Blog
Crossroads Asia
State Projects and Proxies: All the President’s Men in Kyrgyzstan
By Catherine Putz
A new OCCRP, Temirov Live, Kloop investigation finishes “the work of those who can longer do journalism in Kyrgyzstan” by uncovering a murky network of connections profiting from state projects.
Anti-Migrant Protests Expose Problems in Kyrgyzstan’s Evolving Migration Landscape
By Asel Murzakulova
The recent conflict laid bare genuine challenges within the labor market and significant shifts in the country's migration landscape.
Competing Digital Futures: Europe and China in Central Asia’s Tech Development
By Andrew Gundal and Eldaniz Gusseinov
Both the EU and China aim to establish technological leadership in Central Asia, but their focuses differ.
Mongolia’s Political Parties Showcase Candidates for the 2024 Parliamentary Election
By Bolor Lkhaajav
As Mongolia goes to its first election with an enlarged parliament and new mixed representation electoral system, parties are including more diverse and young candidates.
South Asian Students Targeted by Angry Mob in Kyrgyz Capital
By Catherine Putz
The mob, apparently triggered by a video of a fight between foreigners and locals earlier in May, “went on a rampage” targeting mostly South Asian students while raging against illegal immigration.
Russia Expands Oil Trade South via Afghanistan, Seeking Warm Water Ports
By Sophia Nina Burna-Asefi
Afghanistan is emerging as a key transit point for Russian oil as the Kremlin seeks to establish new trade routes to Asia and the Middle East.
Privatization in Uzbekistan: Potential Far From Fulfilled
By Bryn Windsor
While some progress has been made, foreign investors are starting to wonder if Uzbekistan’s privatization agenda will ever live up to its much-lauded potential.
Women as Wives: How Uzbekistan’s Justice System Fails to Serve Women
By Niginakhon Saida
Uzbekistan’s judicial system perceives women as wives in domestic violence cases and does not shy away from punishing them for responding to abuse.
Viral Bishimbayev Trial in Kazakhstan Ends With 24-Year Sentence
By Colleen Wood
Under Kazakhstan’s hybrid jury model, jurors and the judge make a final decision together. In this case, the former minister was convicted of murdering his wife and handed a long sentence.
Diplomatic Engagement in Central Asia on the Rise
By Aizada Nuriddenova and Zhanibek Arynov
The number of interactions between high-level Central Asian officials has visibly increased since 2015, from 60 interactions that year to 158 in 2023.
In Light of Photos, Kyrgyz Authorities Claim Detained Journalist Staged Her Own Bruises
By Catherine Putz
Bolot Temirov shared photos of the bruises he says his wife, Makhabat Tajibek kyzy, sustained in a Kyrgyz detention center in April. Prison authorities say they were inflicted by cell-mates at her request.
How Authoritarian Oppression Breeds Religious Extremism in Central Asia
By Kashif Hasan Khan and Marin Ekstrom
The overwhelmingly authoritarian governments in Central Asia have utilized severe repression against Islamist movements – extremist or not.