Stories about Central Asia & Caucasus from June, 2016
Zanoza.kg: Rising from the Wreckage of Kyrgyzstan's Largest Russian-Language Newspaper
"The information war in Kyrgyzstan is a part of the broader global information war. It has always been and always will be."
‘Well Done Baku'?: Azerbaijan's F1 Forray Leaves Inequality Firmly in the Driving Seat
"While taxpayers ultimately foot the bill for this, two privileged citizens have been massively enriched by the games: the president’s daughters."
120 Sheep Killed by Lightning in Kyrgyzstan, Sparking Parliamentary Comparisons
"Not those 120 sheep, a different 120 sheep!"
Will the Extremely Boring Twitter Feed of Kazakhstan's Prime Minister Be Enough to Save Him?
"A massive information attack has begun against the Prime Minister launched by forever fickle MPs, and those affiliated with different oligarchic groups."
Tajik Facebookers Make Persian Poetry Political
"I left, because now there is no place for love there. I left, because there was no use in staying there. I left, because oppression and pain crossed all lines."
Who Was Jalaluddin Rumi, and Whose Rumi Is He?
As Hollywood unleashes a Di Caprio-coloured plot to appropriate the life of a famous Persian poet, older battles over his legacy are coming to the boil.
World Refugee Day: Fear of Arrest Drives Journalists Into Exile
"I was paralyzed by the idea of exile. This is the first time I had decided to flee the country without knowing exactly when I would return."
Let Kyrgyzstan's Issyk-Kul Region Inspire You
Because how could it not?
Conspiracy Theories Find Fertile Soil in Afghan Social Media
"America is mother of Daesh [ISIS] and the grandmother of the Taliban. It supports Daesh by injecting Dollars. It supports the Taliban by injecting Pakistani Rupees."
No Happy Endings for Tajikistan's Romeo and Juliet
Another tale of tragedy from a Central Asian country that seems to produce them more regularly than most.
Popular Sports Website Goes Offline in Uzbekistan in Wake of Fan Controversy
"Football and show business were the only areas where criticism was allowed and tolerated. And now even here they are choking the voice of the public."
What a Vote on Islamic Marriage Blessings Says About Politics in Kyrgyzstan
"If you really do not understand then why are you here? To polish your backsides on these chairs?"
Azerbaijan: Khadija Free, But Other Political Prisoners Await Their Turn
"Our political system is a model of the European political system," claimed the Twitter feed of Azerbaijan's strongman President Ilham Aliyev.
Is Social Media Helping to Perpetuate Violence in Afghanistan?
"Those who share the bloody pictures of victims not only irritate [victims'] families but also unintentionally assist the Taliban in their propaganda."
Attack on Vegan Café in Georgia Opens New Front in Culture War
"The Kiwi Café incident produced a cornucopia of social media comment – ranging from outrage to amusement."
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