Latest posts by Adil Nurmakov
Tajikistan: The Russian pilot scandal is getting spinned
As two Russian pilots have been sentenced in Tajikistan, prompting a huge backlash from Russia’s political class, Alpharabius reviews the situation with little research about the pilots’ mysterious employers.
Afghanistan: US civilian aid begins to fall
Nick Fielding reports that US civilian aid to Afghanistan will begin to decline as troop levels are reduced over the next three years, and it has already fallen from $4.1 billion in 2010 to $2.5 billion this year.
Uzbekistan: How to Be Outraged Effectively
Joshua Foust shares his view on the popular debate over whether the U.S. government should work with the abusive government in Uzbekistan or not.
Kyrgyzstan: First-ever peaceful president transition
neweurasia offers a photo-reportage from the Kyrgyz presidential elections that took place last Sunday, noting that for the first time in the history of independent Kyrgyzstan, the presidency is shifting from one person to another in a peaceful way.
Turkmenistan: Hack heaven
Neweurasia’s Annasoltan explores the rise of hacking in the Turkmen segment of the world wide web and its particularly Turkmen flavor.
Kyrgyzstan: President-elect vows to close U.S. military base by 2014
Joshua Foust ponders on seriousness of the news that Kyrgyz President-elect Almazbek Atambayev, “a friend of Russia”, made a warning that the U.S. air base must close by 2014.
Kazakhstan: Blasts Spark New Fears Over the Rise of Extremism
Early in the morning of October 31, two blasts occurred in the downtown district of Atyrau, the major city in Western Kazakhstan and the unofficial "oil capital" of the Central Asian country, which has long been boasting of itself as a showcase of inter-ethnic and inter-religious tolerance.
Tajikistan: Face-saving sentence for the journalists
Journalists Muhammad Yusuf Ismailov and Urunboy Usmonov have been found guilty, but with very commuted sentences following the international pressure on the Tajik authorities, neweurasia’s Alpharabius reports.
Kyrgyzstan: Sec Council bid unsuccessful, but might spell future luck
Marat Sartpaev provides an analysis of the Kyrgyzstan's bid for a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, outlining the possible reasoning behind the failure and future prospects of the Kyrgyz diplomacy.
Uzbekistan: Making some cash on pilgrims
Abulfazal writes that Uzbek black currency market has raised the USD per Uzbek soum exchange rate while Uzbek pilgrims are planning their trips to Saudi Arabia.
Uzbekistan: The Unicorn Principle and Regional Strategy
Joshua Foust analyzes the ongoing discussions on whether the U.S.’s decision to re-engage with the Karimov regime in Uzbekistan represents a least-bad option for the region.
Uzbekistan: Uzbeks extradited from Kazakhstan get long prison terms
Avicenna reports that three of the 28 ethnic Uzbeks who were extradited from Kazakhstan to Uzbekistan in June, were sentenced to different prison terms, with the longest being 15 years.
Kazakhstan: Online TV website shut down
Tomyris writes that Kazakhstan’s opposition news website Stan-TV was shut down by the court decision; it was ordered to close the production studio and dismantle its broadcasting equipment. The formal reason for closure is supposedly a failure to comply with the standards of Kazakhstan’s public health inspection agency.
Turkmenistan: Journalist sentenced, goes to jail
Tomyris reports that Turkmen journalist Dovletmyrat Yazkuliyev, who worked for the RFE/RL’s Turkmen language service, has been sentenced to 5 years in prison after only a 2 day hearing, allegedly for influencing his relative to attempt to commit suicide.
Afghanistan: Cost of UK military involvement
Nick Fielding writes that, according to a research paper published by the UK House of Commons, the nation's expenditure in Afghanistan totalled £3.774 billion in 2010-11.
Afghanistan: Donor dependence
Nick Fielding writes that the US and other donors have provided 90 per cent of Afghanistan's public expenditures in 2006-2010. With the 2014 target date for the withdrawal of US troops, the question is how the government in Kabul would fund its security forces, who use up the lion's share...
Uzbekistan: Activists detained for photographing child labor
Tomyris reports that two members of an unregistered Uzbekistan’s Human Rights Society were detained by the authorities for photographing schoolchildren picking cotton in the country's southern province.
Uzbekistan: Exiled opposition member murdered
Avicenna reports that one of the most active members of the Uzbek opposition in exile Fuad Rustamkhojaev was assasinated in Ivanovo, a Western Russian town where he lived for the last 6 years. The victim's colleagues are outraged by the brutality, blaming the political regime in Uzbekistan for the murder.
Turkmenistan: Spoken and unspoken lyrics of Turkmen literature
Tomyris reports on the fifth annual book fair hosted in Ashgabat this month, and notes that while literature in Turkmenistan is being celebrated, it continues to be suppressed and dominated by propaganda.
Uzbekistan: Violations of religious freedom
Mansurhon reviews the speech by Uzbekistan's expert and rights activist regarding violations of the right to freedom of religion or belief in this country. The speech, delivered at the Annual OSCE Human Dimension Implementation Meetng, warns that these violations represent a serious risk to Uzbekistan’s future.
Kyrgyzstan: Pushing for the state language in campaign
murzaki writes about the Kyrgyz language test, which is a part of the presidential candidates registration in Kyrgyzstan. Some observers believe this exam may be a tool of screening away unwanted politicians, but it probably also marks the start of politicization of the state language issue.