Category: Governance

GENEVA: The Federal Criminal Court of Switzerland on Wednesday convicted former Gambian Interior Minister Ousman Sonko for crimes against humanity and sentenced him to 20 years in prison. Among other things, the court writes in its statement that it considers it proven that Sonko was an accomplice in the deliberate killing of a soldier suspected of being involved in a coup in Banjul, the capital of Gambia, in January 2000. The court also considers it proven that he was complicit in the torture and unlawful deprivation of liberty of military personnel, politicians and journalists in connection with a coup attempt in Banjul in March 2006 and the murder of a former member of parliament in October 2011. It also mentioned that the torture and sexual crimes against journalists, opposition members or suspected coup participants were committed by the paramilitary unit Junglers on the orders of various leaders, including the defendant. The acts charged by the Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland occurred between January 2000 and September 2016. He was mainly accused of acting in collaboration with the then president of the West African country, Yahya Jammeh, as well as leaders of the security forces and the prison service. It was possible to charge and convict Sonko in Switzerland as he had entered the country as an asylum seeker in 2016. Prior to this, in September 2016, then Gambian President Yahya Jammeh had dismissed his long-serving Interior Minister Sonko. Sonko lived undisturbed in Switzerland until his arrest in January 2017. He has been in custody since then. The trial against Sonko marks the first time that a former interior minister has been tried for crimes against humanity in Switzerland. Source: Anadolu Agency

MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin officially introduced newly-appointed Defense Minister Andrey Belousov to senior Russian military officials in a meeting in Moscow on Wednesday, expressing confidence in his ability to handle the important portfolio based on his previous Cabinet experience and defense industry expertise. Belousov was nominated for the position of defense minister on Sunday and approved by parliament on Tuesday. He has also served as the first deputy prime minister in the previous Cabinet. During the meeting, Putin justified the economist's new position and expressed confidence in his ability, saying Belousov's economic expertise would help balance defense and social expenses while keeping the country's fiscal budget in mind, according to a statement issued by the Kremlin. "Andrey Belousov has been appointed the new minister of defense. Last but not least, this is due to the fact that spending on the military component is growing," he explained. The president stressed the need for c areful and efficient allocation of resources in the circumstances when Russia's defense and security spending is projected to surpass 8.7% of the national GDP. "He understands perfectly well what needs to be done in order to integrate the economy of the entire security bloc and the Defense Ministry as a key link of this bloc into the overall economy of the country," he said. Putin noted that Belousov has also worked on developing Russia's drone industry under his supervision. Regarding Shoygu, Putin said he will serve as the secretary of the Russian Security Council and organize the work of the Federal Service for Cooperation with foreign countries. The president assured that no changes are planned for the General Staff and other departments involved in different aspects of combat operations. Source: Anadolu Agency

KAZAN: Tatarstan's trade and economic relations with countries in the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) have improved dramatically, said the leader of the Russian Republic of Tatarstan on Wednesday. Republic of Tatarstan Rais (Head) Rustam Minnikhanov made the remarks at the 15th international economic summit Russia-Islamic World: KazanForum 2024, which is running between May 14 and 19 in Kazan, Tatarstan's capital, with Turkish global news service agency Anadolu as its global communications partner. Addressing the ambassadors, Minnikhanov said trade with Egypt, Malaysia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Tunisia, Trkiye, and several states has grown significantly. 'We are strengthening connections with the partners from the countries of Asia and Africa,' he added. He pointed out that Tatarstan is one of Russia's industrial centers, saying, "We produce vehicles, aeroplanes, helicopters, ships, and we are the largest processor of oil, related products, petrochemistry, and mineral fertilizer productio n." And we are a major agricultural production center." Noting that the event has become 'a good tradition' for opportunities for cooperation, Minnikhanov said the forum has been 'quite packed' with sessions, discussions, roundtables on Islamic finance, partnership banking, entrepreneurship, investment, logistics, halal lifestyle, diplomacy, and many other issues. 'Russia and the countries of the OIC interact on the basis of the well-balanced approaches to a number of problems in the modern world,' he said. 'The Republic of Tatarstan is one of the most industrially developed regions of Russia and one of the most innovative regions of our country as well,' he said. Noting the upcoming meeting of the Russia-Islamic World Group of Strategic Vision, he said that it is one of Russia's active and operational mechanisms for interaction with the Islamic world. Tanju Bilgic, Turkish Ambassador to Moscow, was one of the envoys who spoke during the meeting. The Turkish envoy said Trkiye and Russia 'are having a ve ry good cooperation.' Noting Trkiye and Russia aim to reach $100 billion in trade volume, Bilgic said: 'Last year our trade volume was around $56 billion. Tatarstan is very instrumental in reaching that target.' Bilgic also mentioned that the current target trade volume between Tatarstan and Trkiye is about $2.9 billion, with Tatarstan accounting for one-third of Turkish investments in Russia. "We have invested more than $2.5 billion in Tatarstan," he added. Source: Anadolu Agency

MOSCOW: The Georgian parliament on Tuesday passed in the third and final reading of the draft bill On Transparency of Foreign Influence, introducing control over foreign financing of non-governmental organizations in the Caucasian state. The session was live-streamed on the parliament's website. Despite escalated tensions that even led to a physical confrontation between supporters and opponents of the proposed legislation, the bill was passed. With 84 votes for and 30 against, the bill has passed, parliament speaker Shalva Papuashvili announced. Earlier in the day, the parliamentary proceedings were abruptly halted due to a physical altercation among lawmakers as they continued debate over the foreign agents bill. Levan Khabeishvili, leader of the United National Movement opposition party, accused Dmitry Samkharadze, his counterpart from the ruling Georgian Dream party, of instigating violence against opponents of the bill in the streets of Tbilisi. In response, Samkharadze hurled a water bottle at Khabe ishvili, sparking a scuffle between them and involving other members from both sides, including women lawmakers. As the situation escalated, Papuashvili intervened, bringing the meeting to an abrupt halt. Once the order was restored, the lawmakers resumed their debates and were able to bring the consideration of the legislation to a logical end. There have been protests in opposition to the legislation, which mandates that non-governmental organizations receiving more than 20% of their funding from abroad must register as entities pursuing foreign interests or face penalties. Source: Anadolu Agency

GAZA CITY: A Palestinian driver with the World Health Organization (WHO) was killed and a foreign employee injured in an Israeli attack in Rafah city in the southern Gaza Strip, medical sources told Anadolu on Monday. A WHO vehicle came under fire from Israeli forces in eastern Rafah, the sources said, adding that the injured foreign employee was rushed to the European Hospital in Khan Younis city in southern Gaza for medical attention. There was no comment from the Israeli army on the report. Israeli public broadcaster KAN, however, said the army launched an investigation into the incident that occurred near the Rafah crossing with Egypt, a vital route for humanitarian aid into the besieged Gaza Strip. KAN said it was not yet clear if Israeli forces or gunmen opened fire at the WHO car. Since Oct. 7, when Israel launched a devastating war on the Gaza Strip, at least 171 UN staff have been killed, according to UNRWA figures. Source: Anadolu Agency

BELGRADE: North Macedonia's Foreign Ministry urged caution on Monday to newly elected President Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova, who referred to her country as "Macedonia" during her swearing-in ceremony, reigniting a naming dispute with neighboring Greece. "We urge all political stakeholders, particularly elected officials, to exercise caution. Upholding the Euro-Atlantic trajectory of the country remains a paramount strategic interest and serves as a guarantee for its long-term security and stability," the ministry said in a statement. It also affirmed North Macedonia's commitment to fully respecting constitutional provisions and all internationally assumed obligations including, the 2018 Prespa Agreement signed with Greece, which settled the longstanding naming dispute between the two countries. The 2018 Prespa Agreement saw the renaming of Macedonia to North Macedonia and paved the way for its NATO membership. "Over the past seven years, the two neighboring countries have fostered an exceptionally high le vel of political dialogue, leading to a notable increase in economic cooperation and the establishment of positive relations among their citizens," said the ministry statement. "These accomplishments have culminated in the country's NATO membership, the launch of negotiations with the European Union, and the deepening of the Strategic Partnership through Strategic Dialogue with the United States," it added. This came a day after North Macedonia's newly-elected President Siljanovska-Davkova, sparked a diplomatic spat with Greece by referring to her country as "Macedonia," rather than the constitutional name "North Macedonia." Earlier on Sunday, 71-year-old Siljanovska-Davkova, a law professor and jurist, was sworn in as the country's first woman president, at a ceremony in the North Macedonian Assembly. In her inauguration speech, she pledged to diligently and responsibly fulfill her duties as the country's president. "I will respect the Constitution and laws, and I will protect the sovereignty, territori al integrity, and independence of Macedonia," she said. Siljanovska-Davkova took over the presidency from Stevo Pendarovski in a handover ceremony following an assembly session. Greece and Bulgaria slammed Siljanovska-Davkova for calling the country "Macedonia." Bulgaria's Prime Minister Dimitar Glavchev reiterated in a statement that his country "refuses" the contradictory statements and behaviors by its southwestern neighbor. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also condemned the move. Meanwhile, European Council President Charles Michel expressed his "disappointment" over Siljanovska-Davkova's use of North Macedonia's former name. The EU External Action Service (EEAS) was also swift in its reaction, saying that the bloc "regrets the fact that the new President of North Macedonia, President Siljanovska-Davkova, did not use the constitutional name of the country during the swearing-in ceremony today." It further echoed European Council President Michel's call to North Macedonia on the importa nce of fully respecting existing, legally binding agreements. In the second round of North Macedonia's presidential election on May 8, Siljanovska-Davkova secured victory with 64.14% of the vote. She was backed by the alliance led by the Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization-Democratic Party for Macedonian National Unity. Meanwhile, the alliance supported by the Social Democratic Union of Macedonia, led by former President Pendarovski, received 29.25% of the votes. Source: Anadolu Agency

ANKARA: Afghanistan's ambassador to Ankara, Amir Mohammad Ramin, stressed the urgent need for humanitarian aid and shelter in his country's flood-affected agricultural areas. Speaking to Anadolu and providing updates on the floods and Afghanistan's current situation, Ramin expressed gratitude for Trkiye's continuous support and aid during challenging times. He acknowledged the condolences from the Turkish people and civil society organizations, highlighting that Turkish NGOs were among the first responders to provide aid to the affected regions. Describing the flood disaster as extremely challenging, Ramin pointed out its severe impact on provinces such as Baghlan, Takhar, Badakhshan, and Ghawr. He mentioned the difficulties in sending humanitarian aid due to poor road conditions and communication issues, also noting initial reports of casualties and thousands of injuries. Ramin cautioned that around 10,000 houses were destroyed, with these figures being preliminary and likely to increase in the coming d ays. Significant agricultural cities affected He emphasized the importance of the affected provinces in Afghanistan's agriculture, saying: "Many animals perished. Agricultural lands and farmers were affected. "The numbers show that about 40,000 animals were lost in the flood disaster. Additionally, roads and water channels were severely affected," he said. The floodwaters also submerged agricultural lands that were expected to yield harvest in a month. Reports indicate that many villages are inaccessible, leading to a shortage of basic necessities in several areas. The diplomat went on to say that they are receiving new information every hour, but the figures are based on initial assessments and will become clearer in the coming days. He stressed the urgent need for humanitarian support, noting: "Immediate assistance is crucial for humanitarian aid and shelter." Ramin recalled Trkiye's past humanitarian aid during crises, citing the response from Turkish civil society organizations after the Oct. 7, 2 023 earthquake in Herat province. Highlighting Trkiye's ongoing active humanitarian support in Afghanistan, Ramin mentioned the close ties and shared experiences of facing challenging situations. He noted that more than 60 Turkish civil society organizations are operating in various areas and regions in Afghanistan, providing humanitarian aid and participating in educational activities. * Writing by Alperen Aktas in Istanbul. Source: Anadolu Agency