Security - The Times Of Central Asia

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Kazakhstan Charges Former Minister Yerlan Turgumbayev With Abuse of Power

Kazakhstan's General Prosecutor's Office has confirmed its detention of a former high-ranking police officer. Yerlan Turgumbayev, the country's former minister of internal affairs, has been charged with abuse of power, resulting in grave consequences, during the public unrest and political upheaval in January 2022. "The Prosecutor General's Office continues to investigate criminal cases related to the January 2022 events. On April 29, ex-Minister of Internal Affairs Yerlan Turgumbayev was detained for abuse of power and official authority that caused grave consequences," the prosecutor's office said in an official statement. The office mentioned that the criminal case contains information that includes classified state secrets; therefore, the data, findings and statements included in the pre-trial investigation are not subject to disclosure. As has already been widely reported, in early 2022 in Kazakhstan thousands of protests were organized across the country, which, when brutally suppressed by government forces, went down in history as Qandy Qantar -- "Bloody January." What began as peaceful anti-government demonstrations turned into uncontrolled riots with numerous casualties among the civilian population. Rapid response forces from the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), which includes Armenia, Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Belarus and Kazakhstan, were deployed. After the violent suppression of the protests, a number of high-ranking officials were arrested and accused of attempting a coup d'état. In March 2024, the General Prosecutor's Office reported that Turgumbayev was being questioned as part of ongoing investigations against security officials for failing to ensure law and order and public security during the January events, as well as for torturing citizens. Turgumbayev became head of the Interior Ministry in 2019. Before that he headed the police department of Kazakhstan's largest city, Almaty. In February 2022 he was dismissed from his post and appointed as an adviser to Kazakhstan's president, Kasym-Jomart Tokayev.

Russia Tajikistan Security Migration

Tajik Nationals Held in Moscow Airports as Russia Tightens Border Controls

More than a thousand Tajik citizens are being held in detention facilities at Moscow airports in unsanitary conditions and without access to hot meals, Tajikistan said on Sunday, a day after the government urged its’ nationals to temporarily refrain from traveling to Russia “unless absolutely necessary.” Over the weekend, Russia disputed Tajik claims that it is targeting people from Tajikistan, saying it is intensifying anti-terrorism measures and that more rigorous checks of foreign citizens seeking entry are carried out “regardless of the nationality of the persons.” The diplomatic back-and-forth, a rare show of discord between Russia and Tajikistan, comes amid a surge in suspicion and harassment among some Russians toward Tajik citizens after gunmen attacked the Crocus City Hall on March 22, killing more than 140 people. Several Tajik suspects were among those initially detained, and Russia’s state-run agency, Tass said on Saturday that a court had ordered the arrest of a 12th suspect, a Tajik citizen living in a Moscow hostel. The Islamic State group, which claimed responsibility for the attack, has some Central Asian recruits, though their number is disputed. “The situation with Tajik citizens stuck at Moscow airports remains difficult,” and restrictive measures are being applied “exclusively” to people from Tajikistan, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Tajikistan said in a statement. By late Saturday, 954 Tajik citizens, including students in Russia on scholarships provided by the Tajik government, were in temporary detention at Vnukovo International Airport in Moscow, according to the ministry. It said 322 who waited for hours were allowed into Russia, but the Russian authorities reportedly planned to add 306 people to an “expulsion list,” and 27 have already been expelled. Dozens of Tajik citizens are also being held in poor conditions at the Zhukovsky, Domodedovo and Sheremetyevo airports in Moscow, according to the ministry. Tajik diplomats and members of the diaspora in Russia are delivering meals to their detained compatriots. The embassy in Moscow has opened a 24-hour operational headquarters to help them. Tajikistan expressed its concern in a meeting last week after summoning Russian Ambassador Semyon Grigoryev to the foreign ministry in Dushanbe. On Saturday, in a notice that it described as urgent, Tajikistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs urged citizens to “temporarily refrain from traveling to Russian territory by all types of transport unless absolutely necessary.” More thorough checks by Russian law enforcement means that “at checkpoints across the state border, including at a number of airports, there are delays during passport control,” said Maria Zakharova, spokeswoman for Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. “The Russian side is taking comprehensive measures to resolve the current situation as quickly as possible. We count on your understanding.” Zakharova said “no changes have been made to the list of grounds for imposing a ban on entry into the Russian Federation; there are no additional obstacles to crossing the state border by foreign citizens, provided they have all the necessary documents.” Meanwhile, citizens of Tajikistan are also experiencing problems with entry at land border crossings. More than...

Kyrgyzstan US Tajikistan Kazakhstan Security Export/import weapons

U.S. to Restrict Firearms Exports to Central Asian Countries

From the end of May the U.S. will restrict exports of all firearms to non-government entities in high-risk countries, including Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Tajikistan, according to a statement from the U.S. Department of Commerce. According to the statement, the Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) has issued a regulation “amending the Department’s licensing policy for exports of firearms, ammunition, and related components under its jurisdiction.” The decision concerns export to non-governmental organizations. Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Tajikistan are among 36 countries included on the list of high-risk nations. As part of the new changes to the regulations, the administration is also shortening the validity period of arms export licenses to one year from four years. The changes are aimed at reducing the risk of increasing instability in the regions of the world through the illicit use of American weapons.

Security Afghanistan

Without Security, There Can Be No Development in Afghanistan

Indian author Arundhati Roy once said, “Either way, change will come. It could be bloody, or it could be beautiful. It depends on us.” Almost three years after Taliban’s resurgence to power in Afghanistan, there are practically no developments to highlight in its relations with the outside world. The situation remains at a dead end as the international community and the authorities in Kabul are stuck on intransigent issues, and as Afghanistan continues to face a humanitarian crisis. In the context of current geopolitical realities after the recent fall of its “democratic” regime, Afghanistan finds itself in a gap between the experiences of the past and a yet undetermined future. It has a unique opportunity to transcend its reputation as the “graveyard of empires” and determine its own fate while simultaneously integrating into the international community. How the de facto authorities in Afghanistan handle this opportunity will not only shape the future of the Afghan people and the region, but also influence the development of the entire global security paradigm. Currently, the Taliban have every opportunity to lay the foundation for a new model of regional and international security, which would allow them to create conditions for the return of Afghanistan to the system of normal international relations. But they need to act quickly. Rising tensions in the Middle East engage almost every global and regional power, and further escalation there will negatively affect the situation around Afghanistan. In this unpredictable geopolitical environment, the Taliban can either take the lead on new security arrangements or once again experience an undesirable worsening of the security situation that goes beyond their control. A path forward is possible with the Taliban acting responsibly at the helm It seems that since the Anglo-Afghan wars of the 19th century, the world has become accustomed to seeing Afghanistan as a place where global geopolitical steam can be let off. But the Afghan people deserve progress, and various outside actors have offered different proposals. What the Taliban need is a chance at a breakthrough where they are the key player and can take full responsibility. The international community needs to allow such an opportunity to serve as a “maturity test” with which it can gauge the Taliban. At this important juncture, the international community must support Afghanistan in determining its own future. If external actors continue to promote political blueprints, Afghanistan will once again become a site for proxy wars, an arena of rivalry and a fertile ground for old narratives about international terrorism and other threats. Slamming the Taliban for their democratic failings, on which they clearly do not share the outsiders’ perspectives, will not yield productive results. For its part, if Kabul is really seeking to be a key player in Asia and a regular participant in international affairs, and if it seeks to realize its significant geographic and economic potential, then it must start implementing practical initiatives involving regional countries and international organizations in a dialogue on security. Maintaining internal security and stability...

Kyrgyzstan Education Security Healthcare Legislation Social

300 Children Killed on Kyrgyzstan’s Roads

The Director of the Situation Centre of the Kyrgyz Republic, Joldoshbek Mambetaliyev, has issued a harrowing report that since 2021, more than 2,000 people including 316 children, have been killed on roads in Kyrgyzstan. Research by the centre cites the prime causes as poor road surfaces, insufficient lighting, lack of road signs and parapets, alongside non-compliance with speed limits and dangerous driving. Mambetaliyev also stressed that lack of knowledge and non- adherence to traffic rules amongst drivers were major contributing factors given that over a third of accidents were caused by overtaking, violating crosswalk rules, driving on the wrong side of the road and driving under the influence of alcohol. More than 20 percent of accidents were caused by speeding. The Situation Centre recommended that in order to reduce the number of road accidents, the government must collaborate with local authorities to develop a safer and more comprehensive infrastructure. Mambetaliyev concluded, "Road safety depends directly on the responsible behaviour of all road users... It is important to conduct awareness-raising activities among the population to reduce accidents on the roads." Kyrgyzstan's Situation Centre currently monitors key events and incidents on roads throughout the country in real time, followed by in-depth analyses.

Oil & Gas NCOC Economy Export/import Security Central Asia Kazakhstan Energy

Kazakhstan Likely To Insist on Revisions to Kashagan Oil Contracts

Kazakhstan is demanding compensation for lost profits from the North Caspian Operating Company (NCOC), the consortium that manages the Kashagan oil field, and arbitration claims have risen to $150 billion. Sources close to Kashagan told The Times of Central Asia that this should send the message to western energy companies that Kazakhstan is looking to revise previously signed contracts. While Bloomberg has reported the sum of the claims, citing people familiar with the matter, Kazakh government officials have declined to comment on the situation, claiming that it is a "commercial dispute." In April 2023, proceedings against the companies developing the Kashagan and Karachaganak fields began as part of a dispute over cost deductions from oil-sale proceeds of more than $13 billion and $3.5 billion, respectively. An additional $138 billion claim relates to the calculation of the cost of oil production "that was promised to the government but not delivered by the field developers," according to Bloomberg. The Ministry of Energy has not yet commented on the new claims. It states that the Kazakh authorities seek to maximize profits from their oil-production projects with the participation of foreign investors, but have been relatively flexible in previous disputes with oil corporations. International sources note that Eni, Shell, Exxon and TotalEnergies have already invested around $55 billion in Kashagan, and currently the field produces about 400,000 barrels of oil per day. NCOC investors, led by Italy's Eni, are convinced that production can be increased to 1.5 million barrels per day. NCOC has stated that it acts in strict compliance with the contract. Representatives of Eni confirmed that the Kazakh authorities have applied to the court for arbitration settlement, but did not disclose details. Earlier, Kazakhstan won a lawsuit against the Kashagan consortium which required them to pay $5.1 billion for damage to the environment. Kashagan is developed by the NCOC consortium, which includes the national company KazMunayGas (KMG) and several foreign energy companies: Eni, Shell (Great Britain), ExxonMobil (USA), Total (France), Inpex (Japan), and CNPC (China). Member of the Public Council of the Kazakh Ministry of Energy, Olzhas Baidildinov believes that the sharp increase in the amount of the lawsuit is a signal from the Kazakh side to the consortium to revise the contracts. "In my opinion, it's obvious that Kazakhstan wants to revise the terms of work on large consortia. At the same time, I have proposed many times to exchange the frozen assets of the Russian Federation for stakes in major projects: Tengiz, Karachaganak and Kashagan. There is a nuance here: for example, the shares in Karachaganak and Kashagan are managed by PSA LLP, which is determined by the authorized body, while the share in Tengiz is managed by KazMunayGas. As we see, on Kashagan and Karachaganak there are arbitration claims filed in international arbitration, there is an environmental issue - but on Tengiz they are silent for some reason. This is either KMG's unprofessionalism, because the amount of investment expense is very high, or some other unknown issues that need...