The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has expressed concern over recently adopted amendments to Tajikistan’s law on the regulation of traditions and ceremonies, saying it worsens religious freedom violations in the Central Asian state, RFE/RL’s Tajik Service reported. The amendments, signed by President Emomali Rahmon on June 20, among other restrictions bans children’s games
The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Asian Partners for Co-operation Group and OSCE participating States met in Vienna on 3 June to discuss the pressing issue of Afghan women’s rights, emphasizing the broader implications for regional and global stability. The event focused on exploring actionable strategies for empowering Afghan women and mitigating
The third meeting of the annual High-level Dialogue on Human Rights and Democratic Reforms between Kazakhstan and the United States took place in Astana on May 20 co-chaired by Assistant to the President of Kazakhstan for International Affairs Erzhan Kazykhan and U.S. Under Secretary of State for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights Uzra Zeya.
Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on April 15 signed into law amendments and additions to legislative acts and the code on administrative offenses to ensure the rights of women and the safety of children. The amendments were passed by Kazakhstan’s parliament on April 11. The new legislation introduces criminal liability for beatings and intentional infliction of
Feminist activists and domestic violence survivors marched in the Kyrgyz capital, Bishkek, on March 8 to mark International Women’s Day and to demand that women’s rights be defended and respected, RFE/RL’s Kyrgyz Service reported. The demonstrators gathered near the monument of Urkia Salieva, a figure of female emancipation in the Central Asian nation, and marched to Gorky
A conference on international cooperation in the area of the protection of rights and freedoms of citizens took place in Tashkent on February 23. The conference, supported by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), brought together 100 international experts and government representatives, including more than 20 ombudspersons and representatives of international organizations, the U.S.
Members of Kazakh parliament’s lower chamber, the Mazhilis, on February 21, approved the first reading of a bill that would allow life imprisonment for individuals convicted of pedophilia and/or the murder of children, RFE/RL’s Kazakh Service reported. The bill comes after President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev ordered in his address to the nation in September 2023 that
On February 13, comprehensive presentation on democratic reforms was delivered to the diplomatic community accredited in Kazakhstan, on the eve of the regular session of the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) in Geneva, the Kazakh Foreign Ministry reported. During a briefing on the topic “Promotion of human rights: a comprehensive dialogue on transformational reforms in
Kazakhstan’s Culture and Information Ministry said it has blocked the Selftanu.kz website, which focuses on LGBT relations, RFE/RL’s Kazakh Service reported. The ministry said the move was made “to protect children’s rights” while taking into account “the culture and traditions of Kazakhstan’s society and culture.” Although homosexual relations were decriminalized in Kazakhstan in the 1990s,
As Western governments are intensifying their relations with Central Asian countries against the backdrop of Russia’s war on Ukraine, this offers an opportunity to achieve specific advances for human rights in the region, Human Rights Watch said on January 11 in its World Report 2024. “Central Asia’s authoritarian governments severely restrict freedoms of speech, assembly, and
