Stories about Central Asia & Caucasus from August, 2021
The plight of Afghan women under the new Taliban regime
With the Taliban taking control of Kabul, women in Afghanistan are faced with the bleak prospect of a return to a society that denies their rights.
Azerbaijani experts debate causes of recent escalation
With violence between Armenia and Azerbaijan spiking, Azerbaijani experts are debating the causes behind the recent escalation, who benefits, and what happens next.
Blogger gets prison sentence for branding Kazakhstan's language policies “russophobic”
According to Taichimbekov, the Kazakh state has been "sourcing Russian individuals who speak out in favor of banning Russian television, banning Russian language, excluding it from the Constitution."
Anti-immigrant sentiments lead to violence in Turkey
A mob ransacked and vandalized stores, homes, and cars belonging to Syrian immigrants in Ankara's Altindag neighborhood.
Russia blames Azerbaijan for violating ceasefire
The Russian Ministry of Defence accused Azerbaijan of violating the ceasefire in Nagorno-Karabakh as tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan continue to rise.
The Chinese government drives support among ambassadors of Muslim countries for the Uyghur genocide
Ignoring data collected over the years by activists and testimonies by former inmates of Xinjiang "re-education camps," ambassadors from Muslim countries peddled the official Chinese line during a staged interview.
What’s wrong with the political analogy comparing Taiwan to Afghanistan?
Following the withdrawal of the U.S. forces from Afghanistan, Chinese commentators comparing Taiwan with Kabul have flooded social media questioning the credibility of the United States' commitment to Taiwan.
New homophobic attacks in Kazakhstan rally support behind activists
Over the course of three months, LGBTQ+ activists were targeted three times by conservative mobs in various cities across Kazakhstan. An artist was bullied online for drawing same-sex kisses.
Graffiti in Almaty between scandals, competition, and trolling
Graffiti in Almaty have become a contested space between state authorities, commercial companies, and independent artists. As the competition continues, Kazakhstan's largest city is enjoying a renaissance in street art.
Style and comfort in one: Adaptive clothing for people with disabilities
"Kekalove Adaptive Fashion," is a social business founded in 2019 by a group of young people designing clothes specifically for people with disabilities.
Is anti-Chinese sentiment in Kyrgyzstan strong enough to freeze a key Belt and Road Initiative project?
A logistics project in Kyrgyzstan, part of China's BRI infrastructure program, was poised to become a commercial hub in the heart of Eurasia. Despite the hype, it now seems stalled.
Small but complex: the unexpected political ramifications of enclaves
Often a source of overlapping spatial and human conflicts, enclaves are a peculiar geographic configuration that put into question sovereignty and identity in several regions of the world.
Georgian State Security Service accused of mass-surveillance of public figures
The Georgian State Security Service (SSG) has been spying on journalists, opposition and ruling party politicians, activists, priests, businesspeople, and other public figures, according to leaked documents.
Nikol Pashinyan re-appointed as Prime Minister in Armenia
The appointment follows Pashinyan's Civil Contract Party victory in the June snap election. Pashinyan had been serving as acting Prime Minister until the official appointment on August 1.
In Azerbaijan women's rights activists protest outside the Ministry of the Interior
A coffin covered with the names of domestic abuse victims was placed at the entrance of the Ministry of the Interior in Baku on July 30.
In Georgia, a book with stories to empower women written by men garners criticism
"Love yourself," a book featuring 13 women who share their stories of stigma over body image, may have had all the good intentions at heart.
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