The Kyrgyz government said 29 people were injured, including three foreigners, in mob violence in Bishkek on the night of May 17-18 that appeared to be directed against foreign students and migrants, RFE/RL’s Kyrgyz Service reported. The violence prompted diplomatic reactions from Pakistan and India, who warned their students in Bishkek to remain indoors. The
A Kyrgyz court on May 14 sentenced government critic and journalist Oljobai Shakir (aka Egemberdiev) to five years in prison on a charge of making calls online for mass unrest, RFE/RL’s Kyrgyz Service reported. Shakir rejected the charge, calling it ungrounded. Shakir was arrested in August 2023, days after he criticized the government’s decision to
On May 14, a high-level delegation from the Government of Switzerland will arrive in Bishkek to strengthen cooperation ties with the Kyrgyz Republic and familiarize with the results of the Swiss funded projects implemented in Kyrgyzstan, the Swiss Embassy in Bishkek announced. The delegation will be composed of Ambassador Mr. Arno Wicki, Assistant Director General of
The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in Kyrgyzstan, in collaboration with the PF “Training and Consulting Center” (TES-Center), is launching an initiative to strengthen the value chain (VAC) of natural honey under UNDP project “Aid for Trade in Central Asia”, funded by the Government of Finland. The project will continue to provide support to key
Kyrgyzstan has advised its citizens to refrain from traveling to Russia in the face of rising scrutiny of Central Asians in the country following the deadly Crocus City Hall attack near Moscow in late March, RFE/RL’s Kyrgyz Service reported. The Kyrgyz Foreign Ministry issued the travel advisory on May 2, warning Kyrgyz citizens of intensified checks and controls at
Thirty aspiring tourism business owners from universities in Osh, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan will participate in the two-day “Youth Empowerment in Tourism” workshop to hone their skills in digital literacy, hotel service, business development, and social media marketing. The workshop features experts from the Kyrgyz Republic, the United States, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan, and included session on
A Kyrgyz man who was handed a suspended seven-year prison term for joining Russia’s armed forces and fighting in Ukraine is expected to obtain Russian citizenship, Russian Interior Ministry spokeswoman Irina Volk said over the weekend, RFE/RL’s Kyrgyz Service reported. Askar Kubanychbek-uulu told Russian journalists that he had fled Kyrgyzstan via neighboring Kazakhstan and is
The Bayalinov Youth and Children’s Library in Bishkek on April 24 inaugurated a new elevator for persons with disabilities, ensuring equal access to the library’s resources and programming. This project was made possible through a grant of over 2 million KGS from the U.S. Department of State, in close cooperation between the U.S. Embassy, the
On April 24, Kyrgyzstan President Sadyr Japarov arrived in Azerbaijan for a state visit. In Baku, Japarov and Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev chaired the 2nd meeting of the Interstate Council of Azerbaijan and Kyrgyzstan. Following the talks and the Interstate Council meeting, President Aliyev said that Azerbaijan and Kyrgyzstan actively cooperate in the trade and
Over 7 million KGS of U.S.-provided equipment supported Kyrgyz company SFN International LLC’s ability to open a modern cold storage facility in Jalal-Abad region. With a 1,100 metric ton storage capacity, the facility will improve food security and the livelihoods of farmers in rural regions of Kyrgyzstan, the U.S. Embassy in Bishkek reported. “Having established such
