Erica Marat - Jamestown

Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan Disagree on CASA-1000

Last month, energy ministers of Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan signed a protocol on the construction of power lines within the CASA-1000 (Central Asia-South Asia) project (www.tazabek.kg, May 23). If...

Kyrgyz Defense Ministry Agrees to Host US Base Beyond 2014

Kyrgyzstan has agreed to retain the US Transit Center at the Manas airport beyond the term of current contract that expires in 2014. At a meeting with James Mattis, commander...

Kremlin Puzzled by Atambayev’s Erratic Behavior

Within his first 100 days as President, Almazbek Atambayev has made a series of provocative statements regarding the status of both the Russian and US airbases in Kyrgyzstan. Russian media...

Kyrgyz Opposition Parties Agree to Merge Along Regional Lines

Kyrgyzstan’s two strongest nationalist parties – Ata-Jurt and Butun Kyrgyzstan – have announced a new political alliance (www.akipress.kg, February 2). The new bloc, uniting the parties mostly popular in southern...

Kyrgyz and Tajik Migrants in Moscow Speak Out

On January 16, labor migrants from Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and other countries joined an anti-fascist rally in Moscow to commemorate the memory of the slain human rights activists Stanislav Markelov and...

Atambayev Invites Turkey to Decide on US Transit Center’s Future

Although the newly-elected Kyrgyz President, Almazbek Atambayev, received significant Kremlin support in the run up to last year’s elections, Turkey was his first formal destination as the head of state....

As Putin’s Popularity Wanes In Russia, His Regional Initiatives Might Lose Traction

Central Asian leaders rushed to recognize Russia’s December 4 parliamentary elections in spite of international criticism of mass falsifications in favor of the ruling United Russia party. Developments in Russia...

Kyrgyz Parliament to Form New Coalition

Following the recent presidential election, Kyrgyzstan’s parliament is set to form a new ruling coalition. This will be yet another test as to whether the country’s political forces can find...

Kyrgyzstan Marks the First Peaceful Transfer of Power

On December 1, the leader of Kyrgyzstan’s Social Democratic Party, Almazbek Atambayev, was inaugurated as President following a 63 percent victory in late October. This completes the plan set out...

Russia Punishes Tajikistan By Asymmetric Means

In a matter of only days Tajikistan has managed to aggravate its relationship with Russia to the lowest point to date. Last week, a Tajik court sentenced a Russian citizen,...

Tajikistan Prods the Bear By Imprisoning a Russian Pilot

Tajikistan has raised tensions with Moscow after a court in Dushanbe convicted a Russian citizen, Vladimir Sadovnichy, sentencing him to serve eight years and six months in prison for smuggling...

After Winning Elections Atambayev Focuses On the US Transit Center

Kyrgyzstan’s new president-elect Almazbek Atambayev has once again hinted that he wants the US Transit Center at Manas out of Kyrgyzstan by the time coalition forces leave Afghanistan. “In 2014...

Russian And Foreign TV Censored During Election Period In Kyrgyzstan

Kyrgyzstan’s voters will choose their next president on October 30. Contrary to earlier expectations, the campaign period was rather orderly and uneventful. Both international and local observers have so far...

Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan Forced Into Customs Union

On October 19, members of the Eurasian Economic Community (EurAsEC) announced in St. Petersburg that both Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan are eligible to join the Russia-Belarus-Kazakhstan Customs Union (www.24.kg, October 19).Although...

Elections In Kyrgyzstan: Atambayev Wants Outright Victory In the First Round

Two weeks before the presidential elections in Kyrgyzstan the question many in the country ask is whether there will be a second round of voting. The frontrunner, Prime Minister Almazabek...

Putin Attempts to Reinvent the Customs Union As a Eurasian Bloc

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir is yet to win the presidency formally next year, but he has already laid out ambitious foreign policy plans in regard to former Soviet states, Russia’s...

Tsentr-2011 Gambles On Central Asia’s Participation

Much criticized for its inability to meet regional challenges, the Russian-led Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) is seeking to boost its image in Central Asia. The organization’s latest military drills...

Russia Seeks Long-Term Military Presence In Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan

In early September, Moscow persuaded Dushanbe to extend the agreement on hosting its military base by 49 years. The official agreement between Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and his Tajik counterpart...

Upcoming Presidential Election Highlights Kyrgyzstan’s North-South Divide

As Kyrgyzstan’s presidential election approaches, potential frontrunners are emerging. On September 14, reportedly 32 candidates registered with the Central Elections Commission to run on October 30 (www.24.kg). This is 50...

Kyrgyzstan and China Move Closer to Joint Railroad Construction

Bishkek and Beijing may soon sign a long-anticipated agreement on the construction of the “China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan” railroad. Kyrgyz Prime Minister Almazbek Atambayev will travel to China to discuss the project’s details....

Presidential Campaign In Kyrgyzstan Focuses On US Transit Center

On August 15, Kyrgyz Prime Minister Almazbek Atambayev promised he will end the contract with Washington on the US Transit Center in Bishkek in 2014, when the International Security Assistance...

What to Expect From the Presidential Elections in Kyrgyzstan

Approximately three months before the presidential elections in Kyrgyzstan, over 30 candidates have shown interest in running for the highest post in the country. The list includes the leaders of...

Tajikistan Moves Closer to Construction of Rogun HPP

The construction of the 3,600 megawatt Rogun hydro-power plant (HPP) in Tajikistan seems as close as ever. The Tajik government has recently announced its readiness to proceed with the construction...

Kyrgyzstan Pleads For Russian Gas Supplies

The Kyrgyz Prime Minister Almazbek Atambayev traveled to Moscow in a sudden rush to meet with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin to discuss energy-giant Gazprom’s gas supplies to Kyrgyzstan. Atambayev’s...

India Boosts Its Presence in Kyrgyzstan

New Delhi’s presence has suddenly expanded in Kyrgyzstan following Indian Defense Minister A.K. Antony visit to Bishkek on July 4-5 to meet with his Kyrgyz counterpart, Abibilla Kudayberdiyev, to discuss...

Kyrgyzstan’s Chaotic Foreign Policy

Since the April 7, 2010 regime change in Kyrgyzstan, experts have debated whether the country is leaning more toward Russia or the United States. President Roza Otunbayeva has met with...

SCO’s Tipping Point in Central Asia

Ten years after its formation, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is overshadowing its regional Russian-led competitor the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO). At the June 15 SCO summit in Astana,...

Kyrgyzstan: One Year Passes After The Osh Violence

One year after the four-day ethnic violence in Osh, the situation on the ground remains stable, but tense. There is no clear explanation yet as to why the conflict had...

Kyrgyzstan’s Parliament Exploits State Symbols, Avoids Hard Questions

In an effort to boost their own popularity, Kyrgyz Members of Parliament (MPs) are increasingly resorting to symbolic politics. To date, MPs have suggested changing the country’s flag, national anthem,...

Kyrgyz Parliament Bans Kiljunen

On May 26, the Kyrgyz parliament voted to declare Finish diplomat Kimmo Kiljunen and leader of the Kyrgyzstan Inquiry Commission’s (KIC) investigation as persona non grata. By doing so, 95...

Afghanistan: NATO Out, SCO In?

Next month, Afghanistan may gain observer status in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). The organization considers this to be an appropriate step forward given that the Afghan people “gradually take...

Kiljunen’s Report Blasted in Kyrgyzstan

One week after the publication of the Kyrgyzstan Inquiry Commission’s (KIC) report detailing its investigation into the ethnic violence in southern Kyrgyzstan, widespread discussion has been triggered in the country....

Kyrgyz Officials Blamed for Ethnic Unrest in Osh

On May 2nd, a group of international experts presented their view of Kyrgyzstan’s violence in June 2010, which took the lives of 470 and displaced over 400,000 people. Finish MP...

Who Rules Kyrgyzstan Today?

It will soon be one year since Kyrgyzstan adopted a parliamentary system of governance. Although the country’s political life is more transparent, it is also increasingly unpredictable. Almost all parties...

Kyrgyzstan Joins Russian-backed Customs Union

Kyrgyzstan’s Prime Minister, Almazbek Atambayev, has announced that Kyrgyzstan will join the Russia-Belarus-Kazakhstan Customs Union. It is evident that this decision was political rather than based on economic priorities. Kyrgyzstan...

One Year After Regime Change: Kyrgyzstan’s Recent Past is Full of Ambiguity

As Kyrgyzstan marks the first anniversary of the April 7, 2010 regime change after a year full of dramatic changes, ambiguity about the country’s recent past prevails. The public and...

Who Is Instilling Fear in Kyrgyzstan?

As the first anniversary of the April 7 “revolution” approaches, Bishkek is plagued by numerous small riots organized to challenge the parliament and government’s decisions. The riots may also be...

Kyrgyzstan Celebrates Two Revolutions

Six years after ousting an unpopular leader and one year since yet another forceful regime change, Kyrgyzstan faces the dilemma of identifying the role of both events in the country’s...

Otunbayeva Open to Military Cooperation with the US and Russia

Shortly after her recent visit to Washington, Kyrgyzstan’s President Roza Otunbayeva announced that two military training centers funded by the US and Russia will soon be opened in Kyrgyzstan (www.akipress.kg,...

Kyrgyzstan’s Ruling Coalition Doomed to Rapid Collapse

The ruling coalition will collapse before Kyrgyzstan’s President, Roza Otunbayeva, returns from her two-day trip to Washington, a member of the opposition Ata-Meken party told Jamestown recently. The current coalition...

Nookat Incident Opens Fresh Wounds in Southern Kyrgyzstan

The contract killing on February 23 in Nookat city of the deputy head of a regional tax agency, Sagynbek Alimbaev, has highlighted continued problems between ethnic minorities and the ethnic...

Kyrgyz Government Attempts to Crack Down on Organized Crime

On February 22, Kyrgyz President Roza Otunbayeva said that the country’s major criminal kingpin, Kamchy Kolbayev, was placed on the government’s wanted list. Although many in Kyrgyzstan know about Kolbayev’s...

Kyrgyzstan’s Awaits a New President

After experiencing a tumultuous 2010, Kyrgyzstan is facing yet another decisive test this year. Presidential elections planned for November-December 2011 will determine whether the positive trends seen in the past...

Major Russian TV Channel Sidelined in Kyrgyzstan

On February 8, a Kyrgyz parliamentary committee proceeded with naming a 4,446-meter peak in honor of Russian Prime Minister, Vladimir Putin, as a sign of respect and gratitude for his...

Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan Visits Bishkek

During his visit to Bishkek on February 2, Turkish Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, met with Kyrgyz President, Roza Otunbayeva, and the head of government, Almazbek Atambayev. The meeting yielded...

Karimov’s Brussels Visit Full of Controversy

President Islam Karimov’s visit to Brussels has raised fresh criticism of the EU and NATO’s double standards vis-à-vis the Uzbek leader. The visit was full of ambiguity: both the EU...

National Investigation of the Osh Violence Yields Little Results

Seven months after the violence in Osh, much uncertainty prevails about what caused the bloodshed and who were its main perpetrators. Instead, rumors fill the gaps, with some in Kyrgyzstan...

Kazakhstan Announces Plans to Exit Regional Electricity Network

On January 6, Kazakhstan Electricity Grid Operating Company (KEGOC) announced its plans to exit the Central Asian power system. Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan’s inability to reach regional agreements with Kazakhstan on...

Putin Honored by the Kyrgyz Government

Despite the Russian government’s ongoing crackdown of opposition protests in Moscow and extending the politically-motivated prison term to former influential oligarch Mikhail Khodorkovsky, Kyrgyzstan has honored Russian Prime Minister, Vladimir...

Kyrgyz Parliament Forms New Coalition

After the first unsuccessful attempt to form a ruling coalition, Kyrgyz Members of Parliament (MP’s) have attempted to re-establish one. Under the Respublika Party’s leadership, the Social-Democratic Party of Kyrgyzstan...

Kyrgyzstan’s Fragile Government and Troublesome Parliament

For several months Kyrgyzstan has existed without a fully-fledged government and functioning parliament. Most voters had hoped to see the government finally formed after three out of five parties represented...

OSCE Summit Highlights Disagreements Between Astana and Tashkent

The situation in Kyrgyzstan generated an emotive exchange between Kazakh and Uzbek officials during the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) summit in Astana, on December 1-2, highlighting...

Bakiyev Faces Mass Murder Charges

On November 17, a controversial trial began in Bishkek over the ousted former Kyrgyz president, Kurmanbek Bakiyev, and 28 members of his regime. Former defense minister Baktybek Kalyev is among...

Kyrgyz Politicians Hope US DoD will Overturn its Decision

Kyrgyzstan’s political leaders were surprised by the US Department of Defense’s (DoD) decision to renew its contract with the London-based and Gibraltar-registered Mina Corp Inc., the contractor that has been...

DoD Renews Contract on Manas

After months of deliberations, on November 3, the US Defense Department (DoD) renewed its collaboration with Mina Corp Ltd., which has supplied jet fuel to the US Transit Center Manas...

No Justice Following Ethnic Violence in Kyrgyzstan

Approximately six months after the ethnic violence in Osh and Jalalabad, southern Kyrgyzstan remains relatively calm. Tensions, however, have now migrated into the local courtrooms, where the alleged criminals are...

Russian Influence Intensifies in Kyrgyzstan After Elections

The leaders of four political parties –Ar-Namys, Ata-Jurt, Respublika, and Social-democratic Party of Kyrgyzstan (SPDK) – traveled to Moscow days after the October 10 parliamentary elections (www.24.kg, October 15). Reportedly,...

Landmark Elections in Kyrgyzstan Produce Surprising Results

The parliamentary elections in Kyrgyzstan on October 10 were the most free and fair in Central Asia’s post-Soviet history. The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) has given...

Pre-Election Political Competition Intensifies in Kyrgyzstan

Earlier forecasts suggesting that Kyrgyzstan’s electoral campaign season would turn violent have proved to be wrong. Twenty-nine political parties contesting the October 10 elections have conducted civilized and often creative...

Moscow Seeks Influence in the Kyrgyz Elections

As the Kyrgyz parliamentary elections near, Moscow’s attempts to influence the elections’ outcome is becoming more obvious. By using both its hard and soft power, the Russian leadership has been...

Ethno-Nationalist Slogans Penetrate Electoral Campaigns in Kyrgyzstan

At a time when resources might be better spent on reconciling ethnic groups in Kyrgyzstan, some local politicians prefer to use inter-ethnic tension to boost their popularity. “The titular ethnicity...

Russia Plans to Open Military Training Facility in Kyrgyzstan

On September 13, Russian Defense Minister, Anatoliy Serdyukov, and his Kyrgyz counterpart, Abibilla Kudayberdiyev, discussed the possibility of opening a Russian military training center in the southern city of Osh....

Parliamentary Campaign Begins in Kyrgyzstan

As the Kyrgyz parliamentary campaign officially began on September 10, concerns mounted that major political parties will choose to use forceful methods to prevail over their competitors. Tensions are rising...

Kyrgyz Officials Poised to Reject OSCE Forces

Kyrgyzstan’s top officials are against the deployment of Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe’s (OSCE) 52-member Police Advisory Group. The OSCE can still “gracefully” cancel its decision to send...

Opposition to OSCE Police Forces Grows in Kyrgyzstan

More Kyrgyz political activists are speaking out against the prospective deployment of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe’s (OSCE) 52-member Police Advisory Group. Infringement of the country’s sovereignty,...

Tension Rises Ahead of Elections in Kyrgyzstan

Kyrgyzstan’s parliamentary election on October 10, will either mark the beginning of a period of chaos or successful democratic change, according to Kyrgyz political leaders. The incumbent government leadership is...

OSCE Summit in Astana Likely to Emphasize Security Issues

Seven months into chairing the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), Kazakhstan has achieved yet another foreign policy milestone –the heads of all 56 OSCE member-states will convene...

Alarmist International Reporting Alienates Armed Forces and Challenges Stability in Kyrgyzstan

Among others, Human Rights Watch, International Crisis Group, and Medicins Sans Frontiers have blamed Kyrgyz military and police forces for abusing the rights of ethnic Uzbeks in southern Kyrgyzstan in...

Kyrgyzstan: Positive Developments in the Hydro-Energy Sector

Amid the ongoing instability in southern Kyrgyzstan, and the possibility of renewed violence as the October 10 parliamentary elections approach, the country’s hydro-energy sector shows signs of gradual recovery. The...

Russia Remains Ambiguous on Kyrgyzstan

Following the violence in southern Kyrgyzstan last month, Russia’s position vis-à-vis its southern neighbor seems indecisive, varying from supportive to obstructive. Shortly after the June 27 constitutional referendum Russian President,...

Kyrgyzstan Referendum: Questions Remain

Kyrgyzstan’s June 27 referendum on the new constitution defied most skeptics’ expectations –it occurred amid relative calm across Kyrgyzstan and a large number of the ethnic Uzbek minority managed to...

Kyrgyz Youth Search for Political Identity

Recent political changes in Kyrgyzstan promoted widespread discussions online among younger internet users, roughly 20 to 35 years old. Twitter, Facebook and local online forums attracted numerous new users aspiring...

Rebuilding Inter-Ethnic Trust Becomes Kyrgyzstan’s Major Concern

Most media outlets described the recent violence in southern Kyrgyzstan as an inter-ethnic clash that has re-opened historical grievances among ethnic Kyrgyz and Uzbek groups. Kyrgyzstan’s provisional government, in turn,...

Violence in Kyrgyzstan Threatens to Undermine Provisional Government

What began as a spat among young patrons of a local bar in Osh on the night of June 10 has turned into one of the bloodiest clashes in Kyrgyzstan....

Kyrgyzstan Learns to Survive in Chaos

Amid corruption scandals and ongoing instability it is easy to write off Kyrgyzstan as a state destined to fail due to its dishonest political leaders and impoverished economy. However, despite...

Divided Government Plagues Otunbayeva

The only female leader in Central Asia, Roza Otunbayeva, seems to be unable to reign in the activity of her government, which predominantly consists of male leaders. Most of them...

Kyrgyz-Uzbek Tensions in Jalalabad Fueled by Political Competition

May 19 was another day of turmoil in Kyrgyzstan. Roughly 1,500 people marched towards Jalalabad’s private university, demanding the provisional government terminate support for Kadyrzhan Batyrov, an ethnic Uzbek and...

Bishkek’s Dependence on Russia and Kazakhstan Deepens

During the Collective Security Treaty Organization’s (CSTO) informal summit on May 7 in Moscow, member states – Russia, Kazakhstan, Armenia, Belarus, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan – expressed concern over the ongoing...

Astana Takes Credit for Stability in Kyrgyzstan

Astana has promised to open Kazakhstan’s border with Kyrgyzstan almost one month after the violent regime change in Bishkek. Astana remained reluctant to re-open the border despite numerous pleas from...

Political Competition Intensifies in Kyrgyzstan

Kyrgyzstan’s provisional government today is torn between its efforts to gain international legitimacy and maintain its domestic popularity. It has convicted former president, Kurmanbek Bakiyev, of mass murder. Lacking formal...

Kyrgyzstan’s Provisional Government Needs International Support, Oversight

Kurmanbek Bakiyev was pressured by the OSCE, United States and European Union to leave Kyrgyzstan. On April 15, Kazakhstan dispatched a military aircraft to transfer Bakiyev and his family members...

Kyrgyzstan’s New Government Struggles to Implement Change

One week after taking over state power, Kyrgyzstan’s provisional government members have met with various social and political groups, including businessmen, judges, leaders of diasporas, and journalists. The main message...

Who’s Who in Kyrgyzstan’s New Government?

Kyrgyzstan’s provisional government is slowly taking shape. Key positions have been filled and a number of important domestic policy decisions made. The head of the provisional government Roza Otunbayev, recently...

Russia’s Role in Kyrgyzstan Change

Russian Prime Minister, Vladimir Putin, was the first foreign political official to recognize the legitimacy of Kyrgyzstan’s provisional government. In stark contrast to the US State Department’s awkward statements about...

Tulip Revolution Reloaded

April 7 became yet another day of momentous change in Kyrgyzstan. More than 70 people died during clashes with police, and roughly 1,000 were injured in anti-government protests across the...

Russian Mass Media Attack Bakiyev

In the past two weeks, the Russian media has fiercely criticized the Kyrgyz President, Kurmanbek Bakiyev’s, regime. Newspapers and TV programs have sought to reveal the president’s corruption and nepotism,...

The Tulip Revolution: Five Years On

Kyrgyzstan is in much worse shape today compared to five years ago, when the then little known Kurmanbek Bakiyev came to power. Since the change of leadership occurred as a...

Kyrgyzstan: New Junta in Formation

Kyrgyzstan is teetering on the brink of becoming yet another state ruled by military officials. To date, several military officers have been granted unprecedented political power, which they have used...

US Assists Kyrgyzstan in Constructing Anti-Terrorist Center in Batken

During his visit to Bishkek on March 10, the Commander of the United States Central Command (CENTCOM), General David Petraeus, reiterated that by helping to build an anti-terrorist center in...

Tajik Opposition Disputes Election Results

While the outcome of Tajikistan’s parliamentary elections on February 28 were largely predictable, the opposition’s efforts to challenge its results are rather unusual. Within days of the vote, the country’s...

Bakiyev Promotes Presidential Security Rather Than Tackling Genuine Security Threats

Kyrgyz President, Kurmanbek Bakiyev, is continuing to centralize control over military and security structures to strengthen the protection of his regime. Last year, he disbanded the Security Council and National...

Central Asia’s Energy Wars

Since the winter energy crisis two years ago, when freezing temperatures lasted for several weeks, cooperation dynamics within Central Asia have witnessed rapid change. Upstream Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, which rely...

China Seeks to Link Central Asia by Railroad

In the late 1990’s, the Chinese government opened official talks with Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan on the construction of a railroad that would connect all three countries. The idea was born...

Kyrgyzstan Relaxes Control Over Drug Trafficking

Last October, the Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev disbanded the Drug Control Agency (DCA) responsible for intercepting illicit drugs transiting through Kyrgyzstan from Afghanistan and destined to reach Russia and Europe....

Bakiyev Downsizes Government and Increases Presidential Powers

Kyrgyzstan is currently witnessing a rapid and further centralization of presidential powers. On January 26, the Kyrgyz parliament’s special committee on constitutional legislation approved several new presidential rights. These include...

Will Tajikistan Successfully Construct Rogun?

In his official address to Tajik citizens, President Emomali Rakhmon announced that 2010 will be the year “when great resources will be mobilized” to construct the 3,600 mw Rogun dam....

Kyrgyzstan Boosts Cooperation With China

This week a Kyrgyz government delegation, led by President Kurmanbek Bakiyev’s son Maksim, visited Beijing to strengthen economic relations with China. At a meeting with Chen Jian, the Chinese Assistant...

Kyrgyz Regime Suspected in Journalist’s Death

On December 16 Gennady Pavluk, a prominent journalist in Kyrgyzstan, was forcefully pushed from a sixth floor window in Almaty with his limbs taped. Pavluk was delivered to a local...

More Rights Activists Attacked in Kyrgyzstan

Three public figures were attacked in Bishkek in the past week. On December 9, former president Askar Akayev’s aide Bolot Januzakov was severely beaten. On the same day Aleksander Knyazev...

Kyrgyz Authorities Deny Entry to Human Rights Activists

The number of human rights activists who have been denied entry to Kyrgyzstan has spiked this year. On December 2, Tajikistan’s prominent human rights activist Nagina Bakhriyeva was denied entry...

Uzbekistan Damages Regional Electricity Network

Uzbekistan recently officially announced that it will quit the Central Asia power system. Tashkent’s decision affects all countries in the region, with Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan suffering the most. The recent...

NGO’s Allege Kazakhstan Not Ready for OSCE Chairmanship

Less than two months before Kazakhstan takes over the chairmanship of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), Kazakh NGO’s are warning the international community about the rapidly...

Death Penalty Receives Widespread Political Support in Kyrgyzstan

Debates to renew capital punishment are intensifying in Kyrgyzstan. The idea was first raised last month by the then Secretary of the Security Council Adakhan Madumarov and the Chairman of...

Bakiyev Promotes his Son to Key Post

On October 29, Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev’s son Maksim Bakiyev was promoted to lead the Central Agency on Development, Investment, and Innovation (www.akipress.kg, October 29). The agency was formed as...

Bakiyev Reshapes the Kyrgyz Government to Suit his Interests

The resignation of the Kyrgyz Prime Minister Igor Chudinov on October 19 and, consequently the entire government should not be confused with any attempt to reform the country’s political system....

Uzbekistan Challenges Regional Electricity Supplies Network

Kyrgyzstan’s growing list of troubles has recently been further complicated by yet another predicament. Tashkent has announced that Uzbekistan is likely to leave the Central Asian power supply cascade in...

Chinese TV Channel Begins Broadcasting in Kyrgyzstan

Since last month, the Kyrgyz public has been able to watch China’s CCTV channel broadcasting in the Russian language. For now, the channel broadcasts only in Bishkek. But the Chinese...

Kyrgyz Officials Seek Renewal of the Death Penalty

The Secretary of the Kyrgyz Security Council Adakhan Madumarov and the Chairman of the National Security Service (SNB) Murat Sutalinov recently proposed legalizing capital punishment. Both officials reject standards promoted...

Kyrgyzstan to Begin Electricity Rationing Next Month

As winter approaches, the Kyrgyz Minister of Energy Iliyas Davydov has announced that electricity will be rationed in the upcoming months. Last year, electricity outages reached 12 hours or more...

Another Opposition Leader Escapes the Bakiyev Regime

While the Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev visited the U.S. base in Bishkek on September 11 to pay tribute to growing relations between Washington and Bishkek, more of his opponents are...

Bakiyev Promises Reform and Persecutes Opposition

Following disappointing presidential elections in July, the Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev is continuing to sideline his political opponents and silence the local mass media. Opposition leaders are persecuted with the...

Uyghur Diaspora Faces Government Pressure in Kyrgyzstan

On August 10, Kyrgyz authorities detained Dilmurat Akbarov, the leader of the Ittipak Uyghur society, and his deputy Jamaldin Nasyrov. These leaders had organized demonstrations calling for an independent investigation...

Russia Oversees Tajikistan’s Efforts to Find Partners in South Asia

While Moscow's decision to open another base in Kyrgyzstan received intense coverage in the international media, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev's recent visit to Tajikistan was largely overlooked. Along with the...

Bakiyev Benefits from Recent Foreign Policy Moves, Opposition’s Weakness

Less than one week after the Kyrgyz presidential elections the Russian government confirmed its plans to open another military base in Kyrgyzstan. The base will be introduced in the country's...

Bakiyev Wins Presidential Election, Opposition Declares “War”

On July 23 the presidential election marked a new low point in Kyrgyzstan's democratic record. Incumbent president Kurmanbek Bakiyev earned 85 percent of the vote and immediately sought to suppress...

Russia to Open New Military Base in Kyrgyzstan

Reports that the Kremlin plans to open another Russian military base in Kyrgyzstan have appeared over the past week. A delegation of Russian officials led by Deputy Prime Minister Igor...

Obama-Medvedev Summit Receives Limited Exposure in Central Asia

The two-day summit in Moscow between U.S. President Barack Obama and his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev failed to attract significant attention among the Central Asian states. The summit was seen...

Is Bakiyev a Reliable Partner?

During his four-year reign the Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev has behaved unpredictably both in domestic and international policy. Domestically, the president alienated most of his former supporters by gradually stripping...

Bakiyev’s About-Face on Manas Angers Russia

On June 23, the Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev announced that his government had reached a new agreement with the U.S. government on the status of Manas airbase in Bishkek. According...

Speculation Intensifies over the Future of Manas

The U.S. military has now started preparing to leave the Manas base in Bishkek as part of its anticipated eviction, according to Colonel Christopher Bence, the newly-appointed commander of the...

Bakiyev Confident Ahead of Presidential Election

Approximately one month before the presidential election in July, Kyrgyzstan’s incumbent leader Kurmanbek Bakiyev has clearly emerged as its most likely winner. The president has managed to strengthen his personal...

Kyrgyz Opposition Unable to Challenge the Regime

As the July 23 presidential election approaches in Kyrgyzstan, the number of contenders is rapidly dwindling. From the original twenty two candidates registered to run for the presidency, the number...

Karimov Accuses Kyrgyzstan of Harboring Terrorists

Uzbekistan's President Islam Karimov has blamed neighboring Kyrgyzstan for harboring the criminals that carried out shootings in Kharshi-Khanabad on May 26. The Kyrgyz government denied the allegations and increased security...

Opposition Remains Divided in Kyrgyzstan Ahead of Presidential Elections

When Kyrgyzstan's President Kurmanbek Bakiyev announced in March that he will hold early elections on July 23, the opposition saw an opportunity to challenge the regime. Several opposition parties tried...

Manas at the Center of Kyrgyzstan’s Complex Foreign Policy

As Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev is seeking re-election in July, he is balancing foreign policy between promises made to Russia and maintaining relations with the United States. Any decision on...

Controversy Intensifying Over the Construction of Dams in Central Asia

Following the meeting of the leaders from the five Central Asian states in Almaty on April 28, discussions continue over the future direction of transnational water management. While the Kyrgyz...

“Water Summit” in Central Asia Ends in Stalemate

On April 28, the five Central Asian leaders met in Almaty to discuss water issues related to the Aral Sea. The discussion on the interstate regulation of the Syr Darya...

Opposition Selects Presidential Candidate to Stand Against Bakiyev

On April 20, the Kyrgyz opposition announced their candidate to compete with President Kurmanbek Bakiyev in the presidential election in July. After weeks of indecision, the opposition chose Almazbek Atambayev,...

Bishkek Sees Yet Another Political Assassination

As the presidential elections draw nearer, political assassinations and criminality are on the rise within Kyrgyzstan. On April 14, another Member of Parliament (MP) Sanjarbek Kydyraliyev, was shot dead outside...

Kyrgyz Government Orders Religious Leaders to Wear Special Uniform

Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev's latest attempts to increase political control over the Spiritual Administration of Muslims (SAM) suggests that he is using religion as part of his campaign ahead of...

Kyrgyz Opposition Searches for a Presidential Candidate

The political stakes are intensifying in Kyrgyzstan as the presidential elections scheduled for July 23 has revealed that several political leaders might challenge the incumbent president Kurmanbek Bakiyev. The country's...

Bakiyev Seeks Snap Re-election

Four years after first seizing power, Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev is seeking a snap re-election. Bakiyev was able to receive rapid support from parliament and the Constitutional Court in scheduling...

Bakiyev Regime Suspected in Political Assassination

On March 13 Medet Sadyrkulov, the former head of the presidential administration, died in a suspicious car accident. Sadyrkulov's car was hit by another vehicle in the early morning on...

Former Foreign Minister Arrested in Kyrgyzstan

Shortly after Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev and opposition forces agreed to negotiate last week, one of the leading opposition leaders and former Foreign Minister Alikbek Jekshenkulov was arrested and placed...

Kyrgyz President, Opposition Agree to Negotiate

Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev proposed holding negotiations with opposition forces to discuss future political developments in the country. The opposition, in turn, agreed to the negotiations but demanded that the...

Uncertainty Continues to Surround Future of U.S. Air Base

The Kyrgyz government announced that August 18, 2009, would be the final day for the U.S. base's functioning at Manas Airport (www.akipress.kg, February 24). Despite intense criticism from the international...

Kyrgyz Parliament, President Confirm Eviction of U.S. from Manas Airbase

On February 20 the Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev signed a bill into law to close the U.S. military base at the Manas airport. The United States will have to leave...

Bakiyev Will “Acquiesce” If Constitutional Court Calls for Early Elections

Despite low popularity ratings at home but with assured support from the Kremlin, Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev has declared his willingness to run for a second term. He added that...

Bakiyev Pleases Moscow, Seeks to Oust U.S. Military Base

At a February 3 press conference in Moscow Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev announced that his government had decided to shut down the U.S. military base at the Manas airport. Although...

Bakiyev Stifles Small and Medium Businesses, Further Angers the Public

Last December Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev amended the tax code, significantly increasing taxes for small and medium-sized businesses. A month later the effect of the new tax is being acutely...

Bakiyev Strengthens Control over Armed Forces Ahead of Opposition Revolts

Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev’s recent personnel reshuffles have shown that he is concerned about a potentially unstable spring as well as presidential elections tentatively scheduled for 2010. Bakiyev has replaced...

Kyrgyz Opposition Plans Spring Revolt

During a visit to the United States from December 10 to 19, the leader the Kyrgyz Ata Meken opposition party, Omurbek Tekebayev, his colleagues, and representative of the For Justice...

Need for More Transparency in Kyrgyz and Tajik Energy Sectors to Avoid Future Crises

Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, both upstream countries with abundant water resources, face the same problem: their water resources are benefiting the ruling regimes while the public is deprived of basic services....

Bakiyev Anticipates a Harsh Winter and an Energy Crisis, Further Restricts Free Speech

In the past few weeks the Kyrgyz government has been blocking transmission of Radio Free Europe (Azattyk) and BBC radio, both of which have a broadcast range covering the entire...

Russia Drums Up Support for Its Airbase in Kyrgyzstan

Five years after its establishment, Moscow will more than double its spending on the Russian military airbase in Kyrgyzstan’s Kant city. In 2009 and 2010 Moscow will spend 1.7 billion...

Kyrgyz Opposition Presents Its Program to the President, Sets Conditions

On December 3 a Kyrgyz opposition group comprised of leading political parties and organizations presented President Kurmanbek Bakiyev with its suggestions for changes necessary in the country’s political and economic...

Hydroelectricity or Irrigation: a Central Asian Dilemma

A regular lack of hydroelectric power during the winter in upstream Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan and shortages of water during the summer in downstream Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan are making it necessary...

Kyrgyz Opposition Splits, Seeks Alternative Ways To Fight Regime

Amid an energy crisis in Kyrgyzstan mainly caused by corruption among top-ranking political leaders, the Kyrgyz opposition has begun taking swift action against President Kurmanbek Bakiyev’s regime. Bakiyev, in turn,...

Energy Crisis Splits Ruling Party in Kyrgyzstan

Amid shortages of hydro-energy in Kyrgyzstan because of the critically low water level in the Toktogul reservoir, President Kurmanbek Bakiyev’s loyal supports are finger-pointing, accusing each other of false reports...

Kyrgyz Government Reduces Rights of Religious Groups

On November 5 the Kyrgyz parliament agreed to increase the number of members required to register religious organizations from 10 to 200. According to the ruling Ak Zhol party, such...

FREEDOM OF SPEECH IN KYRGYZSTAN CONTINUES TO BE CUT BACK

In September the Kyrgyz government introduced new amendments to the media law that would potentially limit the work of local mass media outlets. According to Kyrgyz experts, the changes will...

PROTESTS AGAINST U.S. MILITARY PRESENCE HELD IN BISHKEK

According to the results of opinion poll conducted by 24.kg news agency in Kyrgyzstan, majority of respondents (46 percent) see Russia as a genuine ally, while the United States scored...

BAKIYEV LOSES SUPPORTERS, APPOINTS CRONIES

With the resignation of Mayor General Ismail Isakov from the position of Security Council Secretary earlier this week, Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev once again showed that he wants loyal politicians...

KYRGYZ LOCAL ELECTIONS HELD AMID CONTROVERSY

On October 5 Kyrgyzstan held local government elections in which 491 seats were contested. The competition was most fierce, with the Chair of the Central Election Commission (CEC) Klara Kabilova...

SCANDAL ERUPTS OVER KYRGYZ CENTRAL ELECTIONS COMMISSION DAYS BEFORE LOCAL ELECTIONS

On September 26 former Chair of the Central Elections Commission (CEC) Klara Kabilova released a video statement describing psychological and physical intimidation by President Kurmanbek Bakiyev’s son Maksim in the...

CORRUPTION IN THE HYDRO-ENERGY SECTOR BECOMES CLEARER IN KYRGYZSTAN

On September 18 and 19 representatives of the Central Asian ministries of energy met in Almaty to discuss regional energy cooperation. The first round of negotiations was held on September...

FIERCE COMPETITION OVER LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTIONS IN KYRGYZSTAN

The Kyrgyz government has become involved in a number of intrigues ahead of local elections scheduled for October 5. Among the most scandalous is the arrest of Ishenbay Kadyrbekov, a...

RUSSIA OFFERS SUPPORT AMID KYRGYZSTAN’S ECONOMIC CRISIS

Following a bilateral meeting in Moscow, Kyrgyz Prime Minister Igor Chudinov announced an agreement with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin to begin cooperation in the hydro-energy sector (www.24.kg, September 17)....

CSTO SUMMIT DISAPPOINTS MOSCOW, UNITES CENTRAL ASIA

At the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) summit in Moscow on September 5, Central Asian leaders once again avoided supporting Russia's recognition of South Ossetian and Abkhaz independence. As at...

CAN NAZARBAYEV HELP KYRGYZSTAN ESCAPE MOSCOW’S PRESSURE?

Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev’s reluctance to support Russia’s recognition of South Ossetia and Abkhazia’s independence at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Dushanbe last week has clearly damaged the...

KYRGYZ NGOS REJECT GOVERNMENT’S CRITICISM

Following the Tulip Revolution on March 24, 2005, and amid continuous political instability in the country, Kyrgyz political leaders habitually accuse local non-government organizations for their dependence on foreign financing....

CONFLICT IN SOUTH OSSETIA CONFUSES KYRGYZ GOVERNMENT AHEAD OF CIS SUMMIT

Although Kyrgyzstan has yet to declare its official response to the conflict in South Ossetia, Kyrgyz pundits have quickly used the developments in Georgia in their revision of real and...

KYRGYZ GOVERNMENT CONFISCATES WEAPONS FROM U.S. CITIZENS, FUELS SCANDAL

On August 4 Kyrgyz police confiscated a weapons cache from U.S. citizens living in a rented house on the outskirts of Bishkek. The U.S. Embassy in Bishkek immediately responded, confirming...

KYRGYZ NGOS REJECT GOVERNMENT’S CRITICISM

Following the Tulip Revolution on March 24, 2005, and amid continuous political instability in the country, Kyrgyz political leaders habitually accuse local non-government organizations for their dependence on foreign financing....

KYRGYZ MINISTER OF JUSTICE CONTINUES PROMOTING LEGALIZATION OF POLYGAMY

Last year prior to the celebration of International Women’s Day on March 8, Kyrgyz Minister of Justice Marat Kaypov proposed to legalize polygamy as a means of fighting poverty and...

RELIGIOUS AUTHORITIES IN KYRGYZSTAN PLAY POLITICS

The question of the spread of Islamic fundamentalism occupies a substantial part of political discourse in Kyrgyzstan. A new bill on “Freedom of religious practices and religious organizations” in particular...

PUBLIC DEBATES ON HYDROPOWER SECTOR MANAGEMENT INTENSIFY IN KYRGYZSTAN

As inflation for food and energy is rising by the month, public debates about the government’s ability to handle the worsening economy are becoming ever more common in Kyrgyzstan. Local...

CIS DEFENSE MINISTERS AGREE TO BOOST COOPERATION IN AIR DEFENSE

On July 2, 10 members of the Council of Defense Ministers of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) convened in Bishkek to discuss issues of further cooperation, integration processes in...

EU STRATEGY IN CENTRAL ASIA: ONE YEAR LATER

A year after the German EU presidency introduced the Strategy for Central Asia from 2007 to 2013, the European Commission (EC) published a draft of its progress report. The report...

KHOROG RESIDENTS PROTEST AGAINST CENTRAL GOVERNMENT

On June 18, residents of Tajikistan's Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast (GBAO) staged protests in Khorog, the oblast's administrative center. Some 300 people demanded that the government withdraw troops that were dispatched...

KYRGYZ GOVERNMENT, PARLIAMENT REFUSE TO PROLONG CONTRACT WITH CANADIAN GOLD COMPANY

The Kyrgyz government and parliament have been postponing ratification of a contract with the Canadian mining company Cameco Corporation that is due on June 1. Talk has been circulating for...

U.S. CITIZEN ARRESTED IN KYRGYZSTAN, RECEIVES UNFAIR TREATMENT

On May 30 the Kyrgyz police arrested a 25-year-old U.S. citizen, Max Chounlamany, a civilian employee at the Gansi U.S. Air Force base at the Manas airport in Bishkek. Chounlamany...

PRIVATIZATION OF HYDROPOWER SECTOR INTENSIFIES COMPETITION BETWEEN KYRGYZ RULING ELITES

Recent showdowns between Kyrgyz Parliament Speaker Adakhan Madumarov and members of Ak Zhol, a pro-regime political party, reveal the intensifying rivalry between two camps among Kyrgyzstan’s political circles. The first...

POLICE FACED WITH NEW KYRGYZ “THIEF IN LAW” AFTER A TWO-YEAR BREAK

Two years after the death of criminal kingpin Rysbek Akmatbayev, who controlled organized criminal groups across Kyrgyzstan, the country’s new “thief in law” is 33-year-old Kamchybek Kolbayev (www.24.kg, May 25)....

PRIVATIZATION OF KYRGYZSTAN’S HYDROPOWER SECTOR TAKES PLACE AMID UNCERTAINTY

Since January Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev, Prime Minister Igor Chudinov, and Minister of Energy Saparbek Balkibekov have been extensively promoting privatization of Kyrgyzstan’s hydropower sector. Little information about potential investors...

TAJIK GOVERNMENT ASKS FOR CONTRIBUTIONS TO BUILD ROGUN HYDROPOWER STATION

Dushanbe Mayor Makhmadsaid Ubaidullayev called on the city’s residents to donate half of their May and June income for the construction of the Rogun hydropower station on the Vakhsh River....

BAKIYEV SUPPRESSES PROTESTS AGAINST BORDER CONCESSIONS TO KAZAKHSTAN

On April 24 Kyrgyz president Kurmanbek Bakiyev signed a decree ceding 620 hectares of Kyrgyzstan's northeastern territory to Kazakhstan. The process has been unfolding gradually since 2001, but Bakiyev was...

KARIMOV, BAKIYEV REACT DIFFERENTLY TO NAZARBAYEV’S CENTRAL ASIA UNION

On April 22 Uzbek President Islam Karimov visited Astana to meet with Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev. Both leaders agreed to boost bilateral economic cooperation by creating a common trade area...

KYRGYZ PARLIAMENT VOTES TO PRIVATIZE KEY ECONOMIC SITES

On April 18 the Kyrgyz parliament voted to increase the government’s right to privatize public economic sites. The divide in the parliament on this legislative act was obvious: President Kurmanbek...

EU IS OPTIMISTIC ABOUT COOPERATION WITH TURKMENISTAN

On April 9 and 10 the EU Troika met with Turkmen officials in Ashgabat to discuss potential cooperation in the energy sector. The meeting, according to Troika representatives, had a...

NATIONALIST MOODS RISE IN KYRGYZSTAN AS KAZAKHSTAN INCREASES ECONOMIC PRESENCE

Kazakhstan’s direct investment in the Kyrgyz economy has been rapidly gaining pace since the early 2000s. Today Kazakhstan’s economic presence is felt throughout northern Kyrgyzstan, from banks to small businesses,...

KYRGYZ GOVERNMENT INCREASES HYDROPOWER PRICES AMID HIGH INFLATION

Following an exceptionally cold winter that made hydropower resources scarce and led to frequent rolling blackouts throughout Kyrgyzstan, Kyrgyz Prime Minister Igor Chudinov announced the government’s plans to increase prices...

KYRGYZSTAN MARKS THIRD ANNIVERSARY OF TULIP REVOLUTION, BUT WITHOUT BAKIYEV

On Monday, March 24, Kyrgyzstan officially celebrated the third anniversary of the Tulip Revolution. While the day is officially commemorated as a national holiday, for the majority of the public...

CRACKDOWN IN TIBET WILL BOOST ROLE OF SCO

Although the international community has condemned Beijing’s crackdown against rioters in the Tibetan Autonomous Region, the Russian government was among the first to show its active support for the Chinese...

KYRGYZ OPPOSITION FORMS SHADOW PARLIAMENT

After losing in Kyrgyzstan’s December 2007 parliamentary elections, 50 leaders from 18 political opposition parties formed an alternative, shadow parliament. President Kurmanbek Bakiyev’s political party, Ak Zhol, which is amply...

TURKMEN LEADER PLANS TO ADOPT NEW MILITARY DOCTRINE

On March 3 Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimukhamedov announced his decision to endorse the country’s second military doctrine. The revised doctrine will take into account Turkmenistan’s declared neutrality in order to...

CHINESE MIGRANTS FACE DISCRIMINATION IN KYRGYZSTAN

The number of Chinese migrants traveling to Kyrgyzstan, mainly to Bishkek, the capital city, has been increasing over the past decade. China is one of the major exporters of goods...

WINTER SHOWS NEED FOR CENTRAL ASIA ENERGY COORDINATION

An unusually cold winter has gripped Central Asia, causing severe energy shortages in all countries for almost two months. Throughout the region the lack of electricity and gas has revealed...

KYRGYZ PUBLIC CONDEMNS RUSSIAN SKINHEADS, SUPPORTS MOSCOW

Since early 2008 eight Kyrgyz citizens have been brutally killed in Moscow and St. Petersburg by members of local skinhead movements. All of the victims were male labor migrants from...

FEARING MASS PROTESTS, KYRGYZ REGIME PLANS TO BAN PUBLIC PRAYERS

The Kyrgyz Interior Ministry intends to ban public prayers at the central square in Bishkek during Islamic holidays. The ministry’s main rationale for its decision is that because Kyrgyzstan is...

GAZPROM MIGHT BUY KYRGYZGAZ IN COMING MONTHS

Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev recently announced his intention to privatize the last remaining state enterprises, including major hydropower facilities, Kyrgyzgaz, and Kyrgyz Telecom. All of these enterprises serve nation-wide needs...

TAJIKISTAN EXPERIENCES ROLLING BLACKOUTS AMID FREEZING WINTER TEMPERATURES

It has been an unusually cold winter in Central Asia, with temperatures hovering between –15C and –25C since late December. As a result of the protracted freezing temperatures, Central Asian...

NEW KYRGYZ GOVERNMENT DOMINATED BY BAKIYEV FAMILY, CRONIES

Kyrgyzstan’s new government has already descended into dirty intrigues (see EDM, January 11). The ruling regime under President Kurmanbek Bakiyev is now reportedly using the Interior Ministry to ensure quiet...

SAME OLD FACES DOMINATE NEW KYRGYZ GOVERNMENT

The new Kyrgyz government, formed following the December 16, 2007, parliamentary elections, is comprised mostly of old faces who survived the numerous reshuffling efforts of former president Askar Akayev, the...

RIGGED ELECTIONS DRAW FIRE FROM KYRGYZ OPPOSITION

On Sunday, December 16, Kyrgyzstan held snap parliamentary elections, following the constitutional referendum of October 21. Twelve political parties competed for 90 seats, to be distributed on the basis of...

BAISALOV FACES PROSECUTION AHEAD OF KYRGYZ ELECTIONS

Two major Kyrgyz opposition parties – Ata Meken and the Social-Democratic Party of Kyrgyzstan (SDPK) – have been experiencing extreme pressure from the government ahead of parliamentary elections on December...

BAKIYEV SEEKS REMOVAL OF OPPONENTS BEFORE ELECTIONS

As the political campaign for Kyrgyzstan’s December 16 parliamentary elections intensifies, the Kyrgyz opposition is experiencing direct and indirect pressure from the government. Whereas Kyrgyz political parties show greater professionalism...

COMPETITION INTENSIFIES AHEAD OF KYRGYZ PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS

Two weeks before Kyrgyzstan’s December 16 parliamentary elections, Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev abruptly sacked Prime Minister Almazbek Atambayev. Atambayev represents the moderate opposition in the government and his Social-Democratic party...

KYRGYZ POLITICAL PARTIES SHOW RAPID DEVELOPMENT

Almost all of Kyrgyzstan’s political parties that registered for the parliamentary elections on December 16 have now identified their top five candidates. Each political party had to come up with...

UZBEK REGIME OPTS FOR SHORT-TERM STABILITY OVER POLITICAL REFORM

On November 6 Uzbekistan’s President Islam Karimov announced his decision to enter the upcoming presidential elections on December 23. Karimov’s choice to seek another term provides a short-term solution to...

UPCOMING PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS WILL TEST POLITICAL PARTIES IN KYRGYZSTAN

Following the national referendum in Kyrgyzstan on October 21, the Kyrgyz constitution and electoral law have been amended, leading to the dissolution of the parliament and government. Although the legitimacy...

NEW KYRGYZ CONSTITUTION FAILS TO ADDRESS OLD PROBLEMS

On Sunday, October 21, Kyrgyzstan voted in a referendum for a new constitution and electoral law. According to the Central Elections Commission, voter turnout was 76%. Both the new constitution...

POLITICAL FORCES COUNT DOWN TO KYRGYZ CONSTITUTIONAL REFERENDUM

This week Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev announced that he would chair his newly formed electoral bloc, Ak Zhol, which unites all major pro-presidential political parties. Bakiyev’s bloc will be the...

UPCOMING REFERENDUM SINKS KYRGYZSTAN DEEPER INTO CRISIS

In less than two weeks, on October 21, Kyrgyzstan will hold a referendum on a new constitution and electoral law. Both documents have been drafted by Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev....

KYRGYZSTAN CONSTITUTIONAL REFERENDUM SET FOR OCTOBER 21

Two weeks ago Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev unveiled his draft constitution, which substantially increases his powers. Bakiyev’s constitutional project will be confirmed or rejected in the national referendum scheduled for...

PARTIES MOBILIZE FOR PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS IN KYRGYZSTAN

Following Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev’s decree to hold a constitutional referendum on October 21, most political forces in Kyrgyzstan are almost certain that the referendum will lead to snap parliamentary...

PRESIDENT, PARLIAMENT FIGHT OVER CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS IN KYRGYZSTAN

Kyrgyzstan's constitution will be changed yet again through a national referendum to be held October 21. President Kurmanbek Bakiyev scheduled the referendum following the Constitutional Court's September 14 cancellation of...

POLITICAL CRISIS LOOMS AS INFLATION GROWS IN KYRGYZSTAN

As food prices continue to rise in Kyrgyzstan, the potential for another political crisis is rising. Kyrgyz Prime Minister Almazbek Atambayev recently threatened to sack ministers who failed to foresee...

KYRGYZSTAN FACES RAMPANT INFLATION FOR FOOD PRODUCTS

In the past few weeks Kyrgyzstan has endured steadily rising food prices. According to estimates by the Kyrgyz parliament, roughly 500,000 people, the poorest stratum of the population, are directly...

SCO SUMMIT FOCUSES ON ENERGY COOPERATION

On August 16, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) held its annual summit in Bishkek, the Kyrgyz capital. This was the largest event to date for both Bishkek and the SCO,...

NEW STATE IDEOLOGY BOUND TO FAIL IN KYRGYZSTAN

On July 30, Kyrgyz State Secretary Adakhan Madumarov officially presented his national ideological project called “Development through Unity.” Creating and spreading national ideologies in Kyrgyzstan has been the state secretary’s...

TOKYO INVESTS IN STRONG TIES WITH BISHKEK

Japan was the first Asian country to get actively involved in the Central Asian region following the collapse of the Soviet Union. Besides opening embassies in all of the Central...

TURKEY’S CULTURAL AND ECONOMIC PRESENCE GROWS IN KYRGYZSTAN

Like other Central Asian states, Kyrgyzstan’s relations with Turkey have considerably strengthened since the collapse of the Soviet Union. A July 23 conference held in Bishkek, the Kyrgyz capital, on...

BISHKEK NEUTRALIZES OPPONENTS WITH DIPLOMATIC APPOINTMENTS

Last month Kyrgyz opposition leader Melis Eshimkanov was nominated to become Kyrgyzstan’s ambassador to Switzerland. Eshimkanov is a member of the “For Reforms” parliamentary opposition bloc, which promotes long-term political...

KAZAKH-KYRGYZ ECONOMIC RELATIONS RECEIVE NEW BOOST

On July 11 Kazakh Prime Minister Karim Masimov and Kyrgyz Prime Minister Almazbek Atambayev signed an agreement to establish a common investment fund that should increase economic assistance to Kyrgyzstan...

KULOV CONTINUES TO ADVOCATE RUSSIAN-KYRGYZ CONFEDERATION

On July 2 opposition leader and former prime minister Felix Kulov asked the Kyrgyz the Central Election Commission to organize a national referendum on the issue of a Kyrgyz- Russian...

SCO’S INTERNATIONAL IMPORTANCE SURGES AS IRAN, TURKMENISTAN WISH TO JOIN

On Monday, June 25 Iran, Mongolia, and Turkmenistan confirmed their participation at the upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit scheduled for August 16 in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. The presidents of all...

DESPITE CORRUPTION CONCERNS, KYRGYZSTAN’S ENERGY SECTOR WILL BE PRIVATIZED

On June 19 the Kyrgyz parliament voted to privatize the 1,900 MW Kambarata-1 and 240 MW Kambarata-2 hydropower plants on the Naryn River. The two plants have annual generation capacities...

AS SCO SUMMIT APPROACHES, KYRGYZ GOVERNMENT CAUGHT BETWEEN RUSSIA, U.S.

With two months left before the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) annual summit in Bishkek, the Kyrgyz capital, the Kyrgyz government is experiencing increasing pressure from Russia and the United States...

GATES VISITS BISHKEK, BUT PRO-MOSCOW MOOD PREVAILS IN KYRGYZSTAN

On June 5 U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates visited Kyrgyzstan to discuss the status of the U.S. military base in Bishkek with Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev and Kyrgyz Minister...

PREPARATIONS FOR SCO SUMMIT AFFECT KYRGYZSTAN’S RELATIONS WITH THE U.S.

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) conducted anti-terrorism training exercises in Kyrgyzstan May 28-31. The Russian-led Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) is observing the SCO drills. Both the SCO and CSTO...

KYRGYZ OFFICIALS, CITIZENS OPPOSE U.S. BASE

Following the May 21 visit to Bishkek by Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) General Secretary Nikolai Bordyuzha, Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev ordered the government to form a special commission to...

PUBLIC ANGER AGAINST U.S. MILITARY BASE GROWS IN KYRGYZSTAN

The December 6, 2006, killing of Kyrgyz truck driver Alexander Ivanov by U.S. soldier Zachary Hatfield continues to fuel Kyrgyz public anger toward the U.S. military base in Kyrgyzstan. Hatfield...

RAHMON PROMISES ECONOMIC PROSPERITY IN TAJIKISTAN

In his annual address to parliament on April 30, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon outlined prospects for Tajikistan’s economic growth through 2015 within the National Development Strategy. Rahmon enjoys majority support...

NAZARBAYEV PROMISES ECONOMIC ASSISTANCE, URGES POLITICAL STABILITY IN KYRGYZSTAN

During his April 26 visit to Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan’s President Nursultan Nazarbayev promised greater economic integration with Kyrgyzstan. The president, however, slammed his Kyrgyz counterpart Kurmanbek Bakiyev for the continuous political...

BAKIYEV-KULOV CONFLICT RESUMES DESPITE GOVERNMENT’S CRACKDOWN

Since the Kyrgyz government's crackdown on opposition rallies on April 19, President Kurmanbek Bakiyev has embarked on a series of suppressive activities against unwanted political figures. The Kyrgyz security service...

KYRGYZ GOVERNMENT BRINGS VIOLENT END TO OPPOSITION RALLIES

On April 19 the Kyrgyz police violently ended the week-long protests staged by opponents of the government. The protests were staged by two opposition blocs, the United Front and For...

KYRGYZ PARLIAMENT SPLITS OVER LOYALTY TO BAKIYEV, PLUNGING COUNTRY DEEPER INTO CHAOS

Since April 11, ongoing opposition rallies in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, have paralyzed both the government and parliament. Neither President Kurmanbek Bakiyev nor the legislature is trying to find compromises with the...

KULOV MODERATES HIS DEMANDS AGAINST PRESIDENT, BUT BISHKEK STILL TENSE

On April 11 thousands of people gathered in central Bishkek, the Kyrgyz capital, to demand early presidential elections and a return to the November 2006 constitution. According to various estimates,...

KYRGYZ OPPOSITION, PRESIDENT REFUSE TO NEGOTIATE TO PREVENT MASS DEMONSTRATIONS

With only one week left until Kyrgyzstan’s two main opposition blocs, “United Front” and “For Reforms,” plan to stage a large-scale demonstration to remove Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev from office,...

BAKIYEV TRIES TO SAVE HIS PRESIDENCY BUT OPPOSITION PREVAILS

Yesterday, March 28, Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev announced his willingness to conduct a national referendum to reaffirm his legitimacy and support among the population. He also declared that he had...

OPPOSITION NOT CONVINCED BY BAKIYEV’S ABOUT-FACE

On March 21, Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev agreed to yield to opposition demands after two major opposition blocs, “United Front” and “For Reforms,” announced their intentions to stage a demonstration...

KYRGYZ OPPOSITION UNITES FOR DEMONSTRATIONS IN APRIL

Kyrgyzstan's two major opposition blocs, "For Reforms!" and "United Front," have announced plans to stage mass demonstrations against President Kurmanbek Bakiyev this April. For Reforms will demand a revision of...

KYRGYZSTAN PREPARES TO HOLD SCO SUMMIT THIS SUMMER

This summer Kyrgyzstan plans to host the Shanghai Cooperation Organization’s (SCO) annual summit and assume its presidency. SCO members include China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan; while India, Iran,...

KULOV DETERMINED TO UNDERMINE BAKIYEV’S GOVERNMENT

As the second anniversary of Kyrgyzstan’s March 24, 2005, Tulip Revolution approaches, Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev is facing a growing challenge from the “United Front,” a newly emerged opposition bloc...

WITH KULOV GONE, BAKIYEV DUMPS HIPC INITIATIVE

On February 20 the Kyrgyz government unanimously rejected participation in the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative, founded by the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund in 1996. This...

KULOV JOINS KYRGYZ OPPOSITION, BUT CAN HE BEAT BAKIYEV?

At a February 14 press conference, former Kyrgyz prime minister Felix Kulov announced his decision to join the forces opposed to President Kurmanbek Bakiyev. Following the Kyrgyz government’s December 2006...

BAKIYEV’S NEW GOVERNMENT FOSTERS LARGE-SCALE CORRUPTION

Kyrgyzstan’s recently appointed Prime Minister Azim Isabekov formed a new government this week. The changes made by Isabekov suggest that he largely followed directions from Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev and...

KYRGYZ POWER STRUGGLE PROPELS ISABEKOV INTO PRIME MINISTER’S OFFICE

On January 29 Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev selected a new prime minister, Azim Isabekov. The appointment signified the end of the president’s political union with outgoing prime minister Felix Kulov....

MOSCOW CONDEMNS HIPC INITIATIVE IN KYRGYZSTAN

The possibility of Kyrgyzstan joining the World Bank and International Monetary Fund’s Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative has sparked heated debates among state institutions and civil society groups. Recently,...

BAKIYEV MANEUVERS TO STAY ON TOP IN KYRGYZSTAN

Last week Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev named former prime minister Felix Kulov to head the government again. This reappointment followed the Kyrgyz government’s resignation and the adoption of another new...

PARLIAMENTARY REELECTIONS LOOMING AS ANOTHER NEW CONSTITUTION ADOPTED IN KYRGYZSTAN

On December 30 the Kyrgyz parliament adopted yet another constitution. The new constitution comes only few weeks after the previous version was endorsed on November 8, 2006. The November 2006...

KYRGYZ PROTEST GROWING WESTERN INFLUENCE AT HOME

Following the December 6 fatal shooting of a Kyrgyz truck driver at the U.S. military base in Kyrgyzstan, anti-U.S. sentiments have been mounting in the country. That incident has moved...

RUSSIAN MASS MEDIA SHAPE PUBLIC OPINION IN KYRGYZSTAN

Last week Murat Zhurayev, a Kyrgyz parliamentarian from Batken, supported the idea of Kyrgyzstan entering the ruble zone. He thus joined the ranks of Kyrgyz politicians who advocate moving deeper...

WILL POLITICAL CHANGES IN KYRGYZSTAN AFFECT U.S. MILITARY PRESENCE?

At the November 27-29 NATO summit in Riga, Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer mentioned the importance of the U.S. military base in Kyrgyzstan and its role in the anti-terrorist operations...

KYRGYZSTAN’S NEW CONSTITUTION PROMISES SUBSTANTIAL, LONG-TERM CHANGES

Kyrgyzstan has become the first Central Asian country to endorse a constitution that proclaims a parliamentary state system and significantly trims the president’s powers. This achievement is the result of...

OPPOSITION CELEBRATES AS NEW CONSTITUTION ADOPTED IN KYRGYZSTAN

On November 8 the Kyrgyz opposition bloc “For Reforms” finally managed to broker a compromise between the parliament and President Kurmanbek Bakiyev to endorse a new constitution that considerably empowers...

BAKIYEV WALKS IN AKAYEV’S SHOES AS OPPOSITION WANTS TO REPLAY TULIP REVOLUTION

On November 2 the opposition bloc “For Reforms” staged mass anti-government demonstrations in the Kyrgyz capital, Bishkek. The protests continued throughout the weekend. Under mounting pressure, Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev...

KYRGYZSTAN POISED FOR NEW POLITICAL TUMULT AS OPPOSITION PRESSES BAKIYEV

Kyrgyzstan’s For Reforms opposition bloc is convening a large-scale demonstration in the capital city, Bishkek, today, November 2, to demand fundamental changes in the work of President Kurmanbek Bakiyev and...

TAJIKISTAN’S BILL ON RELIGIOUS FREEDOMS CURTAILS POLITICAL OPPOSITION

Tajikistan’s new bill on religious freedoms threatens to become the most rigid and illiberal regulation of its type in Central Asia. Developed in January 2006, “On Freedoms of Confessions and...

UZBEKISTAN WELCOMES COOPERATION WITH KYRGYZSTAN DESPITE FUNDAMENTAL DISAGREEMENTS

On October 3 Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev visited Tashkent to meet with Uzbek President Islam Karimov. Both presidents tried to restore friendly relations between their countries by referring to common...

TAJIK OPPOSITION REMAINS QUIET AHEAD OF PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS

With the presidential election campaign officially opened, Tajikistan’s major opposition parties are refusing to participate in the November 6 vote. To date, incumbent Tajik President Emomali Rahmonov is the only...

KYRGYZSTAN’S ENERGY SECTOR LOSES INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES DUE TO CORRUPTION

When Kyrgyzstan became independent in 1991, the energy sector signified a rare hope for the country’s future economic development. Today, Kyrgyzstan’s hydro-energy sector represents a significant part of the country’s...

TAJIK PRESIDENT USES NATIONAL HOLIDAYS TO LAUNCH HIS RE-ELECTION BID

Tajik President Emomali Rahmonov is actively campaigning ahead of presidential elections scheduled for November 6. In the last two weeks, Rahmonov celebrated four national holidays before other candidates could legally...

TOP KYRGYZ OFFICIALS ACCUSED OF PLOTTING AGAINST OPPOSITION LEADER

A fresh scandal broke out in Kyrgyzstan when Omurbek Tekebayev, a member of the Kyrgyz parliament and a leader of the opposition movement For Reforms, was arrested at the Warsaw...

KYRGYZ LAW ENFORCEMENT CRACKS DOWN ON HIZB-UT-TAHRIR

During the past week several individuals were detained by Kyrgyz law-enforcement agencies for distributing religious-ideological leaflets. According to recent reports, the number of detained people linked to radical group Hizb-ut-Tahrir...

TAJIKISTAN: CORRUPTION MOUNTS AS PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS NEAR

With presidential elections in Tajikistan planned for this fall, the current president and leader of the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Emomali Rahmonov, remains the only candidate. The opposition Islamic...

KYRGYZ-UZBEK SECURITY RELATIONS: SIMILAR PROBLEMS, DIFFERENT POLICIES

Recently revived security ties between Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan risk becoming yet another pompous declaration made by leaders of both states on regional security, fighting terrorism, religious extremism, and drug trafficking....

BAKIYEV RELIES ON RUSSIA IN DOMESTIC AFFAIRS

Kyrgyzstan’s relations with Russia have noticeably intensified after the March 24, 2005, Tulip Revolution. Today, bilateral ties are at the peak of cooperation, with Kyrgyzstan and Russia collaborating in the...

KYRGYZ GOVERNMENT RISKS RELATIONS WITH U.S. BEFORE G-8 SUMMIT

On Monday, July 10, the Kyrgyz Ministry of Foreign Affairs threatened to expel two U.S. diplomats for allegedly interfering in Kyrgyzstan’s internal affairs and having inappropriate contacts with local non-governmental...

KYRGYZ NGOs WARN ABOUT RADIOACTIVE WASTE PROBLEM

This year more and more Kyrgyz mass media outlets and NGOs are urging the Kyrgyz government to address the problem of radioactive waste left after the collapse of the Soviet...

KYRGYZ POLITICIANS BEGIN TO BREAK TIES TO CRIMINAL WORLD

Organized criminal groups in Kyrgyzstan have significantly weakened since the death of criminal kingpin Rysbek Akmatbayev on May 10. According to Deputy Minister of Interior Omurbek Suvanaliyev, today Kyrgyz law-enforcement...

BISHKEK BECOMES SCENE OF CONTINUOUS ANTI-GOVERNMENT DEMONSTRATIONS

For more than a year the Kyrgyz capital, Bishkek, has witnessed numerous demonstrations and protests. According to estimates from the Ministry of the Interior, on average there have been two...

KYRGYZSTAN FIGHTS ONE-DAY WAR WITH UNKNOWN BANDITS

Early on the morning of May 12 an armed group of about 10 people attacked a Tajik border checkpoint in Isfara oblast. They seized weapons and killed three Tajik guards....

KYRGYZ OPPOSITION SETS DEADLINE FOR BAKIYEV TO FIGHT CORRUPTION, ORGANIZED CRIME

On April 29 between 15,000 and 20,000 members of Kyrgyz civil society groups and the political opposition staged a peaceful demonstration in central Bishkek, the capital city. This unprecedented act...

BISHKEK WELCOMES EXPANDED RUSSIAN MILITARY PRESENCE IN KYRGYZSTAN

Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev met with Russian President Vladimir Putin during his first state visit to Moscow on April 24-25. The meeting began with Bakiyev stating that Kyrgyzstan today needs...

LEADING KYRGYZ ACTIVIST ATTACKED

Prominent Kyrgyz civil-society activist Edil Baisalov was attacked near his office in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan, on April 12. Baisalov has been an outspoken critic of the dangerous fusion...

KYRGYZ NGOs CALL ON GOVERNMENT TO FIGHT ORGANIZED CRIME

By-elections for Kyrgyzstan's parliament were held on Sunday April 9. Reputed mafia chief Rysbek Akmatbayev won 79% of the votes in the parliamentary by-elections in Balykchi, Kyrgyzstan. Akmatbayev has a...

KYRGYZSTAN MARKS FIRST ANNIVERSARY OF TULIP REVOLUTION

A year has passed since March 24, 2005, Tulip Revolution in Kyrgyzstan, when crowds seized the main government building in Bishkek and President Askar Akayev fled the country. The popular...

BAKIYEV FACES STRONG, MATURING OPPOSITION IN KYRGYZSTAN

One year after Kyrgyzstan's March 24 Tulip Revolution Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev faces outspoken criticism of his regime from both political and non-governmental sources. Although the current political situation in...

TRAGEDY AT MOSCOW MARKET REVEALS XENOPHOBIA AMONG RUSSIAN PUBLIC

On February 23 the roof over Moscow's Basmanny market collapsed from a combination of snow buildup and questionable construction. Two years ago a similar accident took place at the Transvaal...

BAKIYEV WINS BATTLE AGAINST PARLIAMENT LEADER, BUT LOSES PUBLIC SUPPORT IN THE PROCESS

On February 13, Kyrgyz Parliamentary Speaker Omurbek Tekebayev confirmed his decision to resign following a shocking clash with Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev. In his address to the legislature on February...

IRAN, TAJIKISTAN STRENGTHEN COOPERATION IN THE ENERGY SECTOR

Amid rivalries over energy supplies between a number of post-Soviet states, international media outlets have largely ignored Tajikistan's initiatives with Iran for hydroelectricity. Tajikistan is an important part of the...

IS BAKIYEV LOSING LEGITIMACY?

Almost ten months after the March 24 Tulip Revolution, Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev is losing public support due to continuing political assassinations, increased open challenges to the government by criminal...

WITH CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM STALLED, BAKIYEV OPTS FOR REFERENDUM

On January 5, Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev signed the decree "On Arrangements to Prepare a National Referendum in the Kyrgyz Republic," calling for a referendum on constitutional reform at the...

KYRGYZ GOVERNMENT UNABLE TO REGULATE CROSSINGS ALONG BORDER WITH UZBEKISTAN

In the course of only a week in December several violent incidents took place between Kyrgyz and Uzbek civilians and border guards, and between Kyrgyz border guards and militia in...

KYRGYZ JOURNALISTS CLAIM GOVERNMENT SUPPRESSES FREE SPEECH

Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev has announced that his government would restructure control over a number of state-controlled media outlets to encourage greater public participation. However, due to previous unsuccessful attempts...

HIGH-RANKING KYRGYZ OFFICIAL PROPOSES NEW NATIONAL IDEOLOGY

Following the removal of Kyrgyzstan's long-time President Askar Akayev on March 24, 2005, the new government led by Kurmanbek Bakiyev terminated some of Akayev's efforts to build an official state...

FEARING COLOR REVOLUTIONS ARE CONTAGIOUS, KAZAKHSTAN SHUTS BORDER WITH KYRGYZSTAN

On November 29 Kazakhstan imposed new restrictions along the state border with Kyrgyzstan "to prevent possible penetration into Kazakhstan of unwanted elements" ahead of presidential elections on December 4 (Kazinform,...

OTUNBAYEVA LOSES LAST CHANCE TO REMAIN IN KYRGYZ POLITICS

On November 27, two key leaders of Kyrgyzstan's revolution, Azimbek Beknazarov and Roza Otunbayeva, stood for election for the parliamentary seats from the Aksy and Tunduk districts. While both were...

CLANS, CRIME, AND POWER IN KYRGYZSTAN

Despite their assassinations in recent months, Jyrgalbek Surabaldiyev, Bayaman Erkinbayev, and Tynychbek Akmatbayev remain influential in Kyrgyz politics. Now the slain parliamentarians' closest family members are struggling for power. Surabaldiyev's...

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Articles by Erica Marat