Region
Central Asia
Kazakhstan’s Druzhba Prospects: Central Asian Oil to Supply Europe?
By Mikhail Strokan
As the EU seeks to substitute Russian energy resources, Kazakhstan sees an opportunity.
Court Orders RFE/RL’s Radio Azattyk Shut Down in Kyrgyzstan
By Catherine Putz
RFE/RL plans to appeal the court’s decision and has made clear that it has no intention of abandoning its audience in Kyrgyzstan.
New Charges in Kyrgyzstan’s Kempir-Abad Case
By Catherine Putz
Rather than backing down, the Kyrgyz government has reportedly filed new charges against the large group of politicians and activists detained last October.
Will Tajikistan Meaningfully Engage on Religious Freedom?
By Nury Turkel and Eric Ueland
The visit of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief provides a unique opportunity for increased engagement and the potential for positive reform.
The Kazakhstanis Picking Sides in Putin’s War in Ukraine
By Dan Storyev and Nazeer Baturin
While Kazakhstan's government is balancing, these Kazakhstanis have already picked a side in Putin's war on Ukraine.
China Affirms Ex-Soviet Nations’ Sovereignty After Uproar
By Associated Press
The Chinese ambassador to France suggested in an interview that the states of the former Soviet Union were not recognized as sovereign. Beijing walked the comments back.
The Samarkand Meeting: A Half-baked Regional Approach to Afghanistan’s Endless Woes
By Shanthie Mariet D’Souza
Legitimizing the Taliban’s rule is not the solution to Afghanistan’s current and future problems.
Karim Massimov, Former Kazakh Intelligence Chief, Sentenced to 18 Years on Treason, Coup Charges
By Catherine Putz
Massimov’s supporters say the case against him was politically motivated, an incident of clear scapegoating.
The Strategic Logic of Russia’s Embrace of the Taliban
By Sophia Nina Burna-Asefi
The Afghanistan issue gives Moscow another reason to remain closely engaged in the security affairs of Central Asia.
What Afghanistan’s Qosh Tepa Canal Means for Central Asia
By Seamus Duffy
The Qosh Tepa canal issue essentially forces the Central Asian nations in the Amu Darya basin to make tradeoffs between regional instability and internal instability.
How Farid Tuhbatullin Tells Turkmenistan’s Story
By Catherine Putz
An interview with the Turkmen Initiative for Human Rights’ Farid Tuhbatullin, who works to draw attention to the troubles in his homeland.
Turbulence in the Taiwan Strait: The New Normal
By Ankit Panda and Catherine Putz
Another high-level U.S.-Taiwan meeting causes turbulence in the Taiwan Strait.