RFE/RL Headlines
4/1/2011 6:14:23 PM
A daily digest of the English-language news and analysis written by the staff of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty RFE/RL is looking for guest bloggers, preferably writing from and about our broadcast region. If you're interested, drop us a line at webteam@rferl.org. |
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Features
With Kuchma Charged In Gongadze Case, Ukrainians Ask: Is This About Murder -- Or Politics?
After former Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma was charged in the killing of investigative journalist Heorhiy Gongadze, many Ukrainians are wondering if the latest development is more about politics than justice. More 
Funeral Renews Focus On Musavi, Karrubi House Arrests
That Iranian opposition leader Mir Hossein Musavi was not allowed to attend the funeral of his father has highlighted his and reformist cleric Mehdi Karrubi's house arrests. Analysts say Iranian officials have quietly managed to isolate the two opposition leaders at a time when the world has been busy dealing with the violence in Libya, but opposition supporters say they won't be silenced for long. More 
Russian Census Results Show Continuing Demographic Crisis
The Russian government this week released the first preliminary results from last year's census, so far confirming a long-running demographic crisis and sparking debate about the latest headcount's accuracy and the government's response. More 
UN Workers Among 12 Killed In Afghan Assault
Twelve people have been killed as protests at a United Nations compound in northern Afghanistan turned deadly. The protesters said they were responding to reports of Koran-burning at a small U.S. church. More 
Bahrain Releases Popular Blogger
Bahrain has freed prominent blogger Mahmood al-Yousif after his arrest on March 30 prompted U.S. criticism and sparked an online campaign calling for his release. More 
World Court Ends Georgia-Russia Case
The United Nations' highest court has thrown out a complaint by Georgia accusing Russia and pro-Russian separatist militias of ethnic cleansing in two breakaway Georgian provinces. More 
Qaddafi 'Exit Talks' Reported
Fighting continues between government and opposition fighters in Libya, but the focus of international efforts appears to be shifting toward a political track after high-level defections from Libyan ruler Muammar Qaddafi's inner circle. More 
Protests In Yemen; Deaths In Syria
Demonstrators once again took to the streets of two Arab countries, Yemen and Syria. Supporters and opponents of Yemen's embattled president held rival rallies in Sanaa, while in Syria, protests demanding reforms reportedly turned deadly. More 
Protest In Washington Against Russia
On Thursday in Moscow and St. Petersburg, Russian authorities arrested opposition members taking part in regularly scheduled "Strategy 31" rallies in favor of the right of free assembly. Meanwhile, protesters in Washington staged their own rally against Russian civil rights abuses, but there were no police in sight More 
Baku Criticized For Opposition Arrests
Human rights groups and the U.S. Embassy in Azerbaijani say they are concerned by a government crackdown on opposition leaders and rights activists ahead of a planned opposition protest in Baku. More 
Opposition Activist Reportedly Flees Belarus
A Belarusian opposition activist facing trial for participating in "mass unrest" in Minsk in December has reportedly fled the country. More 
Kazakh Protesters Demand 'No One' Vote
Some 100 Kazakh activists have rallied in Astana demanding voters be given a "none of the above" option in the April 3 presidential election. More 
Fired Kyrgyz Prosecutor Denies Charges
Kyrgyzstan's fired prosecutor-general says he and his wife will vindicate themselves in court against the charges that led to his firing. More 
U.S., Rights Groups Condemn Iran Over Baha'i Sentences
The United States and rights groups have condemned Iran's reported decision to reinstate 20-year prison terms for seven jailed Baha'i leaders. More About 100 vendors from a major Moscow market that was shut down have launched a hunger strike in front of city hall in an effort to get the market reopened. More 
No Iran Response To Muhammad Ali
Iranian authorities have yet to respond to a February letter from the former heavyweight boxing champion Muhammad Ali asking for the release of two young Americans held on spying charges. More 
Prison Break Trial Starts In Tajikistan
The trial of nine men recaptured after a high-profile jailbreak in Tajikistan last year has started at the Supreme Court in Dushanbe. More 
Police: Kazakh Publisher Not Abducted
Almaty city police have rejected reports that the head of an opposition publishing house has been abducted in the latest development in an ongoing search for Daniyar Moldashev's whereabouts. More 
Sarkisian Presses Obama On 'Genocide'
Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian says he has asked U.S. President Barack Obama to explicitly describe the World War I-era mass killings of Armenians in Ottoman Turkey as genocide. More 
Checkup After Inmate Hunger Strikes
A national commission has started checking conditions at Kyrgyzstan's prisons and detention centers after a mass hunger strike by thousands of prison inmates hit almost all jails in the country. More 
The Month In Facebook
RFE/RL presents a Facebook-style summary of last month's events. More 
Podcast: Misadventures On The High Seas; Minsk Madness; Classic Afghan Music In Decline
More 
Russian Activists Detained For Protest Favoring Mayoral Elections
Russian Activists Detained For Protest Favoring Mayoral Elections More 
How To Stay Safe Online
Access Now, an NGO that campaigns for digital freedom, has just launched a handy and concise how-to guide for activists online. More 
Sorting Through The Hype In Afghanistan
Muhammad Tahir on the coming security transition from international forces to the Afghan National Army. More Tom Stoppard's Speech at Brussels Forum tom stoppard at brussels forum More |
