Author name: Freedom for Eurasia

Letter of appeal by Karakalpak political prisoner Akylbek Muratbai (Muratov)

Leave a Comment / Human Rights /

Freedom for Eurasia is publishing a letter from Akylbek Muratbai (Muratov), a Karakalpak human rights activist, which was intended to be presented on October 9, 2024, during a side event focused on repression in Karakalpakstan. This event was organized by Freedom for Eurasia as part of the OSCE Warsaw Human Dimension Conference. Akylbek Muratbai (Muratov) […]

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Kyrgyzstan: Drop charges against 11 journalists and human rights defenders

Leave a Comment / Abuses of Rule of Law, Human Rights /

The criminal charges against journalists and human rights defenders are a textbook example of retaliation against investigative journalism and reporting on high-level corruption. 09.10.2024 As proceedings against 11 independent journalists and human rights defenders (HRDs) in Kyrgyzstan near conclusion, Amnesty International, Araminta, ARTICLE 19, Association for Human Rights in Central Asia, Civil Rights Defenders, International

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Statement by the Ambassador Michael G. Kozak, Head of the U.S. Delegation. Warsaw Human Dimension Conference. Closing Session, October 11, 2024

Leave a Comment / Human Rights /

Ambassador Michael G. Kozak, Head of the United States Delegation at the WHDC. Credit: U.S. Mission to the OSCE Warsaw, October 11, 2024 On behalf of the Delegation of the United States, I wish to express sincere appreciation to the Maltese Chairpersonship for its leadership in convening this conference, and to ODIHR for organizing it. 

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When the State Becomes Prey: Understanding State Capture

Leave a Comment / Corruption & Money Laundering /

Leila Seiitbek The concept of “state capture,” initially applied to the post-Soviet transition, has evolved to encompass a broader range of phenomena where powerful private interests exert undue influence over state institutions. Early research focused on newly privatized industries in transitional economies, where influential business figures leveraged illicit payments to secure favorable regulatory environments and

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Central Asia’s Shadow Pandemic: Violence Against Women

Leave a Comment / Women's Rights /

Restrictions to limit the spread of COVID-19 inadvertently sparked a rise in violence against women and girls in Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan. By Niginakhon Saida and Svetlana Dzardanova COVID-19-related restrictions and stay-at-home orders had an impact on domestic violence across the globe. Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan were no exception. While prior to the pandemic, both countries had relevant regulatory and

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Central Asia’s War on Hijab

Leave a Comment / Women's Rights /

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. By Niginakhon Saida and Svetlana Dzardanova “Although I began praying in sixth grade, it wasn’t until 2020 that I started wearing hijab,” Malika, a 20-year-old

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