Stories about Central Asia & Caucasus from November, 2021
In Azerbaijan, bullying in schools is still a problem
Ali Malikov, a high school senior, is boycotting his school after lack of action by the school administration and the Ministry of Education to address bullying and harassment.
Afghan women: Finally a book that speaks from inside its society
A female Afghan writer has just released "The Mountains Have Witnessed: The Story of a Girl Who Dared for More", a book that tells the story of Afghan women.
Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan tighten the screws on media freedom
The Uzbek government banned entry to a foreign journalist, while in Kazakhstan journalists and activists were targeted by state security services.
‘Unfit for military service': How Azerbaijan stigmatizes LGBTQ+ military personnel
In Azerbaijan, though homosexuality is not legally considered a disease, when it comes to military service it is registered as either a neurological/psychological illness or a personality disorder.
The ignored, unwanted, and unforgiven
On November 8, the Victory Day celebration, new annual holiday that commemorates Azerbaijan’s victory in the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War, a crowd in downtown Baku was filmed cheering as they burned Armenian flags.
Paper lives: Turkey's trash collectors face deportations, arrests, and midnight raids
Istanbul police conducted raids on waste collectors' depots last month, allegedly to address potential health hazards, public security concerns, and the employment of unregistered migrants.
Activists strive to preserve urban heritage in the old part of Kazakhstan's capital
Having undergone several renaming and transformation processes, Nur-Sultan has a unique and mixed identity, which in turn reflects Kazakhstan's. Architect Temirtas Iskakov explored the nuances in an interview.
A memoir of escaping Turkmenistan in search of education
Turkmen girls who overcome family pressure to prioritize family over education have to face pressure from the state if they want to study abroad.
In Georgia, demonstrators gather in support of jailed former president
In Georgia, hundreds of opposition supporters gathered on November 6, calling for an immediate release of former president Mikheil Saakashvilli from prison.
The EU and Armenia, partners in reform?
Recent promises of multi-billion-euro investments in Armenia by the European Union signal a deepening relationship between Yerevan and Brussels and renewed EU confidence in the legacy of the 2018 Armenian revolution.
The mysterious origin of the name of Armenia city in Colombia
Is it a tribute to the Armenian people or a religious reference? Historians are still debating.
In Georgia, the ruling Dream Party wins in local election runoff vote
The local elections were held in an environment of protracted political crisis since October 2020, when opposition groups contested the ruling Georgian Dream Party's victory in the parliamentary elections.
Roundup of Shia figures continues in Azerbaijan
Rustamov is the latest Shia figure targeted by the authorities in an apparent roundup of prominent Shia figures in the country.
Georgians who look different: ‘Friends ask me to dress in a way that won't get me beaten’
Tsitsi Chkheidze aka Indigo, Sandro "Manson," and Eka Mdzeluri, share their experiences living and working in a society where their nonconformist appearances have drawn criticism and judgment.
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