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Alexey Pivovarov, a Russian journalist and YouTuber, was detained in Nukus, the capital of the autonomous Uzbek republic of Karakalpakstan. He was questioned by authorities along with the photography team for his project, Redaktsiya (Editorial), and Feride Makhsetova, a journalist from the local news portal Hook. Their arrest was initially reported by Hook. The journalists were detained "for an interview", supposedly following a complaint by an unidentified citizen. Authorities confiscated the visual material collected by the team, who, according to Pivovarov on his Telegram channel, had been filming in one of the region's cotton fields. The Karakalpakstan branch of the Agency for Information and Mass Communications claimed that the detentions occurred because the journalists were not accredited by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Later, Pivovarov, Makhsetova, and their team were released by the Nukus Department of Internal Affairs. They subsequently traveled to Tashkent without the materials they had filmed in Karakalpakstan. The Russian Embassy in Uzbekistan addressed the incident, stating that it had contacted Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and would provide support to the Russian citizens involved. In a message on his Telegram channel, Pivovarov described the officials in Nukus as “friendly and polite.”
A month ago, reports emerged of an assassination attempt on Komil Allamjonov, the former head of the Presidential Department in Uzbekistan. Some media outlets speculated that Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov might be connected to the case. In response, the Prosecutor General’s Office has released an official statement addressing the incident. According to the statement, material evidence linked to the case was discovered during the inspection of the crime scene, searches of vehicles used by the suspects, and investigations at their residences. These findings have been crucial in advancing the case. So far, investigative efforts have identified seven individuals involved in the crime. Five of them have been placed under preventive detention, while two remain wanted by authorities. One suspect, identified as K.S., was located in Kazakhstan, where investigative procedures were carried out. Another suspect, Javlon Yunusov, was arrested in South Korea and subsequently deported to Uzbekistan. The investigation is still ongoing, and further details are expected as the case develops.
The Times of Central Asia has reported that three Uzbek nationals are suspected in the murder of Rabbi Zvi Kagan, an Israeli-Moldovan citizen and prominent figure in the Jewish religious movement Chabad. The UAE Ministry of Interior announced the arrest of the suspects, identified as Olimpi Toirovich (28), Makhmudjon Abdurakhim (28), and Azizbek Kamlovich (33). A ministry-released photo showed the suspects blindfolded and shackled, underscoring the seriousness of the case. Authorities have transferred the investigation to the prosecutor’s office but have yet to disclose the specific charges or motive behind the murder. Rabbi Kagan, a UAE resident, was reported missing on November 21, prompting a swift search by local authorities. His body was discovered on November 24, leading to the identification and arrest of the suspects. A respected member of the UAE’s Jewish community, Kagan assisted the country’s chief rabbi and managed a kosher supermarket, Rimon, in Dubai. His contributions were pivotal in supporting the Jewish community in the region. The case has drawn significant attention due to Kagan’s prominent role and the mystery surrounding the crime. UAE officials have stated that the investigation is ongoing, with further details expected to emerge as it progresses.
Authorities in the United Arab Emirates have arrested three Uzbek citizens in the killing of an Israeli-Moldovan rabbi, the UAE’s Ministry of Interior said Monday. Israel described the killing as an act of antisemitic terrorism. The suspects in the death of Zvi Kogan were identified as Olympi Tohirovich and Makhmodjon Abdulraheem, both 28, as well as 33-year-old Azizbek Kamlovich, according to the UAE ministry. It said a murder investigation was underway and the matter will be referred to public prosecutors. The ministry commended security forces for “their efficiency in addressing attempts to undermine the safety and stability of the UAE community.” The ministry posted photos of the suspects, showing them blindfolded, handcuffed and wearing blue detention clothing. Kogan, the envoy of the ultra-Orthodox Chabad-Lubavitch movement to Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates, was killed after being abducted on Thursday and his body was recovered early Sunday morning, according to Chabad.org. Kogan’s funeral was held in Israel on Monday. “The murder of Zvi Kogan, of blessed memory, is an abhorrent act of antisemitic terrorism,” Israel said in a statement. “The State of Israel will use all means and will deal with the criminals responsible for his death to the fullest extent of the law.” There were no immediate public statements from Uzbek authorities.
Kadyr Yusupov, a former Uzbek diplomat with a distinguished career who was convicted of treason and jailed in a case that the United Nations said had violated his rights, has died at the age of 73, an international human rights group said on Thursday. Yusupov, who died on Nov. 14, was released from jail on June 10 after being imprisoned for five and a half years and suffering alleged torture and “deplorable” conditions during some of that time, according to the Norwegian Helsinki Committee. While Uzbek officials denied the torture allegations, the U.N. Working Group on Arbitrary Detention concluded in a 2021 report that Yusupov had been arbitrarily detained, he should be released immediately and that the government should take action against those responsible for violating his rights. The group said that the violations included the denial of “medication and treatment for the very serious health conditions from which he suffers.” Rights groups have said that Yusupov was suffering from a mental illness. “In December 2018 he was arrested on charges of treason which appear to have been based on a statement he made during a psychotic episode, when he was undergoing medical treatment,” the Norwegian Helsinki Committee said. “Whilst in hospital, suffering from brain trauma and clearly confused, Yusupov reportedly said that he had been a spy for the West.” It said there were “credible allegations” that state security officers coerced Yusupov into a confession. The former diplomat said he was treated better after being transferred from a prison in the city of Navoi to a jail in the Tashkent region. Yusupov had worked in a series of high-profile jobs for Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The posts included head of the ministry’s Asia and Africa department, head of the European department and, from 2006 to 2009, chargé d’affaires in Austria and permanent representative to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe and United Nations organizations in Vienna.
On November 15 a new law regulating foreign citizens deemed "undesirable" came into effect in Uzbekistan. The government claims that the strict measures, previously reported on by The Times of Central Asia in June, are aimed at safeguarding the country’s "sovereignty, security, and unity". The legislative process began on June 25 when Uzbekistan’s Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis (parliament) approved amendments to the law on the legal status of foreign citizens and stateless persons. These amendments introduced the concept of “undesirable elements” among foreign nationals. The Senate subsequently approved the legislation on September 21, paving the way for its implementation. Under the new law, foreign citizens and stateless persons can be classified as undesirable if they can be said to: • Threaten Uzbekistan’s sovereignty, security, or unity; • Incite enmity or hostility; or • Disrespect the honor, dignity, or history of the Uzbek people. Those designated as undesirable face a five-year ban on entering Uzbekistan, opening bank accounts, purchasing property, participating in privatizations, or engaging in financial and contractual transactions. They are, however, permitted to sell or transfer any property they own within the country. If the grounds for being deemed undesirable are not addressed during the five-year ban, the restriction is automatically extended for another five years. Conversely, individuals may apply for early removal from the list if they resolve the identified issues or if the government recommends their delisting. Individuals deemed undesirable must leave Uzbekistan voluntarily within 10 days of receiving notification. Failure to comply will result in forcible deportation.
