The Kazakh-Uzbek 'Tandem': Good For Central Asia, Not So Good For #Karakalpak Activists rferl.org/a/kazakh-uzbek…

Z-list Russian celebrity gets VIP treatment at Bishimbayev trial in #Kazakhstan , while praising her host country as set to become 'the most progressive country in the former CIS'. Quite the show, this trial is tengrinews.kz/kazakhstan_new…

Supreme Court reviewing cases of defendants in first mass trial over violence in #Karakalpakstan in 2022. tmhelsinki.org/article/4225c0… Background in my piece from the trial for The Economist economist.com/asia/2023/02/0…

Latest in Bishimbayev murder trial, over death of his wife after he beat her up: video of police officer asking if his wife had been winding him up, the presumption being that he is implying she must have brought her murder on herself #Kazakhstan
tengrinews.kz/kazakhstan_new…

UK foreign secretary visits #CentralAsia this week. Will press over sanctions, but pressure over human rights unlikely: Western realpolitik means avoiding pushing allies closer to #Russia . #Kazakhstan #Kyrgyzstan #Uzbekistan #Tajikistan #Turkmenistan independent.co.uk/news/uk/david-…

As horrifying murder trial of ex-minister Bishimbayev, accused of beating his wife to death, continues, neighbour who called police in Astana suspecting man was beating his wife, is threatened with fine for wasting police time. Wrong message. #Kazakhstan tengrinews.kz/healthy/sosed-…

Emergency services reinforcements sent to Oral as catastrophic flooding continues in #Kazakhstan tengrinews.kz/kazakhstan_new…

Tulip time in the home of tulips #Kazakhstan

As if the Bishimbayev murder trial wasn't shocking enough, now the judge is under protection after receiving threats #Kazakhstan tengrinews.kz/news/sudyu-del…

#Kazakhstan is in the news right now because of catastrophic flooding and a shocking murder trial. A good time to tune into the audiobook of #DarkShadows , currently available with a 50% discount audiobooks.com/promotions/pro…

Roll up, roll up - 50% off the audiobook of #DarkShadows , my portrait of the history, politics and culture of #Kazakhstan
audiobooks.com/promotions/pro…

An alarming development - Mirziyoyev staked his reputation on eradicating forced labour from the cottonfields and Uzbek Forum for Human Rights work was key to documenting it and helping get rid of it - so why are its people being harassed in #Uzbekistan ?

#Kazakhstan adopts media law with new restrictions, e.g. granting government the right to refuse foreign media accreditation on national security grounds. There are currently 30+ Радио Азаттык - Казахстан reporters who have applied but not been given accreditation
vlast.kz/novosti/59808-…

Limited Time Offer: Save 50% on the 'Dark Shadows: Inside the Secret World of Kazakhstan' audiobook. Offer ends 05/01 Joanna Lillis audiobooks.com/promotions/pro…

On #WorldArtDay I want to introduce you to some incredible contemporary artists from Uzbekistan. From textiles to miniatures, photography to print making, these Central Asian artists are putting their creative mark on the art world. 🧵

If you have got lost in the 'tawdry soap opera' of the Bishimbayev murder trial in #Kazakhstan , here's a thorough overview of the case plus all the issues it raises, by Peter Leonard on Substack
havli.substack.com/p/the-murder-t…

Kazakhs rally in New York, Amsterdam, Milan over domestic violence amid trial of ex-minister accused of murdering his wife, but not in #Kazakhstan , where getting permission to rally is tough. Feminists were refused permission to march on 8 March this year tengrinews.kz/curious/nyu-yo…

Tokayev approves new law on domestic violence, as high-profile murder trial in which ex-minister is accused of beating his wife to death continues #Kazakhstan tengrinews.kz/kazakhstan_new…

War-related inflation quenches thirst for the wildly popular shoro drink in #Kyrgyzstan - great piece by Chris Rickleton for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty rferl.org/a/kyrgyzstan-i…

Scooter season in Almaty after the winter means blocked pavements for pedestrians, and scooters not 9bserving speed limits. Why does Алматы қаласының әкімдігі not regulate this? #Kazakhstan