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Farangis Najibullah

Farangis Najibullah is a senior correspondent for RFE/RL who has reported on a wide range of topics from Central Asia, including the impact of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on the region. She has extensively covered efforts by Central Asian states to repatriate and reintegrate their citizens who joined Islamic State in Syria and Iraq.

NajiballahF@rferl.org

Also by Farangis Najibullah

December 13, 2024
The Foreign Militants Among The Ranks Of Syria's New Rulers

RFE/RL has learnt that hundreds of foreign fighters, including from Central Asia, are among the ranks of Syrian militant groups which toppled the government of Bashar al-Assad.
November 25, 2024
Kyrgyz Rape Victim Unable To Rebuild Her Life, Disabled Teen's Family Says

The family of a rape victim in Kyrgyzstan say the disabled teen’s health has deteriorated after the horrific incident more than two years ago, when she was raped by a neighbor nearly 50 years older than her.
November 02, 2024
Afghan Journalists Fear Losing 'Last Remaining' Freedoms

Afghan journalists fear new restrictions after the Taliban-led government banned the media from showing images of living things in compliance with "morality laws." Several TV channels have been turned into radio stations and some stations have banned women’s voices.
October 18, 2024
Russia Pressures Central Asian Prisoners To Fight In Ukraine As 'Expendable Force'

Russia has been enlisting Central Asian prisoners to fight in Ukraine, throwing them on the frontline with limited military training. Some were lured with enticements, but many others faced torture and unbearable prison conditions before signing to fight.
October 15, 2024
Medical Tourism Draws Tajiks, Other Central Asians To Neighboring Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan has become a major medical tourism destination for Tajiks and other Central Asians pursuing better quality and relatively affordable treatment.
October 09, 2024
Door-To-Door Campaign Targets Rising Radicalization In Tajikistan

The Tajik government has mobilized thousands of state workers to go door-to-door to lecture youth against the dangers of joining extremist groups. Dozens of Tajik nationals have been linked to terrorist attacks and plots in Russia, the United States, the European Union, and Iran this year.
October 06, 2024
Central Asian Returnees Struggle To Find Work Amid Russia's Record-High Deportations

Russia has deported about 100,000 foreigners in the first half of this year, 53 percent more than in the same period last year. Some 143,00 were denied entry in a campaign mainly targeting Central Asian migrants. Back home they struggle to find jobs, despite government promises of new opportunities.
September 22, 2024
Central Asia's High-Stakes Gamble With The Taliban

Central Asian counties are increasingly strengthening ties with the Taliban-led Afghan government, despite its harshly criticized human rights record.
September 18, 2024
Tajiks Skeptical That Attack On Top Islamic Leader Was 'Hooliganism'

Tajik police have described the recent stabbing attack on the country’s state-backed Islamic leader an act of “hooliganism.” But some critics say the assault on Saidmukarram Saidqodirzoda may be linked to his role in aiding the state in “violating people’s religious freedoms.”
August 27, 2024
Turkmenistan's Crackdown On Abortion Puts Lives At Risk, Doctors Warn

Turkmen authorities are increasingly limiting women’s access to abortion, despite there being certain exemptions in the law for terminating pregnancies. Doctors warn that the ongoing crackdown on abortion is putting lives at risk, as desperate women resort to unsafe methods.
August 25, 2024
Persecution, Jail, Torture, Death: The Price You Pay For Being An Independent Journalist In Turkmenistan

The death of a former RFE/RL correspondent Hudaiberdy Allashov last week put the spotlight on the grave challenges independent journalists face in Turkmenistan, one of the most-closed, authoritarian countries in the world.
August 06, 2024
Bribery Is A Way Of Life For Turkmen As Officials Exploit Positions To Extort Money

Many who live in Turkmenistan -- ranked as one the 10 most corrupt countries in the world -- say it is almost impossible for them to get through their everyday lives without having to pay a bribe.
August 04, 2024
In Tajikistan, Clerics And Government Officials Are Deciding What Women Should Wear

Women's clothes are high on the government's agenda once again in Tajikistan, where authorities and Islamic leaders are working on new guidelines on what women should wear to work and during their leisure time.
July 27, 2024
Uzbekistan Set To Ban Cousin Marriages, Citing Birth Defects As Main Reason

Uzbekistan is planning to ban marriages between bloodline cousins, blaming the phenomenon for birth defects among newborns. One study claims that nearly 10 percent of the babies born with genetic disorders in Uzbekistan last year were the children of consanguineous marriages.
July 22, 2024
Extreme Shortages: Turkmen Face Severe Drinking-Water Crisis During Scorching Summer

In the middle of the summer with temperatures hovering around 40 degrees Celsius, there is a severe shortage of drinking water in Turkmenistan, with the residents of several cities having access to water for less than an hour each day.
July 15, 2024
Gulnara Karimova Enjoying 'Special Treatment' In Uzbek Prison, Former Inmate Says

Gulnara Karimova, the jailed daughter of former Uzbek President Islam Karimov, “gets what she wants” in prison, a former inmate claims, with food delivered from outside and a uniform made from high-quality fabric. The reports contrast with past complaints by Karimova of mistreatment.
June 14, 2024
Notorious Uzbek 'Thief-in-Law' On Trial As Tashkent Targets Powerful Crime Bosses

Notorious kingpin Bakhtiyor Qudratullaev -- the man who brazenly organized a gathering of "thieves-in-law" or high-ranking crime bosses from across the post-Soviet space in Tashkent in 2018 -- is going on trial in Uzbekistan.
June 04, 2024
Tajikistan Set To Outlaw Islamic Hijab After Years Of Unofficial Ban

After nearly two decades of restricting the Islamic hijab in public institutions, Tajikistan is set to legally ban it. A draft bill makes it illegal to wear, import, sell, or advertise “clothes alien to Tajik culture,” the term widely used by authorities to describe Islamic clothes.
May 21, 2024
Pakistani Student Exodus Damages Kyrgyzstan's Reputation, Causes Economic Fallout

Kyrgyz officials and experts fear that recent violence targeting South Asian students has damaged the country's image as a safe place for foreigners and will deprive Bishkek of a large source of revenue, with tens of thousands of foreign students annually adding some $180 million to the economy.
April 13, 2024
Uzbekistan Cracks Down On 'Religious Extremism' In Aftermath Of Moscow Terror Attack

Uzbek police have conducted dozens of raids targeting religious extremists and terrorists, arrested suspects, and warned the public to avoid "extremist ideologies" on social media. Some say the measures reflect Tashkent's anxiety in the aftermath of last month's terrorist attack near Moscow.

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