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Tajikistan Doubles Down on Fines for Wearing “Foreign Clothes”

Residents of Tajikistan will face fines ranging from 8,000 to 65,000 somoni for "importing and selling clothes that do not correspond to the national culture" and for wearing such clothes in public places, as reported by Radio Ozodi. These regulations are outlined in Article 18 of the new version of the law "On Regulation of Traditions and Rites" and the Code of Administrative Offenses. The drafts were adopted by parliamentarians on May 8 this year. "In the draft law 'On the Regulation of Traditions and Rites,' a corresponding prohibiting norm is included in part two of Article 18. For its violation, amendments and additions to Article 481 of the Code of Administrative Offenses provide for administrative responsibility," explained Mavludakhon Mirzozoda, a deputy of the lower house of Tajikistan's parliament. Article 481 of the current Code of Administrative Offenses addresses not only Article 18, but also broader non-compliance with the norms of the Law on the Regulation of Traditions and Rites. According to this article: Individuals will be fined 7,920 somoni ($733). Officials will be fined 39,600 somoni ($3,665). Legal entities will be fined 57,600 somoni ($5,333). Individual entrepreneurs, scientists, and religious figures will be fined 54,000 somoni ($4,998). For repeated violations, fines will range from 46,000 to 86,000 somoni. The recent amendments have updated this article, although changes to the fine amounts are yet to be confirmed. The average wage in Tajikistan is approximately $172 a month. According to the current legislation, the amendments to the law come into force upon publication in the official press after approval by the Majlisi Milli (lower house) and the president's signature. However, citizens are already being compelled to comply with these new regulations. The current law does not specify which clothing is considered alien to Tajik national culture. Experts suggest that the law likely pertains to women's national dress, although the text itself does not differentiate between men's and women's clothing. Reactions within Tajik society have been mixed. Some residents of Dushanbe, during a street survey, expressed their opinion that people should have the freedom to choose their own attire without compulsion. Tajik authorities have long campaigned to encourage the wearing of national dress and to discourage the adoption of foreign styles. They prohibit women from wearing black clothing, black headscarves, and hijabs, considering them alien to Tajik culture and traditions. Although mini-skirts, sweaters, dresses with cleavage, tops, and transparent fabrics were also banned at one point, these restrictions were quickly "forgotten."

Central Asia Turkmenistan International Affairs Turkmenistan International Affairs Turkmenistan Business & Economy Business & Economy

Turkmen Gas to Europe Mooted Again

Turkmenistan and Pakistan intend to independently finance the construction of the TAPI gas pipeline (Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India) to transport Turkmen gas to Europe, according to a statement made by Pakistani Minister, Musadiq Malik, who said the decision was driven by the international community's reluctance to recognize the Afghan government, which has stalled foreign funding. "Turkmenistan, rich in gas reserves and currently only selling to China, has considered exporting its gas to Europe via an LNG train," Malik was quoted as saying by the Profit portal. The minister also talked about the idea of exporting Turkmen gas to the EU via Pakistan. According to this plan, the gas would be piped to Pakistan, and then transported to Europe by rail. According to previous agreements, the $10 billion TAPI gas pipeline project was to be 30% financed ($3 billion) by the participants, and 70% ($7 billion) by loans from international financial institutions. Of the 30% to be allocated by the participating countries, 85% ($2.55 billion) was from to Turkmenistan, and the other 5% ($150 million each) from Afghanistan, Pakistan and India.

Central Asia International Affairs Kazakhstan International Affairs Business & Economy Kazakhstan Business & Economy

Kazakh PM Meets With German Rhenus Group to Discuss Middle Corridor

Cooperation in the transport and logistics sectors were discussed at a recent meeting between prime minister of Kazakhstan Olzhas Bektenov and the chairman of Rhenus Group Tobias Bartz. Rhenus Group is one of the 25 largest logistics companies in the world, and has a network of 70 terminals in Europe, as well as 22 container types. At the meeting, the parties considered the current projects and discussed the prospects of the creation of new Kazakh-German enterprises to increase the transit capacity of Kazakhstan through the modernization of warehousing infrastructure and the development of railway transportation. Tobias Bartz noted Kazakhstan's increasing role in global logistics and expressed interest in the creation of new territories with the involvement of Kazakh companies to increase terminal capacity. This will connect the supply chain of Europe with Central Asia. Olzhas Bektenov emphasized the readiness to work openly with investors to fully disclose the transport logistics and transit potential. He added: "The Government of Kazakhstan intends to maximize the transport and logistics potential of the country. We are open to cooperation in the realization of joint investment projects. For our part, we guarantee a stable and predictable investment climate with the creation of favorable conditions for business." Bektenov also noted that major transcontinental transportation corridors -- the shortest routes from Europe to China and Southeast Asia -- pass through the territory of Kazakhstan. Kazakhstan is actively working with Azerbaijan and Georgia to reduce the time of passage of goods along the Trans-Caspian international transportation route. Over the year, the total transit time along the Middle Corridor has almost halved.

Central Asia Justice Uzbekistan Uzbekistan Justice Uzbekistan Life & Culture

Another Uzbek Citizen Convicted of Insulting Mirziyoyev

A court in Uzbekistan has sentenced a 28-year-old Almalyk resident to correctional labor for insulting the country's president Shavkat Mirziyoyev. The man said he wrote insulting comments on the internet during a fit of anger because he had received several fines from the tax office. According to the case, the married father of two, an owner of a pharmacy, left insulting comments under four videos and photographs of Mirziyoyev between May 2 and August 31 last year, The defendant pleaded guilty and expressed regret for his actions. He said that while running his pharmacy, in the Tashkent region, tax inspection officers had fined him several times, and when he saw the photos and videos on Instagram he left derogatory comments in a fit of anger. Local media has reported that "The court took into account the man's admission of guilt and sentenced him to correctional work for two years and six months with the recovery of 20% of his salary to be given to the state. Also, the court imposed on the Ministry of Digital Technologies to restrict access to the account of the man on Instagram, and also decided to recover the phone Samsung Galaxy A53 in favor of the state". In March 2021 an article was added to Uzbekistan's Criminal Code establishing liability for public insult or slander against Mirziyoyev using telecommunications networks or the internet. This crime is punishable by corrective labor of up to three years, restriction of freedom from two to five years, or imprisonment of up to five years. In October 2023 a court sentenced a 19-year-old resident of Kattakurgan district (Samarkand region) to two years and six months in prison for insulting comments about Mirziyoyev on Instagram. In March this year a court sentenced a 27-year-old resident of Namangan, who had recently returned from Iran, to five years in prison for insulting and defamatory comments about Mirziyoyev on Facebook.

Central Asia Opinion Head Home Uzbekistan International Affairs Local Politics Tajikistan Opinions Business & Economy Opinions Features Kazakhstan Opinions Kyrgyzstan Opinions

Central Asia’s Combined ‘Army of Turan’: Could a Hypothesis Become a Reality?

Kazakhstan will host the military exercise, "Birlestik-2024" in July of this year. Notably, this became known from the press service of the Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan. The exercises will be jointly held by the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. It is a convenient occasion to refresh the topic of the 'Army of Turan', which is periodically raised by experts both in Central Asia and neighboring countries. The Army of Turan is a hypothetical military bloc of Turkic-speaking countries. Its ideas have become relevant in the context of global geopolitical turbulence. I hear the thunder of cannons... Most military analysts consider Azerbaijan to be Turkey's proxy in the South Caucasus. In general, Baku's rapprochement with the capitals of Turkic states (plus Dushanbe) meets Ankara's interests in creating a unified cultural and economic space: Turan. However, does the integration of Turkic states mean that they will eventually be able to create a NATO-style security pact in Central Asia? Such initiatives have resumed with renewed vigor after the end of the Azerbaijani-Armenian conflict, during which Turkey has shown the capability of its weapons. Indeed, in 2022, against the backdrop of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Kazakhstan - the only country of the participants to share a land border with the Russian Federation - pondered how to protect itself from further expansion of the northern empire's borders. But in the run-up to the summer of 2024, fears have mostly subsided. Many were sobered by the obvious fact that loud declarations of assistance from strong states at best mean the delivery of obsolete weapons, but no more. At worst, your offender will be censured from high podiums, and you will be sympathized with. For example, Turkey, the most likely to defend Central Asia from outsider aggression, did not risk helping the Palestinians, its brothers in faith, and got away with accusing Israel of fascism. So, the 'Army of Turan' exists in the heads of fantasists and pan-Turkics, but in reality, something ordinary is going on — the arms trade. Let's see what the armies of the Central Asian republics are armed with, excluding Turkmenistan, which has declared neutrality. Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan The most troublesome neighbors in the region have not been able to complete their border delimitation process. As a result, quarrels periodically erupt, in which border guards from both sides intervene, staging mini-warfare. The cause of discord is usually the same: water. The Tajik and Kyrgyz militaries gain some combat experience in these micro-quarrels. Despite or based on this experience, Dushanbe relies on agreements with other countries -- Russia, China, India, Iran, and CSTO partners -- for its defense capability. Tajikistan's armed forces number only 9,000 men. They have 38 tanks (T-62 and T-72 modifications), 114 armored vehicles (APCs, BMPs, BRDMs), 40 artillery systems, and several short- and medium-range air defense units. The Air Force has four Czechoslovakian L-39 Albatross, combat trainers. Kyrgyzstan does not have much more power in the number of its troops, at around...

Central Asia Uzbekistan International Affairs Uzbekistan International Affairs

U.S., Uzbekistan Discuss Judicial Reforms and Combating Corruption

On May 22, US deputy secretary of state Uzra Zeya visited Uzbekistan and met with foreign minister Bakhtiyor Saidov. “We discussed several pressing issues on our bilateral agenda, and we agreed to continue our efforts to enrich the close cooperation between Uzbekistan and the USA in all areas, especially to create the most favorable conditions for our people,” Saidov wrote in his Telegram channel following the meeting in Tashkent. During her trip to Uzbekistan, Zeya also met with prosecutor general Nigmatilla Yuldashev and deputy minister of foreign affairs Muzaffarbek Madrahimov. Her meeting with Yuldashev concerned judicial reforms and the fight against corruption in Uzbekistan. “The US supports strengthening the rule of law and increasing transparency and accountability in the justice sector,” commented Zeya. Speaking at an academic conference of the Regional Dialogue on Constitutional Criminal Procedures, the US deputy secretary of state emphasized America's commitment to promoting human rights, the rule of law, and anti-corruption reforms in Uzbekistan. “Ensuring human rights and the rule of law for every citizen of Uzbekistan is necessary for progress and prosperity,” said Zeya. Saida Mirziyoyeva, the eldest daughter and assistant of Uzbek president Shavkat Mirziyoyev, and Kamil Allamjonov, head of the information policy department of the presidential administration, also met with the US delegation. The parties discussed issues of freedom of speech and women’s rights. “The American side expressed its readiness to fully support the efforts being made in our country to protect women's rights, ensure media and freedom of speech, as well as increase the effectiveness of civil society and NGO activities,” Mirziyoyeva later wrote.