News

Anger, injustice and politics brought people to the streets in Kazakhstan

On 8 January, people in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan’s capital, woke up with a slow but steady internet connection. Like their fellow countrymen, they had been sealed off from internet communications for almost three days, as the emergency in the Central Asian state worsened. In the business capital, Almaty, violent clashes had set the city ablaze for three days and internet connection continued to be down. Only subscribers to certain mobile operators could be reached in other cities in Kazakhstan and abroad, keeping residents and observers in a frightening state of blackout broken only by gunshots and sirens.

“THE DOOR TO UZBEKISTAN HAS OPENED BUT THERE IS A RISK IT COULD SLAM SHUT”

Human rights activist Umida Niyazova spoke to Fergana News about a recent trip to her homeland and her impression of new realities after many years in exile. The course towards greater openness and liberalization in Uzbekistan following the change of power in 2016 presented political emigrants with the possibility of returning to their homeland, at least for a short time. Some of them took the risk and then, with pleasant surprise, reported how they could cross of the border smoothly, easily register at their place of accommodation, and the lack of attention paid to them by the security forces, at least not that they noticed. Their stories were optimistic and the number of dissidents and political refugees visiting Uzbekistan slowly began to grow.

Ten years after Zhanaozen, Kazakh unions still under pressure

16 December marks the ten-year anniversary of the tragedy in Zhanaozen, Kazakhstan, where police opened fire on protestors, killing 17 and injuring more than 100 workers. The violence ended a seven-month long strike, involving more than 3,000 workers demanding a wage increase.

FINAL DOCUMENT FIFTH COORDINATION MEETING INTERNATIONAL LABOUR RIGHTS MONITORING MISSION FOR CENTRAL ASIA

The participants of the Fifth Coordination Meeting of the International Labour Rights Monitoring Mission for Central Asia who gathered in Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan) or joined it online on December 07, 2021, representing independent unions and human rights organisations from Kazakhstan, Russia, Germany, France, USA, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Ukraine note that despite a certain progress achieved in ensuring the respect of fundamental labour rights in the Central Asian countries, particularly, the restriction of child and forced labour by the Government of Uzbekistan, the cessation of overt repressions against union activists in the Republic of Kazakhstan, and the veto of the proposed anti-worker Law on Trade Unions by the President of the Kyrgyz Republic, the general situation vis-à-vis the observance of labour rights in the region remain alarming.

The Statement by human rights organizations of Kazakhstan

December 16, 2021 marks the 10th anniversary of the tradegy in the city of Zhanaozen and the village of Shetpe, when, after a months-long strike of oil workers as a result of the use of firearms by the police, according to official data, 17 people or more died and 86 were injured.

Kazakhstan, ten years after the Zhanaozen massacre: oil workers’ fight to organise goes on

Ten years after police massacred striking oil workers at Zhanaozen, Kazakhstan, human rights organisations and trades unionists are demanding an international inquiry into the killings. Even now, the number of victims is unknown. State officials admit that 16 were killed and 64 injured on 16 December 2011 – but campaigners say there were dozens, perhaps hundreds, more. The initial killings, by police who fired into a peaceful, unarmed crowd, were followed by a three-day reign of terror in Zhanaozen, in the oil-rich Mangistau province in western Kazakhstan, and nearby villages.

Coal miners in Ukraine demand elimination of wage arrears

After a series of local protests, both over- and underground, the Independent Trade Union of Miners of Ukraine (NPGU) is calling on members from all over the country to join an indefinite protest in Kiev to demand payment of wage arrears to workers of state-owned coal mines and proper financing of the sector. Unless authorities immediately eliminate the wage arrears, the protest will start on 16 December.

Turkmenistan To Make It More Difficult For People To Get Subsidized Food

Turkmenistan has increasingly limited its citizens' access to state-owned grocery shops that offer essential foodstuffs at subsidized prices, up to 10 times cheaper than in private stores.
The latest move is expected to negatively affect millions of people in the energy-rich yet impoverished country. The number of Turkmen migrant workers abroad is thought to be around 1 million, most of them working in Turkey.

Inflation reaches 12.1 percent in Kyrgyzstan

As of November 19, inflation reached 12.1 percent in Kyrgyzstan in annual terms. Prices have increased by 9.5 percent since the beginning of 2021. The National Bank of Kyrgyzstan provided such data. The emerging dynamics of consumer prices is influenced by various non-monetary shocks. The main factors behind the current rise in prices are a steady growth of prices on the world food markets, an increase in tariffs and regulated prices — public transport fares and electricity tariffs. In addition, there is a significant increase in prices for fuels and lubricants associated with the global trend of rising prices for energy resources

NGOs urge the EU to insist on more space for criticism in Central Asia, document key trends ahead of meeting

The annual EU-Central Asia Ministerial Meeting is scheduled to take place in Dushanbe on 22 November 2021 with the participation of the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Joseph Borrell and the foreign ministers of the Central Asian countries. At the meeting, the EU and the Central Asian governments will discuss different areas of cooperation, including cooperation on promoting human rights, the rule of law and democratic governance.