CIVIL SOCIETY
Human rights, environmental, and cultural issues

Tajikistan: A Ruling Family Feud Appears to Turn Bloody
As if Tajikistan didn’t have enough problems, now it appears that President Imomali Rahmon’s family is beset by intrigue. In a twist worthy of a television soap opera, Rahmon’s son, Rustam, reportedly shot Hassan Sadullayev -- his uncle, and the president’s brother-in-law -- in connection with a struggle for control of one of the country’s leading banks.

Tajikistan: Government Shakes Down Population Amid Deepening Economic Dysfunction
Channeling the spirit of Joseph Stalin, officials in Tajikistan, Central Asia’s poorest state, have asked residents in the capital Dushanbe to give up part of their salaries "voluntarily" to help finance construction of a hydropower plant. The fear of government reprisals is compelling many Tajiks to comply.

Azerbaijan: State Media Embroiled in Gay Bashing Controversy
BY MINA MURADOVA
Controversy is enveloping state-controlled media outlets in Azerbaijan after the broadcast of a television program that alleges Ali Karimli, one of the government’s most vocal critics, is a homosexual. Karimli supporters maintain that the broadcast is designed to discredit him as a potential presidential candidate in the autumn election.

Georgia: Opposition Politicians Complain About International Election Monitors
BY MOLLY CORSO
With two weeks to go before Georgia’s parliamentary elections, there are growing signs that opposition groups have lost confidence in the international community’s ability to encourage a free-and-fair vote.