Venera Djumataeva
Venera Djumataeva is the director of RFE/RL’s Kyrgyz Service. In her current capacity, and as a broadcaster for the Kyrgyz Service and freelancer in Bishkek, she covers major events in Central Asia and international topics relating to Kyrgyzstan and the region at large. Previously, she contributed to the War and Peace Reporting.
Bektour Iskender
Bektour Iskender is co‐founder of the Kyrgyz blogging community Kloop.kg. Kloop started in 2007, and quickly gained popularity as an antidote to the state dominated media. Kloop offers a news section with a neutral presentation and a blog platform that captures the growing interest in the increasingly accessible internet in Central Asia.
Erica Marat
Dr. Erica Marat is an associate professor at the College of International Security Affairs, National Defense University in Washington, DC. Her research focuses on violence, mobilization, and security institutions in Eurasia, India and Mexico.
Paul Stronski
Senior Fellow, Russia and Eurasia Program
Paul Stronski was a senior fellow in Carnegie’s Russia and Eurasia Program, where his research focuses on the relationship between Russia and neighboring countries in Central Asia and the South Caucasus.