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Harsh Rhetoric Emerges From PACE Summer Session
The international democracy watchdog, once looked to it as a democratic standard-bearer, has since disappointed many for what critics view as its weak rhetoric and toothless critiques.
But the Council of Europe's Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) struck an unusually harsh tone at its summer session in Strasbourg.
PACE reserved its most severe criticism for some of its newest members, particularly for Azerbaijan, whose human rights record has worsened sharply in recent years.
The assembly adopted a resolution spelling out urgent steps to be taken by Azerbaijani authorities ahead of the country's October presidential election.
Khadija Ismayilova, a correspondent with RFE/RL's Azerbaijani Service in Baku, says PACE has reverted to the tough stance it held on Azerbaijan when the country joined the organization in 2001.
"At the beginning of Azerbaijan's relations with the Council of Europe, the organization was a bit more demanding toward Azerbaijani authorities -- they demanded 13 reforms," Ismayilova says.
"Later, the situation changed. Officials at the Council of Europe softened their stance, and Azerbaijani officials became more ignorant of what had been said in the Council of Europe," she adds. "But I think the issue is not about the Council of Europe's stance -- the situation became so critical that the Council of Europe had to respond."
In its resolution, PACE urged Baku to ensure impartial election commissions during the upcoming presidential vote, to provide equal media exposure for political parties, and to guarantee the opposition's right to hold public rallies.
The assembly said harassment and intimidation of opposition journalists and limits on freedom of assembly were "inadmissible in a Council of Europe member state."
PACE also called for the immediate release of opposition journalists Qanimat Zahid, Mirza Sakit Zahidov, and Eynulla Fatullayev, regarded in the West as political prisoners.
But Azerbaijani authorities seem unlikely to take note -- both the government and the ruling party have dismissed the resolution as biased.
Ismayilova says only extreme measures can pressure Baku into cleaning up its act. "It's pretty difficult, given that Azerbaijan has a huge oil wealth that is only going to increase in coming years," she says. "In the past, the Azerbaijani government needed international credit, international aid like technical assistance programs. Now that's no longer needed. The only mechanism that the Council of Europe can use to obligate the country to fulfill requirements is threatening the country to cease its membership in the organization. But so far, this message hasn't been sent."
Limited Action On Armenia
Another country that came under fire in Strasbourg this week was Armenia, where police clashed with opposition protesters following the victory of Prime Minister Serzh Sarkisian in the February presidential election.
The clashes, the worst civil violence in Armenia's post-Soviet history, left 10 people dead and prompted a state of emergency.
Speaking on June 25 at a news conference in Strasbourg, Council of Europe Secretary-General Terry Davis said the council was keeping a close eye on the probe into the casualties.
"Police in Yerevan are responsible for investigating those deaths and identifying the people who killed other people and charging them, bringing them before a court," Davis said. "I keep asking this question, I shall continue to ask it, and no number of inquiries, or investigations, or anything of the sort can absolve the police from their responsibility in a democratic society."
PACE members this week met for an urgent debate on Armenia after the organization's co-rapporteurs concluded Armenian authorities had made insufficient progress following the February events.
But they stopped short of stripping Armenia of its voting rights within the body, choosing to postpone the debate until January.
Harsh Words For Georgian Opposition
PACE also had harsh words for Georgia, whose President Mikheil Saakashvili lost some of his democratic credentials in November when he sent police to forcibly disperse thousands of opposition protesters and imposed a state of emergency.
The assembly members, however, concluded that the country's May 21 parliamentary elections -- which handed most seats to Saakashvili's party and its supporters -- were mostly in line with international standards.
David Kakabadze, the director of RFE/RL's Georgian Service, believes PACE's assessment was too lenient. "I think the report was a bit too rosy. Even though there were some critical remarks, I cannot say that it was critical enough," he says. "Even a member of the Georgian delegation whom I interviewed yesterday said the opposition will be outraged when they read this report, because it was definitely quite positive on Georgia. But she said that most of the violations that the opposition is citing are not documented well enough to be reflected in this report."
The Georgian opposition also received its share of criticism at this week's PACE session. Terry Davis called on opposition leaders to challenge the government "within the limits of democratic discussion, debate and argument," and played down the opposition's accusations of voting fraud.
"It's not right to assume that because you lose an election there's been cheating on the other side," Davis said on June 25. "Sometimes you lose an election because the majority of people actually prefer the other candidate and the other parties. You have to accept that. I think the situation in Georgia has been exaggerated to some extent, both inside Georgia and outside."
These strong statements may help change the view that PACE is losing its authority. But for now, many member states would like to see still tougher action from the Council of Europe.
Deputy Dmitry Diakov, the leader of Moldova's opposition Democratic Party, says the country is making little progress in terms of democratic reform despite the presence of the council's Monitoring Committee.
"Monitoring helps countries that want to achieve it," he says. "Moldova's entry in the Council of Europe in 1995 marked the beginning of a romantic period that lasted several years and during which we made very good progress. Things are different nowadays, we have become a problematic country for the Council of Europe, a country that doesn't fulfill its obligations fully and on time -- a country that promises and fails to deliver. Democracy in Moldova is developing, but unfortunately it has become very specific."
The Council of Europe currently monitors 11 member states: Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Georgia, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, the Russian Federation, Serbia, and Ukraine.
PACE wraps up its summer session on June 27 before reconvening on September 29 for a weeklong fall session.
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Iran Plans To Install 'New Advanced' Centrifuges In Response To IAEA Resolution
Iran on November 22 said it would begin installing a number of "new and advanced" centrifuges in response to a resolution adopted by the United Nations' nuclear watchdog that criticizes the Islamic republic for what it says is poor cooperation.
The resolution, which comes shortly after the return of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Rafael Grossi from a trip to Iran, reportedly says it is "essential and urgent" for Tehran to "act to fulfill its legal obligations."
A joint statement by Iran's Foreign Ministry and Atomic Energy Organization said that nuclear chief Mohammad Eslami "issued an order to take effective measures, including launching a significant series of new and advanced centrifuges of various types."
The Iranian announcement came after the IAEA's board on November 21 issued a second resolution condemning Tehran's cooperation with the agency after a similar warning in June.
The IAEA resolution, put forward by France, Germany, and Britain and supported by the United States, comes at a critical time as President-elect Donald Trump prepares to return at the White House in January.
Trump during his first term embarked on a "maximum pressure" campaign of intensified sanctions on Iran and unilaterally withdrew the United States in 2018 from a landmark 2015 agreement that lifted some sanctions on Iran in exchange of curbs to its nuclear program, which the West suspects is aimed at obtaining a nuclear weapon. Iran claims its nuclear program is peaceful.
The resolution passed on November 21 also urged Iran to cooperate with an investigation launched after uranium particles were found at two sites that Iranian authorities had not declared as nuclear locations.
Nineteen of the 35 members of the IAEA board voted in favor of the resolution. Russia, China, and Burkina Faso opposed it, 12 members abstained, while one did not vote, diplomats who spoke on condition of anonymity told the AP.
It also calls on the IAEA to come up with a "comprehensive report" on Iran's nuclear activities by spring.
During Grossi's visit, Iran agreed with the IAEA demand to limit its stock of uranium enriched at 60 percent purity, which is still under the 90 percent threshold needed for a nuclear weapon, but it is much higher than the 3.67 percent limit it agreed to in the 2015 deal.
However, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, who was Tehran's chief negotiator for the 2015 agreement, warned that Iran would not negotiate "under pressure."
2 Dead, 12 Wounded In Russian Strikes On Ukraine's Sumy
Two people were killed and 12 wounded in Russian strikes on Sumy early on November 22, Artem Kobzar, the mayor of the northeastern Ukrainian city, reported in a video statement on Telegram. "Several powerful explosions were heard in Sumy," he said in the video, adding that rescue teams, police, and ambulances were working at the site of the explosions. Kobzar urged residents to take shelter, saying that air defenses were still engaging incoming drones in the morning. Ukraine's air force said Russian drone attacks were under way in four regions -- Sumy, Kyiv, Chernihiv, and Zhytomyr. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service, click here.
- By RFE/RL
Report: Senior North Korean General Wounded In Russia
A senior North Korean general has been wounded in Russia’s Kursk region, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing Western officials. More than 10,000 North Korean troops are supporting Russian forces in Kursk. Russian President Vladimir Putin is hoping to recover the swath of the Kursk region that Ukraine seized in August before President Donald Trump takes office early next year. The United States this week gave Ukraine the green light to use its long-range ATACMS missiles to strike Russian assets in Kursk and said North Korean troops would be fair game. It is unclear how the North Korean general was wounded, the WSJ reported.
- By RFE/RL
U.S. Sanctions Last Major Russian Bank To Weaken Country's Economy
The United States has sanctioned Gazprombank, Russia’s third-largest lender, and dozens of other financial institutions as President Joe Biden seeks to further curtail the Kremlin’s ability to finance its war in Ukraine before he leaves office in two months.
Gazprombank, which plays an important role in facilitating Russian energy exports, was the only remaining large Russian lender not under U.S. sanctions. Washington and Brussels had avoided sanctioning Gazprombank amid concern over possible energy export interruptions.
Along with Gazprombank, the United States also announced sanctions on more than 50 other Russian banks conducting international operations, more than 40 Russian securities registrars and 15 Russian finance officials.
The United States also warned financial institutions against joining Russia’s version of the international messaging system for banks known as SWIFT. Russia is seeking to attract international banks to its messaging platform to get around U.S. financial sanctions.
“Today’s action reaffirms the U.S. commitment to curtail Russia’s ability to use the international financial system to conduct its war against Ukraine and disrupts Russia’s attempts to make cross-border payments for dual-use goods and military materiel,” State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said in a November 21 statement.
Ukraine backers had been calling on the Biden administration for months to tighten sanctions on Russia’s banking sector, saying the Kremlin was finding ways around existing sanctions to pay for technology imports and other dual-use items.
In addition to facilitating energy payments, Gazprombank had been acting as a conduit for the purchase of military goods. The Kremlin also uses Gazprombank to pay Russian soldiers and compensate families for war deaths.
“I am grateful to @POTUS and his administration for today’s strong package of financial and banking sanctions targeting Russia’s economy and war chest,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said in a tweet.
Eddie Fishman, a former State Department official and sanctions expert, called the latest announcement a “strong step” toward closing loopholes around Russia’s energy sector, which generates about half of federal budget revenues.
Biden will leave office on January 20 to make way for President-elect Donald Trump, who has promised to end the war in Ukraine by getting Zelenskiy and Russian President Vladimir Putin to sit down at the negotiating table, something that experts say will be harder done than said.
The financial sanctions come at a critical time for Russia’s economy as Putin’s record spending on the war effort drives up inflation and interest rates. The Russian Central Bank last month raised interest rates to 21 percent, the highest in decades, and could continue to ratchet them up with no end in sight to the war.
Putin Says Russia Fired New Intermediate Missile At Ukraine After ICBM Accusations
Russian President Vladimir Putin said his military fired a new intermediate-range missile into Ukraine following accusations by Kyiv that it was an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).
In a November 21 video statement to the nation, Putin said the use of the new weapon was a response to the United States and the United Kingdom giving permission to Kyiv to fire their long-range missiles into Russia.
"In combat conditions, one of the newest Russian medium-range missile systems was tested," Putin said, adding that it was a hypersonic, ballistic missile capable of carrying a nuclear warhead.
Earlier in the day, Kyiv accused Russia of striking Ukraine with what it said appeared to be an ICBM. The new weapon was part of a larger missile attack on Dnipropetrovsk, home to important military-industrial plants. ICBMs, which are designed to deliver long-distance nuclear strikes, have never been used in war before.
"On the morning of November 21, 2024...Russian troops attacked the city of Dnipro (facilities and critical infrastructure) with missiles of various types. In particular, an intercontinental ballistic missile was launched from the Astrakhan region of the Russian Federation," the Ukrainian Air Force said in its statement on Telegram.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Telegram later that the new Russian weapon had "all characteristics -- speed, altitude -- [of an] intercontinental ballistic missile."
Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh said Russia struck Ukraine with an "experimental" intermediate-range ballistic missile that was based on its RS-26 Rubezh ICBM.
She said Russia had informed the United States it would be launching the experimental missile shortly beforehand through "nuclear risk reduction channels."
She said the new weapon had a smaller warhead that some other missiles Russia has launched into Ukraine.
A U.S. official who asked not to be identified told media that Putin was seeking to intimidate Ukraine but added that Moscow only had a few of the "experimental" missiles.
The Russian attack comes just days after reports that Ukraine used British-supplied Storm Shadow missiles and U.S.-made ATACMS systems to strike military targets deeper inside Russia following the long-sought approval by President Joe Biden.
The RS-26 Rubezh is a solid-fueled, road-mobile ICBM currently in development that has been tested with heavier payloads at intermediate ranges.
Military analysts said ICBM missiles can be classified as intermediate-range weapons when their payloads are increased and ranges decreased.
The main target of the Russian attack was the southeastern region of Dnipropetrovsk, Ukraine's most important industrial region, and its capital, the city of Dnipro.
Ukraine's air force said that besides the ICBM, Russian aircraft also launched a hypersonic Kh-47M2 Kinzhal missile and seven subsonic Kh-101 cruise missiles.
Ukrainian air defenses shot down six Kh-101 missiles, the air force reported.
Dnipropetrovsk Governor Serhiy Lysak said his region bore the brunt of the Russian attack.
"Since early in the morning, the aggressor massively attacked our region," Lysak reported on Telegram, adding that preliminary information showed that an industrial facility was damaged in the regional capital, Dnipro, where two fires were started by the attack.
Explosions were also reported in Kremenchuk, in the central Poltava region.
Moscow's use of a large number of sophisticated missiles as opposed to the usual drone attacks appears to be in response to Ukraine's gaining approval to use some Western-donated long-range missile systems to strike deeper into Russia.
On November 20, Russian military bloggers and a source cited by Reuters reported that Ukraine had fired up to 12 Franco-British Storm Shadow missiles into Russia's Kursk region, part of which has been under Ukrainian control following a surprise incursion by Ukrainian troops in August.
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A spokesman for British Prime Minister Keir Starmer declined to confirm whether the missiles had been used. Previously, London had given permission to use the Storm Shadows, which have a 250-kilometer range, within Ukraine's territory.
Earlier this week, Ukraine reportedly used ATACMS to strike a military facility in Russia's Bryansk region after Biden was reported as giving his OK. The White House has not officially confirmed the approval and Ukraine hasn't directly acknowledged the use of ATACMS on Russian targets.
Russia has long warned that Ukraine's use Western-supplied long-range weapons to strike inside its territory would mark a serious escalation of the conflict.
On November 21, Moscow said a new U.S. missile defence base in the Polish town of Redzikowo near the Baltic coast, which was opened on November 13 as part of a broader NATO missile shield, will lead to an increase in the overall level of nuclear danger.
"This is another frankly provocative step in a series of deeply destabilising actions by the Americans and their allies in the North Atlantic alliance in the strategic sphere," Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said.
"This leads to undermining strategic stability, increasing strategic risks and, as a result, to an increase in the overall level of nuclear danger," Zakharova said.
Poland rejected the claim, saying there were no nuclear missiles at the base.
"It is a base that serves the purpose of defense, not attack," Foreign Ministry spokesman Pawel Wronski said on November 21.
Gunmen Kill 38 In Attack On Shi'ite Convoy Amid Rising Tensions In NW Pakistan
At least 38 people were killed and more than 40 wounded after gunmen opened fire on a convoy of cars carrying Shi'ite Muslims in northwest Pakistan as religious tension in the region rises.
Three women and a child were among those killed in the November 21 attack, police told RFE/RL's Radio Mashaal.
The convoy of 200 cars was heading from Peshawar to Parachinar in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province near the border with Afghanistan when the unknown gunmen attacked.
No one has taken responsibility for the attack, the latest in a series of deadly confrontations in the Kurram region.
Police, who were escorting the cars, said the death toll could climb. There were about 700 people in the convoy, according to law enforcement.
Tension in Kurram began to heat up after 17 people were killed in an attack on a convoy on October 12. There have been about a handful of deadly attacks since then.
Sunnis and Shi'a live together in Kurram and have clashed violently over land, forests, and other property as well as religion over the years, despite government and law enforcement efforts to build peace.
Ukrainian Oligarch Firtash Among 8 Hit By Latest U.K. Sanctions
Influential Ukrainian tycoon Dmytro Firtash is among eight people targeted by fresh British sanctions that accuse the group, which includes his wife, Lada, of large-scale, international corruption.
Angolan-Russian billionaire Isabel dos Santos and Latvian politician and businessman Aivars Lembergs are also among those hit by the new sanctions announced on November 21.
The British government accuses Firtash of bribing officials to secure mining licenses for his companies and profiting illegally from Ukraine's gas-transportation system.
Firtash is also linked to financier Denys Horbunenko, a resident of the United Kingdom who was added to the sanctions list on November 21 for his association with Firtash.
Firtash has faced legal scrutiny in Ukraine over embezzlement and money-laundering accusations involving fraudulent gas-trading schemes.
The United States has been seeking his extradition from Austria on charges of bribing Indian officials.
Firtash, who gained prominence in the 2000s through his joint venture RosUkrEnergo with Russian energy giant Gazprom, has denied allegations of working in Russia's interests.
Dos Santos, daughter of former Angolan President Jose Eduardo dos Santos, is Africa's first female billionaire. She is accused of corruption in Angola, where she allegedly exploited her political connections for personal gain.
Dos Santos claims she has held Russian citizenship since birth, as she was born in Baku, Azerbaijan, in 1973 under the former Soviet Union.
Lembergs, a former populist mayor of the Latvian city of Ventspils, has been convicted in Latvia of corruption and sentenced to five years in prison. He claims the charges against him are politically motivated.
The sanctions are part of a British efforts to combat international corruption and disrupt the financial networks of individuals accused of abusing their power for personal enrichment.
The measures include asset freezes, travel bans, and restricting these individuals from accessing the U.K.'s financial system or entering the country.
- By RFE/RL
ICC Issues Warrants For Israel's Netanyahu, Gallant, Hamas Military Leader
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued arrest warrants for Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and Muhammad Deif, a military commander in the Iran-backed group Hamas, alleging they committed crimes against humanity in the ongoing Gaza war.
All three are accused of committing war crimes connected to the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel by Hamas, an EU- and U.S-designated terrorist organization that is part of Tehran's network of proxies in the Middle East, and Israel's subsequent military intervention in the Gaza Strip.
Iran's backing of Hamas and Hezbollah, another Iran-supported militant group and political party that controls much of the southern part of Israel's neighbor, Lebanon, has sparked fears that the war in the Gaza Strip will engulf the Middle East.
Hezbollah is designated as a terrorist organization by the United States, while the European Union blacklists its armed wing but not its political party. Hezbollah’s political party has seats in the Lebanese parliament.
The court said the warrants had been classified as "secret" to protect witnesses and to safeguard the conduct of the investigations.
Israel, which claims it killed Deif in July, blasted the move as "a dark moment for the ICC."
Hamas, which has never officially acknowledged Deif's death, called the warrants against Netanyahu and Gallant an "important step toward justice."
The ICC said it had issued the arrest warrant for Deif as the prosecutor had not been able to determine whether he was dead.
His warrant shows charges of mass killings during the October 7 attack on Israel that left some 1,200 dead, as well as charges of rape and the taking of around 240 hostages in the attack.
"The Chamber considered that there are reasonable grounds to believe that both [Israeli] individuals intentionally and knowingly deprived the civilian population in Gaza of objects indispensable to their survival, including food, water, and medicine and medical supplies, as well as fuel and electricity, from at least 8 October 2023 to 20 May 2024," the ICC said in a statement.
"This finding is based on the role of Mr. Netanyahu and Mr. Gallant in impeding humanitarian aid in violation of international humanitarian law and their failure to facilitate relief by all means at its disposal," it said.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar called the move against Netanyahu and Gallant "absurd" in a post on X, saying it was an attack of Israel's right to self-defense.
"A dark moment for the ICC in The Hague, in which it lost all legitimacy for its existence and activity," Sa'ar said.
Tehran has yet to comment publicly on the warrants.
Neither the United States nor Israel have recognized the ICC's jurisdiction.
A U.S. National Security Council spokesperson said Washington "fundamentally rejects" the issuance of the arrest warrants and "the troubling process errors that led to this decision.
Meanwhile, the EU's top diplomat, Josep Borrell, said in a post on X that ICC decisions "are binding on all states party to the Rome Statute, which includes all EU Member States."
The court said Israel's acceptance of the court's jurisdiction was not required.
However, the court itself has no law enforcement levers to enforce warrants and relies on cooperation from its member states.
- By Current Time
Russian Art Museum Raided Amid Investigation Of Former Director
Russian police have conducted searches at the PERMM Museum of Contemporary Art in the city of Perm, as well as at the home of its current director, in connection with a case against former director Marat Gelman, REN-TV reported, citing anonymous sources.
The PERMM Museum announced on social media that it would remain closed until 3 p.m. local time due to "technical reasons."
Gelman, a well-known art dealer who currently lives in Montenegro, where he owns an art gallery, was placed on Russia’s federal wanted list in December 2022 under a criminal charge, though details of the accusation remain unclear.
In an interview with Current Time, Gelman suggested that the charges might be in connection with him "discrediting" the Russian military, a common pretext used against critics of Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
Gelman has been a vocal member of the Anti-War Committee and a member of the Permanent Committee of the Free Russia Forum. He has repeatedly expressed his support for Ukraine and his opposition to Russia's war efforts.
The raid in Perm is part of a broader pattern of increasing pressure on Gelman. In the past week, he was added to Russia's list of "terrorists and extremists," with a designation indicating an ongoing criminal case against him.
Critics argue this move is part of a crackdown on anti-war activists and dissenting voices within and beyond Russia.
With reporting by REN-TV
Serbia Arrests 11 Over Train Station Roof Collapse That Killed 15
The Higher Public Prosecutor's Office in Novi Sad announced on November 21 that 11 people were arrested after being found responsible for the deadly collapse of a concrete canopy at the railway station in Serbia's second-largest city.
The huge canopy collapsed on November 1, killing 15 people and seriously injuring another two.
The accident occurred after the railway station, built in 1964, had been renovated twice in recent years by a consortium of four companies -- China Railway International and China Communications Construction, France's Egis, and Hungary's Utiber.
Among those arrested are former Construction, Transport, and Infrastructure Minister Goran Vesic, and the ex-director of Railway Infrastructure, Jelena Tanaskovic.
They face charges of committing criminal acts against public security, endangering the public, and irregular construction work, the prosecutor said in a statement, adding that they faced up to 12 years in prison.
The arrests came after public protests that turned violent demanded the punishment of those responsible amid accusations of corruption that resulted in substandard renovation work on the railway station.
In a message on X, Vesic wrote that he had not been arrested, but had "voluntarily responded to the call of the police officers" and "made himself available to police authorities."
Vesic, an official from the ruling Serbian Progressive Party, resigned after the accident on November 4 but said he did not accept blame for the accident.
Tomislav Momirovic, who headed the Construction, Transport, and Infrastructure Ministry from 2020 to 2022, submitted his resignation as trade minister on November 20.
The same day, Tanaskovic resigned as head of Serbian Railway Infrastructure.
Opposition politicians have voiced scepticism about the arrests and demanded that the case be handed over to organized-crime prosecutors.
Belarusian Opposition Leader Condemns Extradition Of Activist From Vietnam
The office of Belarusian opposition leader Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya has issued a statement condemning the recent extradition from Vietnam to Belarus of Vasil Verameychyk, who fought on the Ukrainian side against invading Russian troops.
Verameychyk, who moved to Vietnam after he was denied permission to settle in Lithuania because of he had previously served in the Belarusian Army, was detained in Vietnam earlier this year.
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.
Despite international appeals, Vietnamese authorities proceeded with his extradition in late October 2024.
Tsikhanouskaya's office described the extradition as a direct consequence of the repressive policies of the authoritarian ruler of Belarus, Alyaksandr Lukashenka, highlighting the regime's efforts to target opponents beyond its borders.
The statement emphasizes the urgent need for stronger international mechanisms to protect human rights, not only for Belarusians fleeing repression but also for those supporting Ukraine in its efforts to repel Russia's ongoing invasion.
It calls on the international community to adopt individualized approaches when reviewing cases for international protection, end cooperation with the Belarusian security forces, and suspend bilateral agreements on extradition and legal assistance with Belarus.
Additionally, the statement advises Belarusians abroad to remain vigilant against potential actions by Lukashenka's security services.
It recommends consulting resources like Pashpart.org to identify countries deemed unsafe for Belarusians at risk of persecution.
Jailed Russian Mathematician Miftakhov Placed In Solitary Confinement
Russian mathematician and political prisoner Azat Miftakhov has been placed in solitary confinement for seven days.
According to a support group for Miftakhov, the decision came after he reported feeling endangered by his current cellmate.
In a letter shared by the group, Miftakhov explained that instead of being transferred to another cell, he was put in solitary confinement.
It remains unclear whether Miftakhov will be returned to the same cell after completing his time in solitary.
His support group says that his cellmate appears to be mentally ill. Miftakhov said that the man had undergone treatment while in pretrial detention but was nonetheless sentenced to more than 10 years in prison and is now being held in a general cell without access to medical care.
Miftakhov is currently serving his sentence in a prison in Dimitrovgrad in the Ulyanovsk region. In March 2023, he was sentenced to four years in prison for "justifying terrorism."
The charges stemmed from comments Miftakhov allegedly made while serving a previous sentence expressing support for Mikhail Zhlobitsky, who carried out a suicide bombing in 2018 at a Federal Security Service building in Arkhangelsk. Only Zhlobitsky was killed in the bombing.
Before this, Miftakhov served five years and nine months on charges of hooliganism for allegedly participating in an attack on a Moscow office of the ruling United Russia party in 2018.
He and his supporters have maintained his innocence, stating that he was tortured during the investigation and coerced into signing a confession, which he retracted.
In 2019, the Russian human rights organization Memorial recognized Miftakhov as a political prisoner.
Vietnam Repatriates Belarusian Opposition Activist Who Fought For Ukraine
Vietnam has extradited a Belarusian national who fought as a volunteer in Ukraine on Kyiv's side to Minsk, Belarusian media reported on November 20. The opposition-led Coordination Council said Vasyl Verameychyk, who is a member of the council, was turned over to Belarus on November 14. Verameychyk served in the Belarusian Army for seven years but participated in the 2020 anti-government protests. After the threat of arrest, he fled to Ukraine, where he joined the fighting against Russian forcesand was wounded in April 2022. Nasha Niva news reported Verameychyk moved to Vietnam after he was denied permission to settle in Lithuania because of his former Belarusian Army service. To read the original story by RFE/RL’s Belarus Service, click here.
European Commissioner 'Optimistic' About Schengen Path For Romania, Bulgaria
European Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson told RFE/RL in an interview that she is “optimistic” that Romania and Bulgaria will be fully integrated into the visa-free Schengen travel zone by the end of the year. “Romania and Bulgaria are ready, the Schengen area is ready, so I can’t see any obstacles,” she said. “It’s time to lift internal border controls now.” The interview, conducted on November 19, will be published in full on November 21. In March, both countries joined the Schengen area on a partial basis, allowing visa-free travel for those arriving and departing on flights and by boat to both countries, but not by road. To read the original story by RFE/RL’s Romanian Service, click here.
Second Serbian Minister Resigns Following Rail Station Tragedy
Serbian Trade Minister Tomislav Momirovic on November 20 became the second government minister to resign following the collapse of a railway station overhang in Novi Sad that killed 15 people on November 1. He didn't mention the tragedy in his resignation statement. Goran Vesic, minister of construction, transport, and infrastructure, resigned on November 5, saying he was quitting for "moral" reasons, without admitting any guilt. Protests have been held in Novi Sad and Belgrade demanding those responsible for the collapse be held to account. The railway station was built in 1964 but recently underwent a renovation. Serbian Railways insisted that work didn’t include the concrete overhang, but some experts disputed that. To read the original story by RFE/RL’s Balkan Service, click here.
Ukraine Sentences Russian Actor Mashkov In Absentia For Supporting War
A Ukrainian court has sentenced prominent Russian actor Vladimir Mashkov in absentia to 10 years in prison, according to the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU). Mashkov was found guilty of undermining Ukraine’s territorial integrity and promoting war propaganda. Additionally, the court ordered the confiscation of Mashkov’s apartment in Odesa, reportedly gifted to him by fans for his role in the TV series Liquidation, which is set in post-war Odesa. The SBU highlighted Mashkov’s participation in pro-Kremlin events, including “concert rallies” advocating aggression against Ukraine, some of which took place in Russian-occupied territories. Mashkov was a trusted ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin and served as a senior member of Putin’s election campaign team this year. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Russian Service, click here.
- By RFE/RL
Dutch Deliver Final 2 F-16 Jets, As Germany, U.S. Set New Ukraine Aid Packages
The United States, Germany, and the Netherland -- three key Ukrainian allies -- on November 20 provided details of additional aid to Kyiv as it battles against Russia’s full-scale invasion, which passed the 1,000-day mark this week.
The Dutch Defense Ministry said the Netherlands had turned over the final two of 18 promised U.S.-made F-16 fighter warplanes to a Romania training base, where Ukrainian pilots and staff are being taught to fly and maintain the jets.
The Netherlands has been one of the main players in a coalition of Western partners to supply Ukraine with the sophisticated F-16s to strengthen its defenses against destructive Russian attacks on military and civilian sites.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in the past hailed the delivery of the warplanes as he pressed allies to step up aid to his country’s stretched military.
Separately, the U.S. Defense Department announced an additional security assistance package worth $275 million under the Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA) program.
It said the package will provide Ukraine with “additional capabilities to meet its most urgent needs, including munitions for rocket systems and artillery and anti-tank weapons.”
“The United States will continue to work together with some 50 Allies and partners through the Ukraine Defense Contact Group and its associated Capability Coalitions to meet Ukraine's urgently needed battlefield requirements and defend against Russian aggression,” it said.
President Joe Biden is scrambling to provide Ukraine with assistance in the face of increased Russian military activity ahead of the return to the White House on January 20 of Donald Trump, who has expressed opposition to the massive aid packages of the current administration.
The U.S. statement said the Biden administration has provided Ukraine with $61.3 billion in security assistance, including $60.7 billion since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022.
The Germany government said it had sent a package of military aid to Ukraine, including armored vehicles, artillery, and drones.
Four Panzerhaubitze 2000 howitzers and seven M109 howitzers were included, along with 41,000 rounds of 155-mm artillery shells.
The German government noted that its military assistance is delivered in two different manners -- through federal government funds that are used to finance deliveries of military hardware from industry and, separately, from deliveries taken out of current armed forces stocks.
Berlin is the second-largest foreign supplier of military aid to Ukraine since February 2022, behind only the United States. Germany in total has provided 28 billion euros ($29.5 billion) to Kyiv.
Meanwhile, multiple media reports have stated the United States has given Ukraine permission to launch long-range ATACMS cruise missiles deeper inside Russia, while unconfirmed reports on November 20 said Kyiv had fired British-made Storm Shadow missiles into Russian territory for the first time.
Kyiv, Washington, and London have not denied the reports but also have not officially confirmed them. Permission for such strikes had been denied in the past by Western allies amid fears of provoking a wider war.
Following the ATACMS and Storm Shadow reports, Ukraine has criticized Germany for refusing to provide its down long-range weapons, the Taurus cruise missile.
With reporting by Reuters and dpa
Almaty Court Says RFE/RL's Kazakh Service Guilty Of Spreading 'False Information'
An Almaty court has found RFE/RL's Kazakh Service, known locally as Radio Azattyq, guilty of disseminating false information, and the court imposed a fine of 184,000 tenges ($371), it said on November 20.
The case originated from a complaint filed on November 13 by Shymkent resident Alisher Turabaev.
Turabaev alleged that a Kazakh-language video published on Radio Azattyq’s portal on September 13 falsely stated that a prosecutor had requested an eight-year prison sentence for journalist Daniyar Adilbekov on September 12.
Turabaev pointed out that court proceedings did not reach this stage until October 16, making the prosecutor’s request impossible at the time.
Radio Azattyq acknowledged the error was due to a translation mistake when adapting content from a Russian-language publication.
The original Russian report stated that Adilbekov faced "up to eight years in prison" for charges of defamation based on a Telegram post. However, during translation into Kazakh, the phrase was inaccurately rendered as stating that the prosecutor had already "requested eight years." Radio Azattyq expressed readiness to correct the mistake.
This marks the second time Radio Azattyq has been fined under Article 456-2 of Kazakhstan’s Administrative Offenses Code.
In October 2023, Turabaev successfully filed another complaint against Radio Azattyq, alleging the phrase "Russian-led CSTO (Collective Security Treaty Organization)” on its Russian-language site was false information. The court fined Radio Azattyq 103,500 tenge ($220) in that case.
Details of Turabaev's motives in filing the accusations are unknown. Some people have speculated that he has taken the action on the orders of the authorities.
The Dissemination of False Information article was added to Kazakhstan’s Administrative Offenses Code in September 2023 and has been widely criticized by human rights organizations as a tool to restrict freedom of speech.
The law does not require proof of intent to spread falsehoods, nor does it provide opportunities for corrections or warnings.
It also does not require the existence of a victim. Critics have likened the law to Russia’s legislation against "fake news," warning it is being used to silence journalists, activists, and bloggers.
Radio Azattyq’s challenges extend beyond legal battles. On January 3, the Kazakh Foreign Ministry denied or refused to renew accreditation for 36 of its employees, citing violations of the Dissemination of False Information law.
This dispute was later resolved through mediation.
The growing use of Article 456-2 to penalize media and activists has raised concerns about press freedom and the shrinking space for dissent in Kazakhstan.
Belarus Pardons 32 More Political Prisoners Of Estimated 1,300 Behind Bars
Alyaksandr Lukashenka, the authoritarian ruler of Belarus, has pardoned an additional 32 political prisoners, according to reports from the pro-government Pul Pervogo Telegram channel, although an estimated 1,300 opposition activists remain behind bars in the country.
The identities of those pardoned were not disclosed, but the report said they had all been convicted of extremism, a charge widely used against political activists.
The report further identified the pardoned individuals as 24 men and eight women, with nine of them above the age of 50.
The pardons released the individuals from serving their full sentences but did not remove their criminal records. Their behavior will continue to be monitored by the Interior Ministry after their release, the report said.
This marks the sixth instance of political prisoner pardons in Belarus this year, bringing the total number of individuals set free to 178. Earlier this month, 31 political prisoners were pardoned.
In July, the government pardoned 18 people, including Ryhor Kastusyou, the former leader of the opposition Belarusian Popular Front party who had been serving a 10-year sentence and is reportedly in poor health.
Additional pardons followed in August (30 individuals), early September (30), and mid-September (37).
In mid-November, prominent opposition figure Maryya Kalesnikava, who is serving an 11-year sentence on charges of conspiring to seize power, met with her father for the first time in 21 months.
A month earlier, Lukashenka had suggested he might consider pardoning Kalesnikava if she submitted a formal request.
However, it remains unclear whether she has accepted the offer. Kalesnikava has previously refused to request a pardon, maintaining her innocence and rejecting the legitimacy of the charges against her.
The latest pardons come in the context of a harsh crackdown on dissent following the mass protests in Belarus in 2020, sparked by contested presidential election results. Lukashenka responded to the demonstrations with widespread repression, forcing at least 13,000 people into exile.
According to human rights organizations, approximately 1,300 political prisoners remain in Belarusian jails, including politicians, journalists, human rights advocates, and civic activists.
Belarus has scheduled its next presidential election for January 2025, with Lukashenka widely expected to be declared the winner.
Romania Awarded Soccer Match Over Kosovo But Fined Fines For Fans' 'Racist' Chants
PRISTINA -- European soccer's governing body ordered Kosovo to forfeit its November 15 Nations League match in Bucharest that was abandoned after Kosovar players left the field complaining of "racist" abuse.
UEFA on November 20 ruled Kosovo was responsible for the match not being completed. It fined the Kosovo soccer federation 6,000 euros ($6,300).
The Romanian federation was also punished for the behavior of Romanian fans.
It was ordered to play its first World Cup qualifying home game next year in an empty stadium and was fined 128,000 euros ($136,000) for a variety of offenses, including what UEFA called "the racist and/or discriminatory behavior” of its supporters and "provocative political messages not fit for a sports event."
The federation was also fined for its supporters' throwing objects, lighting fireworks, and causing disturbances during national anthems, among other issues, UEFA said.
Kosovo’s soccer federation said the fines against the Romanian federation was confirmation of the "validity" of the Kosovo national team's decision to abandon the match.
"This decision fully justifies our actions, and we are proud that our national team correctly assessed the situation when it decided to leave the field in protest against these racist chants, provocative political messages, and other discriminatory behaviors," it said of the ruling, which officially meant a 3-0 victory for Romania.
It added, however, that it disagreed with the decision that Kosovo should lose points in the league table, indicating it will appeal the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Switzerland.
DigiSport in Romania reported that the Romanian Soccer Federation will await further details from UEFA before deciding on its next actions.
The GSP sports site, meanwhile, quoted Romanian coach Mircea Lucescu as welcoming the ruling granting his team the victory, but he said he was stunned by the fines. "Us? Fined? Such a large amount? It's absurd," he was quoted as saying.
Kosovo national team manager Bajram Shala had said the decision to abandon the match was made by the Kosovar federation, coach Franco Foda, and the players after "racist calls" against their country.
The captain of the Kosovo team, Amir Rrahmani, said Romanian fans chanted, "Serbia, Serbia," and "Kosovo is Serbia," and that he had informed Danish referee Morten Krogh "at least three times" that his team would leave the field.
Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008 and has been recognized by more than 100 countries, but not Romania and other four EU states -- Spain, Cyprus, Greece, and Slovakia.
After Kosovar players departed, the Romanian team remained on the pitch for about an hour before the referee decided to abandon the game after the Kosovo's team refused to return.
DigiSport quoted Romanian team captain Nicolae Stanciu as expressing puzzlement that his team continues to play Kosovo, even though the Romanian state does not recognize its independence.
"If we as a state do not recognize [Kosovo] and considering what happened in past matches, why do we continue to play against them?"
With reporting by RFE/RL's Romanian Service
- By RFE/RL
Danish Military Keeps Watch On Chinese Ship Suspected Of Baltic Cable Sabotage
The Danish Defense Command said it is "present" in the area near the Chinese cargo ship Yi Peng 3, which is anchored off the coast of Denmark and suspected of being involved in recent damage to fiber-optic communications cables in the Baltic Sea.
Suspicions have been growing in Western capitals that damage to two key Baltic Sea cables was likely the result of deliberate actions.
The Chinese ship, reportedly captained by a Russian naval officer, was sailing from the Russian port of Ust-Luga. It is suspected of having traveled over the area in the Baltic Sea where the cables connecting Sweden and Lithuania are located.
European governments and Washington have not tied Moscow directly to the damage, but they have accused Russia of orchestrating "hybrid attacks" on Western infrastructure to punish European countries for their assistance and support for Ukraine's military as it tries to repel invading Russian forces.
Some analysts say the ship may have damaged the cables when dragging its anchor.
"The Danish Defense can confirm that we are present in the area near the Chinese ship Yi Peng 3. The Danish Defense currently has no further comments," the Danish Defense Command said in a post on X on November 20.
Ukraine's allies pointed to past incidents of alleged sabotage by Moscow, especially following its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which has hit the 1,000-day mark this week amid devastating losses on both sides.
Authorities in states bordering the Baltic Sea are investigating the cutting of the cables -- the second connects Finland to Germany -- following similar suspicious occurrences in the sea in recent years.
A year ago, Finland said it couldn't exclude that a "state actor" was responsible for damage to the Balticconnector gas pipeline and a telecommunications cable in the Baltic Sea.
The pipeline was damaged by an anchor dropped from the deck of the Chinese container ship Newnew Polar Bear. The ship was not detained and sailed away.
Moscow has said such allegations are being fabricated by the West to discredit Russia.
Chinese officials have not commented on the situation surrounding the Yi Peng 3.
Russia Detains German Citizen On Terrorism Charge
Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) said on November 20 that its officers had detained a German citizen on suspicion of involvement in a March explosion that damaged a gas pipeline at a distribution center in Kaliningrad, the capital of Russia's western exclave of the same name. According to the FSB, Nikolaj Gajduk was detained after investigators found 0.5 liters of an unspecified "explosive substance" in his car while he was entering Kaliningrad from Poland. The statement also said that Gajduk had planned to conduct "sabotage acts" at energy facilities in the region, adding that the plan had been "masterminded" by a Ukrainian citizen residing in Germany. Gajduk was charged with terrorism and smuggling explosive substances. The Agentstvo Telegram channel said that Gajduk is a 57-year-old native of Ukraine. German authorities are yet to comment on the situation. To read the original report by RFE/RL's Russian Service, click here.
Iran Using Executions To Suppress Ethnic Minorities, Rights Group Says
Iranian authorities are using executions as "a tool of fear," particularly directed at ethnic minorities, dissidents, and foreign nationals, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said on November 20.
The rights watchdog highlighted a recent surge in capital punishment sentences against these groups, noting that the verdicts are handed down amid rampant violations of due process.
According to Iran Human Rights group, in the first 10 months of this year, at least 651 people were executed in Iran -- 166 people in October alone.
HRW noted the case of Kurdish political prisoner Varisheh Moradi, sentenced to death by Iran’s revolutionary court in Tehran on November 10 on the charge of “armed rebellion against the state."
Moradi, a member of the Free Women’s Society of Eastern Kurdistan, was arrested in the city of Sanandaj in Kurdistan Province in August last year and kept for five months in solitary confinement in the infamous Evin prison where she was tortured. Her family has not been allowed to visit her since May, the group said.
Moradi was not allowed to defend herself, and the judge did not permit her lawyers to present a defense, the Kurdistan Human Rights Network reported.
“Iranian authorities use the death penalty as a tool of fear, particularly targeting ethnic minorities and political dissidents after unfair trials,” said HRW's Nahid Naghshbandi. “This brutal tactic aims to suppress any opposition to an autocratic government through intimidation,” she said.
Five other Kurdish men were sentenced to death in recent weeks on charges of “espionage for Israel," HRW said.
Four Arab prisoners from Ahvaz, Khuzestan Province, are at risk of imminent execution, after being sentenced to death by a revolutionary court with two other individuals for their alleged involvement in the killings of two Basij members, a law enforcement officer, and a soldier.
The four -- Ali Majdam, Moein Khonafri, Mohammadreza Moghadam, and Adnan Gheibshavi (Musavi) -- were arrested in 2017 and 2018, according to human rights groups.
Afghan citizens in Iran have been targeted, in particular, by death sentences, HRW noted, adding that according to human rights groups, at least 49 Afghan nationals have been executed in Iran this year, 13 in the past month alone.
“Iran’s revolutionary courts are a tool of systematic repression that violate citizens’ fundamental rights and hand out death sentences indiscriminately, leaving legal protections meaningless,” Naghshbandi said.
“The international community should categorically condemn this alarming trend and pressure Iranian authorities to halt these executions,” she added.
Mai Sato, the United Nations special rapporteur on the human rights situation in Iran, has also voiced concern about the "alarming" increase in the number of executions.
"In August 2024 alone, at least 93 people were executed, with nearly half in relation to drug offences," Sato said on November 1.
At Least 11 Killed In Militant Attack In Pakistan
At least 11 members of Pakistan's security forces were killed and at least four others were wounded in a car-bombing and shooting attack, the country's military said in a statement. The attack occurred late on November 19 in Bannu, a district in the restive northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, the statement said. Residents told RFE/RL that the sound of gunfire could be heard until late at night. A splinter faction of the Pakistani Taliban, the Hafiz Gul Bahadur group, claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement, saying that 23 members of the Pakistani security forces had been killed, a toll that could not be independently verified. The attack occurred as Pakistan's political and military leadership was meeting in Islamabad to discuss ways to tackle the current surge in militant violence. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Radio Mashaal, click here.
Police Again Force Georgian Protesters Out Of Tbilisi University
TBILISI -- Hundreds of Georgian police have forced demonstrators for a second night in a row out of the area near Tbilisi State University where they were protesting the results of last month's parliamentary elections and calling for a repeat of the vote.
Unlike the previous day, there were no clashes early on November 20 as protesters retreated from the advancing police forces and left the university area, moving to the nearby Melikishvili Avenue in downtown Tbilisi.
The protest leaders then announced that they were temporarily suspending their action in order to come up with a new plan.
"We have to somehow replan and think about something different, not the same as what we have been doing here," Zurab Japaridze, one of the leaders of the Coalition for Change movement, told the demonstrators.
On November 19, Georgian police violently dispersed the days-long protest at the university, detaining at least 16 people and taking down the tents where demonstrators had taken shelter from the cold during the night.
The Interior Ministry told RFE/RL that the 16 people detained were held for alleged disobedience to the lawful demands of the police and petty hooliganism. Three of them were released on their own recognizance.
Tbilisi has been rocked by protests since the elections, with opposition leaders demanding a repeat of parliamentary elections amid claims of widespread fraud and Russian influence during the October 26 polls that were won by the Georgian Dream party, which has been in power since 2012.
The latest protests broke out after Georgia's Central Election Commission (CEC) on November 16 validated the results of last month's disputed elections, despite accusations of widespread fraud and Russian interference.
According to the official results, Georgian Dream won 53.93 percent of the vote against 37.79 percent garnered by an opposition alliance.
The office of pro-European President Salome Zurabishvili -- who backs the protesters and has refused to recognize the October 26 vote -- said she filed a lawsuit in the Constitutional Court on November 19, "requesting annulment of the election results as unconstitutional,” although she acknowledged little hope of success.
"This is not because I believe in the Constitutional Court -- we all know that no institution in this country is independent any longer and we have received evidence of this repeatedly.
Georgia's pro-European opposition has boycotted the new parliament, renouncing its mandates from the October 26 vote, alleging widespread fraud and Russian interference.
EU and other Western officials have expressed serious doubts about the elections and perceived irregularities.
Georgia has been a candidate for EU membership since last year, but a "foreign influence" law and anti-LGBT measures have stalled that effort.
On November 20, the EU Delegation to Georgia issued a statement voicing support for young people who are fighting to protect the country's European values .
"Here in Georgia, youth is safeguarding their rights, freedoms and the country's EU future. We stand firmly by them and stress the need to respect their fundamental right to freedom of expression and assembly," the EU Delegation said in a message on X on the occasion of "World Children's Day."
The United States in July announced that it would pause more than $95 million in assistance to the Georgian government, warning it that it was backsliding on democracy.
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