Watchdog

Imagine you're a police chief in the Azerbaijani capital and you're holding a pair of activist bloggers on pretty dubious charges of hooliganism. Further imagine that supporters of the detainees are gathered outside your police station for word of what awaits the two, potentially drawing attention to the case. What to do?

Sic the "cleaning lady" on them, of course! That's what happened in Baku, and RFE/RL's Azerbaijani Service was there to capture the scene as she kicks up dust and generally tries to make life difficult for friends and reporters trying to follow the cases of youth activists Emin Milli and Adnan Hajizada after their July 9 arrests.

U.S. Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs William Burns says he had "productive" talks with Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov in Ashgabat over the weekend, RFE/RL's Turkmen Service reports.

Burns told reporters at the U.S Embassy in Ashgabat that the two discussed the fight against drug trafficking, developing civil society in Turkmenistan, and supporting stability in Afghanistan.

Burns added that the United States and Turkmenistan have a systematic dialogue on issues like human rights and freedom, which he said is an important part of intergovernmental dialogue between the two countries.

Burns also emphasized the importance of free media in fighting corruption in the country.

Burns flew to Ashgabat after a two-day visit to Kyrgyzstan.