Watchdog

ROSTOV-ON-DON, Russia -- A court in Russia's southwestern city of Rostov-on-Don has handed prison terms to three individuals from the North Caucasus region of North Ossetia who took part in a massive rally in April 2020 against anti-coronavirus restrictions.

The Kirov district court said on February 22 that it found three men, whose identities were not disclosed, guilty of taking part in mass disorders and sentenced them to four years in prison each.

More sentences are expected to be announced against other people involved in the protests against measures to slow the spread of the coronavirus in North Ossetia.

On April 20, 2020, police in North Ossetia detained dozens of protesters when about 2,000 people gathered in the central square of the regional capital, Vladikavkaz, demanding the resignation of regional leader Vyacheslav Bitarov.

The rally was violently dispersed by police.

The protest was initiated online via social networks by North Ossetian opera singer Vadim Cheldiyev, who permanently resides in St. Petersburg.

Cheldiyev was detained in St. Petersburg after the rally in Vladikavkaz and brought to North Ossetia, where he was charged with spreading fake news about the coronavirus and assaulting police, which he vehemently denies.

Last year, 14 other participants in the 2020 protest were sentenced to prison terms between 3 1/2 and six years on charges of taking part in mass disorders.

ASHGABAT -- Election officials in the tightly controlled Central Asian nation of Turkmenistan have registered three more presidential candidates known as being loyal to authoritarian President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov.

On February 11, Berdymukhammedov, 64, indicated at an extraordinary meeting of the upper chamber of parliament that he intends to step aside to allow power to be turned over to “young leaders.”

Most observers interpreted that as meaning that he is preparing to hand the reins of the country to his son, Serdar, who in September turned 40, the minimum age required to become president under the country's constitution.

Serdar Berdymukhammedov was officially registered earlier this month as a presidential candidate representing the ruling Democratic Party of Turkmenistan following the opening of the nomination process for the country's three registered political parties.

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'Expect No Change': Turkmen Voters React To Berdymukhammedov's 'Serdar Election'

All three parties support Berdymukhammedov, who has been in power since 2007.

The Central Commission for Holding Elections and Referendums said on February 21 that three more candidates had been officially registered for the early presidential election scheduled for March 12.

The new candidates are Babamurat Meredov, nominated by the Party of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs of Turkmenistan, as well as two men proposed by "the initiative groups" -- regional sanitary official Maksatmurat Ovezgeldyev and energy official Kakageldy Saryev.

Over the weekend, the election officials announced that lawmaker Berdymammet Gurbanov and Perhat Begenjov, the director of a regional vocational school, both of whom do not represent any political party, had been officially registered as presidential candidates

A deputy governor of the southeastern region of Mary, Agajan Bekmuradov, nominated by the Agrarian Party of Turkmenistan, was registered a presidential candidate last week.

The poll is expected to be easily won by Serdar Berdymukhammedov.

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Majlis Podcast: Establishment Of Dynastic Rule In Turkmenistan Set For March 12

Rumors have been swirling for a year that Berdymukhammedov will attempt to transfer power to his son.

Four exiled opposition activists and politicians -- Ahmet Rahmanov, Murat Gurbanov, Geldy Kyarizov, and Nurmuhammet Annaev -- have said they plan to take part in the presidential election.

It is unclear how they would be able to run in the presidential election as they would not be allowed to return to Turkmenistan.

According to rights groups and election monitors, Turkmenistan has never held free and fair elections since becoming an independent state following the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991.