Ulanbek Asanaliev is a social-media producer in RFE/RL's Uzbek Service.
The Friendship Bridge was once a busy crossing between Estonia and Russia. Since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Estonia has had to beef up its security, but keeping Russia out is difficult. Most ethnic Russians in Narva watch Kremlin TV, and Moscow has ramped up cyberattacks on its NATO neighbor.
Asan Bagyshov has spent more than a month traveling across Central America with his wife and three children, pursuing his dream of a new life. Bagyshov is from Kyrgyzstan and is one of an increasing number of people from Central Asia taking a convoluted and dangerous route to the United States.
An RFE/RL investigation reveals how young Kyrgyz women trying to make ends meet as online sex workers are subject to abuse, blackmail, and even rape.
An RFE/RL investigation into live webcam sites has exposed how young women employed by them are subject to abuse, blackmail, and even rape. At least two cases ended in suicide. We spoke to multiple people who have worked in webcam studios in Kyrgyzstan.
