On Thursday, November 5th, Pavel Krisevich, a Russian activist famous for his symbolic protests, performed a ‘mock crucifixion’ outside of Moscow’s FSB headquarters. His use of art combined with the motto “Down with the police state!” speaks to the ways in which the power dynamic between the police and the people in Russia maintains the authoritarianism that marks the region, as well as the potential for change towards liberal democracy.
The death of Irina Slavina, co-founder and editor-in-chief of the free journalism KozaPress, is the living evidence of media censorship and violation of free speech in Russia.
Azernaijani President Aliyev accuses Armenian PM's connection with the U.S. business sector and views the Nagorno-Karabakh a war of liberation. He also believes that Armenian and Azerbaijani communities can coexist peacefully in the region.
As protests against the Lukashenko regime continue in Minsk, President Vladimir Putin of Russia made the decisive choice to officially express Moscow's support for the maintenance of Alexander Lukashenko's power. Though Russia initially had a "wait-and-see" stance on the protests, it appears that Putin's position has changed due to Russia and Belarus' interdependence for military supplies, monetary support, and political outreach.
Protests movements across Belarus gained traction once again last week, following the 'secret inauguration' of President Lukashenko despite the contested results of his election on August 9th. As pro-democracy movements are increasingly met with violent suppression in the country, the fate of the Belarusian people remains in question as they continue in the fight to shape their historical process and geo-political climate.
