Region
Central Asia
Controversial Kyrgyz ‘Foreign Representatives’ Bill on Cusp of Becoming Law
By Catherine Putz
Despite opposition, both foreign and domestic, Kyrgyzstan continues to push forward a law that would enact further restrictions on organizations receiving funding from abroad.
Bishkek’s Ever Problematic Power Plant Explodes
By Catherine Putz
Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov pledged to order a “complete modernization” of the plant after a February 2 explosion.
Kyrgyz Media Under Increasing Pressure, But ‘Kloop Will Continue Its Work’
By Catherine Putz
An interview with Kloop co-founder Rinat Tuhvatshin.
Kazakhstan Appoints a New Government
By Paolo Sorbello
It’s a timid reshuffling that is unlikely to shake things up.
Early Notice: Kyrgyz President Japarov Will Seek Second Term
By Catherine Putz
Kyrgyzstan’s next presidential election isn’t due until 2027, but Central Asia doesn’t always stick to schedule – making early chatter about a second term interesting.
Major Automakers May Be Using Chinese Aluminum Produced With Uyghur Forced Labor
By Simina Mistreanu
A new report from Human Rights Watch links some of the world's largest car manufacturers to aluminum allegedly produced with forced labor by Uyghurs.
The Unexonerated Speak: A New Documentary Sheds Light on Uzbekistan’s Dark Past
By Catherine Putz
Thousands were imprisoned under the regime of Islam Karimov, unjustly convicted on religious extremism and other charges. Many have been freed, but they remain unexonerated.
Acute Shortage of Cotton Pickers Results in Coercion by Officials
By Lynn Schweisfurth
The Uzbek Forum's findings from monitoring the 2023 cotton harvest point at some instances of forced labor when voluntary workers were scarce.
Central Asia No Closer to Shaking Perceptions of Corruption
By Catherine Putz
Transparency International notes a “troubling picture” in the region as countries struggle with “dysfunctional rule of law, rising authoritarianism, and systemic corruption.”
The Uyghurs: Kashgar Before the Catastrophe
By Robert Gerhardt
What has been erased cannot be replaced, but Kevin Bubriski’s 1998 photographs can help us remember what once was in Xinjiang.
Navigating New Horizons: Uzbekistan’s Role in Global Connectivity
By Alouddin Komilov
The EU and Central Asia have a critical opportunity to strengthen their collaboration in the face of evolving geopolitical challenges affecting global trade routes.
Wanted, Again: Matraimov Once More Sought by Authorities in Kyrgyzstan
By Catherine Putz
Bishkek is on the one hand pursuing an anti-corruption campaign, but at the same time cracking down on the very media that expose such corruption.