[inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] good morning, everyone. Welcome to the Atlantic Council. Im paula dobriansky, im on the executive committee of the Atlantic Council board and i would want to commend the councils Eurasia Center for todays program which is entitled the state of human rights and putins russia. As many of you know the center has been extremely active and a vigorous voice on a range of issues from russias disinformation to the issue of ukraine, the scale and scope of the aggression in ukraine and the illegal annexation of crimea. Todays forum is particularly timing. Russia has experienced the worst crack that in human rights in decades. And we have three keynote speakers who will be up first, and all of whom are making a difference in their own way. Their strong, outspoken advocates for freedom and basic human rights in russia. Im going to introduce the first three and then will be having a panel afterwards which will be moderate
Break through restrictions keeping them in place. Protest breakup in islam a bad hanging of a convicted killer. Four years ago, he shot a governor for seeking reform of the blasphemy law. The child sex abuse scandal in Catholic Church and the reporters who unveiled it were the subject of spotlight. More oscar coverage, coming up. The government announces plans to double the income of many farmers in what is being described as a make or break budget. More results coming in from last weeks election. Early results say they have the majority of seats in the assembly of experts. Be a historicld win for moderate reformers, several prominent hardliners have been reelected. More from tehran. We are waiting for the final results of the double elections countrysof the eligible voters participated. The 12 years they have dominated the parliament now is the coalition of reformist and moderates that are winning the major seats. Parliamentarys is speaker. Theg for that post, reformists that won the
And nato is poised to do more to help ukraine strengthen its forces and defend their country. The United States confirms a video showing the killing of a second american journalist by Islamic State militants is genuine. Also, in the program, marion looks at what is happening in business and talk of a ceasefire in crew jane hukrain affected russian markets. Russian shares have surged off the talk of a ceasefire emerged from ukraine. We take a closer look at what the latest developments there mean for russias Financial Markets. Hello. 12 00 noon in london, 7 00 a. M. In washington, 2 00 p. M. In kiev where ukraines president Petro Poroshenko says he reached an agreement with the russian president for a ceasefire process in the east of ukraine. But a spokesman said russia is not part of the conflict and so couldnt agree a ceasefire. But said steps towards peace have been discussed. Now, this all happened as president obama arrived in the estonia capital of tallinn where he said the Baltic
Celebrating the troops in crimea, john mccain had a bleak view. The question is, is it too little too late. And thats the situation as it is now. For more, lets first go to ukraine and aljazeera americas Nick Schifrin, youre there in crimea, and whats the situation now . Have there been any signs of recent troop improvement or activity. Well, the occupation is increasing certainly, and the resistance as far as we can tell, antonio, is nonexistent. We spent a lot of time going to bases today outside of the capital. And we saw bases with russian flags flying, and bases withing russian soldiers hanging out hanging out and calm and relaxing, and then we saw armories where russians are digging into trenches. Theres a real sense here that the tide is turning, that the Russian Occupation is getting larger and the United States is calling for desolation, but russia is escalating. We see the threats. Down at the port where the ukrainian ships are waiting, and they insist that the russian ships
But with prorussian crowds celebrating the arrival of Russian Troops in crimea, arizona senator john mccain had a bleak view of what sanctions might achieve. The question is is it too little too late. Thats pretty much the situation now first to ukraine, and Nick Schifrin. Nick, you are there now, have there been signs of Troop Movement or activity . The occupation is increasing and the resistance, as far as we can tell, was nonexistent. We spent a lot of time going to bases today outside of this capital, and we saw bases with russian flags flying. We saw soldiers flying, hanging out. Then we saw arm ris, where the russian soldiers were digging in trenches. Theres a sense that the tide is turning, that the Russian Occupation is getting larger, the u. S. Is calling for a deescalation of this peninsula, but, in fact, russia is escalating. Not only are we seeing more Russian Troops coming in, but the threads. Local reporters down at the coast at that port where the ukrainian ships are wai