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Kamchybek Tashiyev

Kyrgyz Court Convicts Former Security Chief Tashiyev, Parliamentary Speaker, and Six Others

The trial of high-ranking Kyrgyz officials accused of plotting to overthrow the government concluded on July 2. All eight defendants, including the former chief of Kyrgyzstan’s security service and the former speaker of parliament, were found guilty and sentenced to four years in prison. However, none will actually serve any prison time as the court ordered them all placed on probation for the next three years. The Letter of 75 It all started on February 9, 2026, when a group of 75 people, including former state officials, released an open letter calling on President Sadyr Japarov and Speaker of Parliament Nurlanbek Turgunbek uulu to call an early presidential election. Japarov became acting president in the wake of the October 2020 protests that ousted President Sooronbai Jeenbekov. One of his first moves as acting president was to appoint his long-time friend Kamchybek Tashiyev to be the head of the State National Security Service (GKNB). The presidential election of January 2021 resulted in victory for Japarov, with a concurrent vote approving a change from a parliamentary to a presidential form of government. A new constitution was drafted and approved in a referendum in April 2021. Japarov was elected president under the constitution that was scrapped in that referendum. The previous constitution stipulated a president could serve one six-year term in office. The new constitution allowed a president to serve two five-year terms. The open letter the 75 people published said a snap presidential election could clarify Japarov’s term. But Japarov and others saw the letter as an attempt to oust him from power. On February 10, Japarov sacked Kamchybek Tashiyev and several of the authors of the open letter were detained, with Japarov saying this was necessary to “prevent a split in society.” Japarov was evasive about the reason, repeating that he and Tashiyev remained friends. In the days that followed, a series of top GKNB officials were dismissed, as were the governors of Kyrgyzstan’s second and third largest cities, Osh and Manas (formerly Jalal-Abad), respectively. Several ministers and officials in other state bodies were also changed. The government was restructured so that the GKNB was under the control of the president. Tashiyev was in Germany for a medical exam, and Turgunbek uulu was in Turkey when the open letter was released. Turgunbek uulu stepped down from his position and handed in his resignation as a parliamentary deputy directly after he returned to Kyrgyzstan. Tashiyev returned briefly on February 13, but only stayed in Kyrgyzstan for a few days before again leaving the country. He finally came back on March 19 for questioning by the Interior Ministry and has been in Kyrgyzstan since then, though he kept a low profile. It was clear early on that the state prosecutor was building an attempted coup case against some of the 75 authors of the letter. But Japarov and other officials declined to specify which charges Tashiyev might face, or whether he would face any charges at all. The announcement that Tashiyev was dismissed...

Iran Espionage

Israel Arrests Man From Tajikistan Suspected of Spying for Iran

Israeli police said Thursday that a suspect from Tajikistan who holds a Russian passport had been arrested on suspicion of spying for Iran during the recent war. The suspect, identified as Behrouz Sobirgon, was arrested last month “on suspicion of security offenses involving contact with Iranian intelligence agencies and carrying out security missions under their direction,” police said on Telegram. “The investigation revealed that the suspect maintained contact with an Iranian foreign agent, with most of his security activity taking place during the 'Roaring Lion' war, when he sought to assist Iran in achieving operational gains and advancing its goals on the international stage against the State of Israel,” the Israeli police statement said. “It also emerged that the approach to Bahroz began with an apparently innocent job offer, but he soon realized it was an approach made by an Iranian agent and nevertheless continued contact with him.” Roaring Lion was the name given by Israel to airstrikes by the United States and Israel against Iran that began in February. A fragile ceasefire is currently in place. The statement said prosecutors plan to file a serious indictment against the alleged spy, along with a request for him to be detained during court proceedings in Tel Aviv. The Times of Israel said the Tajik national had informed his Iranian handler about the location of Iranian missile strikes in Israel, provided details about a building complex in Tel Aviv and Haifa port, and tried to photograph a security facility in northern Israel. The newspaper said an investigation was carried out by Israeli police, the Defense Ministry, and Shin Bet, Israel's internal security agency. There was no immediate public comment from Tajikistan about the arrest. Israel and Tajikistan do not have embassies in each other’s countries, but maintain diplomatic and other contacts through regional embassies and other channels.

Road Accidents

Highway Crash in Tajikistan Kills Eleven

Eleven people were killed on Thursday when a truck had brake failure and collided with two cars on a highway in Tajikistan, the government said. The accident happened in a rural area near Vahdat city on the Dushanbe-Kulob-Khorog highway at 6:30 a.m., killing the truck driver and a driver and nine passengers in the two cars, the Ministry of Internal Affairs said. Minister Ramazon Rahimzoda, the prosecutor of Vahdat and other officials visited the crash scene, according to the ministry. An investigation was underway. Vahdat is about 20 kilometers east of Dushanbe, Tajikistan’s capital. The Dushanbe-Kulob-Khorog highway is about 600 kilometers long and traverses mountainous terrain, linking the capital with Khorog, capital of the Gorno-Badakhshan autonomous region in eastern Tajikistan.

Digital Rights

Turkmenistan Fines Citizens Over Social Media Likes as Digital Controls Tighten

Authorities in Turkmenistan have tightened control over citizens’ online activity, with district courts in Ashgabat reportedly hearing administrative cases daily against people accused of liking or commenting on posts critical of the government on TikTok, YouTube, and other social media platforms. The cases were reported by Chronicles of Turkmenistan. The platforms in question remain inaccessible in Turkmenistan without VPN services, which the government has systematically tried to block. According to available information, security services are identifying citizens who regularly visit banned online resources. Those individuals are then summoned to police stations, where they are interrogated and warned about the consequences of further online activity. The cases are then transferred to lower courts. In most instances, first-time offenders are fined approximately $10. There have also been separate cases in which obscene language online has served as grounds for administrative prosecution. In Turkmenabat, authorities have begun transferring internet subscribers from outdated ADSL connections to Ethernet. As previously reported by Chronicles of Turkmenistan, telecommunications workers are replacing old cables and installing new lines in apartments at no charge. However, users must purchase their own routers, which currently cost between $25 and $30 in local markets. According to the latest CIVICUS report, Turkmenistan has significantly tightened digital controls and restrictions on access to uncensored information in recent months. In its updated assessment, CIVICUS notes that despite official statements about improving digital infrastructure, Turkmenistan’s government has also increased pressure on alternative internet access channels, including equipment linked to Starlink. The organization warns that the expansion of Ethernet networks may also be intended to increase centralized monitoring and control of internet traffic. In neighboring Tajikistan, the legal direction has been different. As previously reported by The Times of Central Asia, President Emomali Rahmon signed a law in May 2025 decriminalizing likes and other reactions to social media posts that had previously carried criminal liability. Turkmenistan’s practice of fining citizens for online activity points in the opposite direction, toward tighter state control over the internet in a country where access to independent information remains severely restricted.

Child Online Safety

Uzbekistan Weighs Social Media Restrictions for Children Under 16

Uzbekistan is considering introducing legal restrictions on social media use by children under the age of 16, adding its name to a growing list of Central Asian countries debating how to protect minors in the digital age. According to Gazeta.uz, the proposal was announced by Minister of Preschool and School Education E’zozxon Karimova following an event at the ministry on June 26. Speaking to the publication, Karimova said discussions had already taken place with members of parliament and the Senate, and that a draft law could soon be prepared for public consultation. “We are currently thinking about this issue. We have discussed it with our deputies and senators. We want to prepare a draft law and submit it for public discussion. I believe we should also have such regulations,” Karimova said. The proposal comes as governments across the region grapple with concerns over children’s exposure to harmful online content, cyberbullying, and excessive screen time. Karimova stressed that the objective is not to remove smartphones from children’s lives but to encourage responsible use through legal safeguards and stronger enforcement. “We live in the age of technology. We cannot simply take phones away from our children. Of course, they need them. But there should also be a culture and limits to their use,” she said. She noted that Uzbekistan already requires students to leave their phones before entering school and has rules governing student behavior. However, she acknowledged that enforcement remains inconsistent. “These rules work in some places and not in others. We now want to strengthen enforcement and legally restrict children under the age of 16 from using social media,” Karimova added. The debate mirrors similar discussions elsewhere in Central Asia. Earlier this year, The Times of Central Asia reported that Kazakhstan was considering legislative amendments to prohibit children under 16 from registering on social media platforms, while exempting messaging services. Lawmakers in Kazakhstan say the proposals are intended to shield children from harmful content, including violence and pornography, while reducing cyberbullying. According to Kazakhstani officials, approximately 200 cases of bullying and cyberbullying involving children had already been recorded in 2025, prompting calls for tighter regulation. The government has also been exploring age verification mechanisms, including SIM card registration for younger users, alongside expanded digital literacy education in schools. A similar debate emerged in neighboring Tajikistan last year. As previously reported by The Times of Central Asia, lawmakers proposed banning social media access for children under 14 and requiring written parental consent for teenagers aged 14 to 17. While supporters argued that stricter controls were necessary to protect children from harmful online content, critics maintained that digital literacy, parental involvement, and education would be more effective than blanket restrictions. Uzbekistan has not yet published a draft law, and Karimova indicated that any proposal would first undergo public discussion before being submitted for legislative consideration.

EU-Turkmenistan Relations

EU-Turkmenistan Human Rights Dialogue Presses Ashgabat on Rights

The European Union used its latest human rights dialogue with Turkmenistan to press Ashgabat on the gap between outward engagement and domestic control. The 18th annual EU-Turkmenistan Human Rights Dialogue was held in Ashgabat on June 22. It came during a period of slightly more visible contact between Turkmenistan and the outside world, including a rare visit by a Reuters reporting team earlier this year. Reuters said its journalists were able to travel unescorted and report freely, an unusual development in a country long known for strict visa controls and heavily managed media access. Whether that points to a genuine opening remains unclear. Turkmenistan has also spoken of simplifying its visa regime, joining the World Trade Organization, and diversifying its heavily state-led economy. The human rights picture remains highly restrictive. Rights groups continue to rank Turkmenistan among the world’s most closed states for journalists, civil society, and political dissent. The country placed 173rd out of 180 in the 2026 World Press Freedom Index. The Turkmen delegation at the dialogue was led by Deputy Foreign Minister Mehri Byashimova. The EU delegation was headed by Dietmar Krissler, head of the Central Asia Division at the European External Action Service. Brussels’ public account of the meeting focused on areas where it wants Turkmenistan to go further. The EU called for stronger anti-discrimination measures, tougher action against sexual and gender-based violence, the criminalization of domestic violence, and the decriminalization of consensual same-sex relations between adults. The bloc welcomed Turkmenistan’s cooperation with the International Labour Organization on eliminating forced and child labor. That issue has long been central to outside criticism of Turkmenistan, particularly in the cotton sector. Earlier this year, the EU and ILO launched a project aimed at strengthening action against forced and child labor in the country. The dialogue also reached some of Turkmenistan’s most sensitive rights issues. The EU raised concern over human rights defenders, including reports of transnational repression, and handed the Turkmen delegation a list of individual cases. Prison conditions were another focus. The EU cited reports of torture and ill-treatment, and urged Turkmenistan to work more closely with civil society on enforced disappearances. Rights groups have repeatedly called on Brussels to tie closer relations with Ashgabat to measurable progress on such cases. The EU praised Turkmenistan’s efforts to reduce statelessness, while also calling on the authorities to ensure equal access to consular services for all Turkmen citizens living abroad. Turkmen overseas have reported difficulties renewing passports and obtaining basic consular support, leaving some in precarious legal positions. The EU also called for unrestricted internet access and a safer environment for civil society organizations. The meeting reflects the tension in the EU’s current approach to Turkmenistan. Brussels is engaging Ashgabat more actively, as it is with the rest of Central Asia, but continues to keep human rights on the formal agenda. For Turkmenistan, even limited external access and more regular dialogue can be presented as movement. For the EU and rights groups, the test is whether that access leads...