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Vagit Ismailov

Journalist

Vagit Ismailov is a Kazakhstani journalist. He has worked in leading regional and national publications.

Articles

Kyrgyzstan’s Keremet Bank Restricts Use of Visa Cards Following U.S. Sanctions

Keremet Bank, a commercial bank in Kyrgyzstan recently subjected to U.S. sanctions, has announced new restrictions on the use of its Visa cards. The announcement was issued through the bank’s press service. As per the official statement, Visa cards issued by Keremet Bank can now only be used at the bank's ATMs, POS terminals, and other payment devices. To provide customers with an alternative, the bank is offering free issuance of cards under the national payment system, Elkart. The process for obtaining an Elkart card will take up to five working days in Bishkek and up to ten days in other regions. The bank reassured its clients that their funds remain secure. Customers can withdraw money at the nearest branch by presenting a valid passport or transferring funds through the mobile application to Elkart cards or settlement accounts. The U.S. Treasury Department imposed sanctions on Keremet Bank, citing alleged ties to Russian authorities and collaboration with Promsvyazbank, a Russian financial institution that has been under U.S. restrictions since 2022.

2 hours ago

Russia Diplomacy Mass Media Bilateral Relations

Russian Foreign Ministry Responds to Turkmen Displeasure Over ‘Second Turkmenbashi’ Article

The Russian Foreign Ministry has issued a statement following a controversial article in Nezavisimaya Gazeta that drew criticism from the Turkmen leadership. On January 12, the newspaper published an article titled "Neutrality Turned Out to Be an Excuse for Strengthening the Personality Cult of the 'Second Turkmenbashi.'" The piece compared former president Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov to his predecessor, Saparmurat Niyazov, who was the subject of a personality cult during his rule over Turkmenistan from 1985 to his death in 2006. Niyazov often called himself "Turkmenbashi" (father of the Turkmen). The Nezavisimaya Gazeta article quoted Arkady Dubnov, an expert on post-Soviet affairs, in relation to a meeting of the Organizing Committee for the 30th anniversary of Turkmenistan's neutrality. During the event, Turkmen Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov reportedly referred to Berdimuhamedov as the “father of the nation.” Dubnov, a critic of authoritarian regimes, remarked that the event symbolized “the birth of another father of the nation on the ruins of the USSR.” The article was subsequently removed from Nezavisimaya Gazeta's website, but not before it provoked discontent in Ashgabat. In response, the Russian Foreign Ministry issued a clarification. In a statement on its official website, the ministry emphasized that "The assessments given in the article have nothing in common with the official position of Russia and do not reflect the high status of ties between our friendly countries." This incident highlights a pattern in which the Russian Foreign Ministry has distanced itself from media outlets over publications that anger foreign governments. Similar cases have occurred in the past, underscoring the delicate balancing act Moscow maintains with its partners in post-Soviet space.

2 hours ago

Atomic Energy Nuclear Energy Nuclear power Energy Security

Kazakhstan Completes International Visits Ahead of Nuclear Power Plant Construction

Kazakhstan has completed a series of international visits to evaluate technologies for its planned nuclear power plant (NPP). On January 21, 2025, a Kazakh delegation led by Energy Minister Almasadam Satkaliyev visited Russia to assess the operations of Generation 3+ nuclear power units at the Leningrad NPP. During the visit, the delegation examined key components of the plant, including its control systems, turbine hall, laboratory facilities, and cooling system. Particular focus was placed on the VVER-1200 reactor, the flagship project of Russia's state nuclear corporation, Rosatom. This visit marked the final stage of Kazakhstan’s review process of potential suppliers for the NPP. From October to December 2024, Kazakh specialists also visited South Korea, France, and China. As a result, the final list of candidate suppliers includes Russian Rosatom, Korean KHNP, Chinese CNNC, and French EDF. While in Russia, the Kazakh delegation also consulted with Leningrad NPP management and visited the satellite town of Sosnovy Bor, a scientific and engineering innovation hub. The Leningrad NPP is Russia’s largest by installed capacity and features two types of reactors: uranium-graphite RBMK and water-water VVER. “We have completed a series of working visits dedicated to studying advanced nuclear power technologies. Familiarization with the operation of Leningrad NPP allowed us to study in detail the key aspects of operation, the safety of the plant, and its impact on the environment,” Energy Minister Satkaliyev stated. The final decision on the supplier or consortium to construct the NPP will be made in 2025. This decision will take into account Kazakhstan’s national interests, its international obligations, and recommendations from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Kazakhstan’s first nuclear power plant is set to be built in the village of Ulken on the shores of Lake Balkhash. The project is intended to address the country’s growing power shortages and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Potential partners from China, Russia, South Korea, and France are being considered, and the project is expected to be financed through foreign loans.

3 hours ago

Legislation Media Mass Media Media Freedom Press Freedom journalist

CPJ Report Highlights Deteriorating Situation for Journalists in Tajikistan

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has released its 2024 annual report, identifying the countries with the highest number of journalists imprisoned in the previous year. According to the report, China (50 journalists), Israel (43), and Myanmar (35) topped the list. Globally, a total of 361 journalists were imprisoned in 2023 -- the second-highest figure since records began in 1992, surpassed only by 2022’s total of 370. The report also highlights Tajikistan’s worsening environment for press freedom, with specific mention of the country's persecution of journalists, including cases linked to ethnic discrimination. The CPJ report notes that two of the eight imprisoned journalists in Tajikistan belong to the Pamiri ethnic minority, a group historically subjected to systemic discrimination. These journalists hail from the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast (GBAO), a region that has experienced significant unrest in recent years. Among them is Ulfatkhonim Mamadshoeva, a prominent journalist who is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence. Authorities accused Mamadshoeva and her former husband, General Kholbash Kholbashov of the GKNB Border Troops, of orchestrating mass riots in GBAO in May 2022. These protests, which were met with a violent government crackdown, resulted in numerous deaths. Before her arrest, Mamadshoeva publicly denied any involvement in illegal activities. The CPJ’s findings reflect the broader challenges faced by journalists in Tajikistan, where independent reporting is increasingly equated with criminal activity. The CPJ report underscores the global misuse of vague anti-state laws to silence independent media. More than 60% of journalists imprisoned worldwide were charged under broadly defined laws, often targeting dissenting voices under accusations of terrorism, extremism, or other anti-state activities. Tajikistan is listed alongside countries like Russia, Belarus, Myanmar, and Turkey as frequent users of such repressive measures. “A significant proportion of these cases involve terrorism or 'extremism' charges, which are often very vaguely worded,” the report states, noting that such laws give governments broad discretion to suppress media freedoms. In Tajikistan, the eight journalists are currently serving prison sentences ranging from seven to 20 years. These long sentences illustrate the risks faced by media workers in a country where freedom of the press continues to erode. The CPJ report highlights a troubling global trend, with over 100 new journalists imprisoned in the past year. While the focus of the report is on numerical leaders like China, Israel, and Myanmar, countries like Tajikistan, where media suppression is equally severe but less publicized, remain of grave concern.

1 day ago

Education Security Healthcare Children incident

Kindergarten in Uzbekistan Stages Dangerous Show with Poisonous Cobras

A kindergarten in Uzbekistan sparked widespread outrage after staging a performance involving poisonous Central Asian cobras, a species listed in the Red Book of Uzbekistan's endangered plant and animals. Footage of the event, which was shared on social media, showed the snakes being handled in close proximity to children, raising serious concerns about safety and animal welfare. In the video, a man can be seen demonstrating two venomous snakes to a group of young children, with no apparent safety measures in place. The cobras were allowed to move freely on the floor near the children. The Uzbek language heard in the recording confirms the location as Uzbekistan, but the exact location of the kindergarten has yet to be identified. The incident has prompted public outcry, with many questioning the judgment of the organizers and the lack of safeguards for the children. So far, the Ministry of Preschool and School Education has refrained from issuing an official statement. The situation has caught the attention of the Children's Ombudsman in Uzbekistan. The Ombudsman’s press service announced that law enforcement agencies are actively working to determine the circumstances and location of the performance, as well as the identities of those responsible. A full investigation is underway, and the organizers’ actions will be subject to legal assessment once the inquiry is complete. This is not the first time unauthorized animal performances have taken place in Uzbekistan. In December of last year, a similar case was reported in the Koshrabad district of the Samarkand region. Two individuals held unauthorized shows at schools and kindergartens, featuring a tiger python. The snake was later confiscated and handed over to the regional department of ecology. These incidents highlight a recurring issue of unregulated animal performance in educational institutions, raising questions about safety, legal oversight, and the ethical treatment of wildlife.

1 day ago