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Turkmenistan Residents Detained for Public Displays of Affection

Police in Turkmenistan have detained couples for holding hands, sitting close together, and public displays of affection. A young married couple in Turkmenabat, witnessed cuddling in a parked car, were horrified when a policeman threatened to detain them for “undermining moral values.” In his defence, the man said, “I hugged my wife to calm her down. She was crying as we were discussing where to get enough money for essential medicines." Describing what had ensued, he said that the policeman had demanded to see both their passports and marriage certificates. However, after receiving verification that they were married, the policeman continued to harass them in hope of a bribe. The case is not unusual and in recent weeks, Turkmenabat, the administrative center of the Lepab province, has received reports of many similar incidents in which the city's police have seen fit to reprimand couples who hold hands, sit beside each other, kiss, or hug in public places. Although public displays of affection are not banned in Turkmenistan, the police in the country's regions, including the capital Ashgabat and Mary province, have detained young men and women in parks and on the streets for violating “social norms.” In the worst case scenario, "violators” in Mary were handcuffed and forced to attend lectures on moral values at the local police station. Residents say that restrictions imposed in Turkmenabat since April, have created a backlash of complaints from local students and other young people of being ambushed by security forces who appeared to be acting as vice police. According to several people targeted by the raids, most incidents ended with the police taking monetary bribes from the couples.

Security Economy Migration Legislation

Kazakhstan Changing Its Labor Laws to Better Reflect the Country’s Needs

Kazakhstan has recently adopted regulations that make it more difficult for migrants and citizenship-seekers to enter the country. Urazgali Selteyev, a political scientist and director of the Institute for Eurasian Integration, told The Times of Central Asia that the legislation is being streamlined rather than tightened. According to some experts, Kazakhstan is the most attractive country in Central Asia for migrants. For many years, foreign workers have been entering the country, and illegal migration is high, as residents of neighboring countries are hired in the agricultural and construction sectors and are involved in transportation and services. In recent years, cases of detection and deportation of illegal migrants from the farthest regions, including Africa, have become more frequent. In addition, since 1991, more than one million 'kandas' (formerly known as oralmans) have arrived in Kazakhstan -- persons of Kazakh nationality resettling in the country according to established quotas. Often, kandas arrive from Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, China, and Russia. Also, after the partial mobilization for Russia's war in Ukraine announced in September 2022 by Russian president Vladimir Putin, an unspecified number of draft evaders and their family members entered Kazakhstan. This situation forces the Kazakh authorities to take a stricter approach to regulating migration flows. Just the other day, the website “Open Normative Legal Acts” (“Open NLA”) posted a document highlighting the discussion that began two years ago. The document states that Kazakhstan will develop rules to determine whether kandas have a right to claim Kazakh nationality. In May this year, Kazakhstan's president Kassym-Jomart Tokayev signed the law “On introducing amendments and additions to some legislative acts of the Republic of Kazakhstan on the improvement of legislation in the field of migration and penal system.” This law provides new grounds for refusal of admission and restoration of Kazakh citizenship, such as ignorance of the state language at the elementary level, the basics of the Constitution of Kazakhstan, and a certain level of national history determined by an authorized body in the field of science and higher education. Simply put, applicants for citizenship will have to pass the exam. As explained by the Minister of Science and Higher Education Sayasat Nurbek, the test will include three components: the first is knowledge of the Kazakh language, the second is the basics of the Constitution, and the third is the basics of the history of Kazakhstan. “These tests will be required to be taken by persons who apply for citizenship. There are reservations on a separate list of honored: on the presidential list, minors and people with disabilities will be exempted,” explained Nurbek. According to the new migration rules, EAEU citizens can stay in the country for no more than 90 days within 180 days; other foreigners can stay for no more than 30 days, and a maximum of 90 days in six months. In the previous version of legislative acts, there were no restrictions concerning the 180 days, thus, foreigners lost the opportunity to repeatedly renew the terms of stay, leaving the country for...

Artificial intelligence Legislation

Kazakhstan Wants to Use AI in Drafting Laws

Kazakhstan is considering introducing artificial intelligence technologies in its legislation development and law analysis. This was recently announced at an international conference on AI and law, Elblog.pl reports. AI is expected to change the game in legislative efforts, helping in both its organizational and technical aspects. One of its most practical benefits is converting the words spoken by lawmakers into text. More sophisticated uses include drafting legislation and analyzing the impact on proposed laws without human bias. Kanatbek Safinov, director of the Institute of Parliamentarism of Kazakhstan, noted that AI tools could better allocate significant resources currently spent on the legislative process, such as drafting expert assessments. "The main task is to create artificial intelligence tools that would make it possible to assess the potential effectiveness of new legislation, thus freeing lawmakers from the hard work of formulating legal texts. This reorientation will allow them to focus on identifying and solving problems of concern to the public," Safinov believes. In his opinion, the European Parliament, especially its Greek division, is an ideal role model. The latter uses more than 200 AI tools, 33 of which are directly involved in the lawmaking process.

Legislation Social Women's rights

Tajikistan Doubles Down on Fines for Wearing “Foreign Clothes”

Residents of Tajikistan will face fines ranging from 8,000 to 65,000 somoni for "importing and selling clothes that do not correspond to the national culture" and for wearing such clothes in public places, as reported by Radio Ozodi. These regulations are outlined in Article 18 of the new version of the law "On Regulation of Traditions and Rites" and the Code of Administrative Offenses. The drafts were adopted by parliamentarians on May 8 this year. "In the draft law 'On the Regulation of Traditions and Rites,' a corresponding prohibiting norm is included in part two of Article 18. For its violation, amendments and additions to Article 481 of the Code of Administrative Offenses provide for administrative responsibility," explained Mavludakhon Mirzozoda, a deputy of the lower house of Tajikistan's parliament. Article 481 of the current Code of Administrative Offenses addresses not only Article 18, but also broader non-compliance with the norms of the Law on the Regulation of Traditions and Rites. According to this article: Individuals will be fined 7,920 somoni ($733). Officials will be fined 39,600 somoni ($3,665). Legal entities will be fined 57,600 somoni ($5,333). Individual entrepreneurs, scientists, and religious figures will be fined 54,000 somoni ($4,998). For repeated violations, fines will range from 46,000 to 86,000 somoni. The recent amendments have updated this article, although changes to the fine amounts are yet to be confirmed. The average wage in Tajikistan is approximately $172 a month. According to the current legislation, the amendments to the law come into force upon publication in the official press after approval by the Majlisi Milli (lower house) and the president's signature. However, citizens are already being compelled to comply with these new regulations. The current law does not specify which clothing is considered alien to Tajik national culture. Experts suggest that the law likely pertains to women's national dress, although the text itself does not differentiate between men's and women's clothing. Reactions within Tajik society have been mixed. Some residents of Dushanbe, during a street survey, expressed their opinion that people should have the freedom to choose their own attire without compulsion. Tajik authorities have long campaigned to encourage the wearing of national dress and to discourage the adoption of foreign styles. They prohibit women from wearing black clothing, black headscarves, and hijabs, considering them alien to Tajik culture and traditions. Although mini-skirts, sweaters, dresses with cleavage, tops, and transparent fabrics were also banned at one point, these restrictions were quickly "forgotten."

Education Human rights Social Legislation

Only Turkmen Graduates Allowed to Participate in “Last Call”

In Balkan velayat (administrative district) this year, only graduates of Turkmen nationality will be able to participate in the "last call" - the secondary-school graduation ceremony held throughout the CIS, which is held annually in front of the Central Library of Balkanabad. This decision by the local authorities caused bewilderment among the residents of the velayat, where representatives of many nationalities live. This is the second known case in the last four months when the authorities of the western velayat have infringed on the rights of ethnic minorities. In early February, it was reported that in Balkanabad and Turkmenbashi, only Turkmen music was allowed at weddings, whilst songs in the languages of other ethnicities were prohibited. Violations of the rights of ethnic minorities, limiting their opportunities for education in their native language, and observance of cultural traditions is a long-standing problem. Turkmenistan says it "condemns racial discrimination and constantly pursues a policy of mutual understanding between peoples." However, members of minorities complain of systematic restrictions of their rights on ethnic grounds.

Foreign Agents Law NGOs Society Legislation Security

NGOs in Kyrgyzstan Have Two Months to Register as “Foreign Agents”

Kyrgyzstan's Ministry of Justice has approved the creation of a register for "non-governmental organizations performing the functions of a foreign representative", which gives authorities the right to inspect their activities. All non-profit agencies that receive foreign funding have been given two months from 16 May to submit documents to the ministry. Kyrgyz president Sadyr Zhaparov signed the law "on Foreign Representatives" on April 2, despite over 100 organizations and civil society figures appealing for him not to do so. Zhaparov made assurances at the time that non-governmental organizations would not be persecuted. Local NGOs funded from abroad that are engaged in political activities in Kyrgyzstan are now recognized as "performing the functions of a foreign representative", and are placed in a separate register. Organizations included in this register -- so-called 'foreign agents' -- may be subjected to various unscheduled inspections. Several international organizations, as well as the United States and certain countries in the European Union, have voiced criticisms of the new law. After it came into force, the Soros-Kyrgyzstan Foundation announced that it would be terminating its activities in Kyrgyzstan.