Stories about Central Asia & Caucasus
Azerbaijan and EU energy deal prioritizes energy over human rights
Azerbaijan and EU sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in the capital Baku outlining the plans for a strategic energy deal. Critics view the new deal with skepticism.
Georgia’s ruling party antagonizes Western officials amid EU bid
Since October 2020, Georgia's ruling Georgian Dream party has dragged the country into political uncertainty. The party's decision to apply for candidacy into the EU has been stalled amid international tensions.
Superstar wrestler jailed for murder as high crime rate alarms Mongolians
The court of the Khan-Uul district of the Mongolian capital Ulaanbaatar sentenced the champion judoka and the former president of the Mongolian National Olympic Committee Tüvshinbayar to 16 years in jail
In Azerbaijan, a war veteran's suicide sparks public outcry
By some accounts, at least 50 war veterans have attempted suicide since the 44-day war that Armenia and Azerbaijan fought in 2020.
In Georgia, leaked recordings suggest the state is surveilling newsrooms
The director of Mtavari Arkhi called on the public defender's office, non-governmental and international organizations as well as ambassadors to hold the perpetrators of surveillance on journalists to account.
Armenia's Prosecutor General wants to monitor internet content
In a letter addressed to the government of Armenia on July 4, Armenia's Prosecutor General, Artur Davtyan said the internet should be under state control and regulated through legislation.
Central Asia rushes into armed drone race as regional arms transfers brew
Central Asia’s search for military drones started long before the Russian-Ukrainian war, and was shaped by the imminent rise of military drones and Russia’s gradual lag in advanced military technologies.
A woman chess champion challenges ageism, sexism, and political intrigues in Kazakhstan
The confrontation was quickly drawn into the whirlpool of intrigues and accusations, causing public outrage, and revealing the behind-the-scenes activities of turbid relations between professional sports and governmental politics.
The poet's mindset as a tool against transphobia: An interview with US veteran and trans activist Drew Pham
Global Voices talked to Drew Pham, a former US Afghan War veteran, who shares her experience as a trans woman, but also a poet, sex artist and educator.
Trans women in the sex industry in Azerbaijan: Is it a free choice or just the illusion of choice?
In countries like Azerbaijan, where trans women end up as sex workers, legalization of sex work is seen as a solution to the problem.
In Azerbaijan, rape survivors fear their perpetrators will walk free
Yagmur wants a swift decision but the activist fears the perpetrator will walk free.
Tajik government crushes restive region amid deep economic and security concerns
The government's response to recurrent protests and riots in the region is almost exclusively confined to the use of force and coercion, totally ignoring dialogue or mutual concessions.
Amanat anthology: Women writers from Kazakhstan make their voices heard in English
Women writers from Kazakhstan seldom get their voices heard in English, but a new anthology in translation, called Amanat, opens the door for anglophone readers to an often ignored literature.
In Tbilisi, thousands attend the ‘march for Europe’ to support Georgia's EU bid
The march comes days after Georgia's bid for EU membership was deferred by the European Commission.
Baku residents brace for higher costs, annoyances, and logistical issues ahead of Formula 1 race
As Baku is once again hosting the Formula 1 race between June 10–12, residents are in disagreement about whether the race is worth the cost, annoyances, and logistical issues.
Azerbaijan rocked by a new wave of politically motivated arrests
Civil society and rights advocates and state critics have for years faced targeted harassment, intimidation, and arrests. The most recent wave of crackdowns attests to the standing tradition.
Podcast: Central Asia adjusts to the effects of geopolitical turmoil
Central Asia Editor Zhar Zardykhan explains how the turmoil in Afghanistan and Ukraine are both affecting Central Asian countries.
Central Asia celebrates Victory Day amid Russian pressure
In Putin's Russia, the victory over Nazi Germany became instrumental in legitimizing the regime, suppressing political dissent, and pursuing an aggressive foreign policy, including the war in Ukraine.
Armenian and Azerbaijani leaders take tentative steps toward peace
The EU's Charles Michel said the leaders focused on "the situation in the South Caucasus and the development of EU relations with both countries as well as the broader region.”
In Georgia, veteran journalist sentenced to 3.5 years in jail
Gvaramia was first charged in 2020 with abuse of power, embezzling property at Rustavi 2, commercial bribery, and forging documents. He was found not guilty on the last three counts.
Central Asia’s fears of rising militancy in Afghanistan as Moscow invades Ukraine
Since the Taliban takeover in August 2021, the three Central Asian states that border Afghanistan intended to defend their borders through security reinforcement and diplomacy, primarily relying on Russian initiatives.
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