Region
Central Asia
Consolidation of Taxi Services in Dushanbe Results in Public Transit Chaos
By Kulobiddin Norov
An attempt by city authorities to bring more order to the private taxi market erodes service quality and driver incomes.
Uzbekistan Moves to Silence Prominent Religious Scholar
By Madina Amin
The high-profile case of Mubashshir Ahmad underscores the Uzbek authorities’ growing scrutiny of religious leaders and online platforms.
UK Rolls Out Fresh Sanctions Against Another Kyrgyz Bank
By Catherine Putz
The announcement marks the latest move in an ongoing battle that often resembles a game of sanctions whack-a-mole.
US Hosts Annual Bilateral Consultation With Turkmenistan
By Catherine Putz
The consultations produced only a brief statement, and there were no public comments on the travel ban question.
Tajikistan Blames Illegal Cryptocurrency Mining for Some of Its Energy Woes
By Kulobiddin Norov
Despite the recent criminalization of electricity use fraud, the government is still battling massive energy losses.
China’s Genocide and the Eliticide of Uyghur Scholars
By Omer Kanat
To ignore the intellectuals languishing in Chinese prisons is to normalize an ongoing cultural genocide in the Uyghur homeland.
Will WTO Membership Make Doing Business in Uzbekistan Any Easier?
By Bryn Windsor
As Tashkent hones in on WTO accession next year, many arcane Karimov-era trade practices remain widespread, frustrating foreign companies looking to access Central Asia’s most promising market.
Why Was a Kazakh Military Attache’s Assistant Detained in Poland?
By Catherine Putz
Official details are sparse, but Kazakhstan has confirmed that one of its citizens was detained by Polish authorities.
Survey Work Begins in Kazakhstan for Russia-Built Nuclear Power Plant
By Catherine Putz
A groundbreaking ceremony marked the formal start of the project, which could take a decade to complete and require investment of $15 billion.
Swindler or Scapegoat? Provisional Verdict Announced in Large-Scale Kazakh Embezzlement Case
By Albert Otkjær
Kazakh charity founder Perizat Kairat sentenced to 10 years for embezzling millions in flood relief funds, raising questions about political ties and public trust in the nonprofit sector.
Kyrgyz President Signs New Media Law, Making Registration Mandatory
By Catherine Putz
In the three years it has taken for the Japarov government to see through its desired new media law, the country's reputation as an "island of democracy" has been considerably diminished.
Assessing Religious Freedoms in Central Asia, USCIRF Delegations Visit Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan
By Catherine Putz
Overly broad and vague laws restrict freedom of religion or belief in the Central Asian states says USCIRF Chair Vicky Hartzler.
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