Country
Kazakhstan
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.
Laid-off Oil Workers Detained After Overnight Protest in Astana
By Catherine Putz
The group’s detention sparked a growing crowd in Zhanaozen and highlighted, once again, the precarity faced by the country’s workers.
Court Bars Kazakh Opposition Figure Mamai From Activism, Journalism
By Catherine Putz
Mamai’s prison sentence was suspended, but the Kazakh government has nevertheless silenced him.
Central Asia’s Strained Security Architecture
By Saadi Khamidov
Growing divisions within the CSTO -- over Ukraine, Afghanistan, and various internal disputes -- may have serious implications for the region’s security architecture.
Kazakhstan and Afghanistan Seek to Realign Bilateral Ties
By Sophia Nina Burna-Asefi
For Kazakhstan, supporting economic development along the north-south axis would see Afghanistan becoming a bridge, not a barrier.
Tackling Central Asia’s Remaining Development Challenges
By Evgeny Vinokurov and Anton Malakhov
The region needs to overcome four key structural challenges: lack of access to the sea, low level of development of the financial sector, lack of water and energy coordination, and climate change.
New Hopes for Old Projects? China Gears Up Rail Efforts With Kazakhstan
By Sophia Nina Burna-Asefi
China seeks easier trade access to European markets by developing its rail network with Kazakhstan and trialing the Middle Corridor.
Hopes for Renewal Disappointed Again in Kazakhstan
By Paolo Sorbello
Political manipulations stripped the people of the choice they were promised in Kazakhstan’s latest parliamentary election.
This Week in Asia: March 24, 2023
The Diplomat’s weekly video round-up of Asia news.
Low Turnout and a Victory for Kazakhstan’s Ruling Party in Parliamentary Polls
By Catherine Putz
Despite hundreds of independent self-nominated candidates, Kazakhstan’s new parliament will much resemble its former self.
Joyful and Angry: A Feminist Demonstration in Kazakhstan
By Paolo Sorbello
Pressured not to hold a march, feminist groups in Almaty gathered in their hundreds for a rally anyway.
Kazakhstan Impounds Property of Roscosmos Subsidiary
By Catherine Putz
A debt dispute sits atop a host of other political risks, inserting uncertainty into operations at the important Baikonur spaceport.