns about the risk of his detention and torture upon return to Tajikistan.
The ruling, issued on October 28, mandates that Ergashev be deported in early November.
The 40-year-old is a prominent member of Group 24, an opposition movement that is banned in Tajikistan, and part of the Reforms and Development of Tajikistan movement established by exiled dissidents.
His activism has included participating in demonstrations in Berlin, notably during a protest against Tajik President Emomali Rahmon's visit to Germany in September 2023.
Human Rights Watch (HRW) in a statement on October 31 condemned the court decision, saying that returning Ergashev to Tajikistan would violate international law prohibiting "refoulement" -- the practice of returning individuals to countries where they face the risk of torture or cruel, inhumane treatment.
This principle is enshrined in various international treaties to which Germany is a signatory, it said.
Germany has faced criticism for similar actions in the past. In 2023, two Tajik dissidents, Abdullohi Shamsiddin and Bilol Qurbonaliev, were deported to Tajikistan, where they were immediately detained and later sentenced to lengthy prison terms on dubious charges related to attempts to overthrow the constitutional order.
Reports indicate that Shamsiddin has faced mistreatment while incarcerated.
Ergashev has been in Germany since February 2011 and first applied for asylum on political grounds that same year.
Despite several applications, his asylum requests have been consistently rejected.
According to his lawyer, German immigration authorities have expressed doubts about the sincerity of Ergashev's commitment to opposition causes.
The Tajik government is known for its systematic persecution of opposition members, especially those affiliated with banned groups like Group 24.
A recent report by HRW highlighted Tajikistan as a country of major concern regarding transnational repression, noting that the government actively targets critics abroad on charges of extremism and terrorism, leading to severe penalties and mistreatment upon forced return.
Given Ergashev's documented activism and participation in protests, he is seen as a clear target for persecution by the Tajik authorities.
HRW urged the German authorities to immediately suspend Ergashev's deportation and conduct a thorough review of his protection needs, emphasizing that he should not be sent back to a country where he faces a serious risk of torture.
- By RFE/RL
North Korea Says It Backs Russia To 'Victory' In Ukraine
North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui said Pyongyang will stand by Russia until "victory" in Ukraine as Washington predicted North Korean troops in Russia's Kursk region will enter the fight against Kyiv in the coming days.
At a meeting with Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov after arriving in Moscow on November 1, Choe hailed the "very close ties" between the armed and special services of the two countries, and "we will always stand firmly by our Russian comrades until victory day."
After weeks of intelligence reports warning that thousands of North Korean troops were heading to Russia, confirmation that Pyongyang's soldiers are not only on Russian soil but have already been deployed in a western region bordering Ukraine have raised fears of a potential escalation in the war, triggered by Moscow's full-scale invasion of its neighbor in February 2022.
Moscow and Pyongyang have trumpeted their increased defense cooperation since the launch of the invasion, but the Kremlin has neither denied nor directly confirmed the presence of North Korean troops on its soil.
NATO, however, confirmed on October 28 that North Korean troops had been deployed in the country's western Kursk region, where Russian forces are trying to beat back a Ukrainian incursion.
The military alliance's chief, Mark Rutte, said the deployment marked "a significant escalation" of North Korea's involvement in Russia's war against Ukraine, a threat to global security, a violation of international law, and a sign of Russian President Vladimir Putin's "growing desperation."
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on October 31 that while Washington believes North Korean troops have yet deploy into combat against Ukrainian forces, "we would expect that to happen in the coming days."
Blinken reiterated that the troops -- some 8,000 North Korean soldiers are believed to now be in the Kursk region -- would become "legitimate military targets" if they are deployed.
Blinken's comments came the same day that the United States, South Korea, and Japan released a joint statement condemning an ICBM test-launch by Pyongyang as a “flagrant violation” of numerous UN Security Council resolutions.
The timing of the case coincides with a period of strained U.S.-Russia relations, exacerbated by Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine and Western sanctions aimed at weakening Moscow's position.
Prior to his meeting with Choe, Lavrov told the Turkish daily newspaper Hurriyet that "Russophobia" from the U.S. administration had brought Russia and the United States to "the brink of direct military conflict."
Choe said in Moscow that the situation on the Korean Peninsula could become "explosive" at any moment and therefore North Korea needed to strengthen its nuclear arsenal and readiness to deliver a retaliatory nuclear strike if necessary.
Russia Jails Former U.S. Consulate Employee Amid Tense Relations
The Primorye regional court in Russia's Far East on November 1 sentenced Robert Shonov, a former employee of the U.S. Consulate in Vladivostok, to a lengthy prison sentence on charges of "confidential collaboration with a foreign state," which Washington has called baseless.
The court handed Shonov a sentence of four years and 10 months in prison and ordered him to pay a fine of 1 million rubles ($10,280).
After completing his prison sentence, Shonov will have to spend an additional year and four months under parole-like restrictions.
The Federal Security Service (FSB) alleges that from September 2022 until his arrest in spring 2023, Shonov served as an "informant for the U.S. Embassy in Moscow."
His purported activities included collecting information on Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine and mobilization efforts, as well as analyzing their potential impact on public protest activities in the lead-up to the 2024 presidential election.
The U.S. State Department has condemned Shonov's arrest, calling the charges baseless.
Officials emphasize that his post-consulate work was fully compliant with Russian regulations and focused solely on public media sources.
In connection with the case, authorities seized over 400,000 rubles ($4,115) from Shonov, along with an electronic device he allegedly used in the commission of his activities.
Shonov, 62, had previously worked for 25 years at the U.S. Consulate in Vladivostok, which closed in 2020.
Following the closure, he found employment with a company that provided services to the U.S. Embassy in Moscow, operating within the bounds of Russian law.
The charges against him stem from a law enacted in July 2022 that criminalizes "confidential collaboration" with foreign entities.
This legislation carries penalties ranging from three to eight years in prison, and its broad language often encompasses interactions with foreigners perceived as undermining Russian national security, with accusations frequently linked to connections with Ukraine.
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This case occurs against a backdrop of deteriorating relations between Moscow and Washington, which are at their lowest point since the end of the Cold War.
The Kremlin's full-scale invasion of Ukraine has prompted waves of severe sanctions against Russia and much of its leadership, further straining diplomatic ties.
Shonov's conviction underscores the heightened scrutiny faced by former diplomatic staff and the increasingly hostile environment for foreign nationals operating in Russia.
The detention of foreigners is increasingly being seen as politically motivated, with the potential for these individuals to become bargaining chips in future prisoner swaps.
In August, three U.S. citizens were released as part of a major prisoner swap that included RFE/RL journalist Alsu Kurmasheva, Wall Street Journal Evan Gershkovich, and former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan, in exchange for Russian prisoners serving sentences in the United States and Europe.
All three Americans were held on charges Washington had rejected.
Blast Kills 5, Including 4 Children, In Pakistan's Restive Balochistan
A roadside bomb targeting a van that was transporting the police guarding polio vaccination teams killed four children and a police officer in Pakistan's restive Balochistan Province.
Police official Miadad Omrani, told RFE/RL that the explosion occurred near a girls' school in the city of Mastung as a motorized rickshaw that transports children to school was passing by.
Omrani said three police officers were wounded in the blast, which appears to have been triggered by remote control.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Balochistan's chief minister, Sarfraz Bugti, both condemned the attack and vowed to rid the country of militants.
No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack. The mineral-rich southern province has been marred by a spate of deadly attacks on security forces and civilians in recent months.
Baluch separatist groups, such as the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), designated as a global terrorist organization by the United States, are engaged in fighting against the Pakistani government.
On October 29, armed men attacked a construction site in Balochistan's Panjgur area, killing five builders who were working on a dam near the border with Iran. The BLA claimed responsibility for the attack.
On October 24, four people were wounded in a blast in the region's Kala Saifullah area.
On October 11, 20 coal miners were killed in the Duki district in an attack that also went unclaimed by any group.
Baluch separatists have been active in Pakistan's Balochistan for years and they demand the province's independence and what they say would be a fair share of the region's mineral revenues.
Pakistani Army and paramilitary forces have been stationed in Balochistan for almost two decades and have continued to carry out operations against armed groups there.
The separatists have claimed responsibility for attacks on Pakistani security forces, government officials, and on Chinese workers who are in Pakistan working on China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects.
China is conducting numerous projects in Pakistan under the umbrella of the CPEC.
The $60 billion initiative encompasses a wide range of development and infrastructure projects.
At Least 2 Dead In Fresh Russian Attacks On Ukraine's Kherson, Kharkiv
At least two Ukrainians were killed and 18 wounded in Russian shelling and drone strikes as President Volodymyr Zelenskiy thanked his embattled people for their solidarity in the face of Moscow's relentless pummeling of civilian areas at the onset of the third winter of war devastating their country.
One person was killed, 13 were wounded, and several houses and a school were destroyed in the southern region of Kherson, where Russian forces shelled 19 settlements, towns, and cities over the past 24 hours, regional Governor Oleksandr Prokudin reported on November 1.
Russian forces have been regularly attacking the part of the Kherson region that was recaptured by Ukrainian forces, bombarding it from across the Dnieper River, where they retreated in November 2022 in the face of the Ukrainian advance.
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In the northeastern region of Kharkiv, one 75-year-old man was killed and three people were wounded by Russian shelling in the town of Derhachi, just north of Kharkiv city, said regional Governor Oleh Synyehubov.
Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city, located only about 35 kilometers from the Russian border, has been struck regularly by Russian drones and missiles recently.
Zelenskiy took to social media to thank Ukrainians and especially emergency workers and first responders for their unity and spirit of sacrifice.
"After Russian strikes and shelling, and amid the emergency and critical situations the enemy creates against our country, our people can always count on help, no matter the circumstances," Zelenskiy wrote on X.
"I am grateful to each and every one of you who arrive at the scene after Russian attacks in all our regions, clear the rubble, extinguish fires, provide first aid, and -- above all -- ensure the rescue of our people.
The State Emergency Service, police, medical professionals, volunteers, and everyone involved in saving lives -- Ukraine is proud of you," Zelenskiy wrote.
In the Black Sea port of Odesa, a Russian missile struck a fire station, wounding two firefighters, regional Governor Oleh Kiper reported.
Meanwhile, Ukraine's air force said its defenses shot down 31 Russian drones and one missile over nine regions -- Kirovohrad, Kyiv, Cherkasy, Vinnytsya, Zhytomyr, Khmelnytskiy, Sumy, Chernihiv and Poltava.
In Russia, the Defense Ministry said its defenses shot down 83 Ukrainian drones over six regions early on November 1.
"36 drones were shot down over the Kursk region, 20 over the Bryansk region, 12 over Crimea, eight over the Voronezh region, four over the Oryol region, and three over the Belgorod region," the ministry said in a statement on its Telegram channel.
Separately, Aleksandr Bogomaz, the governor of Bryansk, said one person was wounded when a Ukrainian drone crashed into an apartment building in the city of Bryansk.
In the Stavropol region, a drone fell on an oil depot in the city of Svetlograd, regional Governor Vladimir Vladimirov said on Telegram.
After suffering numerous attacks on its civilian and energy infrastructure, Ukraine has in recent months in turn started striking Russian targets -- mainly fuel and oil depots used by the military -- with its own drones.
Germany To Close 3 Iranian Consulates Over Execution Of Dual Citizen
Germany will shut all three Iranian consulates in Germany in reaction to the execution of dual German-Iranian citizen Jamshid Sharmahd, Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said on October 31.
"We have repeatedly made it clear that the execution of a German citizen will have serious consequences," Baerbock said in New York. "I have therefore decided to close the three Iranian consulates-general in Frankfurt am Main, Munich, and Hamburg."
Baerbock added that relations with Iran have reached “more than a low point” following the execution of Sharmahd, which was announced by Tehran on October 28.
Germany had already recalled its ambassador for consultations and summoned the Iranian charge d'affaires to voice Berlin's protest.
Baerbock said the execution of Sharmahd shows the Iranian "regime of injustice" continues to act brutally.
The 32 employees at the three consulates must leave the country unless they have German citizenship. The embassy in Berlin is not affected by the order.
Iran summoned Germany's charge d'affaires in Tehran to protest Germany's "unjust" decision, state media reported on October 31.
Iranian state media said Sharmahd was put to death after he was convicted of carrying out terrorist attacks.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said that having a German passport does not give anyone immunity.
German Chancellor Olaf Schultz joined Baerbock in strongly condemning the execution of Sharmahd, calling it a "scandal" for the Iranian government.
Deputy Special Envoy Abram Paley of the U.S. Office of the Special Envoy for Iran welcomed Germany’s decision to close the three Iranian consulates.
“We stand united with the international community in holding the regime accountable,” he said on X, calling the execution of Sharmahd “unjust.”
EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell also strongly condemned the execution of Sharmahd and said the European Union is considering taking measures in response.
Sharmahd, 69, was accused by Iran of heading a pro-monarchist group that Tehran believes was behind a deadly 2008 bombing and of planning other attacks in the country.
Fourteen Iranians were killed and 210 others wounded in the attack at the Sayyid al-Shuhada Husseiniya mosque in Shiraz during a ceremony to mourn the death of Imam Hussein, the third imam of Shi'a Muslims.
Iran's Intelligence Ministry accused Sharmahd of planning the bombing, a charge his family dismissed as "ridiculous."
With reporting by dpa and Reuters
Belarusian Activist Andrey Hnyot Freed By Serbia
Belarusian activist and journalist Andrey Hnyot (aka Andrew Gnyot) has been freed from house arrest in Serbia and allowed to leave for an unspecified European country, his lawyers told RFE/RL on October 31.
"Today, after one year of desperate struggle -- seven months and six days in prison and five months under house arrest -- Belarusian journalist, director, and political activist Andrey Hnyot was evacuated from Serbia to the European Union," Maryya Kolesava-Hudzilina told RFE/RL.
The Crisis In Belarus
Read our coverage as Belarusian strongman Alyaksandr Lukashenka continues his brutal crackdown on NGOs, activists, and independent media following the August 2020 presidential election.
Hnyot’s Belgrade-based lawyer, Filip Sofijanic, confirmed to RFE/RL that the Higher Court in Belgrade lifted Hnyot’s detention on October 31 after the one-year legal deadline expired.
"They could have imposed another measure, for instance, requiring him to report to the police, but they did not do so," said Sofijanic said.
Hnyot told RFE/RL he was “immensely grateful” to his lawyers and the rest of his legal team and to Belarusian opposition politician Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya and her international team.
He also thanked self-exiled Belarusian opposition politician Paval Latushka for helping to monitor and publicize his case. In addition he expressed gratitude to civic and human rights organizations, media outlets, journalists, friends, loved ones, athletes, colleagues in the film industry, and “the thousands upon thousands of caring people who fought for my life."
"My story is like a Hollywood movie,” he told RFE/RL. “I have so much to tell! I just need a little time to get used to the freedom and safety I have been without for so long. In the coming days, I’ll be inviting everyone to a press conference. Long live Belarus!"
Hnyot’s release brings an end to an ordeal that began when he was arrested at Belgrade's airport in late October 2023 on an Interpol warrant issued by Belarus. The arrest warrant accused Hnyot of tax evasion, a charge he denies. He was transferred from a Belgrade prison to house arrest in June.
Since last month, when the Belgrade Court of Appeals overturned the decision to extradite him to Belarus, he had been awaiting Serbia's final decision on his extradition.
The European Parliament last month passed a resolution on political prisoners in Belarus that called on Serbia not to extradite Hnyot, who feared being tortured in a Belarusian prison if he had been returned to his native country.
Hnyot said then that the accusations against him were part of the Belarusian regime’s “horrific repression against political dissidents, journalists, and activists.”
He is one of hundreds of thousands of Belarusian citizens who took part in mass demonstrations in 2020 challenging the victory claimed by authoritarian leader Alyaksandr Lukashenka that gave him a sixth consecutive term.
There are more than 1,500 political prisoners in Belarusian prisons. Among them are journalists, human rights activists, and politicians.
Western countries do not recognize the results of those elections, and the European Union imposed sanctions on Minsk over the repression of participants in the demonstrations
- By RFE/RL
U.S. Says 8,000 North Korean Troops Ready For Combat In Kursk Region
The United States said on October 31 that it has information that some 8,000 North Korean soldiers are now in Russia’s Kursk region near the border with Ukraine, and Russia "fully intends" to deploy them in combat against Ukrainian troops.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken told a briefing at the State Department that the United State expects the troops to be sent to the front in the coming days. Blinken reiterated that they would become "legitimate military targets" if they are deployed.
The deployment was at the top of the agenda as Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin hosted talks with South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul and Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun.
Russia has been training the North Korean troops on artillery, drones, and basic infantry operation, including trench-clearing, "indicating they fully intend to use these forces in frontline operations," Blinken said at the briefing.
"One of the reasons that Russia is turning to these North Korean troops is that it's desperate. [Russian President Vladimir] Putin has been throwing more and more Russians into a meat grinder of his own making in Ukraine," Blinken said.
Now, Blinken said, Putin is turning to North Korean troops, "and that is a clear sign of weakness."
He added that Russia has been suffering some 1,200 casualties a day in eastern Ukraine, more than at any other time during the war.
The meeting that he and Austin held with their South Korean counterparts showed that the United States is focusing increasingly "on the indivisibility of the security" that exists between the United States and its allies in the Indo-Pacific, Blinken said.
Austin called the deployment of North Korean troops and Pyongyang's test-firing of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) early on October 31 "reckless developments." North Korea announced early in the day that it had test-fired one of its newest and most powerful missiles to boost its nuclear deterrent.
The United States, South Korea, and Japan earlier on October 31 released a joint statement condemning the ICBM test-launch as a “flagrant violation” of numerous UN Security Council resolutions.
“We strongly urge [North Korea] to immediately cease its series of provocative and destabilizing actions that threaten peace and security on the Korean Peninsula and beyond,” they said.
In response to the test-launch, the United States will work to increase the interoperability of U.S. and South Korean forces, strengthen deterrence, and deepen nuclear and strategic planning efforts through the Nuclear Consultative Group, Austin said. The United States also will increase its regular deployment of U.S. strategic assets on the Korean Peninsula, he added.
The deployment of the North Korean troops to Russia has fueled concerns that it will further destabilize the Asia-Pacific region and broaden Moscow's war on Ukraine. South Korea has raised questions about what new military technologies North Korea might get from Russia in exchange for supplying troops.
There is a “high possibility” that North Korea will ask for advanced technologies from Russia in exchange for its troops, Kim said.
Russia has had to shift some resources to the Kursk border region to respond to a Ukrainian incursion launched in August, and its forces have struggled to push back the Ukrainian troops.
The United States has estimated there are about 10,000 North Korean troops in Russia now. Seoul and its allies assess that the number has increased to 11,000, while Ukraine has put the figure higher, at up to 12,000. Neither Moscow nor Pyongyang have directly acknowledged the deployment.
The United States challenged Russia at the United Nations on October 31 on the developments, with Deputy U.S. Ambassador Robert Wood demanding an explanation from Russian Ambassador to the UN Vassily Nebenzya about the presence of the 8,000 troops in Kursk.
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"I have a very respectful question for my Russian colleague: Does Russia still maintain that there are no [North Korean] troops in Russia?" Wood asked.
Nebenzya had no response, but at a Security Council meeting on October 30 he brushed off the reports about North Korean troops as "mere assertions" and questioned why Russia's allies like North Korea could not help Moscow in its war against Ukraine when Western countries claim the right to help Kyiv.
Nebenzya also said that any Russian interaction with North Korea would be "in line with international law."
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said he believes if there is no reaction to the deployment of North Korean troops, Russia will bring more of them into the conflict.
"When the West and various partners did not react to Putin's occupation of our Crimean Peninsula 10 years ago, there were no loud steps, [only] very quiet statements," Zelenskiy said.
Putin followed by launching the full-scale invasion. It is the same pattern with the North Korean troops, Zelenskiy said.
"Putin is checking the reaction of the West," he said.
- By Current Time
Finnish Prosecutor Charges Russian Ultranationalist Leader With War Crimes
The Finnish Prosecutor-General's Office has charged Voislav Torden, also known as Yan Petrovsky, a Russian ultranationalist and former commander of the Rusich sabotage group, with war crimes committed in Ukraine in 2014.
According to Finnish broadcaster Yle, Torden faces five counts stemming from his involvement with Rusich, which fought against Ukrainian forces in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
Deputy Prosecutor-General Jukka Rappe said Torden and his group are linked to the deaths of 22 Ukrainian soldiers and the injury of four others. He is accused of violating the laws of war and committing acts of cruelty against both injured and deceased enemy combatants, according to the indictment as cited by Yle.
Born Yan Petrovsky in 1987 in St. Petersburg, Torden relocated to Oslo in 2004 with his mother. He then regularly visited Russia, where he met former paratrooper and nationalist Aleksandr Milchakov. In 2014, they traveled to Ukraine’s Donbas region to support Russia-backed separatists in their fight against Ukrainian forces.
In September 2014, Rusich ambushed a column of the Ukrainian battalion Aidar near Shchastya, with Milchakov later boasting about photographing himself with the bodies of slain Ukrainian soldiers, while members of Rusich reportedly mutilated some remains.
In 2016, Torden was deported from Norway to Russia, where he changed his name from Yan Petrovsky to Voislav Torden. He entered Finland in 2023 as a family member of his wife, who received a study permit. Torden was detained on July 20, 2023, at Helsinki Airport while attempting to board a flight to Nice, France.
Following his arrest, Ukrainian authorities sought his extradition, but Finland's Supreme Court denied the request, citing concerns over conditions in Ukrainian prisons and the potential for Torden to face humiliation in custody. Ukraine has charged him with war crimes from the 2014-15 conflict, and he was sanctioned by the United States in 2022 for extreme cruelty during combat in the Kharkiv region.
The specifics of his activities in Ukraine during that time remain unclear.
With reporting by Yle
Hungary's Foreign Minister Critiques EU Sanctions During Minsk Visit
During a security forum in Minsk, Hungary's Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto sharply criticized EU sanctions against Belarus and Russia, advocating for dialogue over isolation. The October 31 visit represents a rare engagement with Belarus under the authoritarian rule of Alyaksandr Lukashenka, particularly following the regime's harsh crackdown on dissent after the disputed 2020 presidential election. Szijjarto firmly opposed the sanctions targeting Russia for its ongoing invasion of Ukraine and sanctions against Belarus for its repression of opposition and support for Moscow. "We do not accept any restrictions on whom we cooperate with. We dislike sanctions politics," he said. Opening his address in Russian, Szijjarto signaled his intent to engage directly with the local audience, stating, "It is a great honor for me to be back in Minsk" and expressing hope that discussions during his visit would avoid a backlash from Brussels. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Belarus Service, click here.
Constitutional Court Validates Moldova's 'Yes' On EU Referendum
CHISINAU -- Moldova's Constitutional Court on October 31 validated the result of the country's October 26 referendum on integration into the European Union.
The court affirmed previously announced results that the referendum passed with 50.38 percent of the vote in favor of Moldova pursuing EU membership, a wafer-thin margin of less than 1 percent.
While the referendum has no legal impact on Moldova's negotiations with Brussels, the very narrow approval margin came as a surprise to many observers who had expected a more decisive vote in favor of the former Soviet republic's path toward Euro-Atlantic integration.
Pro-EU President Maia Sandu said that the balloting came under an "unprecedented" assault from "criminal groups" that she said tried to buy as many as 300,000 votes with tens of millions of euros in an attempt to "undermine the democratic process."
Sandu, who during her first four-year term steered Moldova away from Russia's long-standing influence, won the first round of her reelection vote held on the same day as the referendum with a little over 42 percent, not enough to avoid a runoff vote scheduled for November 3.
Under Sandu's government, Moldova secured EU candidate status in 2022 and opened accession talks with the bloc earlier this year after siding with Ukraine following Russia's unprovoked invasion, in a radical U-turn toward the West and away from Moscow's decades-long influence.
She will face Moscow-backed former Prosecutor-General Alexandr Stoianoglo, who has been facing accusations of corruption and garnered a little more than 26 percent in the first round.
Russia, which was accused by Western officials of election interference ahead of the vote, has rejected the accusations, with Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova claiming that the final results of both the presidential election and the referendum were "rigged" in Sandu's favor.
Serbian, Montenegrin Firms Hit With U.S. Sanctions For Supporting Russia's War In Ukraine
The United States slapped sanctions on Serbian company Ventrade and the Montenegro-based International Business Corporation Bar (IBC) for exporting to Russia dual-use goods that can be used in the defense industry. The U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) said in a statement that Ventrade sold military-grade radios to Russia while IBC transferred machining equipment and ball bearings to Russian companies including one that is under U.S. sanctions. Trading data shows Ventrade, established in April 2022, shortly after the start of Russia's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, exported $570,000 worth of radios to Russia from September 2020 to June 2023 through Germany, Malaysia, Austria, China, and Mexico. IBC has been owned by Montenegro-based Russian national Sergei Kokorev since 2021 and has seen its profits skyrocket to some $1 million in 2023. Five other Serbian firms -- MCI Trading, Kominvex, Goodforwarding, Soha Info, and TR Industries -- have already been placed under sanctions by OFAC for doing business with Russia. To read the original stories by RFE/RL's Balkan Service, click here and here.
Zelenskiy Dismisses Prosecutor-General Amid Draft-Dodging Scandal
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy officially dismissed Prosecutor-General Andriy Kostin following investigations revealing numerous government officials allegedly evaded military service by falsely claiming disability benefits.
Zelenskiy signed the decree on October 31 after the Verkhovna Rada voted overwhelmingly in favor of Kostin’s dismissal two days earlier.
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Kostin had previously said he would step down to take political responsibility amid the ongoing investigations into corruption and systemic loopholes exploited to obtain draft deferrals.
Recent investigations showed several public prosecutors in Ukraine's western Khmelnytskiy region had improperly obtained disability permits, allowing them to receive special benefits while avoiding military service.
The scandal has sparked a public outcry and triggered a broader, countrywide inquiry as Ukraine struggles to repel Russian forces that began pouring across the border in February 2022 in a full-scale invasion.
In the wake of Kostin's resignation, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal announced the dismissal of several other senior officials linked to the scandal, including those overseeing the central commission responsible for assessing fitness for service and Health Ministry officials involved in coordinating local commissions.
As Ukraine continues to face a challenging military situation, with troop numbers significantly reduced by the fighting, the issue of mobilization has become an extremely sensitive topic.
Military recruiters have increasingly appeared at public events to ensure compliance with controversial mobilization laws adopted earlier this year.
Inmates To Infantry: Ukrainian Convicts Answer Kyiv's Call To Arms
Zelenskiy has repeatedly acknowledged the "very, very difficult" circumstances facing the military, while attempting to maintain national unity amid the war that has disproportionately affected different regions of the country.
2 Arrested As Georgian Authorities Open 47 Election Fraud Cases
Georgian authorities say they have opened 47 cases of alleged election fraud and arrested two people accused of stuffing ballot boxes during the October 26 election as part of an investigation into accusations of widespread irregularities during the vote that prompted criticism from Georgia's Western partners that the Caucasus country was backsliding on democracy.
The Prosecutor's Office said the cases were opened in connection with "falsifying the election, influencing voters' will, violating ballot secrecy, obstructing of journalistic activities, violence and threats, damage and destruction of property."
The Interior Ministry said one of those arrested was Rovshan Iskandarov, 40, the deputy chairman of the city council of Marneuli, a city in southern Georgia where irregularities were reported at a polling station during the vote, prompting the suspension of the vote and the invalidation of all the ballots cast.
The other person's complete identity was not revealed, authorities naming him just as E.I., born in 1990.
During the vote, an RFE/RL correspondent reported an incident at a voting station in Marneuli where a member of an opposition party was allegedly beaten up by a representative of the ruling Georgian Dream party amid reports of ballot-stuffing.
Russian-friendly Georgian Dream, which has been in power since 2012, claimed victory, with preliminary official results showing that it garnered nearly 54 percent of the vote.
The opposition and pro-European president, Salome Zurabishvili, refused to recognize the validity of the results, alleging massive fraud and Russian interference.
The European Union, NATO, and the United States have demanded a full investigation into reports of vote-buying, voter intimidation, and ballot stuffing raised by monitors from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and other election monitors.
Zurabishvili has called on the West to pressure the ruling Georgian Dream party to reexamine the results of the election, which was seen as a crucial test of Georgia's democratic credentials.
The Prosecutor-General's Office summoned Zurabishvili before prosecutors on October 31 as part of the investigation.
"President Salome Zurabishvili must have evidence of possible falsification of the 2024 parliamentary elections, in connection with which, in accordance with the procedure established by law, [she] was invited for questioning on October 31," the prosecution said in a statement.
Zurabishvili refused to comply with the summons, saying at a news conference on October 30 that prosecutors should focus on their duties rather than engaging in a political vendetta.
"I would advise the prosecutor's office to start its work and avoid political retribution against the president. Moreover, our partners are watching whether the prosecutor's office can be independent and impartial," Zurabishvili said.
The U.S. State Department on October 30 reiterated President Joe Biden's call for a thorough investigation of the alleged irregularities and warned that Washington's relationship with the current government of Georgia was being reconsidered.
"We have already suspended $95 million in assistance to the government of Georgia and other assistance that we provide remains under review," State Department spokesman Matthew Miller told a news briefing in Washington.
Zelenskiy Again Calls For West To OK Strikes Inside Russia After Deadly Kharkiv Bombing
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has reiterated his call on Ukraine's allies to allow Ukraine to use advanced Western weapons to hit deeper inside Russia in the aftermath of a Russian strike on Kharkiv that left three people dead and at least 36 wounded.
Two boys, aged 11 and 15, were among the dead, authorities reported.
Russian forces reportedly used an FAB-500 guided aerial bomb to strike the nine-story apartment building in Ukraine's second-largest city. Guided aerial bombs are powerful weapons that Russia has been increasingly using to hit civilian targets inside Ukraine.
"Tragically, there are casualties, including children, and more people may still be trapped under the rubble," Zelenskiy wrote in a message on X together with a video of the burning site of the attack.
WATCH: Russia struck a residential building in Kharkiv early on October 31, killing three people. Two boys, aged 11 and 15, were among the dead. RFE/RL spoke with the aunt of one of the victims.
Kharkiv Governor Oleh Synyehubov said separately that the fourth floor of the building in the city's Saltiv district had been hit, starting a fire. Parts of the city went dark after the strike, according to reports.
The strike on Kharkiv was the third one this week. At least four other people were killed in the previous two strikes on the city center and the Osnovyanskiy district that used guided aerial bombs and missiles.
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"Partners see what happens every day," Zelenskiy wrote, adding, "in these circumstances, every delayed decision on their part means dozens or even hundreds more Russian bombs used against Ukraine."
"Their decisions are the lives of our people," Zelenskiy added.
Ukraine has long asked its partners to give it permission to use long-range missile systems such as British Storm Shadow long-range cruise missiles or U.S. long-range ATACMS (Army Tactical Missile Systems) to strike military targets deeper inside Russian territory in order to diminish Moscow's capacity to hit Ukraine's civilian and energy infrastructure.
However, the United States, Britain, and other Western countries have so far refused to budge, arguing that such permission would lead to an escalation of the conflict.
Guided Bomb Attack On Kharkiv Ignites Fire In Residential Building
Russian guided bombs targeted a multistory residential building in Kharkiv late on October 30, Mayor Ihor Terekhov said.
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"Preliminarily, we have information about a guided aerial bomb hitting a high-rise building. There are casualties," he said on Telegram.
Kharkiv Governor Oleh Synyehubov said preliminary data indicates that the building hit was in the Saltiv district of the city. The fourth floor of the building was hit, triggering a fire, he said, confirming that there are victims, including some underneath rubble.
After the explosion the lights went out in a part of Kharkiv, according to reports on social media.
Earlier on October 30, Russian troops launched a massive missile attack on the Odesa region, said Oleh Kiper, head of the regional military administration.
"The enemy fired about 10 rockets of various types in the Odesa region,” he said on Telegram.
Guided bombs and ballistic missiles were used, according to Telegram channels monitoring the situation.
There was also an attack on the city of Dnipro, said Serhiy Lysak, head of the regional military administration.
"Restless evening in Dnipro. As a result of an enemy attack in the city, a 14-year-old boy was injured," he wrote on Telegram, saying the injury was to the boy’s leg and he was being treated on an outpatient basis.
Before the attack, the Ukrainian Air Force warned about drones launched by Russian forces in the Dnipropetrovsk region.
- By RFE/RL
Russia's Deployment Of North Korean Troops 'Dangerous And Destabilizing,' Austin Says
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has called the deployment of North Korean troops by Russia to aid its war against Ukraine a "dangerous and destabilizing escalation" and said it could lengthen the conflict.
Speaking during a news conference at the Pentagon alongside his South Korean counterpart on October 30, Austin said some 10,000 North Korean forces were already deployed to eastern Russia. Some of the troops are moving to the Kursk region wearing Russian uniforms and carrying Russian equipment. Other North Korean units have already arrived in the Kursk region.
Ukrainian forces staged a major incursion into the region in August and they continue to hold hundreds of square kilometers of territory there.
The deployment of the North Korean troops not only has the potential of lengthening the conflict, it could also encourage others to take action.
“There are a number of things that could happen," Austin said.
He added that “the likelihood is pretty high” that Russia will use the North Korean troops in combat.
Austin reiterated that the North Korean troops can expect to be targeted on the battlefield by Ukrainian troops using weapons provided by the United States and its allies, and some will likely die.
"If they are fighting alongside of Russian soldiers, they are co-belligerents, and we have every reason to believe that...they will be killed and wounded as a result of that," Austin said.
The United States is taking the situation very seriously, and urges the Kremlin to change course.
Moscow's ambassador to the United Nations told the Security Council in New York on October 30 that Russia's military interaction with North Korea does not violate international law and is "not aimed against third countries."
Vasily Nebenzya also denied reports that North Korean troops were present at the front line in the war.
"These statements about the North Korean soldiers in our front should not surprise anyone because they're all barefaced lies," Nebenzya told the council, accusing Washington and London of "disinformation."
South Korea has warned that Pyongyang would learn valuable lessons from its troops and witness modern warfare by helping Russia, and this would constitute a direct military threat to Seoul.
South Korean Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun said at the news conference with Austin that he doesn't necessarily believe the deployment would trigger war on the Korean Peninsula, but could increase security threats because North Korea is likely to seek Russian military technology in exchange for the deployment. This could include tactical nuclear weapons and intercontinental ballistic missile technology.
Meanwhile, North Korea's top diplomat arrived in Moscow for talks that South Korea's spy agency said could involve discussions on sending additional troops and what the North would get in return.
With reporting by Reuters and AP
Soviet Terror Victims Commemorated In Russia Amid Challenging Political Climate
Russia approached the Day of Remembrance of Victims of Political Repression on October 30, amid a troubling landscape marked by a mix of solemn commemorations and unsettling governmental shifts.
On October 30, St. Petersburg and numerous towns across Russia -- including regions in Siberia and the Far East where a major part of the Soviet Gulag system was once located -- actively participated in the memorial event known as the Returning the Names on October 30. However, recent actions by the state raise significant concerns about the future of historical accountability for Soviet-era atrocities.
Since 2006, the Moscow-based Memorial Human Rights Center has held a poignant ceremony every year at the Solovetsky Kamen (Solovki Stone) memorial on Moscow's Lubyanka Square, a site steeped in history as it was once the headquarters of the Soviet KGB and is now home to the Federal Security Service (FSB).
The stone is named after the Solovetsky (Solovki) Islands, an archipelago located in the Onega Bay of the White Sea, where one of the first forced labor camps was established in 1923.
The Solovki camp became a notorious site for political prisoners, many of whom were executed or perished due to harsh conditions.
At the Solovki Stone Memorial in Moscow, participants -- including relatives of the dead and survivors of the Gulag, rights activists, and concerned citizens -- have gathered each year to read aloud the names, ages, occupations, and execution or imprisonment dates of the victims.
It is estimated that at least one million Soviet citizens were executed by Stalin’s regime during the Great Terror of 1937-1938. This ritual serves as a powerful act of remembrance and a stark reminder of the regime's brutality.
In St. Petersburg, participants of the Returning the Names action laid flowers at the Solovki Stone, a memorial similar to the one in Moscow, and read aloud the names of those who suffered under the regime. Diplomatic representatives from several Western countries attended the event, signaling broader international solidarity with victims of political repression.
In cities like Abakan, Nizhnevartovsk, Novosibirsk, Vladivostok, and others, local activists organized similar commemorations, demonstrating a grassroots commitment to preserving the memory of the repressed.
However, this spirit of remembrance is overshadowed by recent decisions from the Russian government that seem to undermine these efforts.
Notably, the Prosecutor-General's Office announced plans earlier to review past decisions on the rehabilitation of repression victims, prompting fears that the state may seek to rewrite or diminish the historical narrative surrounding Soviet atrocities. This move raises questions about the integrity of memorialization efforts and the potential for erasure of the painful legacy of political repression.
In June, further evidence of a shift in official policy emerged when Russian authorities announced changes to the official Concept on Victims of Political Repressions.
These alterations eliminated references to the mass nature of Soviet purges and removed calls to commemorate their victims, effectively sanitizing the historical account of state-sponsored violence.
Such revisions not only reflect a disconnection from the painful past but also signal a broader attempt to reshape public memory in a way that aligns with current political agendas.
The decision to cancel the 2024 Returning the Names event in Moscow, ostensibly due to a "sharp increase in COVID cases," has been interpreted by many activists as a deliberate effort to suppress discussions surrounding Soviet crimes.
The cancellation of this event exemplifies the tensions between state narratives and collective memory. Activists view this as a significant step backward in the ongoing struggle for historical justice and transparency.
While commemorative actions continue in some Russian cities, the shadow of governmental repression looms large. The voices of those remembering the repressed stand in stark contrast to the state’s efforts to revise history and restrict public discourse.
As citizens across Russia gather to honor the memories of the fallen and those who survived Soviet repression, they face a complex and often hostile environment that complicates their efforts.
Russian Opposition Leaders Announce Anti-War Demonstration In Berlin
Russian opposition figures Ilya Yashin, Yulia Navalnaya, and Vladimir Kara-Murza have called for a major antiwar demonstration in Berlin on November 17 to demand the resignation of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Yashin and Kara-Murza, both former political prisoners, were released in August as part of a historic prisoner exchange between Russia and Western countries and now find themselves in forced exile.
Navalnaya, the wife of the late Russian corruption fighter Aleksei Navalny, said in a video on October 30 that "we must show ourselves and the whole world that there is an anti-militarist and free Russia."
Yashin added in an announcement via his Telegram channel that the march will demand the "withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine, while holding [Russian President] Vladimir Putin accountable as a war criminal, and the release of all political prisoners.”
At a recent meeting with supporters in Prague, Yashin expressed that he, along with Navalnaya and Kara-Murza, would soon present an "anti-war, anti-Putin initiative" aimed at engaging many émigrés and inspiring those living in Russia.
Yashin noted that, while legal protest opportunities within Russia are virtually nonexistent, “we can still show that a peaceful, free, and civilized Russia exists.”
Russian opposition activists regularly hold demonstrations against the war in Ukraine and the Russian government in various cities worldwide, though participation is often modest.
The last significant rallies occurred in February following Navalny's death in a Russian prison, with memorial events also held on his birthday in June.
In Russia, unauthorized protests are strictly prohibited, and authorities routinely deny permits for anti-war demonstrations.
In the months following the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, thousands faced prosecution for participating in such protests.
It remains unclear which opposition organizations and activist groups in exile will join Yashin, Kara-Murza, and Navalnaya’s initiative.
- By RFE/RL
Hundreds Targeted In New U.S. Sanctions For Supporting Russia's War In Ukraine
The United States imposed sanctions on October 30 against almost 400 entities and individuals in more than a dozen countries that Washington says have been supplying Russia with advanced technology used in its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
The sanctions and other restrictions were announced simultaneously in statements released by the U.S. Treasury, State, and Commerce departments. The Treasury Department imposed sanctions on 274 targets, while the State Department designated more than 120 and the Commerce Department added 40 companies and research institutions to a trade restriction list.
The sweeping sanctions show that the United States and its allies “will continue to take decisive action across the globe to stop the flow of critical tools and technologies that Russia needs to wage its illegal and immoral war against Ukraine," Deputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo said.
More than half of the individuals and entities designated for sanctions in the new round are in India, China, Switzerland, and Turkey, the Treasury Department said.
"As evidenced by today's action, we are unyielding in our resolve to diminish and degrade Russia's ability to equip its war machine and stop those seeking to aid their efforts through circumvention or evasion of our sanctions and export controls," Adeyemo added.
The Treasury Department's sanctions added five deputy Russian defense ministers, including President Vladimir Putin's cousin, Anna Tsivileva, and former Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov's son, Pavel Fradkov. The other three deputy defense ministers designated are Andrei Bulyga, Viktor Goremykin, and Aleksandr Fomin.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement that those added to the sanctions list by the State Department build on the “unprecedented measures” already imposed in coordination with U.S. allies and partners.
"The Department of State is targeting sanctions circumvention by parties in multiple third countries, several senior Russian Ministry of Defense officials and defense companies, and those that support the development of Russia's future energy production and exports," he added.
The State Department said it seeks to “disrupt the networks and channels through which Russia procures technology and equipment from entities in third countries to support its war effort.” The new designations target producers, exporters, and importers of items critical to Russia’s military-industrial base, it said in the statement.
The Commerce Department also unveiled trade restrictions against 40 foreign entities "to address their procurement of high-priority U.S.-branded microelectronics and other items on behalf of Russia."
Alan Estevez, Commerce's undersecretary for industry and security, said in a statement that American products “do not belong in the hands of those who prop up Russia's defense industrial base.”
The sanctions take particular aim at third-country evasion, including the highest number of entities and individuals in China, Hong Kong, and India ever hit in a single round of sanctions. In addition to targets in those three countries, entities and individuals in Russia, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, Thailand, Malaysia, and Switzerland also were designated.
The sanctions freeze any assets the entities and individuals hold in U.S. jurisdiction, block them from using the U.S. financial system, and bar American citizens from dealing with them.
With reporting by Reuters and AFP
Journalist Marks 5 Months In Azerbaijani Jail On Charges He Calls Fabricated
Azerbaijani journalist and economist Farid Mehralizada, who is affiliated with RFE/RL, marked his fifth month in custody on October 30 on charges that he and his supporters say are fabricated.
Mehralizada was initially detained on June 1 on charges related to smuggling. Since then, additional charges have been layered into his case, including illegal entrepreneurship, gang smuggling, tax evasion, and document forgery.
Despite his claims of innocence, his detention was extended on September 6 until December 19.
RFE/RL President Stephen Capus called for Mehralizada's immediate release saying his detention was unjust.
"Today marks five months since RFE/RL journalist Farid Mehralizada was unjustly detained in Azerbaijan. We are deeply concerned by his continued imprisonment on false charges," Capus said in a statement on October 30.
"We call for his immediate release so he can return home to his wife and newborn daughter."
Azerbaijani authorities insist that there is no political motivation behind Mehralizada's detention and that no one in Azerbaijan is held for political reasons.
Rights groups, however, point out that, since November, approximately 20 journalists and social activists have been detained on similar smuggling charges, many of them linked to "Abzas Media," which has come under pressure.
Several media personnel related to the company have been arrested and subsequently detained for what they say are politically motivated reasons.
Human rights organizations estimate that at least 300 political prisoners are currently held in Azerbaijani jails, underscoring ongoing criticism of President Ilham Aliyev’s administration.
Since taking power following the death of his predecessor and father Heydar Aliyev in 2003, Ilham Aliyev has faced accusations of suppressing dissent by detaining journalists, opposition figures, and civil-society activists.
Kazakh Experts Sound Alarm Over Mysterious Mass Deaths Of Caspian Seals
The unexplained deaths of scores of Caspian seals in Kazakhstan's Manghystau region has raised alarm bells among local authorities and scientists.
As of October 29, 289 seal carcasses had been found along the coastline over the previous five days, prompting urgent monitoring efforts by the Interregional Fishery Inspection of the Ural-Caspian Basin and experts from the Institute of Hydrobiology and Ecology.
Seal researcher Asel Baimuqanova said some of the dead seals showed signs of trauma.
Although the exact cause of death remains unclear, Baimuqanova noted that several seals were pregnant, adding urgency to the investigation.
Caspian seals are the only marine mammals in the Caspian Sea, the world's largest inland body of water. Once numbering over a million in the early 20th century, their population has now dwindled to an estimated 70,000 due to overhunting and pollution.
Since late September, dedicated scientific teams have conducted daily inspections along the Tupqaraghan Peninsula’s western coast to investigate the unexplained surge in mortality rates.
The discovery of the dead seals follows a similar event in April, when 27 seal carcasses were found in the area, which was attributed to storm-related beaching, according to the Agriculture Ministry. Authorities suspect those seals may have died at sea before washing ashore.
The Caspian Sea, bordered by Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Turkmenistan, is rich in oil and gas reserves.
Pollution from hydrocarbon extraction and declining water levels have been threatening both local species and the sea's ecological future, according to experts.
With reporting by Lada.kz
Belarus, Serbia Sign Cooperation Agreement On Security Forces
Belarus and Serbia have signed a cooperation agreement on fighting organized and hi-tech crime as well as on the joint training of police, special forces, and counterterrorism units, Serbia's government said on October 30. The agreement was reached during a meeting between Belarusian Interior Minister Ivan Kubrakov and Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vulin, who is visiting Minsk. Kubrakov is under EU, U.S., and U.K. sanctions for his role in the repression of protests following 2020 presidential elections that strongman Alyaksandr Lukashenka claimed to have won despite weeks of mass protests by the opposition, who said the polls were falsified. Vulin is on the U.S. sanctions list for his close ties with Russia. EU candidate Serbia initially aligned with the bloc in imposing sanctions on Belarus due to its involvement in Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, but did not do so last year when sanctions were expanded. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Balkan Service, click here.
- By RFE/RL
New Hezbollah Leader Vows To Continue On Warpath With Israel
Naim Qassem, the new leader of the Iran-backed armed group Hezbollah, vowed on October 30 to continue to implement the war plan set by his predecessor, Hassan Nasrallah, amid reports that Israel was again striking Hezbollah targets in Lebanon.
In his first speech since being named earlier this week to replace Nasrallah, who was killed in a massive Israeli air strike on September 27, Qassem said Hezbollah, which is designated as a terrorist organization by the United States while the European Union blacklists its armed wing but not its political party, "must not stop and watch...despite the pain."
In recent weeks, Israel has been engaged in a campaign of air strikes and a ground invasion of southern Lebanon that has targeted Hezbollah's leadership and military capabilities in response to numerous rocket and missile attacks by the group.
Those attacks have intensified since the Israeli Army invaded the Gaza Strip following the October 7, 2023, terrorist attack by its Hamas rulers that killed around than 1,200 Israelis and took some 250 hostages. Hamas has been designated a terrorist organization by the United States and the European Union.
Qassem, who has close ties with Iran and whom Washington declared a “specially designated global terrorist” in 2018, gave no details on how he will continue the war against Israel and admitted Israel's strikes against Hezbollah in Lebanon have been a "big blow."
Hezbollah’s deputy secretary-general since 1991, Qassem is often credited with leading the organization’s efforts to transition from a mainly militant group into a dominant political force in Lebanon, with his writings mostly focused on the ideological and religious underpinnings of the group, rather than military strategy.
Analysts have been watching to see if the appointment of an experienced political figure may suggest that Hezbollah is preparing to talk to Israel to end the ongoing conflict, though Israel has shown no interest in meeting.
Hezbollah controls much of southern Lebanon and its political party has seats in the Lebanese parliament.
Japarov Proposes New National Anthem For 'Evolving' Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov says he plans to revise the country's national anthem to adequately represent the "evolving" identity of the nation.
Japarov said in an interview with the Kabar news outlet on October 30 that he believes the current anthem, adopted 33 years ago, fails to inspire patriotism and unity, and does not reinforce the spirit of contemporary Kyrgyz society.
"The current anthem was written shortly after we gained independence. We need a new anthem that embodies our rich history and the strong nation we are becoming," he stated.
The initiative follows Japarov's controversial 2023 changes to the national flag. Lawmakers had contended that the previous design resembled a sunflower -- kunkarama in Kyrgyz, a term that also means "dependent."
It also highlights Japarov's populist approach to governance, which often focuses on rallying public sentiment through national symbols.
Critics, including opposition political figure Adakhan Madumarov, have raised concerns over the necessity of such changes, suggesting they may serve to distract from pressing social and economic issues.
"We need leaders who are committed to strengthening our national identity. Our history is rich, and we must honor it through our symbols," Japarov said in defending the move.
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