Stories about Central Asia & Caucasus from July, 2009
Armenia: Kim Kardashian, national identity and peace
Ianyan continues its regular feature compiling mention of Armenia and Armenians on the Internet. In its latest column, the blog comments on reference to celebrity socialite Kim Karashian and fashion,...
Armenia: Homophoia and intolerance
Unzipped: Gay Armenia comments on a round table held in Yerevan on homophobia and intolerance in society. The blog says that Armenia cannot afford to allow xenophobia, homophobia and intolerance...
Azerbaijan: Watermelon season
Sheki, Azerbaijan says that watermelon season has started in the country, posting photographs and detailing some of the traditions associated with the summer fruit.
Armenia-Azerbaijan: Musical collaboration
Despite the unresolved conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over Nagorno Karabakh which has left many citizens of both countries intolerant and bitterly opposed to the other, a Baku-based newspaper has...
Armenia: Political graffiti
The Hima! [AM] youth movement blog posts a photograph of graffiti appearing in Yerevan. The blog posts a photograph of one example remembering 1 March 2008 when 10 people died...
Azerbaijan: Smashing idealism
Thoughts on the Road comments on the English translation of an interview with the official investigator on the case of recently detained video bloggers Adnan Hajizade and Emin Milli posted...
Azerbaijan: Fighting mirrors
Fighting windmills? Take a pill. recounts various events that have happened to Azerbaijan's youth movements in the past few months, including the detention of dozens of activists. The blog says...
Armenia: An interview with Liana Aghajanian
Born in Iran, but raised and now living in the United States, Liana Aghajanian is a writer and a relative newcomer to the Armenian blogosphere. However, Aghajanian has set an important precedent for alternative voices and an independent media in Armenia and the Diaspora with her Wordpress-based e-zine, Ianyan.
Kazakhstan: Astana, as it is
The bloggers share with us their impressions from the new capital of the country. Drudg writes in his post, filled with figural turns of speech and euphemisms [ru]: “The streets...
Azerbaijan: An interview with Arzu Geybullayeva
Despite the accent formed from education in the United States and the United Kingdom, Arzu Geybullayeva, now a regional analyst, has become one of Azerbaijan's most well-known bloggers on the country with her Flying Carpets and Broken Pipelines blog.
Azerbaijan: Adnan Hajizade, Emin Milli appeal rejected
Despite significant outcry from leading human rights groups, press freedom watchdogs, and the international community itself, two youth activists and bloggers have been sentenced to two months pre-trial detention. Their appeal, originally planned for last week, was eventually heard on Monday, but few expected them to be released.
Armenia: Vardavar
Ianyan marks the much-loved Armenian holiday of Vardavar. The blog examines the roots of a tradition which usually revolves around children dousing complete strangers with buckets of water.
Azerbaijan: Activists’ support site goes down
Yesterday, as Önər Blog [AZ] reported, the Appellate Court in Baku was to consider again the case of Emin Milli and Adnan Hajizade, the recently beaten and detained youth activists and bloggers sentenced last week. Yesterday, however, one of the main websites created in their defense went down.
Azerbaijan: Overzealous minions?
Following the recent detention of online activists and bloggers Adnan Hajizade and Emin Milli in Azerbaijan, Business Week and former New York Times journalist Steve LeVine comments on the case...
Kyrgyzstan Sets Up the Anti-terrorist Centre
15, July, the President of Kyrgyzstan Kurmanbek Bakiev gave interview to the American New York Times. During the interview, he told [ru] that Kyrgyzstan was going to set up the...
Afghanistan: List of Afghan Presidential candidates
Nick Fielding continues to keep an eye on presidential campaign in Afghanistan, and sought a list of 41 candidates from the electoral commission, which he now publishes.
Afghanistan: Dostum denies massacre
Nick Fielding reports that General Abdul Rashid Dostum, who is believed to be a war criminal, but is about to getting rehabilitation in Afghanistan, gave a recorded statement to Radio...
Kazakhstan: Astana dominates Tour de France
Dina writes that Kazakh cycling team Astana is back on stage after a series of financial problems and it is showing a solid performance in the French Grand Tour.
Kyrgyz Airlines Still Banned in Europe
Elena informs that the European Commission published the new List of airlines banned within the EU, featuring 17 – i.e. all – Kyrgyz airlines.
Tajikistan: Rasht fighting
Gavin reports that a shootout has taken place in the Rasht Valley of Tajikistan, when national guardsmen were attacked by unknown armed grouping, presumably by the drug trafficking gang or...
Kazakhstan: New Internet Law Passed
Katya Fisher Yoffe reports that Kazakhstan president signed a new law placing blogs, social media networks, and chatrooms under the rubric of “mass media”, effectively creating criminal liability for users...
About our Central Asia & Caucasus coverage
