Kyrgyzstani Protester

In April 2010, this photo of a Kyrgyzstani protester accompanied an above-the-crease story on the NY Times website.  It’s an incredibly bizarre photo.  Based on his attire, the protester could have easily appeared on the pages of a GQ photo spread, save for his accessories, a weapon and a shield that once belonged to riot police.  Kyrgyzstan, a Central Asian country possessing a natural beauty that draws comparisons to Switzerland, has experienced a very ugly and unfortunate past.  This week, it’s in the news again for managing to pull off a fairly decent election, despite remaining plagued by widespread destitution.  

credit: photograph by Ivan Sekretarev/Associated Press