Former Soviet States Are Distancing Themselves From Their Old Imperial Master
The war in Ukraine is prompting countries from Kazakhstan to Moldova to reexamine their colonial past and seek diplomatic allies beyond the Kremlin.
Central Asia Braces for Fallout of U.S. Pullout From Afghanistan
Since the war began, America has had one lens for Central Asia. What happens now?
Uzbekistan’s Online Religious Revival
After years of state oppression, many Uzbeks are finding stricter interpretations of Islam on the internet. Some experts say it could have radical consequences.
Indians and Central Asians Are the New Face of the Islamic State
Terrorists from India, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan were never at the forefront of global jihad before—now they are.
Putin Is Ruling Russia Like a Central Asian Dictator
The Kremlin didn’t invent term limit resets and constitutional referendums. The autocratic leaders of Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan blazed the trail.
It’s Not Time to End the Uzbek Cotton Boycott Yet
Companies should not buy Uzbekistan’s cotton until labor protections and responsible sourcing are guaranteed.
The Boycott on Uzbek Cotton Needs to End
It could help modernize the country’s economy.
Central Asian States Can’t Hide the Coronavirus Any Longer
Authoritarian states have been downplaying numbers. That won’t last.
Tashkent Underground
The Ilkhom Theatre Company has kept freedom alive in Uzbekistan since before the fall of the Soviet Union.
Uzbekistan’s New Era Might Just Be Real
Long-needed reforms are changing what was once a grim autocracy. Washington can help.
For Uzbeks, Radicalization Often Begins Abroad
The Islamic State has ramped up its Russian-language recruitment.
Uzbekistan Forced Labor Linked to World Bank Projects, Advocates Say
A new report from Human Rights Watch and Uzbek activists alleges the continued use of forced and child labor in harvesting the Central Asian country’s cotton crop.
In First Vote Since Autocrat’s Death, Uzbekistan’s New President Inherits Looming Economic Crisis
For the first time in 25 years, Uzbekistan has a new president -- and he's left fixing a host of economic and political problems.
This Uzbek Mayor Is Publishing Names of Divorced Couples to Embarrass Them
This Uzbek mayor is threatening to publish names of couples who seek divorce.
Where the War on Terror Lives Forever
Uzbekistan’s dictator is dead, but his brutal efforts to crush Islamist extremism leave a long and ugly legacy. And Washington will be left cleaning up the mess.
Islam Karimov and the Dictator’s Playbook
The tyrant of Uzbekistan assassinated his enemies, jailed anyone who spoke against him, and crushed human rights. Why did America so willingly look the other way?
A Perfect Storm in Central Asia
For years, the five ex-Soviet republics have enjoyed surprising stability. But Russia’s economic crisis is shaking their foundations.
Dashcams For Freedom
How Central Asians are fighting for their rights, one YouTube clip at a time.
‘We Are Not Afraid’
Inside an Uzbek Internet rebellion.
Uzbekistan’s Deadly Decade
Ten years after a massacre that shocked the world, the regime of Islam Karimov is still in power -- and as brutal as ever.
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