Tajikistan is the only country in Central Asia excluding Turkmenistan that will not be showing the film “The Dictator” in its national cinemas. The film is a satirical take on African governments, while the main character is believed to be based on Muammar Gaddafi. Continue reading
Ombudsman Tursunbek Akun has accused Kyrgyzstan’s police of inaction against bride kidnapping. According to him, out of 8,000 facts of abduction in 2011, only 16 statements were made to law enforcement agencies and only two criminal cases were opened. Both cases were then closed. Continue reading
Ilya Karimdjanov is a pest. Armed with a camera, a question and the most popular blog on Kyrgyzstan’s most popular blogging platform, Kloop.kg, he is a one-man citizen media machine, the nemesis of rule-breaking cops, corrupt university teachers and the Kyrgyz monetary system. Well, someone has to keep them all in check, don’t they? Continue reading
The Tajik authorities have banned all activities of a group Jamaat Ansarullah, which issued a call for a “jihad against democracy” on a YouTube video. The opposition Islamic Renaissance Party said that it had “never heard” of such a group. Continue reading
More than 100,000 tons of cotton were produced in Kyrgyzstan in 2011, according to the country’s Ministry of Agriculture, a record figure since 2005. Experts say that about 80 percent of Kyrgyz cotton is exported. Continue reading
According to several news agencies, observers from the Kyrgyz Republic will travel to Syria to participate in the implementation of a peace plan under the watch of Kofi Annan, former United Nations Secretary General and current special envoy for the organization in the Syrian crisis. Kyrgyzstan’s Ministry of Defence were not available for comment at the time of writing. Continue reading
A Dushanbe court has ruled that Behruz Sharipov is guilty of murdering Parviz Davlatbekov, a 24-year-old, who was killed at New Year while dressed as Santa Claus. The sentence given to Sharipov, whose mother intends to appeal the verdict, is the maximum sentence for a minor. Continue reading
The Public organization Foundation for Progress believes that granting fuel suppliers Gazprom Neft Asia and Gazpromneft-Aero rights to duty-free supplies will lead to the monopolization of the fuel-supply market. Continue reading
An independent public commission created to investigate the tragic events in Zhanaozen has written an appeal to the President of Kazakhstan to “stop judicial tyranny in [the judgment of] the Zhanaozen events!” In a message to President Nursultan Nazarbayev the commission calls for an end to the Zhanozen trial and for all criminal cases to be submitted for further investigation. Anyone found guilty of torture during the interrogation of suspects should be punished in accordance with the law, added the commission. Continue reading
Bishkek’s city council has approved an increase in tariffs for all public transport. Transport companies and the Department of Urban Transport under the Mayor’s Office consider the increase “insufficient”. Continue reading