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OC Media

OC Media

Voice | ‘The occupation of Abkhazia makes us occupied too’

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Nona Bukia has been running the Khurcha branch of the Sokhumi Fund for 11 years. Photo: Tamuna Chkareuli/OC Media

Nona Bukia, 67, lives in Khurcha, a village bordering Abkhazia on the western side of the River Enguri (Ingur). Bukia, who has headed the local branch of women’s rights group the Sukhumi Fund, believes domestic violence and an increase in other social problems is directly connected to the increased poverty triggered by Abkhazia’s closing down of crossing points three years ago.  [Read more…]

Voice | ‘I did all these things so that the women would not lose hope’

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Vafa Naghi. Photo: Turkan Bashir.

Vafa Naghi is 36-years-old former jour­nal­ist and graduate of Istanbul’s Saba­hat­tin Zaim Uni­ver­si­ty. She could have had a bright career in Baku or abroad. But after grad­u­a­tion, she moved back to Khol­gar­a­gash­li, the village of her birth, to start a small sewing workshop to help the local women find jobs and their inde­pen­dence. After sub­mit­ting this piece, she was elected to the municipal council. [Read more…]

Voice | ‘My part in exposing this system’

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Sashka Kalmakhe­lidze. Photo: Facebook.

Following the suicide of 15-year-old Luka Siradze on 11 December, allegedly after he was threat­ened by police, several people have come forward with similar alle­ga­tions against the police. One such story was that of Sashka Kalmakhe­lidze, 24, who after being arrested in January 2017 for pos­ses­sion of MDMA, said he too was abused and threat­ened by the police. [Read more…]

Voice | ‘Help comes from those who themselves need help’

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Shaziya Nukh. Photo: RFE/RL North Caucasus Service

Cir­cass­ian woman Shaziya Nukh is 86 years old. In 2011, she fled the Syrian conflict to Kabardino-Balkaria, the homeland of her ancestors. Almost all of her relatives died during the bombing of Aleppo. Shaziya has no income and no housing. [Read more…]

Voice | ‘What I hate the most is the injustice of it’

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Mako Gomuri, 20, a student and a super­mar­ket cashier, is one of several people to lose an eye on 20 June during anti-Russia protests in Tbilisi. As the situation was esca­lat­ing, she spent the entire day working, dis­con­nect­ed from the events unfolding outside.   [Read more…]

Voice | ‘My destiny depends not on the political regime but the way of thinking’

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(Photo: minorityaze.org)

Queer people in Azer­bai­jan fre­quent­ly face hatred, violence, and isolation. Below is the story of one gay man who for years hid who he was from those closest to him, faced violence and rape during his military service, and despite fleeing to Europe, still faces death threats from his family because of his sexuality. [Read more…]

Voice | ‘I have finally accepted myself’ — an Ingush woman’s coming-of-age tale

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Growing up in Ingushetia, Zarina (not her real name), struggled with tra­di­tions that she felt restrict­ed her. After fights with her family, a brief marriage, and a religious awakening, Zarina says she has now finally accepted herself for who she is. [Read more…]

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