Stories from Quick Reads and Human Rights
Teenager with Muslim background saved over 100 people in Moscow concert hall terrorist attack
Fifteen-year-old Islam Khalilov, who works part-time as a cloakroom attendant, led more than a hundred people out of Crocus Concert Hall during the terrorist attack
In Azerbaijan authorities remain silent over the murder of a trans woman
In general, for many LGBTQI+ individuals who face discrimination and violence, there is little recourse through the police or any official judicial channels.
Uzbekistan's recent anti-religious measures present a worrisome trend for its Muslims
This is not the first time Muslims in Uzbekistan, who make up 94 percent of the population, face persecution due to their beliefs.
Palestinian writer Randa Jarrar dragged out of PEN America event for protesting
Palestinian American author Randa Jarrar was forcibly removed for disrupting ceasefire opponent Mayim Bialik by reading the names of Palestinian writers killed by Israeli forces in Gaza.
Presidential election in Azerbaijan show old habits die hard
This election was business as usual in Azerbaijan with manipulation and violations, including carousel voting, ballot stuffing, and aggressive behavior toward independent observers and journalists throughout the day.
The Baku Connection: Journalists across the world unite to support Azerbaijan's Abzas Media
Some 40 journalists from 15 media outlets have joined the project since its launch as Abzas Media team who started the investigations, await trial in Baku.
In Moldova, asylum was denied to five representatives of the LGBTQ+ community from Russia
In all five responses published this week, Moldovan imigration agency claims that 'some individuals have certain obligations to protect their country, and their avoidance of military service in Russia does not pose a risk of persecution.'
Uzbekistan’s repression survivors tell their harrowing stories in a new documentary
This is one of the first attempts to tell the story of more than 18,000 people who were jailed on trumped-up charges and labelled “extremists” by Uzbekistan's Karimov government.
British journalist Myriam Francois hits back on Houthi bombings and Red Sea conflict
British journalist, filmmaker, and writer Myriam Francois strongly challenges the "insane" suggestion that bombing the Houthis in Yemen should have occurred earlier for economic reasons, in her interview on Sky News.
Belarusians returning home from immigration receive criminal charges
Human rights defenders say that despite the "agreements," criminal cases were initiated against people who believed the authorities and returned to Belarus.
Kyrgyzstan’s self-proclaimed ‘new God’ and former presidential candidate found dead in prison
Abdyldaev’s death is another incident of the alarming trend that has been unfolding under the rule of the current president Sadyr Japarov.
Between four walls: The suppressed voices of peace in Azerbaijan
It’s a landscape where the very act of speaking out often comes at a steep cost, both in terms of personal sacrifice and the relentless pressure they face.
Police immediately raids LGBTQ+ clubs in Moscow after Russia bans ‘International LGBTQ+ movement’
LGBTQ+ people in Russia say that they are afraid that anyone identifying as LGBTQ+ could now be announced as "extremist" and criminally punished.
Members of Belarusian band behind 2020 protest songs receive draconian sentences
"We are not cattle, cattle and cowards, we are a living people, we are Belarusians!" sang the Tor Band. Now their member are in prison with sentences up to nine years.
At a crucial time for global crises, X (formerly Twitter) dilutes its violent speech policy
X has softened its violent speech policy significantly, decreasing both the scope of its provision on violent speech as well as the consequences imposed when such speech is detected.
How Russians fought Putinism: A documentary
It is incorrect to say that the people in Russia did not resist the emergence of Putinism — they resisted, many times and in many ways, albeit unsuccessfully.
In Turkey, another festival is cancelled as censorship runs rampant
In recent years, countless cultural events and concerts have been canceled in Turkey due to the ruling government's censorship and increasingly conservative views.
If adopted, Tajikistan’s draft law on bloggers will do more harm than good
In the last few years, the country has recorded significant backsliding with regards to freedom of expression as well as overall political freedoms.
Zere's new album is a continuation of her fight against gender inequality in Kyrgyzstan
It continues discussing gender inequality while exploring other social and political problems in Kyrgyzstan against the background of her intimate and personal experiences and stories from childhood.
Russian diplomats react to a new law on language in Kyrgyzstan, bringing back colonial past
The Kyrgyz language is an integral part of national identity. It is vital for the survival of Kyrgyz people as a separate ethnic group and Kyrgyzstan as a nation.
Turkmenistan unveils its first ‘smart’ city, named after the former president
Arkadag’s future remains unclear given the government’s authoritarian and bizarre rules for its potential residents.