Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Kazakhstan

Nazarbaev's Daughter Defends Comic Character 'Borat'

'Borat,' aka Sacha Baron Cohen (file photo) (epa)

April 21, 2006 -- A British comedian who angered many Kazakhs with his satirical portrayal of their nation has found an unexpected ally -- the Kazakh president's daughter.

TEXT SIZE - +

April 21, 2006

Darigha Nazarbaeva said in an interview published on April 21 that Kazakhstan's angry reaction to Sacha Baron Cohen's "Borat" character had hurt the country's image much more than the jokes themselves.

Last year, Kazakh authorities closed down Borat's website. The character had joked that Kazakh women were kept in cages and that Kazakhs made wine from fermented horse urine.

(Reuters)

RFE/RL Central Asia Report

SUBSCRIBE For regular news and analysis on all five Central Asian countries by e-mail, subscribe to "RFE/RL Central Asia Report."

Production and distribution of rap music is not officially banned, but it

Yo! Turkmen Rappers Flip The Script On Repression

For a growing number of Turkmen youth, rap music has become a way to express their daily struggles and inspire political change in one of the world's most oppressive countries. More

A woman relaxes underneath a photo of President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov at the resort of Avaza.

Turkmenistan's Personality Cult 2.0

Turkmen Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov appears to be building a personality cult to match that of his eccentric predecessor. More

Myalikguly Berdymukhammedov, the father of Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov, in a September 2009 television appearance

Keeping Up With The Berdymukhammedovs

Reports say a police unit in Turkmenistan this week was named after the father of President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov. State-run media reportedly describe it as a gesture to honor Myalikguly Berdymukhammedov's years of service to Turkmenistan's Interior Ministry and "his efforts in educating the younger generation." More