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07 Aug 2025

Home, Central Asia, Turkmenistan Home, Turkmenistan Justice, Justice, Turkmenistan, Turkmenistan Features, Features

UN Special Rapporteur Urges Turkmenistan to Release Activist Murat Dushemov

August 12, 2025
By Vagit Ismailov

Mary Lawlor, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, has called for the immediate release of Turkmen civil activist Murat Dushemov, who was recently re-imprisoned under disputed circumstances.

Lawlor stated that the new charges against Dushemov are fabricated and appear to be retaliation for his peaceful activism and exercise of free expression.

“I will closely monitor the trial of civil activist Murat Dushemov, who has been in prison since 2021 and is now facing new criminal charges in apparent retaliation for his peaceful activism and for exercising his freedom of expression in Turkmenistan. I call for his immediate release,” Lawlor posted on X.

Her call was echoed by the Regional Office for Central Asia of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, which reaffirmed support for Dushemov’s release.

Renewed Persecution

As previously reported by The Times of Central Asia, Dushemov was originally scheduled for release on June 14, after serving a four-year sentence. However, just days before his expected release, he was transferred to a pre-trial detention facility in Turkmenabat. Authorities have accused him of participating in a prison altercation, an allegation he claims is entirely fabricated.

“The person who wrote the statement against me started banging his head against the wall, injuring himself and staining the wall with his blood. They want to slander me again to prolong my stay here,” Dushemov reportedly said.

Despite assurances from Prosecutor Agajan Nuryev that a hearing would take place in mid-July, no trial date has been announced. Details remain withheld even from Dushemov’s family, in clear violation of Turkmenistan’s judicial transparency laws.

Background and First Conviction

Dushemov was first detained in 2021. He was convicted of extortion and causing bodily harm and sentenced to four years in prison. Human rights groups say the trial was politically motivated, noting that Dushemov had openly criticized the government’s pandemic response, including mandatory mask policies and vaccination campaigns, which he considered unlawful.

The initial charges centered on two incidents: an alleged extortion attempt involving a chief doctor, and accusations of assault made by fellow inmates, claims that mirrored the current allegations against him.

Widening International Support

Several human rights organizations have joined the campaign to secure Dushemov’s release. These include the Norwegian Helsinki Committee, Turkmen.News, the Turkmen Human Rights Initiative, the International Partnership for Human Rights, and the Association for Human Rights in Central Asia.

“The authorities must drop the new criminal charges brought against civil activist Murat Dushemov as clear retaliation for his activities and release him immediately,” the organizations said in a joint statement. They also urged Turkmenistan’s international partners to pressure Ashgabat to cease persecution of activists, journalists, and dissenters.

Human Rights Watch has also issued a statement supporting Dushemov, calling for his “immediate and unconditional” release and demanding an end to abuses prolonging his detention.

Lawlor has previously highlighted rights violations in Turkmenistan. In April, she called for an investigation into the alleged poisoning of independent journalist Soltan Achilova. She is also monitoring the case of Baloch rights activist Mansur Mingelov, who has spent 13 years in prison on what are widely believed to be politically motivated charges. Due to prolonged torture and poor prison conditions, Mingelov reportedly developed tuberculosis in his knee joints.

07 Aug 2025

Business & Economy, Kyrgyzstan, Kyrgyzstan Business & Economy

Kyrgyz Authorities Take Action to Curb Rising Food Prices

August 7, 2025
By Anton Chipegin

Kyrgyzstan’s Deputy Prime Minister Bakyt Torobaev has directed key government agencies to implement urgent measures aimed at stabilizing prices for socially significant food products.

According to official information, the government’s list of essential goods includes meat, vegetable oil, flour, potatoes, sugar, carrots, onions, and other staples, totaling 50 items.

Torobaev’s directive includes enhanced monitoring of price fluctuations, tighter oversight of food imports and exports, and a focus on inflation risk mitigation. He has called for the development of short-term mechanisms to contain price increases.

The Antimonopoly Regulation Service and the National Statistics Committee have been tasked with conducting daily price monitoring in major cities. The State Tax Service has been instructed to explore the possibility of reducing VAT on imported food products. In parallel, the National Bank of Kyrgyzstan is expected to design preferential loan mechanisms for agricultural producers and livestock breeders.

Torobaev emphasized the urgency of these measures, noting that approximately 65% of the population derives income from agriculture, and that expanded state support is critical to economic stability.

In Bishkek, the government plans to open municipal pavilions where essential food items will be sold at fixed prices. If successful, the model will be scaled to other regions as part of broader anti-crisis efforts.

“The Cabinet of Ministers is continuously working on implementing and overseeing a unified pricing policy,” said Torobaev.

According to the National Statistics Committee, Kyrgyzstan’s consumer price index rose by 4% in the first half of 2025. Food prices increased by an average of 6%, with potatoes showing the steepest rise, nearly 50%, during the same period.

06 Aug 2025

International Affairs, Kyrgyzstan International Affairs, Kyrgyzstan

Tokayev Calls for Global Action at UN LLDC3 Summit in Turkmenistan

August 27, 2025
By Vagit Ismailov

At the Third United Nations Conference on the Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDC3), held from August 5-8 in the Turkmen resort town of Awaza, Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev urged the international community to deepen cooperation, enhance regional connectivity, and take decisive collective action in support of the 32 countries that lack direct access to the sea and remain on the periphery of global trade.

A Global Call for Equality and Interconnectedness

Speaking at the plenary session, Tokayev highlighted Kazakhstan’s leadership in advancing the LLDC agenda. In 2003, Almaty hosted the first UN conference on landlocked countries, which culminated in the Almaty Programme of Action (APoA). Two decades later, the president noted, structural barriers, such as limited market access, underdeveloped infrastructure, and high exposure to geopolitical shocks, remain largely unchanged.

“Landlocked countries should be seen as equal and promising partners in global development,” Tokayev said. “Our voice must be louder and our cooperation deeper.”

@akorda

The Awaza Action Programme: A Roadmap for 2024-2034

The centerpiece of LLDC3 was the adoption of the Awaza Action Programme for the coming decade, structured around five strategic priorities: structural transformation of economies, development of sustainable infrastructure, trade facilitation, regional integration, and resilience.

Kazakhstan endorsed the plan and called for stronger political and financial support from transit countries, international institutions, and private investors. Tokayev emphasized the need for innovative financing tools to mobilize investment in transport, energy, and digital infrastructure.

Addressing the Climate Challenge

The president also highlighted the disproportionate climate-related vulnerabilities faced by LLDCs, including water scarcity, glacial melt, and desertification.

He called for a balanced and inclusive approach to climate policy and invited participants to the Regional Environmental Summit, scheduled for April 2026 in Astana, to be co-hosted with the United Nations.

Tokayev also pointed to Kazakhstan’s recent achievements in digital innovation and sustainability, citing the launch of the Alem.AI Artificial Intelligence Center and the commissioning of a new national supercomputer. “We are open to international scientific cooperation,” he said.

@akorda

Central Asia as a Model of Regional Resilience

Despite geographic constraints, Tokayev presented Central Asia as a case study in overcoming isolation through cooperation. “Geography does not determine destiny,” he said.

“With political will, strategic investment, and international partnership, lack of access to the sea can become not a barrier but a source of growth.” Kazakhstan is investing heavily in transport corridors such as the Middle Corridor (Trans-Caspian International Route) and the North-South Corridor, strengthening its role in the Eurasian logistics network.

Energy Diplomacy and Regional Projects

On the sidelines of the conference, Central Asian leaders convened for informal talks, where they discussed priority areas of cooperation, including energy. Topics included development of Turkmenistan’s Galkynysh Gas Field, one of the world’s largest, and ongoing transport projects such as the Kazakhstan-Turkmenistan-Iran railway and the Turkmenbashi-Garabogaz-Kazakhstan border highway.

According to the UN, trade costs in LLDCs are 74% higher than in coastal states, and cross-border shipping takes twice as long. Collectively, these countries account for only 1.2% of global trade. Tokayev argued that such disparities demand systemic solutions and genuine international solidarity.

He also cited Kazakhstan’s recent agreement to host a UN Regional Centre for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Almaty as evidence of the country’s commitment to promoting inclusive regional growth.

@akorda

A Moment for Global Justice

The LLDC3 summit served not only as a policy forum for landlocked nations but also as a litmus test for the international community’s commitment to equitable development.

“Only by strengthening international partnerships,” Tokayev concluded, “will we ensure that landlocked countries become an integral part of the global development agenda.”

06 Aug 2025

Central Asia, Kyrgyzstan, Business & Economy, Kyrgyzstan Business & Economy

Kyrgyzstan Attracts Record-High Investment from Kazakhstan

August 6, 2025
By Sergey Kwan

Foreign direct investment (FDI) from Kazakhstan into Kyrgyzstan reached a historic high in 2024, totaling $113.5 million out of more than $1 billion in total FDI, according to the National Investment Agency of Kyrgyzstan.

This represents more than a threefold increase from the $33.6 million invested in 2020 and reflects rising confidence among Kazakhstani businesses in Kyrgyzstan’s investment climate, alongside strengthening bilateral economic ties.

Kazakh investments primarily flowed into Kyrgyzstan’s industrial and raw material processing sectors, as well as transport and logistics, agriculture, trade, and services. These investments have contributed to modernizing production facilities, creating new jobs, transferring technology, and boosting Kyrgyzstan’s export potential.

In the first quarter of 2025 alone, Kazakhstan remained one of Kyrgyzstan’s top investors, contributing nearly $50 million between January and March.

Kazakhstan also consistently ranks among Kyrgyzstan’s top three trading partners. Bilateral trade between the two countries reached $1.7 billion in 2024.

During an August 2 meeting in Cholpon-Ata, Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Murat Nurtleu and his Kyrgyz counterpart Zheenbek Kulubaev agreed to deepen economic cooperation and raise annual bilateral trade to $3 billion.

The ministers also highlighted the planned launch of a flagship joint project: an Industrial Trade and Logistics Complex near the Kazakh-Kyrgyz border, set to open in 2026. Located near the Karasu and Ak-Tilek checkpoints, the facility is expected to become one of Central Asia’s largest cargo distribution hubs, handling the consolidation, processing, and transit of goods.

06 Aug 2025

Business & Economy, Kyrgyzstan, Kyrgyzstan Business & Economy

American Firm to Build Theme Park in Kyrgyzstan

August 6, 2025
By Sergey Kwan

U.S.-based IdeAttack, Inc. is set to build a theme park in Tokmok, a city located approximately 60 kilometers east of Kyrgyzstan’s capital, Bishkek.

The Tourism Development Support Fund of the Kyrgyz Republic and the Chui District Administration have signed a memorandum with IdeAttack, allocating a 50-hectare land plot for the park’s development.

IdeAttack specializes in the planning and design of large-scale mixed-use developments, theme parks, cultural attractions, and destination resorts. The company has previously delivered projects in the United States, United Arab Emirates, China, and South Korea.

The Tokmok park will feature:

Architecture inspired by Central Asian fantasy
Attractions based on the Kyrgyz Epic of Manas
Theme zones centered on the Great Silk Road
Live shows with music, dance, and theatrical performances
Master classes on yurt-making, felt production, horse riding, and traditional cuisine

This marks IdeAttack’s first project in both Kyrgyzstan and Central Asia. The initiative is expected to boost international tourism to the region.

06 Aug 2025

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Central Asia Cuts Hunger Fivefold in Two Decades, FAO Reports

August 6, 2025
By Sadokat Jalolova

The number of people facing hunger in Central Asia has fallen sharply over the past two decades, according to a new report from the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). The share of the population suffering from undernourishment dropped from 13.1% in 2005 to just 2.8% in 2024, equivalent to a decline from 7.8 million people to 2.3 million.

Much of this progress was achieved before 2019. The COVID-19 pandemic temporarily disrupted that trend: between 2020 and 2021, undernourishment rose to 2.5 million. However, with the introduction of stronger food security policies and an economic rebound, the region has since regained positive momentum.

The FAO report notes that a healthy diet in Central Asia now costs an average of $3.78 per person per day. While this is below the global average of $4.46, it remains unaffordable for many low-income households, particularly in rural Tajikistan. In 2024, FAO estimates that approximately 14% of the region’s population, roughly 11.5 million people, still could not afford a balanced diet.

Child health indicators have also improved. The prevalence of stunting among children under five has halved since 2012, falling from 14.8% to 7.4%. Rates of acute malnutrition have also declined, and childhood obesity rates have decreased slightly. Nonetheless, persistent challenges remain: anemia affects about one-third of women of reproductive age, and adult obesity is on the rise, increasing from 18.8% to 25.1% over the past decade.

In 2024, Tajikistan remained the most food-insecure country in the former Soviet Union. According to the Global Hunger Index published by the International Food Policy Research Institute, 8.7% of its population faces food shortages, placing the country 65th out of 127 worldwide.

In a sign of regional engagement, Uzbekistan officially joined the Global Alliance to Combat Hunger and Poverty in December 2024, reinforcing its commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals and to global cooperation on food security.