Kyrgyzstan: Protests flourish as crises mount on all sides Acting President Japarov came to power on the crest of rallies, but will he know how to deal with them as leader? Nov 2, 2020
Perspectives | How U.S. hawks’ fixation on Iran endangers Middle East Christians A facile and naïve plan being discussed in Washington risks backfiring on Iran’s minority Christians. Eldar Mamedov Oct 31, 2020
On Georgian voters’ minds: A pandemic, a bank robbery, and treasonous cartography Georgians go to the polls for legislative elections on October 31 after an unexpectedly eventful campaign season. Giorgi Lomsadze Oct 30, 2020
Uzbekistan: The mixed legacy of Bukhara’s 1920 uprising One hundred years after the Red Army established the Bukharan People's Soviet Republic, residents are ambivalent about its meaning. Oct 29, 2020
Turkmenistan: Feeling insecure This week in our Turkmenistan bulletin: Ashgabat and Moscow suddenly ratify an aged security agreement. Plus budgets, boasts and bribes. Akhal-Teke: A Turkmenistan Bulletin Oct 27, 2020
Perspectives | Why Kazakhstan’s leaders fear regional unrest Rigged elections have created political crises in two other post-Soviet countries this year, leaving Nur-Sultan edgy ahead of a parliamentary vote. Aruzhan Meirkhanova Oct 27, 2020
UFC Khabib’s last outing too hot for Tajikistan? The authorities are spooked by the idea that a crowd could form. Chris Rickleton Oct 26, 2020
Kyrgyzstan: Living in the shadow of a sleeping Chinese oil refinery The country's largest oil refinery is no stranger to scandals. Ayzirek Imanaliyeva Oct 22, 2020
Kazakhstan: Avian flu kills nearly 1 million poultry The die-off has caused a shortage of meat and eggs in markets. Almaz Kumenov Oct 21, 2020
Kazakhstan: Parliamentary elections scheduled for January 10 The president says the vote will marking a turning point. Skeptics yawn. Almaz Kumenov Oct 21, 2020
War in the Caucasus hits close to home for Turkey’s Armenians Some are speaking out against the conflict despite fears the government’s strong support for Azerbaijan could fuel nationalist reprisals. Ayla Jean Yackley Oct 21, 2020
Turkmenistan: Going donuts The dictatorial regime is mostly deaf to people’s complaints, but it sometimes caves. Akhal-Teke: A Turkmenistan Bulletin Oct 20, 2020
Kyrgyzstan: In an uprising low on heroes, defense volunteers shine The appearance of the self-defense units is the second time this year that civil society has been forced to hold the line. Where the state repeatedly fails to live up to its obligations, volunteers step in. Ayzirek Imanaliyeva Oct 14, 2020
Kyrgyzstan: Japarov's nomination as PM pauses crisis Severe economic and epidemiological challenges now lie ahead. Oct 14, 2020
Turkmenistan: Reprimands galore The president’s fury has only served to expose once more the implausibility of official data. Akhal-Teke: A Turkmenistan Bulletin Oct 13, 2020