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FBI Reports: Saddam's Weapons Bluff Aimed At Iran

Saddam Hussein addresses the court during his trial in Baghdad in November 2006
Saddam Hussein addresses the court during his trial in Baghdad in November 2006
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -- Saddam Hussein believed Iran was a significant threat to Iraq and left open the possibility that he had weapons of mass destruction rather than appear vulnerable, according to declassified FBI documents on interrogations of the former Iraqi leader.

"Hussein believed that Iraq could not appear weak to its enemies, especially Iran," FBI special agent George Piro wrote on notes of a conversation with Saddam in June 2004 about weapons of mass destruction.

He believed Iraq was being threatened by others in the region and must appear able to defend itself, the report said.

The FBI reports, released on July 1, said Saddam asserted that he was more concerned about Iran discovering Iraq's weaknesses and vulnerabilities than the repercussions of the United States for blocking the return of UN weapons inspectors who were searching for WMD.

"In his opinion, the UN inspectors would have directly identified to the Iranians where to inflict maximum damage to Iraq," according to the documents obtained and released by the National Security Archive, a nongovernmental research institute.

Saddam began a bloody border war with Iran in 1980 that lasted until 1988, during which Iraq used chemical weapons.

Former U.S. President George W. Bush launched the Iraq war in 2003, citing a threat of weapons of mass destruction from Saddam's government, but no such weapons were ever found.

FBI special agents carried out 20 formal interviews and at least five "casual conversations" with the former Iraqi leade after his capture by U.S. troops in December 2003, according to the documents.

Saddam, identified as "High Value Detainee #1," shared Bush's hostility towards the "fanatic" Iranian mullahs, according to the FBI records of conversations from February through June 2004 between Saddam and Arabic-speaking agents in his detention cell at Baghdad International Airport.

Saddam also denied any connections to Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, who he called a "zealot," and cited North Korea as his most likely ally in a crunch, according to the documents.

He also takes personal responsibility for ordering the launching of SCUD missiles against Israeli targets during the 1991 Persian Gulf War, because he blamed Israel and its influence in the United States for "all the problems of the Arabs," the reports said.

During the interviews, Saddam rejects some examples of what he viewed as myths, like his purported use of body doubles. According to the notes, Saddam said he could recall using the telephone only twice since March 1990 and that he communicated primarily through couriers.

Saddam was executed in December 2006 after being convicted of crimes against humanity by an Iraqi court for the killing of 148 Shi'ite men and boys following a 1982 assassination attempt.

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Moldovan Intelligence Chief Says Russia Plotting To Meddle In Elections, Sabotage Chisinau's EU Accession

SIS chief Alexandru Musteata (file photo)
SIS chief Alexandru Musteata (file photo)

The chief of Moldova's Intelligence and Security Service (SIS) has warned that Russia is planning fresh actions to destabilize the country as it gears up for presidential and parliamentary elections and a crucial referendum on integration into the European Union.

Alexandru Musteata told a news conference on March 5 in Chisinau that the SIS has come into possession of "certain data" about actions planned for this year and the next one that would compromise Moldova's accession to the EU and bring it back under Russia's sphere of influence.

"The details point to strategies for 2024 and 2025 that involve supporting pro-Russian political actors with ties to the intelligence services, organized crime groups, and the Kremlin leadership," Musteata said.

The most important actor in perpetrating the destabilizing actions would be the group led by fugitive oligarch Ilan Shor, Musteata said.

Shor, who leads the Moscow-backed Shor Party, was sentenced in absentia to 15 years in prison last year on fraud and money-laundering charges in relation to the disappearance of $1 billion from Moldovan banks.

The Shor Party has been banned, while Shor himself has fled to Israel.

Shor and his party have also been hit by sanctions by the EU, the United States, and Canada for allegedly attempting to destabilize the situation in Moldova and acting in the interests of Russia.

"We predict that attempts would be made to trigger several social and political crises, to spark clashes and to incite interethnic hatred that would lead to security crises in the Gagauz autonomy or the Transdniester region," Musteata said.

Semiautonomous Gagauzia is populated mainly by ethnic Turkish Gagauz, who speak Russian and have adopted Russian Orthodox Christianity.

Under pro-Western President Maia Sandu, who came to power after defeating Moscow-backed incumbent Igor Dodon in November 2020, Moldova took a firm European path while strongly condemning Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

In 2022, Chisinau secured an invitation to open membership negotiations with the EU and is due to hold a yet-to-be-scheduled nationwide referendum this year on joining the 27-nation bloc.

Presidential and parliamentary elections are also scheduled later this year, and Sandu plans to run for a second term. Her PAS party has won more than 40 percent of the vote in local elections and is a frontrunner in parliamentary polls.

Reporters Without Borders Launches Russian-Language Satellite News Package

It will be accessible to 4.5 million households in Russia and 800,000 in occupied Ukraine on Eutelsat's Hotbird satellite, RSF said. (file photo)
It will be accessible to 4.5 million households in Russia and 800,000 in occupied Ukraine on Eutelsat's Hotbird satellite, RSF said. (file photo)

Media watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has launched a package of Russian-language satellite news channels that it said would provide independent journalism for Russian speakers. The Svoboda (Liberty) Satellite Package contains nine radio and TV channels, with content largely produced by journalists forced to leave Russia after Moscow's invasion of Ukraine. It will be accessible to 4.5 million households in Russia and 800,000 in occupied Ukraine on Eutelsat's Hotbird satellite, RSF said in a March 5 statement. Channels include Current Time, the network run by RFE/RL in cooperation with VOA, Novaya gazeta Europe, Echo, and Moldova's TV8 channel, among others. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Russian Service, click here.

Ukraine Downs 38 Russian Drones Targeting Eight Regions, Military Says

An Iranian-designed Shahed drone is seen during a Russian strike on Ukraine. (file photo)
An Iranian-designed Shahed drone is seen during a Russian strike on Ukraine. (file photo)

Ukrainian air defenses shot down 38 out of 42 drones launched by Russia at eight regions early on March 6, Ukraine's military reported. "As a result of combat actions, 38 Shaheds were shot down in the Dnipropetrovsk, Odesa, Kherson, Khmelnytskiy, Cherkasy, Kharkiv, Vinnytsya, and Sumy regions," the military said in a statement, adding that information about potential casualties and damage would be updated during the day. Russian troops in the occupied part of Donetsk region also launched five S-300 surface-to-air missiles at Ukrainian targets, the military said, without elaborating. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service, click here.

Romania's Halep Cleared For Immediate Return After Doping Ban Cut

Simona Halep celebrates after winning the final in Dubai in February 2020.
Simona Halep celebrates after winning the final in Dubai in February 2020.

Former Wimbledon and French Open champion Simona Halep had her four-year doping ban cut to nine months by the top court for global sport on March 5, making the former world No. 1 eligible to return to competition immediately. Halep was initially banned for four years for two separate anti-doping rule violations. But the Lausanne-based Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruled that her suspension should be reduced to nine months, a period she has already served. Now that the 32-year-old Romanian is eligible to compete, she could be granted a wild card to this year's French Open or Wimbledon.

Russian Intelligence Chief Says Navalny Died Of Natural Causes

SVR chief Sergei Naryshkin (file photo)
SVR chief Sergei Naryshkin (file photo)

Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) chief Sergei Naryshkin said on March 5 that opposition leader Aleksei Navalny died of natural causes, a statement that appeared to be an attempt to deflect international outrage over the death of President Vladimir Putin's fiercest foe. Naryshkin made the statement in an interview broadcast by Russian state television. He didn't name the cause of death. "Sooner or later, life ends and people die," he said. "Navalny died of natural causes." Many Western leaders said Putin was ultimately responsible for Navalny’s death on February 16 at a remote Arctic prison. The Kremlin rejects the accusation.

German Prosecutors File Charges Over Drone Parts Delivered To Russia

Russian soldiers carry an Orlan-10 drone in eastern Ukraine.
Russian soldiers carry an Orlan-10 drone in eastern Ukraine.

German prosecutors have charged two people with illegally delivering electronic parts for use in drones to Russia, accusing them of circumventing sanctions imposed on Moscow. The accused delivered components to a Russian company that produces military equipment, including the Orlan-10 drone, which has been used by Russian forces in Ukraine, the German Federal Public Prosecutor's Office said on March 5. The components in question are commonly used in this type of drone and are covered by the European Union's sanctions on Russia, it said. A higher court must now decide whether the case will go to trial.

Ukraine Never Asked For Foreign Troops, White House Says After Macron Urges Allies Not To Be 'Cowards'

"Is this or is it not our war? Can we look away in the belief that we can let things run their course?” French President Emmanuel Macron said while visiting Prague on March 5.
"Is this or is it not our war? Can we look away in the belief that we can let things run their course?” French President Emmanuel Macron said while visiting Prague on March 5.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has never asked for Western troops to fight Russia's full-scale invasion, the White House said on March 5 after French President Emmanuel Macron reiterated that he would not rule out the idea.

"President Zelenskiy isn't asking for that; he's just asking for the tools and capabilities. He's never asked for foreign troops to fight for his country," National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters.

Live Briefing: Russia's Invasion Of Ukraine

RFE/RL's Live Briefing gives you all of the latest developments on Russia's full-scale invasion, Kyiv's counteroffensive, Western military aid, global reaction, and the plight of civilians. For all of RFE/RL's coverage of the war in Ukraine, click here.

Macron earlier on March 5 said he "fully stood behind" remarks last week in which he did not rule out the deployment of Western troops to Ukraine, which sent a shockwave around Europe.

He also said Ukraine's allies should avoid looking cowardly in supporting the country.

"We are surely approaching a moment for Europe in which it will be necessary not to be cowards," Macron said on a visit to the Czech Republic. “And I believe that our two countries are aware of what is happening in Europe, that war has returned to our land."

He added that the threat has become unstoppable and is spreading "every day" to European countries.

"Is this or is it not our war? Can we look away in the belief that we can let things run their course?” Macron asked. “I don't believe so, and therefore I called for a strategic surge and I fully stand behind that," Macron said.

Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) chief Sergei Naryshkin was quoted by state-run news agency RIA Novosti as saying Macron's comments show the irresponsibility of Europe's leaders and are moving the world to the brink of nuclear war.

Most European allies said they would not send troops to Ukraine after Macron said on February 26 that he would not rule out the deployment of Western troops to Ukraine.

French officials sought to clarify Macron’s remarks and tamp down criticism while insisting on the need to send a clear signal to Russia that it cannot win in Ukraine.

Any forces sent to Ukraine could be sent to back operations such as demining rather than fighting Russian forces, they said.

Germany's defense minister said Macron's quotes were not helpful.

"We don't need really…discussions about boots on the ground or having more courage or less courage," Boris Pistorius said at a press conference in Stockholm after meeting with his Swedish counterpart.

During his visit to Prague, Macron met with Czech President Petr Pavel, a former NATO general, who agreed that Ukraine's allies should seek "new ways" to help but said the West would not cross "the imaginary red line" by getting involved in combat operations.

“We agree that the only option for us is to continue supporting Ukraine,” Pavel said. “We’ve agreed that Europe has to play a bigger role in helping Ukraine.”

Pavel suggested NATO countries could for instance train Ukrainian soldiers in Ukraine, which he said would not be a violation of international rules.

The presidents also commented on Prague's plan to buy ammunition for Ukraine outside Europe.

Around 15 nations have voiced support for the plan to buy 500,000 rounds of 155 mm ammunition and 300,000 122 mm shells worth about $1.5 billion. The Netherlands has already pledged to donate 100 million euros ($108.5 million).

Macron said France backed the plan but did not say how much it might contribute. France has long pushed for the EU to use European financing only for the European defense industry and opposed the idea of buying outside the bloc.

With reporting by AFP and AP

Bulgarian Government Resigns Under Power-Sharing Agreement But Parties Dispute Next Steps

Nikolay Denkov's announcement came after GERB presented its draft coalition plan earlier on March 5 after weeks of disputes between the two political blocs.
Nikolay Denkov's announcement came after GERB presented its draft coalition plan earlier on March 5 after weeks of disputes between the two political blocs.

Bulgarian Prime Minister Nikolay Denkov has submitted his resignation to the National Assembly as part of a planned step with his party's governing coalition party that calls for the rotation of the office after nine months.

This press center of the Council of Ministers announced the resignation of Denkov and his government on March 5, nine months after Denkov's coalition government was approved by Bulgaria's parliament with the backing of the parliament's two biggest political groups -- the center-right GERB and Continue the Change/Democratic Bulgaria (PP-DB).

According to the plan agreed when GERB and PP-DB announced their agreement on the composition of the government, Denkov was to hold the post of prime minister for nine months and then hand the job to Foreign Minister Maria Gabriel.

"This is not a political game but keeping one's word, an expression of continuity, political fair play and respect for citizens," Denkov said in a statement. "I am now honoring the commitment that we assumed by the joint declaration on June 6, 2023."

Denkov's announcement came after GERB presented its draft coalition plan earlier on March 5 after weeks of disputes between the two political blocs. The main issues are who should take the position of foreign minister and whether there should be a change in regulators.

According to PP-DB, Denkov should become foreign minister, while GERB wants to hold on to the post. It proposed in its draft coalition plan that Gabriel maintain the position for the next nine months while simultaneously serving as prime minister. It also proposed more time between rotations -- 15 months instead of nine months.

Under the power-sharing arrangement agreed in June, all other ministers would remain in their posts, but since then the GERB has asked for some ministers to be replaced.

The PP-DB in February proposed a treaty under which the joint leadership agreement would remain intact but that would speed up anti-corruption reforms. But the GERB refused and proposed the draft coalition agreement. Both parties have threatened early elections if no agreement is reached. It would be the sixth round of elections in less than three years in the EU and NATO member country.

The redistribution of ministerial posts is supported by Delyan Peevski, a veteran lawmaker, who last month was elected co-chairman of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms.

Peevski, who has been sanctioned by the United States and Britain for alleged corruption, was elected co-president with Djevdet Chakarov, another veteran member of parliament and environment minister from 2005-09 when the Movement for Rights and Freedoms was in the governing coalition.

The Movement for Rights and Freedoms it is not in the governing coalition, but Peevski attends government majority meetings in parliament and the party votes with the ruling majority in the National Assembly.

The PP-DB's priority is changing people in regulatory bodies whose mandates have expired. GERB and the Movement for Rights and Freedoms believe that this should come later.

With reporting by Reuters

Hungarian President Signs Sweden's Bid To Join NATO

Hungarian President Tamas Sulyok signs the ratification of Sweden's NATO accession in Budapest on March 5.
Hungarian President Tamas Sulyok signs the ratification of Sweden's NATO accession in Budapest on March 5.

Hungary's president on March 5 signed the law on Sweden's bid to join NATO, a final technical step before the Nordic country becomes the alliance's 32rd member. A statement on the presidential website said Tamas Sulyok “signed the decision taken by the National Assembly on February 26, 2024, regarding Sweden's membership in NATO." Sulyok signed the bill as his first action as the new president of Hungary. Sulyok became president earlier on March 5 following the resignation last month of Katalin Novak. To read the original story on RFE/RL’s Ukrainian Service, click here.

Prosecutors In North Macedonia Investigating Online Sales Of Fake Trump Merchandise

The fake cards sold for several thousand dollars each on hopes that if Donald Trump were reelected their value would surge or they would be made into legal currency.
The fake cards sold for several thousand dollars each on hopes that if Donald Trump were reelected their value would surge or they would be made into legal currency.

BELGRADE -- The organized crime and corruption division of the Prosecutor-General’s Office of North Macedonia has opened a preliminary investigation into online sales of fake debit cards and other items bearing the name and likeness of former U.S. President Donald Trump.

The announcement on March 5 came one week after an investigation by RFE/RL traced the digital footprints of a Balkan hub of fraud and disinformation to pro-Trump Americans eager to see the former president win reelection in November and lured by the possibility to profit from it.

The investigation found that the cards and other items were part of a multimillion-dollar scam organized within closed chat groups for marketing that appeared online alongside real and bogus news items designed to appeal to conservative Americans.

The prosecutor's organized crime and corruption division said its investigation into the scam would be extensive.

"It is a very complex case, which includes a body of actions, and among other things, it is possible that international legal assistance will be involved," the organized crime and corruption division said, stressing that part of the preliminary investigation is related to an existing case that is already in the trial phase.

The RFE/RL investigation, published on February 26, discovered a group of people selling the fake products to American citizens who were told their purchases would be worth several times more than the funds invested if Trump returns to power.

The operation behind the sales was based in Veles, which has a population of just over 45,000. More than 100 political websites were believed to have been created there before the 2016 U.S. presidential election that Trump won, according to news reports. The websites shared fake news that favored Trump's policies.

In the more recent scheme, the most common offers were for fake debit cards with Trump's image, but the investigation by RFE/RL also found coins, tokens, and bills with Trump’s likeness for sale -- all completely worthless.

The fake cards sold for several thousand dollars each on hopes that if Trump were reelected their value would surge or they would be made into legal currency. Trump is currently the front-runner in the U.S. Republican party's race to become its nominee. Many voter surveys also indicate he would defeat U.S. President Joe Biden, a Democrat, in a repeat of the 2020 race that Trump lost.

Neither Trump nor any of his organizations appears to have any connection to the manufacturers of the debit cards and other items, the platforms used for the sales, or sellers.

The digital team from RFE/RL’s Balkan Service conducted its investigation by infiltrating the closed Telegram groups, finding 88 websites at which the products were sold. The network involved 69 individuals, two-thirds of them with digital trails placing them in Veles, the investigators found.

About one-third of the Telegram channels used by the sellers were deleted within days after RFE/RL published its investigation.

Tehran Tells Transgender People To Avoid 'Busy' Areas, Highlighting Difficulties Faced By LGBT Community

Most members of Iran's LGBT community are forced to hide their sexual orientation, often leading double lives due to fear of persecution by the hard-line leadership and a society that views them as diseased.
Most members of Iran's LGBT community are forced to hide their sexual orientation, often leading double lives due to fear of persecution by the hard-line leadership and a society that views them as diseased.

The Tehran City Council spokesman said that transgender people should congregate in only certain parts of Iran's capital, highlighting how many in the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community are shunned.

Speaking at a press briefing on March 4, Alireza Nadali said transgender people should avoid areas such as the bustling Valiasr Intersection -- a focal point in Tehran for both its cultural significance and as a site of major public gatherings, including protests -- and instead meet up in "inclusive" areas.

"We're not sweeping the issue under the rug. There should be an inclusive space for them, just not in this busy area," Nadali said.

Most members of Iran's LGBT community are forced to hide their sexual orientation, often leading double lives due to fear of persecution by the hard-line leadership and a society that views them as diseased.

Nadali referred to transgender people as having "a special physical and psychological condition," further underscoring the institutional challenges faced by the LGBT community in Iran.

The comments come less than two months after a father admitted to murdering his 17-year-old son over what he called the teenager's "feminine" behavior and makeup. The father added that he felt publicly shamed and claimed, "everyone pointed fingers at us."

Violence against sexual minorities by family members is not uncommon in the Islamic republic, where senior officials often address them with derogatory terms, such as "inhuman" or "sick," fanning homophobic sentiment.

The Tehran City Council's moves to push transgender people to find certain areas to meet up aligns with broader efforts by the city and other government bodies to regulate public spaces and control social conduct.

Tehran recently erected barriers around the City Theater -- one of the areas transgender people should avoid, according to the City Council -- and has increased patrols by hijab enforcement officers in the area after more than a year of unrest sparked by Iranians' anger over a lack of freedoms and rights.

Despite the legality of sex-reassignment surgery in Iran -- a country that otherwise criminalizes same-sex relations with severe penalties including corporal punishment and death -- the official stance towards transgender individuals remains fraught with contradictions.

Authorities provide legal mechanisms for gender transition while simultaneously restricting the visibility and rights of transgender people in public life.

Meanwhile, religious leaders in Iran have issued varying fatwas regarding gender reassignment surgery -- while some clerics do not consider it haram, or forbidden -- creating an even more complex landscape for transgender rights and acceptance in the country.

According to a 2020 poll published by the 6rang advocacy group, 62 percent of LGBT members surveyed in Iran said that they had experienced one or more forms of violence by their immediate family. Nearly 30 percent complained of sexual violence, while 77 percent said they had been subjected to physical violence.

The pressure and persecution force many members of Iran's LGBT community to flee the country, while many others undergo sex-reassignment surgery (SRS). Iran is the only Islamic country where SRS is recognized.

Written by Ardeshir Tayebi based on an original story in Persian by RFE/RL's Radio Farda

Extreme Weather After Mild Winter Kills Dozens In Afghanistan And Pakistan

An Afghan man pushes a wheelbarrow following heavy snowfall in Ghazni Province early last month.
An Afghan man pushes a wheelbarrow following heavy snowfall in Ghazni Province early last month.

Heavy snowfall and rains have killed at least 80 people in Afghanistan and Pakistan as extreme weather conditions wreak havoc in both countries.

Deluges have flooded communities and forced residents to flee in recent days, while blizzards and landslides in mountainous areas have closed major highways.

The current spell of wet weather follows a long, dry winter marked by unusually low precipitation.

On March 5, Pakistan's newly elected prime minister, Shehbaz Sharif, visited the southern coastal city of Gwadar, which was flooded after torrential rains began on February 28.

"Hundreds of houses were inundated with floodwater, which forced thousands to flee the city," said Aurangzeb Badini, a local administration official.

Badini added that the floods had killed five people and washed away or damaged more than 3,200 houses in Gwadar and the nearby towns of Jiwani and Pasni.

During his visit, Sharif distributed cash grants, tents, and food aid to Gwadar residents affected by the floods.

Some 1000 kilometers away in the mountainous northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, rain and snowfall killed at least 40 people and injured 62 more, according to the provincial rescue service.

"Most of the people were killed or injured because of collapsing houses," Bilal Faizi, a spokesman for the rescue service, told RFE/RL's Radio Mashaal.

In neighboring Afghanistan, recent heavy snowfalls have led to the loss of 39 lives in different provinces, while scores more have been injured.

"The recent snow and rain have completely or partially destroyed 637 houses and killed over 14,000 livestock," said Janan Sayeq, a spokesman for the Taliban-led Disaster Management Ministry.

On March 4, Taliban rescue workers opened the high-altitude Salang tunnel, which connects northern Afghanistan to the capital, Kabul.

The two neighboring countries are some of the most vulnerable to climate change. They frequently face earthquakes, droughts, floods, landslides and other natural disasters.

Russian-Installed Police In Crimea Detain At Least Five Crimean Tatar Activists On Terrorism Charges

Russian-installed police detain people in Simferopol, Crimea, in 2021. Since illegally annexing Crimea in 2014, Russia has imposed pressure on Crimean Tatars, the peninsula's indigenous ethnic group, many of whom openly protested the annexation.
Russian-installed police detain people in Simferopol, Crimea, in 2021. Since illegally annexing Crimea in 2014, Russia has imposed pressure on Crimean Tatars, the peninsula's indigenous ethnic group, many of whom openly protested the annexation.

Russian-imposed police in Ukraine's Moscow-annexed Crimea detained at least five Crimean Tatar activists on terrorism charges after searching their homes and the homes of several other Crimean Tatars on the Black Sea peninsula on March 5, the Crimean Solidarity human rights groups said. The wife of one of the activists said the officers looked for banned literature. Since illegally annexing Crimea in 2014, Russia has imposed pressure on Crimean Tatars, the peninsula's indigenous ethnic group, many of whom openly protested the annexation. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Crimea.Realities, click here.

Activists Say Iranian Students Remain Under Pressure In Clampdown On Dissent

Students Sheida Saberi (left) and Khabat Vaisi
Students Sheida Saberi (left) and Khabat Vaisi

Student activists say Iran's judiciary has escalated its crackdown against dissent on campus after a student was summoned to commence a 15-year prison sentence, while another faces fresh charges, according to reports from human rights organizations.

Khabat Vaisi, a student at Payame Noor University in Marivan, was transferred to the western city's central prison to serve his term after being convicted by the Marivan Islamic Revolutionary Court of "propaganda against the system" and membership in the Kurdistan Democratic Party of Iran. These charges followed his arrest and interrogation in late 2022.

Separately, Sheida Saberi, a student at the University of Shiraz, was indicted on charges including disturbing public order and peace, illegal assembly, and propaganda against the Islamic republic.

She posted an image on Instagram of the charges handed down by the seventh branch of the Public and Revolutionary Court of Yasuj against her.

Saberi was detained in September 2022 after she stood in the Haft-e Tir Square in Yasuj and cut her hair off as part of the Women, Freedom, Life protests that erupted across Iran following the death of Mahsa Amini while in police custody for an alleged hijab infraction.

Student activists have highlighted the increasingly oppressive atmosphere within Iranian universities since the start of the new academic year. This includes widespread summonses issued by intelligence and security agencies, disciplinary actions, temporary suspensions, and even expulsions of students and faculty members.

Universities and students have long been at the forefront of the struggle for greater social and political freedoms in Iran. In 1999, students protested the closure of a reformist daily newspaper, prompting a brutal raid on the dorms of Tehran University that left one student dead.

Over the years, the authorities have arrested student activists and leaders, sentencing them to prison and banning them from studying.

The activist HRANA news agency says at least 700 university students have been arrested during the nationwide protests sparked by the September 2022 death of the 22-year-old Amini.

Many have faced sentences such as imprisonment and flogging, and dozens of students have been expelled from universities or suspended from their studies, as security forces try to stifle widespread dissent.

Written by Ardeshir Tayebi based on an original story in Persian by RFE/RL's Radio Farda

ICC Issues Arrest Warrants For Two Senior Russian Officers Over Alleged Crimes In Ukraine

Vice Admiral Viktor Sokolov salutes during a send-off ceremony for reservists drafted during partial mobilization in Sevastopol, Crimea, Russian-occupied Ukraine, on September 27, 2022.
Vice Admiral Viktor Sokolov salutes during a send-off ceremony for reservists drafted during partial mobilization in Sevastopol, Crimea, Russian-occupied Ukraine, on September 27, 2022.

The International Criminal Court said on March 5 that it issued arrest warrants for Sergey Kobylash and Viktor Sokolov for alleged crimes committed in Ukraine from "at least" between October 10, 2022 and March 9, 2023. The two are "allegedly responsible for the war crime of directing attacks at civilian objects, the war crime of causing excessive incidental harm to civilians or damage to civilian objects, and the crime against humanity of inhumane acts," the ICC said. Koblyash, a lieutenant general, is commander of Russia's Long-Range Aviation of the Aerospace Force. Sokolov, an admiral, is the former commander of Russia's Black Sea Fleet.

Germany Says Participant's Error Led To Moscow Intercepting Call On Ukraine

Russian media last week published a recording of a meeting of the officials discussing weapons for Ukraine and a potential strike by Kyiv on a bridge in Crimea.
Russian media last week published a recording of a meeting of the officials discussing weapons for Ukraine and a potential strike by Kyiv on a bridge in Crimea.

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said one participant on a high-level military call on Ukraine intercepted by Russia had mistakenly joined via a nonsecure line and German communications systems had not been compromised. Russia likely intercepted the discussion among senior German Air Force officials by chance via widespread surveillance, Pistorius added while presenting initial results of an investigation into the leak, which has embarrassed Germany and prompted questions about its intelligence security. Russian media last week published a recording of a meeting of the officials discussing weapons for Ukraine and a potential strike by Kyiv on a bridge in Crimea.

Tajik Ex-Police Officer Gets 19 Years In Prison For Kidnap And Murder

Former Tajik police officer Akmal Yusufzoda (right) has been convicted of abducting Ismoiljon Rahmonov (left) and killing him. (composite file photo)
Former Tajik police officer Akmal Yusufzoda (right) has been convicted of abducting Ismoiljon Rahmonov (left) and killing him. (composite file photo)

The Supreme Court of Tajikistan informed RFE/RL on March 5 that it sentenced last week former police Colonel Akmal Yusufzoda to 19 years in prison on a charge of kidnapping and murdering a university teacher. The court added that Yusufzoda's co-defendant and relative, Ismoiljon Shukurov, was handed a 12-year prison term on February 28 for assisting Yusufzoda in the abduction and for helping throw Ismoiljon Rahmonov, whose hands were bound, into a river last summer. Investigators say Yusufzoda's actions were motivated by jealousy as he suspected Rahmonov had an affair with his wife. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Tajik Service, click here.

Bosnia-Herzegovina Can Only Join EU As One Country, Germany's Baerbock Says

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (left) with her Bosnian counterpart, Elmedin Konakovic, in Sarajevo on March 5.
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (left) with her Bosnian counterpart, Elmedin Konakovic, in Sarajevo on March 5.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has warned against what she called the "secessionist fantasies" of the Bosnian Serb entity under its leader, Milorad Dodik, saying that Bosnia-Herzegovina's accession into the European Union could only be achieved as a unified country.

Under the Dayton peace agreement that ended the 1992-95 Bosnian War, Bosnia has consisted of the Bosniak-Croat federation and Republika Srpska under a weak central government.

Baerbock, who is on a tour of the Western Balkans, spoke on March 5 after talks in Sarajevo with Bosnian Foreign Minister Elmedin Konakovic.

"Secessionist fantasies meant to put obstacles on the path of European integration; we will clearly name those fantasies, because only a joint commitment and a united Bosnia-Herzegovina can lead to the path to the EU," Baerbock said.

Dodik has repeatedly threatened secession, spurning the Muslim-Croat Federation and taking steps to establish some parallel institutions over the past two years.

Dodik, who met with Russian President Vladimir Putin last month and plays up their "good relations," is under U.S. and British sanctions for his obstruction of the Dayton agreement and for violating the legitimacy of Bosnia.

In December, the EU announced it will open accession negotiations with Bosnia "once the necessary degree of compliance with the membership criteria is achieved."

The European Commission is to assess the country's progress in mid-March and make a decision on whether negotiations can be opened.

Baerbock has said that Bosnia is at a "key crossroads in the accession process."

Konakovic said after the meeting that Bosnia's central authorities still have a lot of work to do, but they are determined "to continue the European path faster than we have ever traveled."

Baerbock is scheduled to meet with members of Bosnia's joint parliamentary commission for European integration and representatives of both houses of parliament.

Earlier on March 5, Baerbock met with the high representative of the international community in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Christian Schmidt, his office announced.

Dodik has been charged over two laws he signed in July that allow the Bosnian Serb entity to bypass or ignore decisions made by Schmidt.

At Least Four Moscow Residents Reportedly Detained For Laying Flowers To Honor Navalny

 With Russia's Federal Security Service building in the background, a woman lays flowers to pay tribute to Aleksei Navalny at a monument in Moscow dedicated to gulag prisoners.
With Russia's Federal Security Service building in the background, a woman lays flowers to pay tribute to Aleksei Navalny at a monument in Moscow dedicated to gulag prisoners.

At least four Moscow residents were reportedly detained on March 5 for laying flowers to honor late opposition politician Aleksei Navalny, who died in prison last month. The OVD-Info Telegram channel said Polina Orekhova and Yegor Komlev were detained over laying flowers at makeshift Navalny memorials on February 16, the day Navalny's death was made public, and February 17. OVD-Info said that two other Moscow residents -- Yelena Gribkova and Yelena Levina, who were detained briefly on February 17 for honoring Navalny -- were detained again on March 5 over attending Navalny’s burial last week. To read the original story by Current Time, click here.

Kyrgyz President's Ex-Associate Gets 7 Years In Prison

Kyrgyz activist Melis Aspekov
Kyrgyz activist Melis Aspekov

Aaly Aspekov, the son of a former associate of the Kyrgyz president, said on March 4 that a court in Bishkek sentenced his father, activist Melis Aspekov, to seven years in prison last week on a charge of plotting mass disorder, which he rejects. The Birinchi Mai district court confirmed to RFE/RL that Aspekov was handed the prison term on February 28. Aspekov was a staunch supporter of Sadyr Japarov and actively participated in rallies promoting Japarov for the presidency during anti-government protests in October 2020 that led to resignation of Japarov's predecessor, Sooronbai Jeenbekov. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service, click here.

Court Rejects Russian Journalist's Appeal Against Sentence Over Posts About Ukraine War

Russian journalist Andrei Novashov (file photo)
Russian journalist Andrei Novashov (file photo)

A court of appeals in the Siberian region of Kemerovo on March 5 rejected an appeal filed by journalist Andrei Novashov against a sentence he was handed last year over his social media posts saying Russian forces attacked civilian infrastructure in Ukraine. Novashov reiterated his innocence, saying he just did his job as a journalist. A court sentenced Novashov to eight months of correctional work after finding him guilty of discrediting Russia's armed forces. It also barred him from posting any materials online for one year. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Siberia.Realities, click here.

Report: Executions In Iran Last Year Highest Since 2015

Iran has the second-highest number of executions in the world, trailing only China, according to rights groups. (file photo)
Iran has the second-highest number of executions in the world, trailing only China, according to rights groups. (file photo)

At least 834 people were executed in Iran last year, a 43 percent increase compared to 2022, according to a joint report from the Iran Human Rights group (IHR) and the Paris-based Together Against the Death Penalty, as authorities continue to ramp up the use of the death penalty for drug-related offenses.

In the annual report on capital punishment in Iran, released on March 5, the groups said that some 85 percent of all executions were not announced by Iranian authorities, meaning that the actual number of executions is likely much higher as dozens more are not included in the report "due to a lack of sufficient details or an inability to confirm cases through two different sources."

"Instilling societal fear is the regime's only way to hold on to power, and the death penalty is its most important instrument," said IHR Director Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam in the report.

The rate of executions in Iran has been rising sharply with rights groups pointing to a surge in drug-related executions and widespread protests that swept across the country last year following the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in police custody for an alleged head-scarf violation.

Iran has the second-highest number of executions in the world, trailing only China, according to rights groups. Last year was only the second time since 2015 that capital punishment in the Middle Eastern nation was carried out more than 800 times.

The IHR report said 471 executions carried out in 2023 were for drug offenses, almost double the number of the previous year.

"Some of the executions were carried out secretly, without the family or the lawyer being informed, and some have simply not been announced by the official media," the report says.

"This is while according to the Islamic republic’s own laws, the defendant’s lawyer must be notified of the planned execution."

The report showed that, excluding China where rights groups say it is impossible to get accurate data, Iran executed more women -- 22 -- than any other country in the world.

Furthermore, it said ethnic minorities also account for a disproportionate amount of the total number of people executed.

The report said that at least 167 members of Iran's Sunni Baluch community were executed, meaning they accounted for 20 percent of the overall total while representing only 5 percent of the country's population.

The Baluch community is "grossly overrepresented amongst those executed" on drug-related charges, it said.

Oil Depot Burning After Explosion In Russia's Belgorod Region Bordering Ukraine

Authorities in Belgorod have announced a missile threat alert in some of the region's districts. (file photo)
Authorities in Belgorod have announced a missile threat alert in some of the region's districts. (file photo)

Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov of Russia's Belgorod region said on March 5 that an important building in the region's Gubkin district was hit by a fire caused by an explosion. Media reports said the building that Gladkov mentioned is an oil depot in the village of Dolgoye. The oil depot belongs to Russian energy giant Rosneft. The Ukrayinska Pravda website in Ukraine cited sources as saying that the explosion and fire were the result of an attack conducted by Ukraine's military intelligence. Authorities in Belgorod announced a missile threat alert in the districts of Gubkin and Stary Oskol. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Russian Service, click here.

Ex-U.S. Army Officer Accused Of Sharing Ukraine War Intelligence On Dating Site Pleads Not Guilty

According to prosecutors, the retired lieutenant colonel was working as a civilian employee at U.S. Strategic Command, when he allegedly began an online relationship with a woman on a “foreign dating platform.” (file photo)
According to prosecutors, the retired lieutenant colonel was working as a civilian employee at U.S. Strategic Command, when he allegedly began an online relationship with a woman on a “foreign dating platform.” (file photo)

A retired U.S. Army officer has pleaded not guilty to charges that he shared classified intelligence with a woman claiming to be from Ukraine, using e-mail and an online dating platform to send information that included Russian military targets in Ukraine.

David Slater entered the plea in federal court in Nebraska on March 5 in the latest in a series of embarrassing disclosures and leaks of classified U.S. intelligence, some of it concerning Russia’s ongoing full-scale invasion of Ukraine and U.S. support for Kyiv.

The federal public defender who represented Slater at the hearing didn't comment on the case, but the judge ordered Slater to hire his own attorney after reviewing financial documents indicating he owns several rental homes in Nebraska and a property in Germany.

The judge also confirmed during the hearing that Slater no longer has access to classified information, but it was not clear if that mean he lost his job.

Live Briefing: Russia's Invasion Of Ukraine

RFE/RL's Live Briefing gives you all of the latest developments on Russia's full-scale invasion, Kyiv's counteroffensive, Western military aid, global reaction, and the plight of civilians. For all of RFE/RL's coverage of the war in Ukraine, click here.

U.S. prosecutors said on March 4 that Slater, a retired lieutenant colonel, was working as a civilian employee at U.S. Strategic Command, when he allegedly began an online relationship with a woman on a “foreign dating platform.” U.S. Strategic Command oversees U.S. nuclear arsenals, among other things.

It’s unclear whether Slater, 63, ever physically met the woman, who prosecutors said identified herself as Ukrainian.

In a series of e-mails and chats on the unnamed dating site between February and April 2022, the woman sent messages asking Slater specific questions about U.S. intelligence on Russia’s invasion.

"Dear, what is shown on the screens in the special room?? It is very interesting," the woman texted Slater around March 11, 2022, according to the unsealed indictment.

“By the way, you were the first to tell me that NATO members are traveling by train and only now (already evening) this was announced on our news. You are my secret informant, love! How were your meetings? Successfully?” the woman texted Slater days later.

"Beloved Dave, do NATO and Biden have a secret plan to help us?" the woman wrote on March 18.

“You are my secret agent. With love,” the woman allegedly wrote a week later.

The indictment does not quote any e-mails or messages authored by Slater, who was expected to be released on March 6 on the condition that he surrenders his passport, submits to GPS monitoring, and remains in Nebraska.

If convicted at trial, Slater faces up to 10 years in federal prison on each of the three counts laid out in the indictment.

A series of leaks of classified U.S. data on Ukraine and other issues have embarrassed the U.S. intelligence community and stirred doubts among U.S. allies sharing closely held information.

On March 4, a man who served in the U.S. Air National Guard unit pleaded guilty to leaking highly classified military documents about the Ukraine war and other U.S. national security secrets.

Jack Teixeira, 22, admitted to obtaining the information while he worked as an information technology specialist, and then sharing it with other users on Discord, a social media platform popular with online gamers.

The leaks, which included information about troop movements in Ukraine and the provision of U.S. equipment to Ukrainian troops, were seen as highly embarrassing for the Pentagon; more than a dozen military personnel were reprimanded in the subsequent investigation.

With reporting by AP

Siberian Court Hands Prison Terms To Nine Jehovah's Witnesses

Dozens of Jehovah’s Witnesses have been imprisoned in the country since Russia banned the religious group in 2017 and designated it as an "extremist organization." (file photo)
Dozens of Jehovah’s Witnesses have been imprisoned in the country since Russia banned the religious group in 2017 and designated it as an "extremist organization." (file photo)

A court in Russia's Irkutsk region in Siberia sentenced nine Jehovah's Witnesses to various prison terms on March 5 as a crackdown on the religious group continues. The court handed seven years in prison to six Jehovah's Witnesses on a charge of financing an extremist group. Two believers were sentenced to six years and four months each on a charge of organizing the activities of an extremist group, and one person was convicted of taking part in the activities of an extremist group and sentenced to three years in prison. Russia designated the religion as an "extremist organization" in 2017. To read the original story from RFE/RL's Siberia.Realities, click here.

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