by Joshua Kucera By Pentagon budget standards, the countries of the former Soviet Union are relatively insignificant recipients of American military aid, dwarfed by the billions given annually to Israel, Egypt, and Pakistan. But a new study has shown that… Continue Reading
by Human Rights Watch The Tajik government is arresting, imprisoning, and torturing members of the country’s peaceful political opposition, Human Rights Watch and the Norwegian Helsinki Committee said today. The government is also targeting perceived critics abroad, seeking their detention… Continue Reading
by Joshua Kucera The United States plans to give Central Asia an additional $50 million in military aid under a new program, with the bulk of the aid focused on Tajikistan, budget documents released by the White House show.
by Peter Leonard After years of embarking on promising forays into Central Asia’s economy, Russia is being forced to pare back its ambitions. The starkest retreat of Russian money is seen in Kyrgyzstan, whose parliament voted overwhelmingly last week to… Continue Reading
by David Trilling and Timur Toktonaliev Pensioner Jyparkul Karaseyitova says she cannot afford meat anymore. At her local bazaar in Kyrgyzstan’s capital, Bishkek, the price for beef has jumped 9 percent in the last six weeks. And she is not… Continue Reading