Cartoon: Girls Prevented from Leaving Kyrgyzstan

A father had a bad dream which now troubles him. So, he decides that his daughter will not travel anywhere. He takes away her passport and air tickets while she is sleeping, but the daughter takes the documents back. Finally, the father decides to lock his daughter at home to prevent her from leaving.

Potty-Mouthed Russian Blogger Faces Prison for Ethnic Slurs

A blogger from the Republic of Bashkortostan (a small autonomous republic neighboring Tatarstan in southern Russia) was recently charged with hate speech for a post she published on her Facebook account late last year.

Pavel Durov, Russia's Zuckerberg, Fights for Control of His Creation

Something strange is happening with Vkontakte, Russia’s homegrown version of Facebook. In the last couple of months, the company’s founder and current head, Pavel Durov, has suffered three very public “kicks in the teeth,” one of which might even lead to criminal charges.

Ukrainian Lawmakers Propose to Ban Abortions

In early April, three MPs from the opposition political force “Svoboda” registered a bill that would ban abortions in Ukraine. Tetyana Bohdanova reports on the online reactions to this legislative initiative.

Kazakhstan's First Ever Lesbian Wedding

This was a real wedding. With limousines. With friends and guests. With champagne. With congratulatory speeches. You might ask, "but what about the law?" You see, love does not recognize the law. This is why the wedding took place. However, it was not [registered by the state]. Same-sex marriage are not allowed [in Kazakhstan].

Russian Conspiracy Theories About Boston Bombings Abound

"Bush blew up the Twin Towers, Putin blew up [the towns of] Buinaksk and Volgodonsk. Obama blew up the marathon." The RuNet, just like the Internet at large, has always had a penchant for conspiracy theories.

Was Kyrgyzstan Ready for ‘The Vagina Monologues'?

Amid vocal protests from the Kyrgyz Ministry of Culture, a local activist group performed the play 'The Vagina Monologues' in the capital of Kyrgyzstan in March and April. The play by an American playwright and feminist about female sexuality and experiences earned mixed reactions from the Bishkek audience.

RSF Addresses the Situation at Ukraine's TVi Channel

On April 26, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) issued a statement [en; fr; uk – .pdf] on the situation at the Ukrainian TV station TVi: Reporters Without Borders condemns the sudden...

Chernobyl: “The Most Horrifying Phone Talk of the Century”

April 26, 2013, marks the 27th anniversary of the 1986 Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant disaster. Andriy Pryimachenko of peredova.com has created a video transcript [ru] of the audio recordings of...

‘Farmers Know Better’ in Turkmenistan

When will [the Turkmen leader] finally understand that the planned economy is not working? In order for the cotton sector to develop, cotton should be grown by private farms. Wouldn't farmers be able to decide better how much cotton they should sow? Does the [president] sitting on a golden toilet in [the Turkmen capital] Ashgabat really know better how much cotton can be grown in the country than a person working on a field?

‘Addictive’ Social Network is Back in Uzbekistan

After going offline for about a week, the top Russian-language social network service Odnoklassniki has become available again to tens of thousands of users in Uzbekistan. Blogger Doch’ Bukhari (Bukhara's Daughter)...

RuNet: What Does Boston Mean for Chechen Cause?

A Chechen blogger analyses her fears of what the Boston Marathon bombings hold in store for the North Caucasus.

“TrashOut”: RuNet's Interactive Map of Illegal Dumps

A new 'illegal dumps' interactive map has been launched in Russia for iOS and Android devices. The first of its kind in Russia, it allows users to mark unauthorized landfill sites.

The Russian Opposition “Snake Pit”

The Russian opposition is at war with itself, and it’s thanks to more than the usual ideological tectonics. The various fault lines that infamously allow the Kremlin to “divide and conquer” Russia’s would-be saviors are indeed political, but the divisions are every bit as much about idiosyncrasies and shady dealings. Just look at May 6.

The Boston Bombings Come Home to Russians

Initially a distant story of bombs and American blood, the Boston Marathon bombings came home to Russians today. The RuNet had been following the investigation into the attacks with great interest, even before the news that the two suspects turned out to be ethnic Chechens. Now that Russia is directly involved, passions burn white hot.

Russian Journalist and Election Observer Speaks about Her Arrest

Earlier this week, RuNet Echo published an article about Svetlana Lokotkova, a Russian journalist and election observer who was arrested and removed from an overnight train for alleged intoxication. Lokotkova later contacted RuNet Echo, and agreed to outline what happened on the train and in the police station in her own words. She also spoke about social media as a tool for political activism.

Before Trial, Navalny Nominated as Russia's “Political Enlightener”

As Alexey Navalny is gearing up for his embezzlement show-trial in Kirov, there is at least one silver lining: he made it on the short-list of the Russian award Politprosvet (literally "Political Enlightenment").

Beer & Twitter Prove Toxic Mix for Russian Journalist

Trains are a cheap and reliable way to get around Russia, particularly compared to the country's famously poor roads. Russia is a big country and journeys between cities can take hours (or even days). Given these difficulties, it is not uncommon for some passengers to have a drink or two to pass the time. Sometimes people—even journalists—can overdo it.

Russia's #1 Netizen Heads to Trial

Pussy Riot, eat your heart out. Later this week, Russia’s most polarizing blogger, Alexey Navalny, will stand trial for embezzling roughly half a million dollars from a state-owned timber company in the city of Kirov. In a country constantly plagued by politicized legal proceedings, prosecuting the nation’s most prominent netizen promises fireworks.

Fancy Cars and Booze Fuel Russian Online Petitions

A Russian government online petition platform went live on April 2. RuNet Echo takes a look at how it works in practice.

Ukraine's Language Issue: Voices From the Ground

Ukrainian politicians' views on the language issue are well-known. But what do ordinary Ukrainians think of it? And how does it affect the people who reside in the predominantly Russian-speaking areas of Ukraine - those who are the target audience of the politicians who, in 2012, voted in favor of the language law?