After publicly calling for the release of the Kazakh rights movement Atazhurt, Bagdat Togysbayev was detained for five days by police. But what struck him as odd wasn't being behind bars, it was how his phone worked afterward.
A persistent and widening gap between trade data from Kyrgyzstan and China is raising concerns, exposing weaknesses in customs tracking, transit trade oversight, and potential corruption risks across a key Central Asian trade corridor.
In light of the unprecedented market uncertainty stemming from Iran's effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, the strategic importance of Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan's energy reserves has never been greater.
Kazakh voters appear to have approved a controversial new constitution in a March 15 referendum that critics say could further concentrate power in the presidency.
For years, Oralkhan Aben has fought to keep her family together -- first campaigning for her husband’s release from a jail in China and now demanding transparency from Kazakhstan’s courts after he was jailed again over an anti-Beijing protest.
As Kazakhstan restricts independent polling ahead of a constitutional referendum, citizens have turned to humorous, coded “sour cream” posts to debate reforms online amid growing concerns over a shrinking civic space.
Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan have pledged support for the reconstruction of Gaza, deepening ties with Washington as both countries seek closer relations with the United States and greater geopolitical support.
Kazakhstan will hold a referendum on a sweeping new constitution that reshapes parliament, expands presidential powers, and addresses the status of the Russian language. Officials call the process inclusive, but critics say it consolidates authority under Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev and sidelines dissent.
Central Asians living in Ukraine have brought some ancestral traditions to help those facing freezing winter and power cuts. Russian air assaults may have caused widespread power outages, but more cities are now featuring warm yurts and friendly hosts offering hot dishes from Central Asia.
Bishkek is hosting the B5+1 Forum this week, bringing together officials and business leaders from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and the United States to explore investment opportunities and deepen economic ties.
A trial is under way against 19 activists in Kazakhstan who protested against China’s camp system in Xinjiang. Earlier reporting by RFE/RL showed that the Chinese consulate in Almaty pushed for the Kazakh government to open the case.
China's highest-ranking military official under Xi Jinping was brought down in a fresh purge over the weekend, sparking pressing questions about Beijing’s designs on Taiwan, competition with the United States, and regional stability.
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