Chris is editor for Global Voices Central Asia. Feel free to contact him with story ideas.
Twitter @chrisrickleton.
Latest posts by Chris Rickleton
28 April 2020
Notes from Kazakhstan: Pigeons, disinfectant and COVID-19
In authoritarian Central Asia, the COVID-19 crisis is an opportunity for states to make a show of strength of strength, yet it also lays bare their weaknesses.
22 January 2020
Kazakh family of writers and musicians caught in the Xinjiang vortex
The Oralbai family had a happy and productive life in China before a state purge targeting ethnic minorities tore them apart.
26 June 2019
Turkey’s ‘Academics for Peace’ defend their beliefs from prison cells and exile
Turkish universities are being gutted of critical thinkers while academics serve time for showing solidarity with their fellow citizens.
29 May 2019
‘You can't run from the truth': Iconic art protests preface Kazakh presidential vote
A police state that once hungered after a shiny international image now seems resigned to painting itself as it really is.
31 March 2019
Uyghur man bids to save ‘most extraordinary mom in the world’ from Chinese camp
"There is no due process, there is no trial. Nobody knows when they are getting out."
18 March 2019
#FreeSerikjan and the long shadow of Xinjiang's camps in neighbouring Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan's government is nervous about what Seikjan Bilash does, as well as what he might do if allowed to grow more popular.
3 March 2019
#MeTooSebat: Kyrgyz take to social media to debate controversial ‘Gulen schools’
The schools are among the best in Kyrgyzstan but have powerful enemies, including Turkey, and a reputation for secrecy.
19 February 2019
‘Man returns to his native Xinjiang and disappears’ — a story too common for the headlines
Nurbolat Shalayit is one of hundreds of thousands of Xinjiang minorities whose current whereabouts are uncertain.
9 February 2019
‘I won't stop': Kazakh man seeks justice for family caught in China's Xinjiang crackdown
UN experts say over a million people may be interned in Chinese "re-education" camps. But how many have died inside the facilities?
23 January 2019
Kazakh leader's grandson complains he is passportless after stint in ‘private Russian jail’
Aisultan Nazarbayev has a history of surprising compatriots with sensational social media posts.
7 January 2019
‘Even by leaving us she gave us a lesson': Fearless rights defender's death shocks Tajikistan
"She was not silent when others buried their heads in the sand. She risked her life every day and knew the value of this risk."
18 September 2018
Arrested for fact-checking: Kazakh court fines Ukrainian journalist after police break up media workshop
The incident highlights authorities' aversion to discussions of Ukraine in Kazakhstan and a long-running battle with a local newspaper.
Kyrgyz artist calls on girls to ‘create our own freedom’ in breakout song, *drops mic*
Zere's debut hit 'Kyz' comes after years of debate over how women in the Central Asian country should dress and behave.
15 August 2018
#FreeKhayrullo: Human rights groups demand justice for Tajik journalist facing trial
A bold and popular journalist is appealing a 12 year-sentence he received after speaking out against official corruption.
7 July 2018
Censorship in Uzbekistan: The more things change, the more they stay the same?
We last spoke with Umida Akhmedova before Uzbek dictator Islam Karimov died in 2016. Is life any easier for artists now he is gone?
27 February 2018
Detention of Businessman in Kazakhstan Prompts Fears Over Torture, Political Motivations
"He was sick, looked pale and very depressed and seemed to be scared. He passed out from time to time, couldn't speak and cried."
15 January 2018
Instagram in Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan: A Path to Celebrity and Scandal
"Do not make yourself out to be married and decent! You've made a porridge that is not tasty and full of lumps!"
27 October 2017
Kyrgyz People of Central Asia Shocked to Be the Bad Guys in New Japanese ‘Tokusatsu’ Movie
In Japanese, the 'kyr' in 'Kyrgyz' sounds a lot like 'kill'.
7 May 2016
Meet Bayangol FC, Your Reference Point for Mongolian Football
The club is helping to develop local football from the ground up while also extending help to players that fell victim to trafficking scams.
12 November 2015
Officers Murdered in Tajikistan as Forced Recruitment Hits Headlines Again
"This is the echo of the system that has been working for more than 20 years during recruitment periods in Tajikistan."
