Radio Free Europe
RFE/RL journalists report the news in 22 countries where a free press is banned by the government or not fully established, including Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Russia.
Swedish-Iranian Drops Hunger Strike Over Exclusion From Swap Deal.
The wife of an Iranian-Swedish academic condemned to death in Iran says he has ended a hunger strike eight days after launching the protest at his being left out of a prisoner swap between Tehran and Stockholm.
Vida Mehrannia told RFE/RL's Radio Farda on July 5 that her husband, Ahmadreza Djalali, accepted calls to end his hunger strike as he was suffering from "severe" weakness, heart and blood-pressure issues, and "severe stomach problems" made worse by previous hunger strikes.
Last month, Sweden released former Iranian prison official Hamid Nouri in exchange for Swedish citizens Johan Floderus and Saeed Azizi.
Djalali, who was detained in 2016 and subsequently sentenced to death for allegedly spying for Israel, was not part of the exchange.
He has denied all the charges against him.
Mehrannia has said the Swedish government's explanations for not including him are not "convincing."
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said on June 25 that his government’s only options were to bring Floderus and Azizi back or walk away from the talks.
Djalali appears to be the longest-held dual citizen held in Iranian custody.
His wife accuses Tehran of holding him to “pressure” European states to release Iranian prisoners.
Last month's prisoner swap deal has been widely condemned by rights groups and activists because Nouri was sentenced to life in prison for his involvement in the mass execution of political prisoners in Iran in 1988.
At least eight other European citizens are currently held in Iran, including Jamshid Sharmahd, a German citizen of Iranian descent sentenced to death.
Russian Anti-War Activist, 62, Placed In Stricter Prison Conditions.
Russian human rights activist Svyatoslav Khromenkov said authorities at a prison in Siberia placed 62-year-old anti-war activist Natalya Filonova under stricter prison conditions.
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India's Modi In Russia To Meet With Putin
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to meet with President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on July 8 in the South Asian leader's first visit to Russia since Putin ordered the full-scale invasion of Ukraine more than two years ago.
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Daghestani Official Fired After Deadly Attacks Rearrested After Serving 10 Days In Jail.
A member of the Public Monitoring Commission in the Russian region of Daghestan said that the former governor of the Sergokala district, who was fired last month after a deadly terrorist attack and sentenced to 10 days in jail on a hooliganism cha...
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Russian Air Strike Kills At Least 7 In Kyiv As Children's Hospital Hit.
Military authorities in Kyiv say at least seven people have died after a "massive" Russian missile attack on July 8, in an attack on the capital and other cities that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said damaged "apartment buildings, infra...
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Dozens Of Tajiks Return Home After Stranding At Moscow Airport.
Dozens of Tajik migrant workers returned to Tajikistan on July 8 after Russian authorities refused them entry to the country five days earlier amid a wave of anti-Tajik sentiment.
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Beryl expected to regain hurricane strength ahead of Texas landfall.
Beryl, the earliest Category 5 hurricane recorded thanks to record-warm ocean waters, is expected to regain hurricane strength as it takes aim at Texas. The storm pummeled Mexico on Friday and left at least 11 dead across the Caribbean. It could h...
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Biden sits down for first interview since debate, says he will not drop out.
President Biden joined ABC News for his first interview since last week's presidential debate. He said that he thinks no one else is more qualified to run and said he would not drop out of the race, despite mounting pressure about his age and capa...
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Slow-moving heat wave and wildfires pose threat in California.
A brutal, slow-moving and potentially historic heat wave is intensifying on the West Coast and raising wildfire risks in California. In Sacramento, temperatures could top 111 degrees today, while a nearby wildfire has already destroyed over two do...
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US President Joe Biden vows 'I'm staying in the race' amid speculation over his future.
Joe Biden has again vowed "I am staying in the race" as pressure mounts on him to quit the presidential election. Doubts grew over the health and capability of the 81-year-old US president after a shaky performance in a debate with opponent Donald...
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Martha MacCallum to Kayleigh McEnany: Biden's candidacy got 'even more interesting'.
'The Story' anchor and executive editor Martha MacCallum joins 'Hannity' to discuss President Biden's first sit-down interview since the CNN Presidential Debate. Subscribe to Fox News! Watch more Fox News Video: Watch Fox News Channel Live: FOX Ne...
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Masoud Pezeshkian wins Iran presidential runoff election.
Masoud Pezeshkian, the sole moderate candidate running for president in Iran, has won the nation's runoff election, defeating a hardline candidate. "CBS Saturday Morning" co-hosts Jeff Glor, Michelle Miller and Dana Jacobson deliver two hours of o...
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