Apartment For Rent In Cyprus
US Department Of State Post Report
Turkey’s economy grew on average about 5% per year over the past 10 years, but growth has been volatile over this period, characterized by a series of sharp upward and downward swings. Average annual inflation of over 70% exacerbated income disparities and accentuated the uncertainties that hung over Turkish markets. Increasing pressure on Turkey’s pegged lira exchange rate led to two crises of investor confidence in November 2000 and February 2001, resulting in large capital outflows from Turkish markets. In reaction to these crises, the Government of Turkey renegotiated its loan program with the IMF, which substantially increased its level of support for Turkey in exchange for a strengthened reform program. One of the key reforms undertaken by Turkey was to move to a free-floating exchange rate regime. This in turn caused a nearly 50% depreciation of the lira over several months in early 2001 (though the lira eventually stabilized and appreciated i ... [Read More]
US Department Of State Post Report
The Kyrgyz Republic is positioned near the middle of the Eurasian landmass, and there is no body of water large enough to influence weather patterns. Those factors create a distinctly continental climate that has significant local variations. Although the mountains tend to collect clouds and block sunlight (reducing some narrow valleys at certain times of year to no more than three or four hours of sunlight per day), the country is generally sunny, receiving as much as 2,900 hours of sunlight per year in some areas. The same conditions also affect temperatures, which can vary significantly from place to place. In January the warmest average temperature (24.8°F, -4 [Read More]
Belarus
On February 24, the Ministry of Information ordered the opposition newspaper Vcherny Stolin to suspend its printing activities for 3 months for alleged "flagrant violations" of the law, inciting social intolerance, and publishing classified material about a police investigation into corruption in the local government without permission. The Ministry also cited the newspaper's failure to properly report that the newspaper was switching the focus of its reporting from economic issues to political issues. On March 8, following Vcherny Stolin's suspension, Alexander Ignatyuk, editor-in-chief of Vcherny Stolin, launched another newspaper, Provintsialka, which continued to provide critical reporting of local officials. A local official successfully sued the newspaper over a report accusing the official of accepting a bribe and was awarded approximately $990 (2 million rubles). On April 18, the Ministry of Information suspended Provintsialka for 3 months on the grounds that Provi ... [Read More]
2004 Country Report on Human Rights Practices in Russia
Government officials stated publicly that they would not pressure or compel IDPs to return to Chechnya, and Ingush President Zyazikov promised that accommodation would be found for those remaining in Ingushetiya. Federal and local authorities consistently stated their determination to repatriate all IDPs back to Chechnya as soon as possible. Representatives of the Chechen administration visited camps in Ingushetiya to encourage IDPs to return to Chechnya, usually to temporary IDP facilities. In addition, during the year, the authorities closed the last remaining three tent camps in Ingushetiya; they had housed 5,978 persons. Although some of the inhabitants chose to remain in Ingushetiya, the UNHCR estimated that 70 to 75 percent chose to return to Chechnya. Following the June attacks by Chechen fighters in Ingushetiya, security forces conducted raids at several IDP settlements. Human rights NGOs reported that some of these raids resulted in IDPs being beaten or otherwise mistreated (s ... [Read More]
US Department Of State Post Report
HousingLast Updated: 7/8/2005 6:09 AM As in many urban areas, houses are rare in central Riga; all Embassy employees are housed in apartments. A fairly stable leasing pool has been established and most newcomers are placed in permanent housing as soon as they arrive. Riga has undergone and is continuing a restoration stage and most Embassy apartments are located in beautifully restored buildings, some with elevators. [Read More]
2004 Country Report on Human Rights Practices in Belarus
The Government arbitrarily detained representatives of independent media (see Section 2.a.). On October 17, police arrested Russian journalist Pavel Sheremet on allegations of starting a fight in which Sheremet received serious injuries. Credible reports indicated that Sheremet was the victim of the assault, not its perpetrator, and that his detention was related to his journalistic work. Charges against Sheremet were later dropped. Police on multiple occasions during the year detained journalists for Russia's REN TV who were covering protests. Unidentified plainclothes officials working for the security services also regularly apprehended and detained individuals engaged in anti government demonstrations and who distributed opposition materials. Several plainclothes officers apprehended youth group leader Dmitryy Dashkevich as he shouted, "Shame!" during an address by President Lukashenko announcing a referendum that would eliminate term limits on the presidency and thus permit him to ... [Read More]
Moldova
With foreign assistance, several NGOs worked to combat trafficking through information campaigns, repatriation assistance, temporary housing and medical care for victims, and job training. The NGO Save the Children worked with trafficking victims, particularly repatriated girls. Local NGOs operated public school programs to educate young women about the dangers of prostitution. In November, a number of NGOs and international organizations sponsored a conference on combating sex trafficking that drew participants from the National Committee on Anti-Trafficking, the Supreme Court, anti-trafficking prosecutors, police, and regional anti-trafficking committees. In May, the Center for Prevention of Trafficking in Women launched a legal assistance project to represent victims in civil and criminal cases, and the local branch of the NGO La Strada established a toll-free nationwide hotline. During the year, the IOM office in Chisinau began to receive funds from a foreign source which it used f ... [Read More]
Belarus
On July 7, Dimitry Zavadsky, a cameraman for the Russian television network ORT, disappeared at the Minsk National Airport while waiting for Pavel Sheremet, another ORT journalist, to arrive from Moscow. When Sheremet arrived at the airport, Zavadsky was missing, but his car was found locked in the airport parking area. In 1997 Zavadsky and Sheremet were arrested by Belarusian authorities for crossing the Belarusian-Lithuanian border illegally while filming a documentary critical of the Lukashenko regime. In a politically motivated trial, Sheremet and Zavadsky were given 2-year and 18-month suspended sentences, respectively. Authorities accused the opposition of organizing Zavadsky's disappearance, calling it a provocation, and later threatened Sheremet with potential charges of slander for an interview, published in the independent press, in which Sheremet blamed Lukashenko and security services for Zavadsky's disappearance. A criminal investigation of the disappearance was opened, bu ... [Read More]
Belarus
Also during the year, a citizen was sentenced to 8 years' imprisonment for abduction in a trafficking related case. Authorities in Minsk charged a Romanian citizen with trafficking women to Cyprus. He received a 1˝-year sentence under article 187 (recruitment of persons for the purpose of sexual exploitation). A couple in Minsk were sentenced to 3 years and 6 months under the same law and also were found guilty of violating article 18 (organized crime). In Polotsk two individuals were arrested for trafficking Belarusian women, including underage girls, to Russia. According to government statistics, 15 members of organized criminal gangs were sentenced to 6 to 8 years imprisonment for trafficking. A criminal case against a trafficker was opened in the region of Grodno, in which a man was charged with trafficking at least 35 women from Belarus to Poland over a period of 2 years. There were convictions in 12 of the 15 cases. When the case was tried first in 2000, the accused ... [Read More]
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