Latest posts by Chris Rickleton
#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.
‘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.
‘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?
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.
‘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."
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.
#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.
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?
The not-forgotten soldier: Afghan serviceman goes viral after Taliban execution
"The Last Gaze of the Free Man!"
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."
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!"
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'.
Were the Dozens of Civilians Killed in Recent Airstrikes Victims of Trump's New Afghan Strategy?
The UN has recorded a 43 percent increase in civilian casualties caused by aerial operations during the first six months of 2017.
Trump's Strategy for Afghanistan: New Hopes and Old Fears
"Finally, President Trump made it clear and said what Afghans were saying in last 15 years: Pakistan hosts terrorists."