Russian court puts theatre director on trial
Russia: A Russian court has opened the trial of a theatre director and a playwright accused of advocating terrorism in a play. The case is the latest step in an unrelenting crackdown on dissent in Russia that has reached new heights since Moscow sent troops into Ukraine.
Zhenya Berkovich, a prominent independent theatre director, and playwright Svetlana Petriychuk have been detained for more than a year in the run-up to their trial. Authorities claim their play Finist, The Brave Falcon justifies terrorism, which is a criminal offence in Russia punishable by up to seven years in prison.
Berkovich and Petriychuk have both repeatedly rejected the accusations against them.
The director told the court that she staged the play in order to prevent terrorism. Petriychuk echoed her sentiment, saying that she wrote the play in order to prevent the kind of events it dramatises.
The women’s lawyers have pointed out that the play was supported by the Russian culture ministry and won the Golden
Mask award, Russia’s most prestigious national theatre accolade.
Slovakia: Slovak populist Prime Minister Robert Fico’s condition is improving following an assassination attempt last week that shocked the country, officials said.
The hospital treating the Slovak leader in the central city of Banska Bystrica said: “After today’s consultation, the patient’s condition is stabilised.”
A statement released by the clinic said Mr Fico is “clinically improving, communicating ... inflammatory parameters are slowly decreasing”. It added that Mr Fico remains at the clinic for the time being.
On Sunday, the clinic said that Mr Fico, 59, was no longer in a lifethreatening condition after he was shot in the abdomen as he greeted supporters on Wednesday outside a cultural centre in the town of Handlova, nearly 85 miles north-east of the capital, Bratislava.
Video showed the Slovak premier approach people gathered at barricades and reach out to shake hands as a man stepped forward, extended his arm and fired five rounds.
The country’s Specialised Criminal Court in the town of Pezinok ordered the suspected assailant, who is charged with attempted murder, to remain behind bars.
Taiwan: Taiwan’s new President Lai Ching-te has said in his inauguration speech that he wants peace with China and urged it to stop its military threats and intimidation.
After being sworn in, Mr Lai said: “I hope that China will face the reality of [Taiwan]’s existence, respect the choices of the people of Taiwan, and in good faith, choose dialogue over confrontation.”
Mr Lai pledged to “neither yield [to’ nor provoke” Beijing, and said he sought peace in relations with China.
But he emphasised the island democracy is determined to defend itself “in the face of the many threats and attempts at infiltration from China”. Mr Lai’s party, the Democratic Progressive Party, does not seek independence from China but maintains that Taiwan is already a sovereign nation.
China claims the selfgoverning island as part of its territory.