Stories about Central Asia & Caucasus from July, 2014
All Aboard! This is Landlocked Kyrgyzstan's Train to the Coast!
The train to the seaside is a time-honored tradition in countries across the world. Even countries like Kyrgyzstan, that don't have a sea.
Tajik Blogger: “We Must Prove our Professionalism and Close the Case Against Alexander Sodiqov”
Global Voices community member Alexander Sodiqov has been released from jail, but still faces wrongful charges of treason. This blogger - his former student - hopes for Alexander's swift release.
‘Boyfriend No, Only Volleyball': Kazakh Sportswoman Ignores Marriage Proposals After Going Viral
Sabina Altynbekova, a 17 year-old volleyball player representing Kazakhstan at youth level has been thrust into the global spotlight after playing for her country in a tournament in Taiwan.
Tajikistan Still Blocking Popular Russian Social Network
Tajikistan's government takes its role as public morals guardian - and protector against anti-government slander - very seriously. Russian social network Odnoklassniki joined YouTube on the blocked list July 18.
The World Shouts #FreeAlexSodiqov During Global Vigil
Global Voices' community member Alexander Sodiqov is not a British spy. And #FreeAlexSodiqov is an international movement. This vigil - a month after his arrest - proves it.
This Russian Journalist Fears ‘Spy Scares’ May Migrate North from Tajikistan
It is nearly a month since Global Voices' Alexander Sodiqov was wrongfully arrested by Tajik authorities on espionage charges. This "Tajik precedent" should concern Russians, too, argues journalist Igor Rotar.
More Fallout From Yet Another Kyrgyz-Tajik Border Shootout
"Enclaves", "exclaves" and border shootouts undermine relations between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, Central Asia's poorest states. The latest fatal flare up caused a death and several injuries.
His Country Has Never Made it to the World Cup, But Uzbekistan's Ravshan Irmatov is a FIFA Legend
Uzbek football referee Ravshan Irmatov may not be as well-known internationally as Cristiano Ronaldo, but his record at World Cups is decidedly better.
“No Less than a Miracle”: Afghanistan's Next President is… Ashraf Ghani?
Whether they were "ghost votes" or "clean votes" Ashraf Ghani appears to have more of them than his bitter rival for the Afghan presidency, Abdullah Abdullah. So, what happens next?
Tributes to Alexander Sodiqov from Toronto, Canada
This post is part of our campaign #FreeAlexSodiqov: GV Author Detained in Tajikistan. Three weeks to the day since Global Voices author Alexander Sodiqov was arrested in Khorog, Tajikistan, his wife, Musharraf, has seen him only once. Although it has been presumed that Alex — conducting academic research at the...
“How I Almost Became a Spy”: This Tajik Editor-in-Chief Considers the Absurdity of Alexander Sodiqov's Arrest
If meeting with foreigners and asking questions constitutes spying, then Tajikistan has a lot of spies, muses Umed Babakhanov, Editor-in-Chief of the independent Tajik news agency, Asia Plus.
How Technology Is Helping People Learn—and Even Save—the World's Languages
Forward thinkers are harnessing the unprecedented power of technology to bring languages back from the brink of extinction, and in rare cases, to resurrect an extinct language.
Five Things You Need to Know About Turkmen Weddings
If you were thinking of choosing Turkmenistan as a wedding day destination, you should know one thing - when it comes to celebrating a marriage, Turkmen do not mess around.
‘The Tajik Government Has Made an Honest Mistake': Scholars in Washington DC Discuss Alexander Sodiqov's Detention (+Audio)
On June 27 scholars gathered at different universities as part of an international discussion on the wrongful arrest and detention of Global Voices community member Alexander Sodiqov in Tajikistan.
No More Free Petrol in Turkmenistan
There aren't many benefits to living in an energy-rich dictatorship like Turkmenistan, but free energy rationing happens to be one of them. Yet President Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov, or Arkadag (The Protector), has tweaked the Turkmen social contract by ordering the abolishment of free monthly petrol handouts to private car and motorcycle owners starting...
Solidarity from Ankara for Alexander Sodiqov's Release
This post is part of our campaign #FreeAlexSodiqov: GV Author Detained in Tajikistan. Messages of support continue to pour in for Alexander Sodiqov, the Global Voices community member wrongfully detained by local authorities in Khorog, Tajikistan on June 16, while carrying out academic research. Global Voices is grateful to Dr....
‘Tajikistan is Not Ukraine': Leading Academics in London Discuss Alexander Sodiqov's Arrest
On June 27 scholars gathered at different universities as part of an international discussion on the wrongful arrest and detention of Global Voices community member Alexander Sodiqov in Tajikistan.
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