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Aliyev Takes Aim at Russia in Azerbaijan Airlines Crash

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has intensified his criticism of Russia, accusing it of a “cover-up” over the Azerbaijan Airlines plane which crashed near the Kazakh city of Aktau on December 25. During a televised address, Aliyev expressed Azerbaijan’s “surprise, regret, and righteous indignation” over what he described as “absurd” explanations for the crash. Departing from protocol, Aliyev delivered his address in Russian, a poignant choice that heightened the gravity of his message. “I can confidently say that the guilt for the deaths of Azerbaijani citizens in this accident lies with the representatives of the Russian Federation,” Aliyev stated. “We demand justice, we demand punishment of the guilty, we demand complete transparency and humane treatment… If the city of Grozny had taken timely measures to close Russian airspace over its territory, if all the rules of ground services had been observed, and if there had been coordination between the armed forces and civil services of the Russian Federation, then this tragedy would not have happened.” On Monday, Aliyev met with the two surviving flight attendants and the families of other crew members who perished, describing them as “heroes”. The Flight Recorders In a related development, Brazil has concluded its analysis of the black boxes from Azerbaijan Airlines Flight 8243. The Aeronautical Accidents Investigation and Prevention Center (CENIPA) confirmed that the findings were handed over to Kazakhstan’s Aviation Accident Investigation Department in line with international protocols for aircraft accident investigations. These results will contribute to the final report on the incident. As previously reported by The Times of Central Asia (TCA), the incident led the Commission on Aviation Incident Investigation, headed by Kazakhstan’s Minister of Transport, Marat Karabayev, to decide to send the flight recorders to Brazil’s CENIPA. The investigation was conducted by three Brazilian specialists in collaboration with Azerbaijani and Russian experts. Chronology of the Crash The incident occurred on December 25, when an Embraer 190 aircraft operated by Azerbaijan Airlines crashed near Aktau on Kazakhstan’s Caspian Sea coast. The plane was flying between Baku, Azerbaijan, and Grozny, Russia. Of the 67 people on board, 38 were killed, and 29 were injured. The passengers included 37 Azerbaijani citizens, 6 Kazakhs, 3 Kyrgyz, and 16 Russians. On December 26, video footage showing small holes in the fuselage wreckage sparked speculation about possible external damage. Aviation and military analysts suggested the holes might have been caused by air defense systems, given reports from the Chechen authorities about the shooting down of Ukrainian drones in the area. This raised concerns about the potential for misidentification. [caption id="attachment_27352" align="aligncenter" width="1280"] Chechen Pantsir Missile Launcher; image: Vitaly V. Kuzmin[/caption] When asked about the possibility of external fire, Kazakh Minister Marat Bozumbayev emphasized that conclusions would only be drawn after all available evidence had been examined. International Collaboration The Azerbaijani government rejected the idea of a Russian-led investigation, opting instead for an international team of experts, including representatives from Embraer. The black boxes were sent to CENIPA on December 29. The crash also prompted a temporary suspension...

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Kyrgyzstan Strengthens Fight Against Corruption

Kyrgyzstan’s president, Sadyr Japarov, has signed a new law to intensify the fight against corruption by introducing tougher penalties for offenders and eliminating opportunities for them to avoid imprisonment. Under the new legislation, individuals convicted of corruption will no longer be able to pay fines or compensate the state for damages in exchange for avoiding prison sentences. Instead, they will be required to serve a mandatory prison term - even if they confess to their crimes. The new law amends Article 79 of Kyrgyzstan’s Criminal Code by adding Part 1/1. According to this amendment: Offenders who plead guilty and fully compensate the material damage caused to the state for crimes listed under Articles 336-348 (corruption and other offenses against state and municipal interests) must receive a prison sentence. The sentence will be no less than half the minimum term prescribed under the relevant criminal article. Additionally, corrupt individuals will be permanently barred from holding state or municipal positions, regardless of whether their criminal record is later expunged. This law signals Kyrgyzstan’s commitment to eradicating corruption within state structures. Authorities believe it will create the necessary mechanisms to deter corrupt activities and hold offenders accountable. One of the country’s most high-profile corruption cases involved former customs officer and oligarch Raimbek Matraimov, nicknamed “Million.” As previously reported by The Times of Central Asia, Matraimov avoided imprisonment by paying over $200 million to the state, sparking public outrage over leniency in sentencing. The new law addresses such loopholes, ensuring that financial restitution alone will no longer suffice to escape imprisonment. This reform underscores Kyrgyzstan’s broader efforts to strengthen governance, restore public trust, and ensure accountability at all levels of government.

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Tajikistan Files New Charges in Konibodom ‘Night Killings’ Case

Three suspects in Tajikistan's Konibodom ‘night killings’ case now face additional charges of hooliganism and rape. Solekhdjon Khudojberdiyev, Ahadjon Tukhtaev, and Manuchehr Odilov, initially charged with murder. Authorities have offered little public information on the case. A brief statement from the Prosecutor General’s Office acknowledged the new indictments but refrained from providing further details, leaving key questions unanswered. Suspect Profiles Solekhdjon Khudojberdiyev (b. 1998): Hailing from the village of Gulbog, Khudojberdiyev had a prior conviction for rape. A sports enthusiast, he was known locally for his boxing, weightlifting, and power juggling performances. Ahadjon Tukhtaev (b. 1997): A butcher by trade from the same village as Khudojberdiyev, Tukhtaev also had a criminal record for sex crimes. Manuchehr Odilov (b. 1996): From Khamroboev Jamoat, Odilov shared a similar criminal background. Reports suggest he became acquainted with Khudojberdiyev and Tukhtaev while in prison. Bakhtiyor Ravshanov (b. 1988): A shoemaker and builder from the village of Sanjidzor, Ravshanov is Khudojberdiyev’s cousin. He faces murder charges for one of the killings in May. Case Background The Konibodom region in Sughd Oblast has endured a series of brutal killings. Between late March and May 2024, 13 individuals - ranging from children to the elderly - were murdered in their homes. The victims, ethnic Tajiks and Kyrgyz, lived near the border with Kyrgyzstan. These crimes, committed in different parts of the city, terrorized residents before the suspects were apprehended and the killings temporarily ceased. However, the violence resurfaced in December. On December 9, six people were killed, followed by four more murders on December 16. The crimes prompted swift action, and on December 22, the Prosecutor General’s Office announced the detention of four suspects. The investigation remains under the close scrutiny of Tajikistan’s top leadership. The Prosecutor General is expected to provide a comprehensive update during the final press conference, shedding light on the motives and details of these tragic events. This story ws last updated on 8 January, 2025

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Kazakh Blogger, Jailed After Filming at Azerbaijan Airlines Crash Site, is Freed

A Kazakh blogger, who was sentenced to 10 days in prison after using a drone to film wreckage, emergency responders and bodies covered with tarps at the site of the Azerbaijan Airlines passenger plane crash in Kazakhstan, has been released. Azamat Sarsenbayev was convicted of disobeying a police order not to film and photograph at the Dec. 25 crash in a quickly held, late-night trial in a court in Fort-Shevchenko, more than 100 kilometers from Aktau, the Caspian Sea city where the plane hit the ground and burst into flames, killing 38 of the 67 people on board. He had disputed the charge, arguing that there were procedural violations and that, by law, he should have received a fine instead of a prison sentence. [caption id="attachment_27275" align="aligncenter" width="766"] Footage from the crash site; Azamat Sarsenbayev[/caption] The prosecution of Sarsenbayev partly shows the tension between periodic government efforts to monitor and restrict information, not just in Kazakhstan but also in other Central Asian countries, and the efforts of some bloggers, journalists and others to widen the scope for reporting, often at risk of prosecution and jail time. Regional governments sometimes warn of the threat of provocateurs spreading disinformation, though Sarsenbayev’s actions on the day of the crash appeared to be more in line with reporting the facts of a major international disaster. Drones enhance the reporting ability of some journalists, though there can be accompanying ethical, legal and security concerns about their use. The Embraer 190 plane crash is particularly sensitive because it involves criminal investigators and a delicate international backdrop. Azerbaijan says Russian ground fire hit the plane as it was trying to land at its planned destination in Russia-controlled Chechnya. Russia has apologized without directly confirming the Azerbaijani account. Kazakhstan is leading the investigation and preliminary findings are expected to be released later in January. On social media posts this weekend, Sarsenbayev provided details about his testimony to the judge during his trial, saying he had received calls from international news organizations and other outlets asking for help in covering the crash. He said he reached the scene at around 11 a.m. and deployed his drone about one kilometer away, without having any contact with police, and then approached a cordoned-off area to interview a representative from the Ministry of Emergency Situations who was giving official comments. Sarsenbayev said he told the judge that the media organizations that had contacted him did so “for paid collaboration to capture authentic, exclusive materials for their platforms” and that he had not taken any “explicit” images of crash victims, since their bodies were covered. “If there had been even the slightest hint of a breach of ´ethics´ or ´moral norms´ in my photographs, platforms like Instagram would have automatically blocked my posts, let alone news outlets that published my images. In that case, should we hold everyone accountable for photographing or filming incidents like car accidents or other similar events?” Sarsenbayev said he told the judge. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has promised more...

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Istanbul Prosecutors Seek Lengthy Sentences for Suspects in Crocus City Attack

The Istanbul Prosecutor’s Office has demanded prison sentences ranging from 7.5 to 15 years for five Central Asians accused of involvement in last spring's terrorist attack on the Crocus City concert hall in Moscow. This information was reported by the Anadolu news agency. The detainees - identified as Hafizjon Usmanov, Muteullo Asoyev, Rahmatullo Solikov, Muhammadrahim Faizov, and Hamza Muhammed - are accused of providing instructions and logistical support to the perpetrators of the attack. They allegedly promised 800,000 rubles (approximately $7,240) and new identity documents in exchange for carrying out the attack. According to Anadolu, the suspects were in contact with Shamsiddin Fariduni and Saidakrami Rachabalizoda, who are believed to have been directly involved in the attack. One of the detainees reportedly shared an apartment in Istanbul’s Avcılar district with Fariduni. Evidence presented by prosecutors includes correspondence between one of the suspects and a perpetrator. In the messages, the suspect proposed planting a bomb at the Vegas shopping center, promising an advance payment of 100,000 rubles and an additional 700,000 rubles upon completion of the act. The terrorist attack on Crocus City Hall in March last year claimed the lives of 144 people and injured 551 others. The main suspects in the case are citizens of Tajikistan, with reports indicating that 12 individuals have been arrested in connection with the attack. The Istanbul investigation sheds further light on the broader network behind the attack, pointing to an international web of operatives and support personnel.

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Repatriating Islamic State Fighters and Families: Balancing Security and Humanity

With the fall of the Assad regime in Syria, repatriating foreign fighters is a pressing issue at the intersection of global security, humanitarian principles, and national responsibility. Central Asian governments — namely, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan — have emerged as proactive players in repatriating their citizens from camps in northeastern Syria. While these efforts are laudable, they come with challenges and unanswered questions. Tens of thousands of people, many of them women and children associated with former ISIS or the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria - a terrorist organization known for its extreme ideology and violent actions of its’ fighters — remain trapped in the camps of northeastern Syria. Their lives are defined by squalor and uncertainty, and they face a bleak future. Central Asian nations have stepped up where many others have faltered, asserting their responsibility to help their citizens who languish there. Yet, this commitment is not without its limits. Repatriating men — many of whom were fighters — remains a challenge that even the most ambitious programs have struggled to address. This issue looms large, as it intertwines with broader questions. These include reintegration, security risks, and the potential for radicalization, both in prison systems and broader society. The scale of efforts undertaken by four of the Central Asian countries is significant. Together, they have repatriated around 2,200 citizens: Kazakhstan, the most, 754 individuals, followed by others with numbers ranging from 381 to 533. These figures represent more than just logistical achievements. They reflect these governments' commitment to humanitarian principles. However, the path has not been entirely smooth, as some of the repatriated women and children have returned back to conflict zones. As counterintuitive as this may seem, they might do so out of ideological commitment, social ties, coercion or threats, trauma bonding, or difficulty reintegrating into their home societies. All this suggests cracks in reintegration programs that must be addressed. The strategies employed by the Central Asian states, despite their common goal, differ in focus and execution. Kazakhstan’s “Operation Zhusan” is often mentioned as a model of coordination and commitment. It has gone beyond mere repatriation to a vision embracing comprehensive reintegration, including other services, such as DNA testing to identify orphaned children. Yet such efforts rely heavily on state resources and long-term political will, neither of which can be taken for granted. Uzbekistan’s Mehr ("Kindness") initiative has particularly focused on protecting children and supporting the unification of families. Yet even with international appreciation, Uzbekistan faces the same challenges as its neighbors: how to sustain this momentum and address lingering societal stigmas toward returnees. Kyrgyzstan paused its repatriation operations in Iraq due to legal roadblocks and has turned its attention to Syria. However, Kyrgyzstan relies significantly on international cooperation, as its own economic resources for such activities are comparatively limited. So far, it has repatriated 511 citizens. Tajikistan’s steady progress highlights even more pointedly the role of international cooperation with organizations like UNICEF and the European Union. The Tajik authorities have worked closely with...