Uzbekistan

The state seems to aim for branding Uzbekistan as dynamic. Its approach to free speech is anything but.

Is it over for Russian Z-artists in Central Asia? 

With 87 percent of the votes in a campaign devoid of genuine competition, the Uzbek president has cemented himself in power much like his predecessor.

There have been some areas of progress on human rights under Mirziyoyev but the country’s international partners should recognize that these gains have now halted and gone into reverse.

Reforms in tertiary education have made university degrees more attainable in Uzbekistan, but less valued.

Although there is much more freedom of speech compared to the Karimov era, ongoing attacks on bloggers and civil society activists show an alarming deteriorating dynamic in Uzbekistan.

In a new political era, boosted by social media, Uzbekistan’s publishers, translators, and book bloggers see rewarding opportunities amid the challenges.

An interview with Chinese diplomacy researcher Giulia Sciorati.

A new wave of arrests in Uzbekistan have centered on religious lectures, songs, and social media posts, calling up memories of the not-so-distant Karimov era.

Moscow’s needs are more immediate, giving Tashkent time and space to negotiate. 

Tazhimuratov’s 16-year sentence was upheld while terms of others were either reduced or shifted to house arrest.

Karakalpakstan has a constitutional right to secede from Uzbekistan via referendum, but calling for such a vote results in immense pressure and often prison terms.