CIVIL SOCIETY
Human rights, environmental, and cultural issues

Azerbaijan Abandons Controversial NGO Amendments
BY JESSICA POWLEY HAYDEN
Azerbaijani rights activists are hailing as a rare victory the passage of amendments to a law on non-governmental organizations after a fierce fight with the government over earlier, more restrictive proposed changes. Worries nonetheless persist about the bill’s long-term implications for civil liberties within Azerbaijan.

Central Asia and Caucasus: Dark Days for Democratization - Report
BY JOSHUA KUCERA
The countries of the Caucasus and Central Asia experienced a decline in their democratic development in 2008, according to a report issued June 30 by the American watchdog group Freedom House.

Kyrgyzstan: Bakiyev Courts Support of Believers
BY ALISHER KHAMIDOV
With Kyrgyzstan’s July 23 presidential election fast approaching, President Kurmanbek Bakiyev’s administration is trying to court the support of Muslims, while cracking down on suspected members of radical Islamic groups.

Azerbaijan: Monitoring Iranian Events for Political Lessons
A EURASIANET COMMENTARY BY SHAHIN ABBASOV
Political leaders in Azerbaijan are paying careful attention to the turmoil in Iran. It’s not just the fact that Iran is home to roughly 20 million ethnic Azeris that explains the strong interest in Iranian events. Both government officials and opposition politicians in Baku are searching for political lessons in the news coming out of Tehran.

Iran: Larijani Faction Emerges as Third Force in Iranian Power Struggle
BY KAMAL NAZER YASIN
It appears that a third force, centering on Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani and his influential relatives, is taking shape in Iran. This new political force -- whose leaders have strong ties to Iran’s religious establishment, and who possess strong revolutionary credentials -- is working hard to establish a public profile apart from hardliners led by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and from progressives led by aggrieved presidential challenger Mir Hussein Mousavi.

Turkey: Iran Upheaval Poses Diplomatic Challenge for Ankara
BY YIGAL SCHLEIFER
Turkey seems to be searching for a proper response to the upheaval in Tehran. The Turkish public has greeted the crisis in Iran with a mix of indifference and confusion, while on the official side, Ankara is treading with extreme caution. Not wanting to possibly strain bilateral ties, Turkish officials are refraining from criticizing Iranian hardliners, or questioning the results of the country’s recent contested elections.