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Crackdown on civic freedoms in Central Asia: NGOs highlight alarming trend

Civic space is becoming increasingly restricted in Central Asia, and civil society representatives are facing unprecedented challenges across the region. International Partnership for Human Rights (IPHR) and its regional partners call on the international community to use all available platforms to address these alarming trends and advocate for meaningful reforms that reverse repressive policies and safeguard civic freedoms. As international engagement in Central Asia grows, stakeholders should prioritise supporting the region’s embattled civil society, recognising its vital role in advancing democratic governance, human rights, the rule of law, justice, and public well-being.

UZBEKISTAN: FREE WRONGFULLY IMPRISONED ACTIVISTS, PROVIDE URGENT MEDICAL CARE, QUASH CONVICTIONS

A court in Kashkadarya on July 18 sentenced Khakimova and Keldiyorova to six years and one month and six-and-a-half years in prison, respectively, on dubious extortion charges. Khakimova, who has breast cancer, gave birth in mid-September. So long as she remains imprisoned, the authorities need to ensure that she and her newborn child receive prompt and appropriate medical care.

Khakimova, 40, who works as a teacher at a local school, has regularly commented on social media about corruption in the education system in Kashkadarya region and has served as a public interest representative in local cases. Khakimova has also collaborated with one of the other defendants, Shukrullo Parpiev, 44, who is the head of a small firm called “Blogger-Defenders” and a member of the Independent Human Rights Organization, a local rights group. Another three defendants – Shakhnoza Safarova, Farogat Mamatova, and Oydin Rustamova – also worked at local schools. The verdict indicates that the seventh defendant, Musallam Umirova, was employed at an entity called Republican Social Security Society.

Georgia: Support striking workers at Evolution Gaming

Evolution Gaming Georgia employs more than 7,500 people. About 50 percent of the many branches are employed in Georgia. Most of the studios operate in Georgia. The main income of the company comes from Georgia.

Turkmenistan: Mother of Nine Fired from Children’s Home on False Accusations of Beating Her Charges

Gulistan Mammetgeldiyeva of Balkanabat in western Turkmenistan has been trying for two years to get her job back at the children’s home, where she worked for two decades. She was dismissed in reprisal for making a complaint about the director of the children’s home to the president, the education department and prosecutor’s office. In order to get rid of the unwelcome employee the director arranged an inspection of her work at 4.30 in the morning, filming her on his telephone as she had a rest. He must have considered this insufficient grounds for dismissal, so when she went on sick leave, he persuaded the children to say that Gulistan beat them. The woman has nine children of her own and has been awarded the honorary title Ene Mahri for raising a large family. The prosecutor’s office, courts, and local authorities are on the director’s side, and have offered Gulistan other work. She cannot return to her old job, as it has been sold to someone else.