Corruption - The Times Of Central Asia

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Turkmenistan Ranked Worst in Central Asia in 2024 Corruption Perceptions Index

Turkmenistan has once again ranked among the world's most corrupt countries, placing last in Central Asia in Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index 2024. According to the index, Turkmenistan ranked 165th out of 180 countries, scoring 17 out of 100 points. This marks a decline from the previous year, when the country scored 18 points and was ranked 170th. Among other Central Asian nations, Tajikistan ranked 164th with 19 points, while Kyrgyzstan placed 146th with 25 points. Uzbekistan ranked 121st with 32 points, and Kazakhstan was the highest-ranked in the region at 88th place with 40 points. Russia, with 22 points, was ranked 154th. The report highlights that authoritarianism and weak judicial systems remain key drivers of corruption in Central Asia. Denmark, Finland, Singapore, New Zealand, and Luxembourg topped the index as the least corrupt countries. Meanwhile, Yemen, Syria, Venezuela, Somalia, and South Sudan were ranked among the most corrupt, with South Sudan finishing last at 180th place. Transparency International warns that corruption remains a significant global threat, even in efforts to combat climate change. According to the organization, corrupt practices hinder emissions reductions, slow adaptation to climate change, and severely impact sustainable development. "While 32 countries have significantly reduced corruption since 2012, in 148 nations the situation has either remained unchanged or worsened. The global average remains at 43 points, and more than two-thirds of countries score below 50. As a result, billions of people continue to live in environments where corruption undermines their rights and quality of life," Transparency International stated in its report.

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U.S. Suspends Enforcement of Foreign Bribery Law: Should Kazakhstan Be Worried?

U.S. President Donald Trump has issued an executive order suspending enforcement of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), effectively allowing U.S. companies to offer bribes to foreign officials and politicians. This decision is expected to prompt tighter scrutiny of potential corruption among officials in Kazakhstan. On February 12, 2025, Trump signed an executive order pausing enforcement of the FCPA, a landmark anti-bribery law that has regulated U.S. business practices abroad since 1977. The order directs the U.S. Department of Justice to suspend enforcement of the law, which previously criminalized bribery of foreign officials by American companies. Trump argued that the FCPA puts U.S. businesses at a competitive disadvantage internationally. “The law looks good on paper, but in practice, it's a disaster,” Trump stated, emphasizing that excessive regulatory oversight harms U.S. economic and national security interests. Under the FCPA, companies and individuals could face up to 15 years in prison and fines of up to $250,000 for offering or coordinating bribes. The law was enforced in 24 cases in 2024 and 17 cases in 2023. Trump’s executive order tasks the attorney general with reviewing the law’s provisions. U.S. companies have previously been linked to corruption scandals involving high-ranking Kazakhstani officials. The most infamous case, known as Kazakhgate, dates back to the late 1990s. American businessman James Giffen was accused of funneling tens of millions of dollars in bribes, along with luxury gifts, to secure access to Kazakhstan’s vast oil reserves. The investigation implicated former President Nursultan Nazarbayev and ex-Prime Minister Nurlan Balgimbayev, who allegedly received payments through offshore accounts in exchange for favorable investment conditions. However, Kazakhstani officials were never formally charged, and Giffen ultimately received a minor fine. In December 2024, Mazhilis deputy Yermurat Bapi warned that a similar scandal — dubbed Kazakhgate-2 — could soon unfold. “According to my information, a new grandiose scandal is brewing in the United States,” Bapi stated in an interview with Elmedia. “The U.S. Department of Justice is preparing a new criminal case against global kleptocrats who previously relied on American companies, insurers, and consultants. If they used these services, they will face prosecution.” Speculation surrounding Kazakhgate-2 intensified after Nazarbayev’s December 2024 trip to Moscow to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin. However, Trump’s decree has now cast doubt on whether the case will proceed. Another major corruption-related dispute involving Kazakhstan is the Stati case. Since 2010, the Kazakhstani government has been embroiled in legal battles with Moldovan oligarchs Anatol and Gabriel Stati over the early termination of their subsoil use contracts. The dispute has led to litigation across multiple jurisdictions, including the U.S., U.K., and EU countries, with Kazakhstan's National Fund assets being temporarily frozen. Some sources suggest that Timur Kulibayev, Nazarbayev’s son-in-law, played a role in the case. Corruption concerns are not limited to Kazakhstan. In late January 2025, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin publicly criticized Kyrgyz authorities for allegedly extorting Russian businesses operating in Kyrgyzstan. “We urge the Kyrgyz leadership to cease administrative pressure on our companies and ensure the protection...

Corruption Switzerland Justice Corruption Allegations

Switzerland to Return $182 Million in Confiscated Gulnara Karimova Assets to Uzbekistan

On February 6, in Tashkent, Uzbekistan’s Minister of Justice, Akbar Tashkulov, and Switzerland’s Ambassador to Uzbekistan, Konstantin Obolensky, signed an agreement on the repatriation of confiscated assets, the Uzbek Ministry of Justice reported. Under the agreement, approximately $182 million will be returned to Uzbekistan. These funds were illegally obtained by certain Uzbek citizens and were fully confiscated in 2012 by the Swiss Prosecutor General’s Office as part of criminal proceedings against Gulnara Karimova, the eldest daughter of former President Islam Karimov. The money will be transferred through the United Nations Uzbekistan Vision 2030 Fund Multi-Partner Trust Fund. This is not the first such agreement. In August 2022, Uzbekistan and Switzerland signed a similar agreement in Bern, outlining principles and mechanisms for returning illegally acquired assets. That agreement confirmed that the returned funds would be used for the benefit of Uzbekistan’s population through the UN trust fund. Under the 2022 agreement, Uzbekistan was set to receive around $131 million. With this latest deal, the total amount of repatriated funds will now reach $313 million. The Uzbekistan Vision 2030 Fund will allocate these funds to socially significant projects, particularly in healthcare and education.

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Register of Corrupt Officials to Be Created in Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan is set to establish a public register of officials convicted of bribery and other corruption-related offenses. Some parliamentary deputies are also proposing additional measures, including banning convicted individuals from leaving the country to ensure they return stolen funds. The Kazakhstani parliament is currently reviewing amendments to anti-corruption legislation. Among the proposals, according to Albina Mautova of the Prosecutor General's Office, is the creation of a public register of individuals convicted of corruption offenses. This registry will be accessible to all citizens through the anti-corruption agency's website. “This register will include individuals who have committed serious and particularly serious corruption offenses. Inclusion in the register will be based on the presence of a conviction that has entered into legal force. Removal from the register will occur only in the event of an acquittal or the expungement of the criminal record,” Mautova explained. The legislative amendments also aim to broaden the scope of criminal liability related to bribery. According to Ulan Sarkulov, deputy chairman of the Anti-Corruption Agency, the new provisions would criminalize not only the act of receiving or giving bribes but also the promise or extortion of a bribe. Sarkulov emphasized that these measures are designed to have a preventive effect by addressing bribery at its earliest stages before damage is caused to the state. However, Sarkulov acknowledged the challenges of enforcement. “The investigative practices of other countries show that proving the promise or extortion of a bribe is difficult. There will never be widespread prosecutions here. International experience demonstrates only a handful of such cases globally,” he noted. Mazhilis deputy Azat Peruashev has called for an additional provision to bar convicted corrupt officials from leaving Kazakhstan. He argues that such a restriction would help recover stolen assets taken out of the country. “As our experience in recovering capital shows, the most effective measure is a ban on traveling abroad. Major corrupt officials often don’t simply take bribes in cash; they transfer funds to offshore accounts, re-hide them, and make it nearly impossible to trace. Sometimes, even our law enforcement agencies are unaware of how much money they have or where it’s located,” Peruashev stated. He further explained, “These individuals serve reduced sentences or pay fines, then go abroad to access the billions they’ve stolen—wealth they could never have earned legally. If they’re forced to remain in Kazakhstan, they will be more likely to return the stolen funds if they want to use them.” The Times of Central Asia previously reported that, according to Transparency International's 2023 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), Kazakhstan was ranked as the least corrupt country in Central Asia, marking a significant achievement in the region's fight against corruption.

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Former Kyrgyz Presidential Aide Detained in Moldova

Aidar Khalikov, a former public aide to the president of Kyrgyzstan, has been detained in Moldova under an Interpol warrant on charges of large-scale fraud. Investigative journalist Bolot Temirov was the first to report Khalikov's detention, raising the possibility of his extradition to Kyrgyzstan. The report was later confirmed by the General Inspectorate for Migration under Moldova’s Ministry of Internal Affairs. According to their statement, the detention was carried out as part of efforts to locate individuals wanted internationally for evading criminal responsibility. Charges Against Khalikov The Kyrgyz Ministry of Internal Affairs stated that Khalikov, born in 1965, is being prosecuted under Article 209 of the Kyrgyz Criminal Code, which pertains to fraud. He is accused of stealing a significant sum of money from a Kyrgyz citizen identified solely as S.D. Investigators suspect Khalikov may also be involved in other similar crimes. The General Prosecutor’s Office of Kyrgyzstan is now working on his extradition. Background Khalikov was a prominent member of the "Mekenchil" party and played an active role in Kyrgyzstan's political landscape, particularly during the political upheavals of 2020. Following those events, he was appointed as an aide to President Sadyr Japarov. However, in 2024, Khalikov left Kyrgyzstan and began publicly criticizing Japarov and his inner circle. Khalikov’s arrest in Moldova underscores ongoing efforts by the Kyrgyz authorities to track and prosecute high-profile individuals facing criminal charges. His extradition process will likely attract significant attention in both Kyrgyzstan and Moldova in the coming weeks.

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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.