Legislation - The Times Of Central Asia

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UN Approves Uzbekistan’s Initiative to Develop Global Safe Tourism Code

The initiative to create an intergovernmental commission on the development of the Global Safe Tourism Code within the framework of the participation of the delegation led by the Ambassador of Uzbekistan to Spain, Farrukh Tursunov, in the 121st session of the UN Tourism Executive Council was unanimously approved, as reported by the Dunyo news agency. The initiative was initially announced by the President Mirziyoyev at the 25th session of the UN General Assembly on tourism held in Samarkand in October 2023. As stated in the report, conflicts and instability observed in different parts of the world today hurt the development of tourism. In this regard, there is a need to develop a unified approach to ensure the safety of tourists, and the development of the proposed code is a step towards creating a safer, more sustainable, and fairer tourism ecosystem. It is expected that the code will become one of the tools for the sustainable development of tourism and include measures for environmental protection and the preservation of cultural heritage. In his speech at the session, UN Secretary General of Tourism, Zurab Pololikashvili thanked the government of Uzbekistan for its contribution to the organization’s activities and noted that Uzbekistan is the most active participant of this structure, contributing not only to the development of the global tourism industry, but also to the enhancement of the image of the UN.

Legislation Social Human rights LGBTQ+

Controversial Petition on “LGBT Propaganda” Passes Threshold for Consideration in Kazakhstan

A petition against so-called “LGBT propaganda” has received more than 50,000 signatures, meaning Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Culture and Information must consider it. However, a number of experts believe that restrictions on the gay community would damage Kazakhstan’s image. In addition, the petition’s authors are known for their controversial initiatives. The Kazakhstan Parents' Union is the author of the petition “We are Against Open and Concealed LGBT Propaganda in the Republic of Kazakhstan,” which was published on the official E-Petition.kz portal. According to Article 90-4 of the Administrative Procedural Code, the government must consider a petition with 50,000 signatures. A working group including interested parties, government agencies, and public associations will be created. The consideration of official petitions are a relatively recent innovation. So far, only three have collected the required number of signatures. The first came in the wake of the Nukenova murder at the hands of a disgraced former minister. It was considered by the Kazakhstan president himself and brought about landmark legislation on domestic violence. The decision to allow public input via petitions is seen as a sign of the fulfillment of President Tokayev's promise of a more engaging and aware "listening state." Kazakhstan has seen repeated attempts to include in various legislative acts such a ban on promoting “nontraditional relations.” However, these amendments were not adopted, though numerous Mazhilis (lower chamber of parliament) deputies and public figures spoke out in favor of them. Nevertheless, there have been cases in Kazakhstan where media products containing what is deemed “homosexual content” did not reach the market. For example, in 2022, the former Minister of Culture and Information, Dauren Abaev, announced that, "In response to numerous requests from citizens and the media, I inform you, the animated film Lightyear will not be shown in Kazakhstan." Officially, however, the ministry did not prohibit the screening of the Hollywood animation in cinemas. According to rumors, distributors themselves canceled showings in response to the public outcry. Also, in January 2024, a website for LGBT people was blocked in Kazakhstan. The site, among other things, had materials to help young people answer questions about their sexual orientation. “During monitoring of the internet resource selftanu.kz, a violation of the law was identified related to the posting of information harmful to the health and development of children,” the Ministry of Culture stated in justifying blocking the site. The head of the group pushing the current petition, Bagila Baltabaeva, stated that, “Same-sex love is being openly forced on our children. It is forced [on them] in bookstores, on TV screens, and on smartphones. Young people openly spread [information about] and promote their unhealthy relationships. Thus, stealthily and subtly, new standards of sexual relations are taking shape among young people. In parallel, it is promoted that traditional values are relics of the past, a sign of backwardness. Therefore, for fear of criticism, many remain silent. And those who work up the courage and speak out against LGBT propaganda are branded as retrogrades and conservatives.” This is not the...

Islamic State Legislation Migration Security Terrorism US Russia

Radicalism Attracts Disenfranchised Youth in Tajikistan

On June 11th, eight natives of Tajikistan were detained in the United States suspected of attempting to organize terrorist attacks and belonging to ISIS. Previously, citizens of Tajikistan were arrested in Russia, accused of participating in the attack on the Crocus City Hall near Moscow. In just the past few years, natives of Central Asian states have been involved in ten attempted terrorist attacks. Zamir Karazhanov, a Kazakhstani political scientist and director of the Kemel Arna Public Foundation, believes that the deteriorating economic situation in the country is behind such radicalization. As reported by TCA, eight citizens of Tajikistan taken into custody in Los Angeles, New York, and Philadelphia are suspected of having links to the terrorist group, ISIS. The detentions were made by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in close coordination with the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force. Initially, it was stated that those arrested were Russian citizens of Tajik origin, but now their nationality has now been clarified. Citing sources from law enforcement agencies, media in the U.S. has reported that officially the migrants were held in connection with the violation of immigration laws. At the same time, they have not yet been charged with making preparations for a terrorist attack. According to sources, FBI agents have been following those detained for several months, and audio picked up by a bug allegedly has one of the suspects talking "about bombs.” Several days have now elapsed, but the U.S. authorities are still to release an official comment. The authorities in Tajikistan, meanwhile, are glossing over the incident. However, a Radio Ozodi source in New York said that the detentions of citizens from Central Asian countries began two months ago, since when 20 people have been detained, including 16 natives of Tajikistan, though “some of them were later released,” the source stated. According to the political scientist and Russia expert, Malek Dudakov, 50,000 Central Asians illegally entered the U.S. in 2023 alone: 17,000 from Uzbekistan, 7,000 from Kyrgyzstan, and 3,000 from Tajikistan. "Republicans blame Biden for artificially creating an explosive situation inside the United States, which could lead to a wave of terrorist attacks. And U.S. law enforcers fear that the U.S. may also expect an October 7th scenario in Israel with simultaneous attacks by Islamists in different cities,” he wrote on the Telegram. Following the terrorist attack on the Crocus City Hall, several countries, including Russia and Turkey, have tightened their migration policies toward people from Tajikistan. Kazakhstani political scientist, Zamir Karazhanov, told The Times of Central Asia that terrorist movements are influencing Tajik citizens because of the dire economic situation in the country. "During the 1990s and the civil war, a severe Islamicization of society began. Families were Islamiziced, and the economic factor, poverty, was superimposed on this. Similar processes were observed in all Central Asian countries, where religious young people began to come into contact with various radical extremist organizations. They are then processed and brainwashed into believing that everything they do is for the good...

Bangladesh Security Migration Legislation Pakistan Police Bishkek Unrest

Mass Brawl Between Citizens of Pakistan and Bangladesh Reported in Bishkek

Bishkek police have detained 36 foreigners after a mass brawl, as reported by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic. According to law enforcement, on June 11th, a mass brawl was reported between Pakistani and Bangladeshi citizens after a verbal altercation, following which participants involved in the scuffle were taken to a police station to clarify the incident's circumstances. Administrative protocols were drawn up for 16 foreigners who violated the rules of residence in Kyrgyzstan. One of the participants in the brawl was found guilty under the article “Petty Hooliganism.” The court fined him 5,500 KGS ($60). Two more people were arrested for three days for being in a state of alcoholic intoxication. TCA previously reported that on May 17th, riots occurred in the capital of Kyrgyzstan, provoked by a conflict between residents and medical students from abroad. Since these tragic events, the authorities have been employing a dual approach of attempting to sooth relations abroad whilst conducting raids on places where foreigners reside.

Gender Equality Women's rights Legislation Rule of law

Women and Girls in Central Asia in Need of Protection from Violence

Central Asian Countries are seeing a new wave of violence against women and girls, and the fight against their long-standing powerlessness is just beginning. In 2023, the Women, Peace and Security Index (WPS Index), published by the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security and the PRIO Centre on Gender, Peace and Security, found Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan the most dangerous countries in Central Asia for women. Things were deemed slightly better in Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan. The challenges faced by women in the region result from a combination of factors: the low number of women in government and law enforcement, women’s lack of financial independence, especially in rural areas, a distorted understanding of traditions across populations, and a mentality in society that often denies or covers up flagrant cases of injustice. The law is written in blood: the case of Kazakhstan According to WPS experts, Kazakhstan has progressed further than its neighbors toward equality. Still, according to Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs, 69 women and seven children died in 2023 in domestic conflicts alone. It is believed that, on average, at least 80 women die every year at the hands of those they live with; every day, the police receive hundreds of calls, while thousands of women need the help of specialized protection and support centers. According to the Prosecutor General, last year 150 women sustained severe injuries and 200 moderate injuries in marital conflicts, with another 4,000 suffering minor bruises. This year, however, marked a turning point for Kazakhstani society – more and more women are recording videos with marks from beatings, posting the videos on social media, and calling on the police to punish their abusers. Even high-profile domestic abusers can now be exposed. The trigger for these changes was the trial of former Nazarbayev-era Minister of the National Economy, Kuandyk Bishimbayev, who beat his wife, Saltanat Nukenova, to death last November. Following a live-streamed trial, this May, Bishimbayev was sentenced to 24 years in prison for her murder. Even during the Bishimbayev trial, Karina Mamash, the wife of a Kazakh diplomat in the UAE, went public with allegations about systematic abuse, calling on the state to help. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs urgently recalled her husband, Embassy Counselor Saken Mamash, who may be fired. Karina is now at home with her children while a criminal case has been opened against her husband. She has since reported threats from her husband's relatives. Also in May, Akmaral Umbetkalieva, a resident of Atyrau, alleged that her ex-husband, Rinat Ibragimov – the akim (mayor) of Makat District in Atyrau Region – had beaten her for eleven years and taken away their children. Ibragimov called the allegations slander. The month before, former Taldykorgan police chief, Marat Kushtybaev was sentenced to eleven years for raping a girl in his office in November 2023. Another headline from April was that a security guard at an Almaty bar who had been convicted of raping a girl at knifepoint would serve eight years in prison. The...

Culture Legislation Parliament

Kyrgyzstan Introduces Temporary Ban on Deputies’ International Travel

Deputies of the Jogorku Kenesh have been restricted from taking foreign trips until the summer vacation. Speaker Nurlanbek Shakiev announced this at a parliamentary session, 24.kg reports. According to him, the deputies must hold five more plenary sessions before the recess. "There are many bills important for the fate of the country and the population. We must have time to consider them. Therefore, I ask you to participate in the Parliament sessions actively. Foreign travel has been restricted since Monday, except for several important events. We will not go anywhere. We are actively working for three weeks,” Shakiev said. The Kyrgyz parliament goes on summer vacation on July 1st, and deputies will return to work on September 1st.