This probably isn't a "Turkish Spring," but it could change Turkish politics.
Why the Chechnya conflict may animate animus. A quick primer on the troubles in the South Caucuses.
Vladimir Putin promised to investigate the beating of Mikhail Beketov last year. He never did. In all likelihood, he never will. Journalist murders in Russia rarely get investigated – they’re seen almost as a favor to the establishment. Without national leadership to end them, these murders will just continue.
In contrast, during the lead up to the 2008 Olympics China adopted a striking ameliorative tone on the issue of Sudan.
Russian prosecutors and tax officials demanded the Moscow offices of Amnesty International provide records for a surprise audit. It is part of a larger series of crackdowns on NGOs here that has accelerated after Vladimir Putin resumed the presidency last year.