Featured stories about Uzbekistan
Stories about Uzbekistan
Constitutional referendum in ‘New Uzbekistan’ follows the old script
The independent expert community unanimously agrees that the main goal of holding the referendum was to nullify Mirzioyev’s previous two presidential terms and open the door for his reelection.
Uzbekistan adopts groundbreaking law to protect women and children from domestic and sexual violence
Domestic violence was neither a criminal nor an administrative offense. Women simply could not report domestic violence.
Human trafficking, forced labor and exploitation of migrants in Russia
Russian authorities trafficked people for illegal actions that they were forced to commit while being trafficked, such as prostitution, illegal presence in the country or drug trafficking. Many are deported.
At home, in a presidential palace, and a mosque: Where Central Asian presidents hosted iftar in 2023
Where they are held, who attends them, and what words are spoken at these events can help better understand Central Asia and its people.
The ‘New Uzbekistan’ budget battle: Democracy in action or a flawed system?
'People are amazed that they can get some small roads paved with asphalt by voting... What if they realise they could even change the governments by voting? Hard to imagine…'
Central Asians fighting in Ukraine are both defending and attacking it
The authorities in Central Asia have issued stern warnings to their citizens not to fight in Ukraine, threatening lengthy prison sentences for participating in armed conflicts abroad as mercenaries.
Weathering Russian xenophobia in everyday life
In recent months, there has been more talk about "Russophobia" — anti-Russian sentiment. What they face is nothing compared to what national minorities face in Russia.
How the war in Ukraine twisted my tongue
After Russia invaded for a second time on February 24, 2022, I found myself wondering what to do with the part of my brain that still speaks Russian every day.
The impact of China’s expanding footprint in Uzbekistan’s automobile industry
For Uzbek consumers, China’s BRI is seemingly bringing practical solutions in terms of access to car ownership but also tackling air pollution, and indirectly changing a culture of state monopolies and corruption.
The climate crisis and the environment in Central Asia — Is there hope?
The states of Central Asia are facing severe environmental challenges, which are being further exacerbated by climate change. Can the regional governments come together to address the problem?
China in Uzbek media: Friend or foe?
China’s image can be seen in various tones on different sources of media in Uzbekistan, and people’s perceptions of it are mostly shaped by the media source they refer to
A visual journey through Uzbek society: Ten iconic moments by photographer Umida Akhmedova
Umida Akhmedova is one of the few conceptual woman photographers in Central Asia. She chose ten of her photos to retrace her personal journey across Uzbek society.
A water diplomacy expert discusses the prospects of water conflict and cooperation in Central Asia
There are sufficient water resources in the region, but the regional cooperation is challenged by poor governance frameworks and weak institutional capacity.
Uzbekistan’s cancelled Silk Road Literary Festival reveals leftover Karimov mindset
The Uzbek Union of Writers' grievances against the Silk Road Festival Committee speak to the institution's continuing need to exercise a monopoly on the definition of Uzbek literature.
As peace and prosperity unravel, Central Asia braces for a surge of forced labor and sexual slavery
Economic crises, cuts in public spending and subsequent unemployment are commonly regarded as the factors that aggravate the risks for vulnerable groups of population to fall prey to human trafficking
Central Asia rushes into armed drone race as regional arms transfers brew
Central Asia’s search for military drones started long before the Russian-Ukrainian war, and was shaped by the imminent rise of military drones and Russia’s gradual lag in advanced military technologies.
Podcast: Central Asia adjusts to the effects of geopolitical turmoil
Central Asia Editor Zhar Zardykhan explains how the turmoil in Afghanistan and Ukraine are both affecting Central Asian countries.
Central Asia celebrates Victory Day amid Russian pressure
In Putin's Russia, the victory over Nazi Germany became instrumental in legitimizing the regime, suppressing political dissent, and pursuing an aggressive foreign policy, including the war in Ukraine.
Central Asia’s fears of rising militancy in Afghanistan as Moscow invades Ukraine
Since the Taliban takeover in August 2021, the three Central Asian states that border Afghanistan intended to defend their borders through security reinforcement and diplomacy, primarily relying on Russian initiatives.
Public opinion in Central Asia: A pioneering Kyrgyz NGO ventures into uncharted territory
While the five Central Asian nations share borders and history, they rarely view themselves as part of the same region. A Kyrgyz NGO tries to survey them as one group.
War, words, and worries in Central Asia
Each state responded differently to the war: ignoring it altogether, incorporating their own national interests, and adapting to the changing course of war, while trying to withstand Russian pressure.
