· July, 2012

Stories about Central Asia & Caucasus from July, 2012

Kyrgyzstan: Patriarchal Society as Seen by Artists

  18 July 2012

The Kyrgyzstani art group ‘705′ describes itself as a 'nomadic theater'. It is best known for hand-drawn animation films that criticize the conventions and norms of a patriarchal society, particularly its treatment of women. The group's head talks to Global Voices Online.

Afghanistan: Adultery Execution Video Sparks Outrage

  14 July 2012

A 22-year-old Afghan woman was recently executed publicly for alleged adultery in a small village not far from the capital Kabul. Her killing has sparked outrage both in the country and abroad. In Kabul, women took to the streets to condemn the murder and demand protection for their rights.

Tajikistan: Blogger Urges Young People to Be Politically Active

  13 July 2012

Ahead of the 2013 presidential elections in Tajikistan, Post Scriptum suggests [ru] that the country's young people should be more active in articulating their political preferences. “We should not silently nod in agreement when our future and the future of our country is decided [by older people],” writes the blogger.

Afghanistan: American-Handpicked President a “Terrible Idea”

  13 July 2012

In a recent op-ed piece in the Washington Post, American scholar Michael O’Hanlon (who also advises the CIA) argued that the US should pick the next president of Afghanistan. Ahmad Shuja, an Afghan blogger and political commentator based in US, calls this proposal “a terrible, terrible idea” and a “dangerous option that...

Kyrgyzstan: Blogger Suggests “Ethnicity Should Die”

  13 July 2012

Ilya Karimdjanov, a prominent Kyrgyzstani blogger, argues [ru] that ethnicity as a criterion for dividing people up into groups “should simply die”. “I really don't understand why people tend to differentiate themselves using the stupid criterion of ethnicity,” he writes. While many people reading the blog agree with Karimdjanov, one...

Turkmenistan: Silent Anniversary of Deadly Blasts in Abadan

  11 July 2012

One year after the explosions at an arms depot in Abadan, officials in Turkmenistan hardly mention the deadly incident. Instead of commemorating the victims of the blasts, they prefer to suppress information, hoping that the Turkmen will forget about what had happened. Netizens are silent as well after the authorities detained several bloggers and put one of them in jail for covering the explosions.

Uzbekistan: ‘National’ Social Network Not Quite a Facebook Clone

  10 July 2012

Youface, the "national" social networking service launched in Uzbekistan, has been criticized by some netizens as a "bad copy" of Facebook. Yet, the service which reportedly aims to "boost patriotism" is different from both Facebook and Russian-language social networks popular with Uzbek users. Some netizens and experts fear that the real aim of the "national" platform is to control Internet users in the country.

Kyrgyzstan: Caught Between Nationalists, Court Fines Journalist

  10 July 2012

In a controversial case, a court in Kyrgyzstan has fined Vladimir Farafonov, an ethnic Russian journalist, for publishing articles that allegedly incite national hatred. Netizens are divided in their assessment of the court ruling. While some believe that the journalist deserved a harsher punishment, others argue that the verdict sets a dangerous precedent.

Russia: Caucasus Stereotypes in Film

Global Chaos comments on a recent video report by Radio Free Europe examining changing stereotypes of the Caucasus in Russian cinema. The blog asks whether the caricatures often adopted for public diplomacy purposes are counterproductive or not.

Kazakhstan: A Bird Eye's View of Almaty

  9 July 2012

Photographer Maxim Zolotukhin believes that Almaty, the former capital of Kazakhstan and the nation's largest city, best reveals itself at a certain height. On Vox Populi, the photographer presents an aerial view of the city's landmarks captured during daytime and at night.

Armenia: Public Outcry Over Killing Tests Oligarch's Power

  5 July 2012

The controversial reign of Armenia's oligarchs might be challenged following the death of an army doctor at the hands of security guards at a restaurant owned by businessman, politician, and Armenian Football Federation President, Ruben Hayrapetyan.

Tajikistan: Global Voices Puts Spotlight on Dushanbe Zoo

  5 July 2012

Our recent update on an American student's impression of the Dushanbe Zoo has generated a passionate discussion on ‘Platforma’, a 5,400-odd-member Tajik community on Facebook. A Dushanbe-based newspaper has now published an interview [ru] with the zoo's director who responds to questions asked by Facebook users.

Tajikistan: Facebook Users Discuss Presidential Elections

  5 July 2012

In about a year from now, voters in Tajikistan will go to the polls to elect a president for the next seven years. The Kimiyoi Saodat blog summarizes [tj] a recent Facebook discussion on the next year's elections where opposition groups will have to challenge the incumbent president seeking another...

Start Your Day the Mongolian Way

  4 July 2012

Natalya, a Kazakh blogger, believes that every day should start with a different breakfast. In her latest post, Natalya explains [ru] how to prepare a traditional Mongolian-style breakfast.

Tajikistan as Seen by an Ex-pat Blogger

  4 July 2012

On Nancystan, an ex-pat blogger writes about her adventures in Tajikistan and posts photos from the country. In some recent posts, the blogger shared images of a Tajik town lying on the Afghanistan border high in the Pamir mountains. She also wrote about her visit to a border market where...

Kyrgyzstan: Breathtaking Scenery Caught on Camera

  4 July 2012

Fans of Vladimir Vysotsky, an iconic Soviet actor and singer, know that, ‘only mountains can be better than mountains’. If you disagree with the verses, have a look at this breathtaking scenery of Kyrgyz mountains caught on camera. The amazing shots were taken by Russian photographer Ivan Dementievskiy during his...

Kyrgyzstan: Public Divided Over Politician's Arrest

  1 July 2012

Nariman Tuleev, a popular Kyrgyz opposition politician, has been detained on corruption charges. Some welcome the politician's arrest as an indication of the government's resolve to fight corruption, others view it as politically motivated.

About our Central Asia & Caucasus coverage

Nurbek Bekmurzaev
Nurbek Bekmurzaev is the Central Asia editor. Email him story ideas or volunteer to write.

Arzu Geybullayeva
Arzu Geybullayeva is the South Caucasus editor. Email her story ideas or volunteer to write.