Stories about Central Asia & Caucasus from August, 2012
31 August 2012
Armenia: Ties With Hungary Severed Over Prisoner Row
Following Hungary's release of an Azerbaijani army officer convicted of murdering an Armenian soldier, Armenia has severed diplomatic ties with the Central European country.
Turkmenistan: Goodbye August, Month of Melons
August is the month of melons in Turkmenistan where expansive steppe lands yield some of the tastiest crop known to mankind. Turkmen Melon Day, celebrated since 1994, is one of...
30 August 2012
Kyrgyzstan: Facebook Post Spurs Row with Belarus
A photo uploaded on Facebook suggests that Janysh Bakiyev, the brother of the former Kyrgyzstani president ousted by 2010 protests, lives in Minsk. This has sparked an extradition request, the...
29 August 2012
27 August 2012
Tajikistan's Capital Mayor Meets with Facebook Users
In a rare display of political openness, the mayor of the country's capital Dushanbe met with some 400 Facebook users and responded to their criticisms. The meeting was broadcast live...
Russia's War Games Make Georgia Nervous
This September, Russia is planning to hold 'Caucasus-2012' with forces from the breakaway Georgian provinces of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. With 8,000 troops, as well as heavy machinery, artillery, navy,...
Kyrgyzstan: ‘Charming’ Prime Minister Falls from High Horse
'Its a shame that the sane, handsome and enterprising premier of #freekg Babanov is on his way out.' The 42-year-old Prime Minister has been accused of accepting an expensive British...
26 August 2012
24 August 2012
Kyrgyzstan: China Inc. Under Attack
China’s growing economic presence in Kyrgyzstan continues to be a topic for heated discussion in Kyrgyz society. In the country’s regions, this discourse is reflected in acrimonious standoffs between Chinese...
Chessmaster Gary Kasparov's Arrest During Pussy Riot Trial
Perhaps the most surprising thing to emerge out of the media saturated Pussy Riot trials other than the trial itself, was the attendance and subsequent arrest of the former Chessmaster...
22 August 2012
Tajikistan: Troops Open Fire on Protesters in Volatile Province
"What kind of an idiot could kill the person at a moment when even a minor altercation may lead to a new civil war in Tajikistan?" The protest began after...
Kazakhstan: Trial of Opposition Leaders Draws Pussy Riot Comparisons
“A Pussy Riot of our own” is how Kazakhstani netizens are referring to the judicial drama involving three opposition leaders accused of active participation in the Zhanaozen oil-strike that turned...
21 August 2012
19 August 2012
18 August 2012
The South Caucasus at the 2012 Olympics
This post is part of our special coverage of the London 2012 Olympics. The three South Caucasus countries have been participating independently in the Olympics since 1996, and they each...
14 August 2012
Central Asia's Mixed Success at London Olympics
The 2012 Summer Olympics offered mixed successes for Central Asian states. While the Games proved nothing short of triumph for team Kazakhstan, the success of athletes from Afghanistan, Tajikistan, and...
About our Central Asia & Caucasus coverage
Chris Rickleton is the Central Asia editor. Email him story ideas or volunteer to write.
