Latest posts by Salam Aleik
Larisa Pak is the last Korean standing at Tajikistan's hardscrabble border with Afghanistan
Up to 200,000 ethnic Koreans were deported to Central Asia from the Russian Far East by Soviet authorities during the 1930s.
‘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."
Uzbekistan releases its “last detained journalists”
For the first time in last two decades, there is not a single journalist behind bars in Uzbekistan, once one of the world's most despotic countries.
On World Poetry Day, Some Verses Straight From Persia's Heart
"The sadness in my heart, like a mountain/The heart under your chest, like a stone."
‘Singing the Tale of Our Pain': Tajikistan's Migration Phenomenon Finds a Home in Music
"Why am I here, in an alien place, far from my mother?"
Uzbekistan and its Migrants: A Tale of Two Presidents
"People have to look for jobs in other countries because we have not created conditions for them."
Veto Viber? Tax Telegram? Such Are Tajikistan's Tech Company Conundrums
Once asked why the government was raising a tax on mobile phone companies, the tax chief responded: "Now even barefooted ones have a mobile phone."
The Good Cop? Uzbekistan Readies for Another Year of Major Changes
2017 was a honeymoon year for Uzbekistan and new President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, but challenges loom in the distance.
Muslims in the Former Soviet Union Rally Behind Myanmar's Besieged Rohingya
"They are experiencing what we cannot even imagine! #Rohingyawearewithyou"
Amid Efforts to Clean Up Corruption, Uzbekistan's President Calls Prosecutors ‘Trash’
"I am sorry, but I don’t like prosecutors at all…. I was a district chairman, a province chairman and I know very well how these unscrupulous people behave."
‘The Turkmenator': Turkmenistan's President Plays Up His Gun and Knife Skills on State TV
An overseas independent news outlet was quick to download the footage and re-edit it into a Hollywood-style action sequence, which went viral.
As an Economic Crisis Grips Turkmenistan, the President Sings and Bikes
"The country is in big trouble, people are hungry and cold, and there is no economy, no production..."
Young Kyrgyz Music Star Rejects Appointment to Head Museum After Online Backlash
"We are tired of officials’ spouses and kids who get into managing positions.”
Tajik Parliament Plans to Monitor Citizens Who Visit ‘Undesirable’ Websites
The legislation also represents a shift in strategy for the Tajik government, which has historically opted to censor controversial websites and services.
The Kyrgyz “Dancing Kelin” Protests Early Marriage By Calling Attention to the Harsh Realities of Rural Brides
“Life in the village is round-the-clock work. Brides finish one chore and start another. They work 24/7.”
The Sad State of Tajikistan's Online Opposition
"While one [fake account] should play the role of an “angry bird” and mercilessly bomb everyone who speaks against you, another one should use softer, more diplomatic language."
With Economy Unravelling, What Awaits the Turkmen Regime?
"This is the end for Turkmenistan. The crisis has reached the country. Now we’ll see the appearance of the Central Asian Venezuela."
Going Postal: Tajikistan Stops DHL, UPS and Pony Express in Their Tracks
"Does this DHL have an owner? Can’t he come to Tajikistan?"
Corruption Fighters Slapped with Corruption Charges in Graft-Prone Central Asia
"Everything turned rotten a long time ago. There is nothing left to save!"
Did Tajikistan’s ‘First Parrot’ Flee Its Gilded Cage?
A media blackout regarding the status of the bird supposedly belonging to a top member of the ruling family failed to stop the jokes.
Tajikistan's Qurutob: ‘Food for the Poor'?
"The rise of qurutobkhonas means the domination of rural culture over urban culture, and is therefore a sign of downfall."