The Bishkek police chief is under fire for saying the victims “themselves” are often to blame for rape incidents. The comment made in the wake of a rape case involving a teen victim has prompted angry protests and calls for his resignation.
Kosovar leaders have signed a formal application seeking the status of candidate for membership of the European Union amid a long-lasting dispute with neighboring Serbia, which immediately called on the bloc to cancel the process.
An activist from Russia's southwestern city of Krasnodar, Maria Zakharova, has fled the country along with her family after police threatened to jail her over her public protests against Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
Four women arrested in late October along with 22 people detained in Kyrgyzstan for protesting against a border deal with Uzbekistan have launched hunger strikes.
A court in Uzbekistan's eastern region of Ferghana has ordered local blogger Olimjon Haidarov to pay a hefty fine for his online reporting of the country's energy cuts and shortages.