Featured stories about Central Asia & Caucasus
Stories about Central Asia & Caucasus
11 August 2017
Amid Efforts to Clean Up Corruption, Uzbekistan's President Calls Prosecutors ‘Trash’
"I am sorry, but I don’t like prosecutors at all…. I was a district chairman, a province chairman and I know very well how these unscrupulous people behave."
8 August 2017
Afghanistan's Government Stood by as Militants Unleashed Hell on a Hazara Village
The capture of Mirzaolang by Taliban-led militants is the latest shocking brutality inflicted on the long-suffering ethnic group.
5 August 2017
‘The Turkmenator': Turkmenistan's President Plays Up His Gun and Knife Skills on State TV
An overseas independent news outlet was quick to download the footage and re-edit it into a Hollywood-style action sequence, which went viral.
Think You've Mastered Tongue Twisters? Try Them in Lezgi!
While widely spoken in the Caucasus, Lezgi is an endangered language. But YouTube users are doing their best to save it.
31 July 2017
Young Kyrgyz Music Star Rejects Appointment to Head Museum After Online Backlash
"We are tired of officials’ spouses and kids who get into managing positions.”
Tajik Parliament Plans to Monitor Citizens Who Visit ‘Undesirable’ Websites
The legislation also represents a shift in strategy for the Tajik government, which has historically opted to censor controversial websites and services.
29 July 2017
The Kyrgyz “Dancing Kelin” Protests Early Marriage By Calling Attention to the Harsh Realities of Rural Brides
“Life in the village is round-the-clock work. Brides finish one chore and start another. They work 24/7.”
22 July 2017
Mongolian Nomads Say Goodbye to Herding, Hello to Smog
Climate change is forcing many of Mongolia's nomadic herders to abandon their traditional lifestyle and move to Ulaanbaatar. That's making a big smog problem in the city even worse.
Georgian Women March Against Misogyny and Racism
“I’m not too hopeful that the change will come soon, but we will do our part to push for it.”
21 July 2017
Kyrgyzstan Blocks Archive.org on ‘Extremism’ Grounds
Russia also moved to block the website and its popular 'Wayback Machine' two years ago.
19 July 2017
Lost in Translation in Central Asia: Keep it in the Family
'Tuuganchylyk' has already jettisoned two Kyrgyz leaders and their kin into lives of exile. The Trumps clearly weren't paying attention.
18 July 2017
What Will it Take to End Child Marriages in Afghanistan?
Practices such as “baad” and “baadal” were prohibited under a 2009 law, but continue unhindered in the country today.
30 June 2017
The Sad State of Tajikistan's Online Opposition
"While one [fake account] should play the role of an “angry bird” and mercilessly bomb everyone who speaks against you, another one should use softer, more diplomatic language."
25 June 2017
Kazakhs Ridicule ‘Self-Made Man’ Puff Portrait of Presidential Grandson
"While the man toils towards the welfare of Kazakhstan, his policies are something that every prominent person can emulate."
19 June 2017
With Economy Unravelling, What Awaits the Turkmen Regime?
"This is the end for Turkmenistan. The crisis has reached the country. Now we’ll see the appearance of the Central Asian Venezuela."
15 June 2017
No Limited Abilities: Meet Georgia's Paralympians
"I feel most proud of the 2017 Tbilisi championships where both olympians and paralympians participated - I managed to get second place."
14 June 2017
Going Postal: Tajikistan Stops DHL, UPS and Pony Express in Their Tracks
"Does this DHL have an owner? Can’t he come to Tajikistan?"
4 June 2017
Kabul Violence: “We Are Dying Every Single Moment!”
"Let Afghanistan heal! Fighting each other and losing precious lives is what the enemy wants! Come to your senses!"
3 June 2017
From Kazakhstan, A Tale of Famine and Flight
"I was six years old. My uncles, my father’s younger brothers, led me by the hand. We walked by night and slept by day."
1 June 2017
Spare a Thought for the Dissidents Living in Fear of the Azerbaijani State's Long Arms
Afghan Mukhtarli thought he had escaped Azerbaijan. He ended up back there, without his passport and facing jail time.
About our Central Asia & Caucasus coverage
Chris Rickleton is the Central Asia editor. Email him story ideas or volunteer to write.
