Global Voices Online

Peter offers an update on the internal politics of Turkmenistan, in which the practice of arbitrary dismissals and appopintments seemingly persists, as Turkmen President Berdymukhammedov fired two more high-placed Interior Ministry officials, only days after dismissing the head and deputy head of the ministry.

Recent Links also in Central Asia & Caucasus

Musafirbek says that the president of Uzbekistan officially thanked the cotton-growers for gathering the harvest of this strategic product for Uzbekistan. However, those who sweat away, collecting this cotton (including children) were not mentioned in the president’s address.

Alexander Visotzky writes about the opening of a monument in Astana, the new capital of Kazakhstan, where the authorities uncovered a 15-foot high bronze statue of incumbent president Nursultan Nazarbayev.

Dafydd reports that the EU has lifted the arms embargo on Uzbekistan. Reasons given are abolishment of the death penalty and release of political prisoners.