RFE/RL Central Asia Report
02.09.2013
A review of RFE/RL reporting and analysis about the five countries of Central Asia.
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Kanye West Performs In Kazakhstan, As Riots Follow Local Star's Gig
Kanye West was reportedly paid a handsome sum to perform at the Almaty wedding of Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbaev's grandson over the weekend. Meanwhile, across town, riots were caused the same night by the actions of a lesser-known local pop star. More 
Kyrgyz Arrest Four Tajiks Near Border
Officials in Kyrgyzstan say they have arrested four Tajik citizens who were wearing camouflage and carrying weapons and ammunition in southern Batken Province. More 
As Concerns About Cotton Grow, A Fashionable Alternative Emerges
As the annual cotton harvest gets under way in Central Asia, the issue of forced labor and wasteful water use is once again prompting debate about how to break the region's damaging dependence on cotton. RFE/RL reports on one designer who may have the answer -- stylish jeans made with no cotton at all. More 
Eight In Hospital After Kazakh Concert
Eight people remain in hospital following a riot sparked by the cancellation of a popular singer's concert in Kazakhstan's largest city, Almaty. More RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service sat down with President Almazbek Atambaev last week to discuss Kyrgyzstan's relations with the United States, China, Russia, and its Central Asian neighbors. Atambaev told Bishkek bureau chief Sultan Jumagulov that the upcoming closure of the NATO Transit Center at Manas International Airport near Bishkek will not hurt Kyrgyzstan's financial interests. Atambaev also sought to ease concerns about growing Russian and Chinese interests in Kyrgyz energy and infrastructure. More 
Kazakh Prison Guards Jailed For Torturing Inmate To Death
More than a dozen prison guards and high-ranking prison officials in Kazakhstan have been convicted of torturing an inmate and sentenced to prison. More 
Tajik Oppositionist's Sons Jailed
A Tajik court has handed down short-term jail sentences to family members and supporters of a detained opposition figure a day after they organized a rally calling for his freedom. More An Uzbek court has sentenced a 75-year-old Uzbek human rights activist to five years in prison. More 
Uzbek Activist Claims 'Rape' Setup
Uzbek opposition activist Fakhriddin Tillaev and his wife were beaten by a mob following what the activist said was a staged rape accusation. More 
Jameson On The Rocks In Uzbekistan: Irish Distiller Loses Rights To Brand Name
Any hopes that Jameson Irish Whiskey had of making inroads into Central Asia's emerging spirits market have suffered a blow after Uzbek officials ruled that it did not have the right to use the brand name in the country. More 
Muslim Missionaries Make Kyrgyz Inroads Through Bangladeshi Madrasah
The Tablighi Jaamat, a conservative Sunni Islamic movement, has been conducting missionary work in Kyrgyzstan for years. But reports that the avowed pacifistic group is expanding its reach among impoverished youth by offering free education abroad is raising concerns among Kyrgyz authorities. More 
Kyrgyz PM Takes Over Plague Case
Kyrgyz Prime Minister Jantoro Satybaldiev has taken personal control of the government's response to a reported case of bubonic plague in the country's north. More Kyrgyzstan's Foreign Ministry has sent a note of protest to Tashkent regarding a traffic accident involving an Uzbek Embassy official that reportedly led to a scuffle. More |
