Chris Rickleton

.@RFERL @Merhat: "Chinese customs data show bilateral trade reaching $27.2 billion in 2025. Kyrgyzstan's figures put it at just $4.97 billion." Japarov and co gave themselves a real shot (literally) at ending the Customs Mafia. Instead they leant into it. rferl.org/a/china-kyrgyz…

New article by my colleague Gaziza Shakhanova. She shows that Kazakhstan swung towards China after the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Kazakhstan–China Relations: Perceptions of China After the 2022 Russian Invasion of Ukraine journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/18…

From a mainstream Russian tabloid, surprising criticism of the authorities: “Either they see us as kids too small & brainless to be trusted or to have anything explained to us [or] the system's now so unbalanced one part no longer knows what the other is doing.” #ReadingRussia

The Messenger Under Fire: Botagoz Omarova vs. The Law 🎙️⚖️ Disturbing news from Astana: journalist Botagoz Omarova (in the photo on the left) has been summoned for interrogation. The reason? Posting a video where construction workers complain about unpaid wages. The Legal Paradox: The "Law on Mass Media" is very clear: a journalist is not responsible for the verbatim reproduction of official statements or documents. But as I know all too well, the law on paper is one thing, and the courtroom is another. I was personally sued for a verbatim quote from a Ministry of Agriculture order. Even when you follow the rules to the letter, the system finds a way to pull you in. 📉 The "Witness" Trap: What’s even more concerning is Botagoz’s status: "Witness with the right to defense" in a criminal case. This is a heavy legal grey zone. It’s often used as a precursor to changing a person’s status to "suspect," effectively putting a muzzle on the journalist before the trial even begins. If reporting on workers' grievances is now a criminal matter, then what is the "Law on Mass Media" actually for? Is it a shield for journalists, or just a decorative piece of paper? 📜🚫 Disclaimer: Obviously, none of this is exact. You should only trust official sources (just definitely don't quote them). 🤫 #Kazakhstan #FreedomOfSpeech #Journalism #BotagozOmarova #Justice #MassMediaLaw #Astana @ChrisRickleton @MihraRittmann @steveswerdlow @CPJ_Eurasia @nhc_no @RSF_inter @globalfreemedia

Iran war sends prices in next door Turkmenistan soaring @AFP arabnews.com/node/2635991/w…

In many remote Russian villages, upwards of a third of working-age men have left to fight in Ukraine. My story on how one community in rural Komi has been transformed by four years of Russia’s war theguardian.com/world/2026/mar…

Very well-produced video @TuranCenter with @BrucePannier on Russia's potential threat to Kazakhstan sovereignty youtu.be/nqf9aYyu6as?si…

A truly remarkable victory for Newcastle United. Fuelled by a sense of injustice, roared on by a frenzied home crowd. Inspired and brave, they were the better team with 11 players and the better team with 10. Will Osula's winning goal was sensational. A group that triumphed in adversity #nufc

Kazakhstan’s train hospital brings healthcare to remote regions @AlJazeeraWorld aljazeera.com/video/101-east…

Central Asia has seen a significant increase in a covert system of re-export flows back to Russia. Although much of this trade is lawful, investigative reporting and trade data patterns indicate that certain categories of high-technology goods have transited the region before reaching Russian end users open.substack.com/pub/thesaratog…

Land Seizures Spread Across Uzbekistan As Farmers Cite Push For Chinese Capital @RFERL rferl.org/a/uzbekistan-f…

At the BonCafe bakery in southwestern Moscow, the shelves are empty of cakes and pastries, the espresso machine is silent and owner Yekaterina Oreshkina, 39, sits amid the dust and regret of a failed business. reuters.com/business/russi… @Valburgo4ka

As for "ruling until 2037," note Tashiyev's comments in 2024. He didn't envisage a scenario where Japarov could rule beyond 2032. “I believe that in 8 years time another person will appear...who will root for the people, just like Sadyr Japarov.” rferl.org/a/kyrgyzstan-j… (4/4)

That constitution was passed *after* his presidential election. His election took place under the old constitution, which gave him a six-year term that was... *unrepeatable.* So, what the Constitutional Court has done, is mix the two up. (3/4)

Bizarre of Sooronkulova etc., to treat Kyrgyz constitutional court as independent and working within "the framework of the law." Japarov's decision to appeal to the court was a political choice and the outcome is one that is politically favorable 1/4 rferl.org/a/top-kyrgyz-c…

How Long Can #Kyrgyzstan’s Economic Boom Keep Booming? Excited to share my collab with @ChrisRickleton for @Diplomat_APAC More: thediplomat.com/2026/02/how-lo…

Interesting that Kyrgyzstan's Japarov rings his counterpart in Uzbekistan on the day he sacks his most powerful ally-cum-rival. Japarov, remember, gives Mirziyoyev huge credit for helping Kyrgyzstan to end its border conflict with Tajikistan. kaktus.media/doc/540370_sad…

Wow, in Kyrgyzstan, as the tandem breaks. @AigiTurgunbaeva for @Reuters reuters.com/world/asia-pac…

Kazakh businessman Shakhmurat Mutalip, 35, has come from relative obscurity to be in the frame for stakes in two massive Kazakhstan-focused businesses: ERG and Kazzinc. This @RadioAzattyq article looks at his eyebrow-raising trajectory. azattyqasia.org/a/kto-takoy-sh…