Stories about Central Asia & Caucasus from October, 2012
Kyrgyzstan: ‘I Am Gay and Muslim’ Banned
How is this possible that a movie title angered so many people? Kyrgyz blogger reacts [ru] to a recent court ban on the screening of “I Am Gay and Muslim,” a Dutch documentary about homosexual Muslims, at an international human rights film festival in Kyrgyzstan.
Tajikistan: Costly Conscription
Blogger Teocrat writes [ru] that the conscription of young men into the military in Tajikistan puts a heavy financial burden on the conscripts’ families and the state. He also suggests that the better educated and more religious conscripts reduce the incidence of bullying in the army.
Italian Singer Encourages Kazakhs to Speak Mother Tongue
Son Pascal, an Italian singer and songwriter, has become a celebrity in Kazakhstan by passionately encouraging Kazakhs to speak their mother tongue. In a brief interview with Global Voices Online, Pascal talks about his love for all things Kazakh.