VISUAL REPORTS
THE POWER VERTICAL: Getting Germany Wrong
One of the most amazing things over the last few years is how the Kremlin got Germany wrong.
Russian Activist Jailed Over Letters Submitted To Putin
A Russian activist has been jailed for organizing a letter-writing campaign urging President Vladimir Putin not to run for a fourth term next year.
Russia May Day Rallies Show Political Divides
Rallies on May Day illustrated Russia's political divide, with a Putin-friendly gathering on Moscow's Red Square and a protest march in St. Petersburg.
Behind The Scenes At Navalny TV
Russian opposition leader Aleksei Navalny can't get airtime on state TV or other pro-Kremlin stations, so he set up his own YouTube channel, "Navalny LIVE."
OTHER NEWS
Putin To Host Merkel For Talks, Hold Phone Call With Trump
German Chancellor Angela Merkel is on her way to the Black Sea coastal city of Sochi to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Protesters Tell Putin ‘Enough’
Over 200 people have been detained in several Russian cities after taking part in demonstrations over the weekend organized by the NGO Open Russia under the banner, “We Are Sick of Him!” and urging Russian President Vladimir Putin not to run in the country's 2018 presidential election. A new draft law on construction in Moscow would allow residents to be evicted from their homes within 60 days.” (Russian Service)
ECHR Awards €95K To Russians Tortured In Prison
The European Court of Human Rights has assigned a €95,000 award to three Russians who claim that police beat, kicked, choked, and tied them up to force them to commit crimes. Russian authorities refused to investigate their complaints. (in Russian, Current Time TV)
Russia’s Roskomnadzor Adds BlackBerry And Other Messengers To Ban List
The Russian monitoring group reports that BlackBerry, Imo and LINE messengers have been added to the registry of banned sites. The group reported that the Zello walkie talkie service widely used by truckers to organize protests against a new road tax had been blocked in April.
Russia Puts NYC Socialite On Trial In Absentia
Russia is set to open a trial against prominent New York real-estate developer and former Guggenheim Museum board member Janna Bullock, who is accused of stealing hundreds of millions of dollars in state funds to fuel her lavish lifestyle.
For Russia And U.S., Uneasy Cooperation On Cybercrime Is Messy
Filings from a recent U.S. federal court case show that one unintended consequence of Washington's cybercrime cooperation with Russia is that the United States finds itself indicting some of the top-level Russian security officials it worked with.
Bad News For BOCh rVF 260602: Putin Bans Unconventional Names
Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a law banning a wide range of unconventional names for newborns.
Ukraine Keeps Information On High Court Judges Under Wraps
RFE/RL’s investigative program Schemes has looked into the selection process for Ukraine’s new supreme court and found that the commission that selects the justices has classified test results and candidate evaluations. (Ukrainian Service)
U.S. Envoy Urges Macedonian Leaders To Allow New Government To Form
A high-level U.S. envoy met with Macedonian leaders on May 1 and urged them to allow a newly formed parliamentary majority made up of Social Democrats and ethnic Albanian parties to form a new government.
Thousands March For EU In Hungary
Thousands of Hungarians marched across central Budapest on May 1 in a show of support for the European Union, protesting against what they described as a rise in Russian influence under Prime Minister Viktor Orban.
Kazakhstan Sentences Jehovah's Witness To Five Years In Prison
A court in Kazakhstan has sentenced a Jehovah's Witness to five years in prison after convicting him of inciting religious and ethnic hatred.
ANALYSIS: Here Are The Flashpoints To Watch In The Balkans
ANALYSIS: Jailed Former Azerbaijani Minister Sentenced To Further Prison Term
PODCAST: Kazakhstan's Protests, One Year Later
MOST POPULAR/RUSSIA: Putin - He’s A…
Tamara Mikhailovna, 81, has written a letter accusing Russian President Vladmir Putin of wars, lie and corruption, and signed a petition urging him not to run again for president. She says she was a loyal supporter until demonstrations on May 6, 2012 when she came out to the street to see why people were protesting and was beaten by members of the OMON special police. (over 568k views on Russian Service Facebook)
FURTHER AFIELD: Is Iran’s Presidential Election Free And Fair?
PRESSROOM: RFE/RL Demands Investigation, Safety For Macedonia Journalists