Page 145 – The Times Of Central Asia

28 Aug 2025

Central Asia, Home, Kazakhstan Local Politics, Local Politics, Kazakhstan, Features, Kazakhstan Featurees, Kazakhstan Home

Domestic Abuse Back in Spotlight After Self-Immolation, Hostage Cases in Kazakhstan

August 29, 2025
By Aliya Haidar

Two shocking incidents at Almaty airport this year, one involving self-immolation, the other a hostage-taking, have once again led to discussions about gender issues in Kazakhstan.

Two Tragedies at Almaty Airport

On August 25, CCTV cameras recorded a man pouring gasoline over himself at an airport ticket counter after a “personal conflict with his common-law wife,” before setting himself alight. Police extinguished the fire, but the man remains in critical condition in hospital, according to the Transport Police Department. The airport chief of police stated that “according to preliminary data, the man committed this offense because of domestic relations.” Although internet platforms have been rife with speculation about what lies behind the incident, no further information is currently available.

Earlier, on March 7, Mashrapbek Baratov assaulted a female security officer at the same airport, dragging her by the hair and threatening her with a knife while claiming to be carrying a bomb. He was disarmed by a bystander, Musa Abdraim, who was later awarded a medal for bravery by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. Baratov, who had a history of violence against women, was sentenced to 11 years in prison in July.

The Bishimbayev Case and “Saltanat’s Law”

These cases reflect a wider pattern of violence against women. The most infamous case involved former Minister of National Economy Kuandyk Bishimbayev, who beat his partner, Saltanat Nukenova, to death in November 2023. The trial, broadcast live, shocked the country and drew international attention. Bishimbayev was sentenced to 24 years in prison in May 2024.

The case coincided with the introduction of new legislation, the Law on Ensuring Women’s Rights and Child Safety, signed by Tokayev in April 2024. Publicly dubbed “Saltanat’s Law,” it toughened penalties for domestic abusers and marked a turning point in public awareness of gender-based violence.

High-profile prosecutions continue. On July 18, former diplomat Saken Mamash was sentenced to six years in prison for psychological and physical abuse of his ex-wife.

Progress and Persistent Gaps

Officials report cautious progress. State Councilor Yerlan Karin announced in June 2025 that domestic violence reports had dropped by 20.5% year-on-year. Serious domestic crimes fell by nearly one-third, and crimes against minors also declined. Overall, the number of crimes against women has halved in five years.

Yet experts warn the problem is far from solved. Kazakhstan still lacks trained police officers, shelters, and support services for victims. Civil society groups stress that legal reforms must be accompanied by education campaigns to challenge entrenched attitudes that relegate women to a secondary role within families.

Despite women’s growing participation in business and public life, traditional norms often leave them vulnerable. Many abusers justify violence as a way of “correcting” women who fail to meet domestic expectations. High levels of objectification and sexualization further reinforce inequality.

A Continuing Struggle

While Saltanat’s Law has signaled a strong state response, the Almaty airport tragedies reveal the dangers of ignoring early warning signs of violence. Until legal measures are matched with deeper cultural change and expanded support networks, Kazakhstan’s women remain at risk.

28 Aug 2025

Central Asia, Life & Culture, Kyrgyzstan Life & Culture, Kyrgyzstan

Yacht Fleet Launched on Lake Issyk-Kul to Boost Tourism and Sports

August 28, 2025
By Sergey Kwan

On August 26, Kyrgyzstan’s resort city of Cholpon-Ata inaugurated the first monotype yacht fleet on Lake Issyk-Kul, marking a new stage in the development of the region’s tourism infrastructure.

The project was spearheaded by Evgeny Kotov, a Russia-born entrepreneur, international business trainer, and founder of the Practicum business school.

At the opening ceremony, Kyrgyzstan’s Minister of Economy and Commerce Bakyt Sydykov highlighted the significance of the initiative, noting that tourism is defined as a strategic sector of the national economy under the National Development Program until 2030.

According to Sydykov, the yacht fleet will help diversify Issyk-Kul’s tourism offerings by developing water sports and recreation, attracting visitors year-round, creating new jobs, and strengthening Kyrgyzstan’s international image and investment appeal.

The new sailing infrastructure also opens opportunities for training athletes and hosting international competitions. Earlier this year, the ministry backed a proposal from the Sailing Federation of the Kyrgyz Republic to exempt sports equipment, including sailing yachts, from customs duties and to simplify procedures for the temporary import of vessels participating in competitions.

28 Aug 2025

Central Asia, Home, Uzbekistan, Life & Culture, Uzbekistan Features, Uzbekistan Home, Uzbekistan Life & Culture, Features

Discovery in Uzbekistan Reveals Early Steps Toward Agriculture 9,200 Years Ago

August 28, 2025
By Sadokat Jalolova

An international team of archaeologists has uncovered evidence that hunter-gatherer communities in southern Uzbekistan were harvesting wild barley as far back as 9,200 years ago, reshaping current understanding of how agriculture first emerged.

Until now, scholars largely believed that the domestication of crops such as barley and wheat began in the Fertile Crescent about 10,000 years ago, particularly among the Natufian people. But new findings from Uzbekistan’s Surkandarya Valley indicate that the cultural practices leading to farming extended much further afield. Researchers argue this challenges long-held assumptions that agriculture arose only once, in response to climate change or population pressures, in a single geographic cradle.

Excavations at Toda Cave

The discovery was made at Toda Cave, excavated under the direction of Xinying Zhou of the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology in Beijing, with oversight from Farhad Maksudov, director of the Institute of Archaeology in Samarkand.

From the cave’s oldest layers, the team recovered stone tools, charcoal, and plant remains. Archaeobotanical analysis by Robert Spengler of the Max Planck Institute of Geoanthropology confirmed the presence of wild barley, along with pistachio shells and apple seeds, suggesting a diverse diet.

Stone blades and flakes, mostly made from limestone, showed clear use-wear patterns consistent with cutting grasses and plants. These tools closely resemble those found at early farming sites elsewhere.

Rethinking the Origins of Agriculture

“This discovery should change the way scientists think about the transition from foraging to farming,” Zhou said. Spengler added that repeated harvesting of wild plants may have led to unintentional domestication, with early foragers gradually shaping the plants they relied on.

The researchers suggest that the behaviors seen in Toda Cave could represent either an independent experiment in cultivation or evidence of an earlier-than-assumed eastward spread of farming traditions from the Fertile Crescent. Either way, the findings highlight the role of Central Asia in the global story of agriculture.

Next Steps

The team plans to expand excavations in the region to determine whether similar practices existed among other communities. “These ancient hunters and foragers were already tied into the cultural practices that would lead to the origins of agriculture,” Spengler noted.

The discovery underscores that Central Asia, long overlooked in studies of agricultural origins, may have played a crucial role in humanity’s shift from foraging to farming.

28 Aug 2025

Central Asia, Kazakhstan Local Politics, Local Politics, Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan Considers Lowering Speed Limits in Populated Areas

August 28, 2025
By Dmitry Pokidaev

Kazakhstan’s parliament is set to debate reducing the maximum speed limit for motor vehicles in populated areas when deputies return from their summer recess, according to Kaisar Sultanbaev, chairman of the Administrative Police Committee of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

“As for reducing the speed limit in populated areas, we are constantly working on legislation and our regulatory documents. We are currently considering this issue in working order. When our MPs return from their vacation, we will discuss it with them. The issue is in progress, and we will provide additional information about the decisions taken,” Sultanbaev said at a briefing.

Currently, the standard speed limit in populated areas is 60 km/h, with variations in certain zones: 40 km/h near schools and up to 80 km/h on bypass roads within city limits. Sultanbaev did not indicate what the new limit might be.

The Interior Ministry has previously raised similar initiatives. In spring 2024, it proposed reducing the speed of freight vehicles in populated areas to 50 km/h. The Urban Forum Kazakhstan foundation has also suggested lowering limits in Almaty to 30-50 km/h for all vehicles. More recently, in February 2025, the Prosecutor General’s Office proposed cutting the maximum speed on suburban roads from 90 to 60 km/h.

Road safety remains a pressing concern. In the first half of 2025 alone, police recorded more than 3 million speeding violations nationwide. Speeding remains one of the leading causes of fatal crashes: 1,129 traffic accidents in populated areas were attributed to speeding in that period, resulting in 95 deaths. On national and regional highways, 986 similar accidents killed 180 people.

At the same time, Sultanbaev noted that stricter enforcement is helping reduce casualties. Between January and June 2025, traffic accidents left 16,000 people injured, down from 26,000 a year earlier. Road fatalities also fell by 8 percent, from 1,480 to 1,366.

Kazakhstan’s growing vehicle fleet compounds the challenge. Over the past 34 years, the number of registered vehicles has risen from 2 million to 5.5 million.

Earlier this year, The Times of Central Asia reported that senators also proposed introducing a so-called “idiot test”, a psychophysiological assessment for repeat offenders who frequently violate traffic rules, including speed limits.

28 Aug 2025

Central Asia, Kazakhstan, Business & Economy, Kazakhstan Business & Economy

French Pharma Giant Sanofi to Localize Production in Kazakhstan

August 28, 2025
By Dmitry Pokidaev

French pharmaceutical company Sanofi, one of the world’s largest drugmakers, will localize the production of medical products in Kazakhstan.

The agreement was reached following negotiations in Paris between Kazakh health Ministry officials and Sanofi representatives. Sanofi ranked tenth globally by revenue in 2024, earning $44.46 billion, according to Fierce Pharma.

“During the discussions, issues related to current joint projects with Kazakhstan in the field of pharmaceuticals, the supply and production of medicines, as well as the development and implementation of innovative medical technologies were touched upon,” the ministry said in a statement.

Talks also addressed broader cooperation with the French Development Agency (AFD) and Expertise France, which have been active in Kazakhstan’s healthcare sector. AFD, which opened a representative office in Astana in April, has already provided a €945,000 grant to improve medical infrastructure planning and management. Together with its subsidiary Proparco, the agency also financed a €90 million loan for the construction of a 630-bed hospital in Kokshetau.

Beyond healthcare, as previously reported by The Times of Central Asia, the AFD is supporting environmental initiatives in Kazakhstan, including a joint project with France to preserve Lake Balkhash.

28 Aug 2025

Central Asia, Turkmenistan Home, Home, Turkmenistan, Turkmenistan Local Politics, Local Politics, Turkmenistan Features, Features

U.S. State Department: No Improvement in Turkmenistan’s Human Rights Record

August 28, 2025
By Vagit Ismailov

The U.S. State Department’s annual report on Turkmenistan for 2024 concludes that “no significant changes in the human rights situation in the country have been observed.”

Death in Custody and Pressure on Journalists

The report cites the death of Allamurat Khudayramov, from Mary region, who reportedly died from torture while in custody.

Journalists also remain under pressure. On August 13, former Radio Azatlyk correspondent Khudayberdi Allashov died in Koneurgench. Independent journalist Soltan Achilova reported harassment by authorities in video messages on July 11 and December 10. In November, she was barred from traveling to Geneva for the second time to receive an international award for her human rights work.

The government continues to enforce strict media censorship and control of the internet, blocking websites, social media platforms, and VPN services. Security services reportedly summoned citizens who used VPNs for questioning, though more people are finding ways to bypass restrictions.

Labor Rights Violations

The report details widespread abuses in the workplace. Employers, including state agencies, compelled employees to work 10-hour days or six-day weeks without overtime pay. Many civil servants were required to work Saturdays.

Penalties for labor law violations remain light compared with other crimes, and enforcement mechanisms are weak. Only 327 labor inspectors were responsible for monitoring compliance nationwide. The Ministry of Labor reported 2,269 violations as of September 1, 2024.

Workers in the cotton industry faced health risks from chemical exposure but could not refuse unsafe tasks without risking dismissal. The report also documents the use of child labor, with children from low-income families engaged in heavy work in markets and agriculture.

Restrictions on Freedom and Repression Abroad

The organization Show Them Alive! recorded 162 cases of prisoner disappearances. While no new cases were identified in 2024, existing cases remain unresolved. Courts reportedly prevent detainees from challenging their arrest, and families are often unaware of prisoners’ whereabouts. Torture continues to be reported.

The State Department also notes Turkmenistan’s involvement in transnational repression. On November 11, Human Rights Watch warned that Turkmen citizens critical of the government face arrest and torture if they return from abroad.

Exit bans remain in force: some citizens are prevented from leaving the country even after renewing passports. In August, Turkmen News editor Ruslan Myatiev was denied entry to Turkey, where he was labeled a “threat to national security.”

Turkmen activists abroad have also faced detention. Several opposition figures were arrested in Turkey at Ashgabat’s request, with some deported, including Merdan Mukhamedov, who now faces up to 25 years in prison.