Stories about Central Asia & Caucasus from August, 2009
Caucasus: Peace Corps blogs on Twitter
With most bloggers located in the capitals of the three South Caucasus republics, U.S. Peace Corps Volunteers (PCVs) have been indispensible in posting entries from the regions of Armenia, Azerbaijan,...
Georgia: Bicycle Trip from Poti to Batumi
LJ user jhwe posts over 130 photos (RUS) taken during an 85-kilometer bicycle journey from Poti to Batumi, Georgia.
Afghanistan: Voting Day in Photos
On the nation's second-ever election day, Afghan photo bloggers shared pictures from the polls showing military presence as well as voter enthusiasm.
Azerbaijan: Washington DC protest for detained activist bloggers (updated)
With detained video bloggers Adnan Hajizade and Emin Milli now facing an additional charge in their native Azerbaijan, The Collegian says that support for the two imprisoned youth activists yesterday transcended the digital world and spilled out thousands of miles away onto the streets of Washington DC.
Azerbaijan: Washington DC demonstration in support of detained bloggers
Melissa_Ys tweets that a protest demonstration in support of detained video bloggers Adnan Hajizade and Emin Milli is set to take place outside the Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan...
Azerbaijan: Activist bloggers face additional charge as trial approaches
Youth activist video bloggers Adnan Hajizade and Emin Milli have been held in pre-trial detention for 48 days. However, in an unexpected development, the authorities in Azerbaijan have now decided to add an additional charge of assault.
Kazakhstan: On the Efficacy of Government
How professional is the government? Is it rigorous enough in performing its functions? How often does it interfere in matters beyond its competence? These are among the most popular questions...
Kazakhstan: Journalist sentenced to jail
Sorge reports that Ramazan Yessergepov, chief editor of the independent newspaper, has been sentenced to three years in jail on charges of divulging state secrets.
Kazakhstan: Diplomat Accused of Being a Spy
As Adam reports, the British media alleged that a high-profile Kazakh diplomat may be expelled from Britain after it was revealed that top secret intelligence files suggest he is a...
Kazakhstan: The resurrection of Vino
Dina reports that Kazakh sports fans celebrated the end of two-year suspension of famous cyclist Alexandre Vinokourov.
Uzbekistan: Women banned from mosques
Noah Tucker informs that after pressuring women for several months to stop attending mosque on Fridays, Bukhara authorities have officially prohibited them to go to mosques.
Turkmenistan: Students prevented from study abroad
Orazdurdy reports that Turkmen students studying at the American University in Central Asia (Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan) were rejected at airport en route to USA through U.S. State Dept. undergraduate program.
Afghanistan: Elections with better security, worse violations
Joshua Foust reviews the reports about presidential elections in Afghanistan, noting that security was much better than expected, though there are widespread indications of fraud.
Kazakhstan: Astana Cycling Team Survives Difficulties
KZBlog reports that after a period of financial difficulties, Team Astana released a statement that Alberto Contador, the two-time Tour de France winner, will stay in the team for one...
Afghanistan: Reportages on Children
Onne Parl offers a series of posts about children living in the provinces of Afghanistan, featuring a post about the place of religion in high school education, about regular school...
Afghanistan: Televised Presidential Debates
Safrang reviews the Afghanistan's presidential TV debates, organized by the the national TV (RTA) and radio RFE/RL. For the first time in history, the incumbent president together with two contenders...
Afghanistan: Independence Day & Elections Eve
Safrang writes about celebration of Afghanistan's national holiday (that marks the occasion of its 90th independence anniversary from Great Britain after the 3rd Anglo-Afghan war) the day before the presidential...
Armenia: Homophobia turns deadly
Even if homosexuality was decriminalized in Armenia in 2002, society remains largely intolerant and traditional in its values. With blogs providing LGBT activists with a medium through which to voice their concerns, such fears can now be highlighted more openly than before.
Armenia: Ultra-nationalist homophobic death threat
Unzipped: Gay Armenia comments on a death threat made against a prominent LGBT writer by an ultra-nationalist group in Armenia. The blog says that this latest development in what still...
Azerbaijan: Eurovision scandal continues
Despite attempts by the authorities to downplay the incident, news that the names and addresses of 43 citizens who voted for the Armenian entry in this year's Eurovision Song Contest had been obtained by police in Azerbaijan continues to send out shock waves through the Internet.
Afghanistan: Voting Day
Millions of Afghans defied Taliban threats and voted Thursday in the country’s second-ever presidential elections. Afghan bloggers share their experiences and feelings on this historic day.
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