• KGS/USD = 0.01144 0%
  • KZT/USD = 0.00197 0%
  • TJS/USD = 0.09154 -0.11%
  • UZS/USD = 0.00008 0%
  • TMT/USD = 0.28571 0%
  • KGS/USD = 0.01144 0%
  • KZT/USD = 0.00197 0%
  • TJS/USD = 0.09154 -0.11%
  • UZS/USD = 0.00008 0%
  • TMT/USD = 0.28571 0%
  • KGS/USD = 0.01144 0%
  • KZT/USD = 0.00197 0%
  • TJS/USD = 0.09154 -0.11%
  • UZS/USD = 0.00008 0%
  • TMT/USD = 0.28571 0%
  • KGS/USD = 0.01144 0%
  • KZT/USD = 0.00197 0%
  • TJS/USD = 0.09154 -0.11%
  • UZS/USD = 0.00008 0%
  • TMT/USD = 0.28571 0%
  • KGS/USD = 0.01144 0%
  • KZT/USD = 0.00197 0%
  • TJS/USD = 0.09154 -0.11%
  • UZS/USD = 0.00008 0%
  • TMT/USD = 0.28571 0%
  • KGS/USD = 0.01144 0%
  • KZT/USD = 0.00197 0%
  • TJS/USD = 0.09154 -0.11%
  • UZS/USD = 0.00008 0%
  • TMT/USD = 0.28571 0%
  • KGS/USD = 0.01144 0%
  • KZT/USD = 0.00197 0%
  • TJS/USD = 0.09154 -0.11%
  • UZS/USD = 0.00008 0%
  • TMT/USD = 0.28571 0%
  • KGS/USD = 0.01144 0%
  • KZT/USD = 0.00197 0%
  • TJS/USD = 0.09154 -0.11%
  • UZS/USD = 0.00008 0%
  • TMT/USD = 0.28571 0%
11 February 2025

Viewing results 7 - 12 of 73

27 Defendants Charged in Crocus City Hall Terror Attack

The Russian Investigative Committee has formally charged 27 individuals in connection with the terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall in the Moscow Region. The announcement was made by Alexander Bastrykin, chairman of the Russian Investigative Committee. “The most serious and tragic incident of last year was the terrorist attack at the Crocus City Hall concert hall, where 146 people were killed. The Main Investigative Department has charged 27 people as defendants in this case,” Bastrykin stated in an interview with Российская газета (Russian Newspaper). The attack occurred on March 22, 2024, at Crocus City Hall in Krasnogorsk, Moscow Region, with the assailants opening fire with automatic weapons on people inside the building before setting the auditorium on fire. According to the authorities, the primary suspects in the case are citizens of Tajikistan. Reports indicate that twelve individuals have already been arrested in connection with the attack. Additionally, The Times of Central Asia previously reported that the Istanbul Prosecutor’s Office had sought prison sentences ranging from 7.5 to 15 years for five Central Asian nationals accused of being involved in last spring’s terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall.

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

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.

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...

Deportations of Central Asians from the U.S. Increased in 2024

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has released its Fiscal Year 2024 Annual Report, detailing the agency’s accomplishments over the past year. The report highlights how ICE’s directorates and program offices met their mission objectives. Established in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, ICE is tasked with protecting the American public, ensuring public safety, and promoting national security. According to the report, ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) deported 271,484 non-citizens with final orders of removal to 192 countries. This total includes 88,763 individuals charged with or convicted of criminal offenses, 3,706 known or suspected gang members, 237 known or suspected terrorists, and eight human rights violators. More than 30% of those deported had criminal histories, with an average of 5.63 convictions or charges per individual. ERO also assisted in identifying and arresting individuals wanted in their home countries for serious crimes, including terrorism and torture. The Times of Central Asia examined the report with a focus on Central Asian countries. In 2024, the US deported 572 Uzbek nationals - a dramatic increase compared to 88 in 2013, 21 in 2021, and 55 in 2022. Deportations of Tajik citizens also surged, reaching 77 in 2024 compared to only four annually in 2019, 2020, 2022, and 2023. Kazakhstan saw the deportation of 23 of its citizens this year, up from 14 in 2023. Deportations to Kyrgyzstan also spiked, with 69 individuals removed in 2024. By comparison, only three Kyrgyz citizens were deported in 2020, eight in 2021, one in 2022, and 14 in 2023. Meanwhile, deportations of Turkmen nationals remained low, but still showed an upward trend. In 2024, five Turkmen citizens were deported, compared to four in 2019, one in 2022, and three in 2023.

Tajikistan Captures Four Suspected of Konibodom Night Murders

Tajikistan's Prosecutor General's Office has announced that it has detained four men in connection with a series of murders that have terrified the town of Konibodom, in the country's northern Sughd region. The office's statement says that operational and investigative measures led to the arrest of four Tajik citizens. The detainees are: Solehjon Khudojberdiev, born in 1998, a resident of Firuzoba Jamoat, Gulbog village; Akhajon Tukhtaev, born in 1997, also from Firuzoba Jamoat, Gulbog village; Bakhtiyor Ravshanov, born in 1988, a resident of Lohuti Jamoat, Sanchidzor village; Manuchehr Odilov, born in 1996, in M. Abdulloyev street, Khamroboyev Jamoat. All four are residents of Konibodom. The Prosecutor General's Office said that the investigation is being conducted under the direct supervision of the country's top leadership. Earlier this year, The Times of Central Asia reported that Konibodom residents had endured a wave of night murders in the spring. Between late March and late May, 13 people -- ethnic Tajiks, and Kyrgyz from the region near the Kyrgyz border -- were killed. The victims, ranging from children to the elderly, were murdered in different parts of the town. While authorities initially claimed the suspects had been caught and the killings had stopped, violence returned in December. On December 9, six more people were murdered, followed by four more found dead in their homes on December 16.