Registan’s Kyrgyzstan News & Analysis Archive

Once called the “Switzerland of Central Asia,” Kyrgyzstan began independence with the most liberal and democratic government in Central Asia. The country’s first president, Askar Akayev, was overthrown after protracted public protests in 2005, and his successor, Kurmanbek Bakiyev, followed suit in 2010. A provisional government led by Roza Otunbayeva drafted a new, parliamentary constitution and survived serious challenges from political elites left out of the new order and the outbreak of ethnic violence in the country’s south in June 2010. The country remains the most democratic in the region and has been attractive for foreign investors and development organizations. While President Almazbek Atambayev’s government has managed to maintain peace in the country, it still faces great challenges to moving the country forward from rising nationalism and deep socio-economic and geographic divisions in society.

Registan’s analysts have lived, worked, and studied in Kyrgyzstan and have between them decades of experience in academia, government, and private industry dealing with topics related to Kyrgyzstan. We use that experience and expertise to report on, contextualize, and analyze current events in Kyrgyzstan. Registan puts that experience to work to offer research, analysis, and training services tailored to your individual needs. For more information on how we can help you and your organization better understand Kyrgyzstan and Central Asia, visit our services page.

Central Asia Monitor 11 January 2013

by Central Asia Monitor

Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan to Jointly Investigate Sokh Incident Kyrgyzstan’s National Security Committee reported that talks were held between officials from Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan regarding the hostage-taking incident in Sokh that began on 5 January. The governors of Uzbekistan’s Ferghana province and Kyrgyzstan’s Batken province, representatives of each country’s border control agencies, and local government and [...]

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Central Asia Monitor 07 January 2013

by Central Asia Monitor

Hostages Taken in Uzbek-Kyrgyz Border Clash Residents of Sokh, an Uzbek enclave in Kyrgyzstan’s Batken province, attacked Kyrgyz border guards and took Kyrgyz citizens hostage in events that began on 5 January, when residents of the Sokh village Hoshyar reportedly attacked Kyrgyz border guards overseeing installation of electricity lines at a border post. The initial [...]

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Central Asia Monitor 1.25

by Central Asia Monitor

Kyrgyzgas to Press Kazakhstan on Energy Shortage… Abdymazhit Mamatisaev, Deputy Chairman of Kyrgyzgas, said on 18 December that KazTransGas, the Kazakh company supplying natural gas to Kyrgyzstan, would face legal and financial claims over the recent restriction of gas supplies that have resulted in shortages in and around Bishkek. Mamatisaev gave no further details. However, [...]

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Central Asia Monitor 1.24

by Central Asia Monitor

Uzbek Citizen Commits Suicide in Moscow Jail After SNB Threats The Russian human rights organization Memorial reported that Abdusamat Fazletdinov, a 19 year old Uzbek citizen, committed suicide in a Moscow jail after Uzbek SNB agents threatened him. Fazletdinov had been working in Kaliningrad and was arrested with four other citizens of Uzbekistan in Moscow [...]

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Uzbek theater in Osh opens a new season

by Elmurad Kasym

The Babur Uzbek Academic Theater in Osh launched its 94th season early November. The administration and troupe are planning to stage several pieces known (probably only) in Central Asia. This is the first time the Babur Theater is opening its doors for theatergoers in three years following the violent ethnic clashes in June 2010 in [...]

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Central Asia Monitor 1.23

by Central Asia Monitor

Chelakh Denies Killing Fellow Soldiers at Arkankergen Outpost Appearing in court this week, Vladislav Chelakh, the border guard accused of killing his fellow servicemen at the Arkankergen border outpost, said the he did not commit any murders. He claims that unknown men in civilian clothing attacked the outpost. Chelakh said that he and another border [...]

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Central Asia Monitor 1.22

by Central Asia Monitor

Protesters Attack Mining Camp in Batken Residents of the village of Katran in Batken’s Leilek district attacked a mining camp following a rally demanding that development at the site be stopped. On November 19, villagers demanded the camp be shut down by 22 November because feared that the development of a mine would result in [...]

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Central Asia Monitor 1.21

by Central Asia Monitor

Kyrgyzstan Holds Local Elections… On 25 November, voting took place in 23 cities across Kyrgyzstan to elect deputies for municipal councils. As of 26 November, the Central Election Commission had tabulated results for 21 cities. Of those, President Atambaev’s SDPK received a plurality of the votes in 11 cities while Respublika won in 4. Several [...]

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Central Asia Monitor 1.20

by Central Asia Monitor

Tashkent Supports Construction of China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Railroad On 13 November, Uzbekistan’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Economic Relations, Investments and Train Bakhtiyor Abdusamatov said that his government supports the construction of a railway linking Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and China. He said that Tashkent considers this project one of the highest priority initiatives in the SCO Development Bank’s transportation [...]

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Guest Post: Kyrgyzstan’s New Law on “Bridenapping”

by Joshua Foust
Thumbnail image for Guest Post: Kyrgyzstan’s New Law on “Bridenapping”

This is a guest post by Altynai Myrzabekova, a journalist based in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. Meerim Turganbaeva was 18 years old and had just finished high school when she was kidnapped by an acquaintance – whom she had only met once – and his friends. Meerim’s new spouse was from the next village over, Kaptal-Aryk, in [...]

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