Tajikistan

Do Russian demands for stricter measures against labor migrants mark a shift in Moscow’s relationship with Central Asia?

Over the last decade, Tajikistan has pursued Group 24 activists around the world.

A member of the group, also kidnapped from Turkiye earlier this year, was given a 20 year sentence. The exact charges are unknown. 

The Central Asian countries are caught between a rock and a hard place when it comes to the Russia-Ukraine conflict, and it showed in their most recent UNGA speeches.

After October 7, conspiracy theories have gained traction within Central Asian Salafi circles accusing Shias of acting as agents of the Jews in a coordinated effort to undermine Sunni Islam. 

Despite the potential for a conflict of interests on the transport and transit track, it is still beneficial for Uzbekistan and Tajikistan to cooperate rather than compete.

China’s growing footprint in South and Central Asia has been made possible by the influx of grants, loans, mergers, and economic concessions for projects.

The viability of the projects depends on the region's ability to navigate geopolitical tensions, security challenges, and economic uncertainties.

The U.S. presidential elections have always had a significant impact on the foreign policies of various countries, including relations with the states of Central Asia.     

As Central Asian governments tighten restrictions on the hijab in the name of upholding secularism, devout Muslim women find themselves forced to navigate an increasingly difficult choice between their faith and the law.

Typically, rationing in rural areas begins in late October, but this year the state power company announced the start of restrictions on electricity in late September.