Are the Kremlin Hardliners Winning? - Institute of Modern Russia http://t.co/NBHD6SZoNQ
— toomas hendrik ilves (@IlvesToomas) October 7, 2014
This short report has been filed by the Crimean Desk of RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service
A Crimean Tatar man who was found dead on the annexed peninsula has been buried today in his native town of Saky.
Edem Asanov, 25, was found hanged in the city of Yevpatoria on October 6 after being missing for days. Crimea's Moscow-backed officials say he must have committed suicide.
The wife of the Crimean Tatars' veteran leader Mustafa Dzhemilev, Safinar Dzhemileva, who attended the funeral, told RFE/RL that she did not believe Asanov took his own life.
"We are now hostages here," Dzhemileva said. "They [Russia-backed officials] treat us as prisoners and nobody is held accountable."
The majority of Crimean Tatars, Crimea's Turkic-speaking Muslim native people, have opposed Russia's annexation of the Black Sea peninsula from Ukraine in March.
Several Tatars have been abducted in recent weeks and their whereabouts remain unknown.
The hottest spot in the East right now- #Donetsk airport.UA army is still holding the position. 07.10 AP pic.twitter.com/FZhauVuFSB”
— Kateryna_Kruk (@Kateryna_Kruk) October 7, 2014
For Putin's bday, this Ukrainian fan wearing a mask of the Russian leader ran through a stadium in his underpants https://t.co/ZrjGg2ws2J
— Christopher Miller (@ChristopherJM) October 7, 2014
#OSCE doesn't have enough observers to monitor cease-fire deal in #Ukraine http://t.co/3UGwcGoVs2 pic.twitter.com/iXNHmA0txO
— Kyiv Post (@KyivPost) October 7, 2014
That @novaya_gazeta article, translated. 'He wasn't a volunteer,' says wife of Russian officer killed in east Ukraine http://t.co/fBPsGgWaBS
— Christopher Miller (@ChristopherJM) October 7, 2014
Another update from RFE/RL's news desk:
The electoral commission for the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DNR) in eastern Ukraine has called for a delay in conducting parliamentary and presidential elections.
Roman Lyahin, the chairman of the so-called DNR Central Election Commission, said today that no decision had been taken yet on postponing the planned November 2 elections but he said "more than 15% of the territories where polling stations are located are unfit for the elections."
Lyahin said another week is needed to make all the necessary preparations.
Underscoring the problems, Lyahin said his commission had just received the registration documents from the Novorossiya movement.
Lyahin also said the so-called prime minister of the DNR, Aleksandr Zakharchenko, was the only person so far to file documents to run for the DNR's top post and Zakharchenko "is the only one who is collecting signatures" to be registered as a candidate.
No country besides Russia is likely to recognize elections in the pro-Russian separatist held region as being legitimate.
(Interfax, TASS)
At least 5 Lenins down in 24 hrs, according to Tass https://t.co/vXq2NRvWxn
— Glenn Kates (@gkates) October 7, 2014
Donetsk Nr2 separatist Andrei Purgin just told us that notorious Cdr Igor Bezler is no longer in charge of Horlivka, "left not long ago"
— Nikolaus von Twickel (@niktwick) October 7, 2014
As our news desk reports, it's just been announced in Brussels that the Euromaidan movement is in the running for the Sakharov Prize:
The European Parliament has shortlisted Ukraine's pro-Western Euromaidan movement, Azerbaijani rights defender Leyla Yunus, and a Congolese doctor for the 2014 Sakharov Prize for freedom of thought.
The Euromaidan movement derived from a wave of pro-EU demonstrations across Ukraine that led to President Viktor Yanukovych's ouster in February.
As the movement has no designated leader, four people were cited as its representatives -- journalists Mustafa Nayem and Tetyana Chornovol, Eurovision Song contest winner Ruslana Lyzhychko, and student Yelyzaveta Schepetylnykova.
Yunus of Azerbaijan is known for her work helping citizens affected by forced evictions in Baku and compiling lists of political prisoners in her country. She and her husband are currently in pre-trial detention on high treason charges.
The 50,000-euro ($64,200) Sakharov Prize is awarded annually to honor defenders of human rights and freedom of expression.
The laureate will be announced October 16.