News

Turkmenistan To Make It More Difficult For People To Get Subsidized Food

Turkmenistan has increasingly limited its citizens' access to state-owned grocery shops that offer essential foodstuffs at subsidized prices, up to 10 times cheaper than in private stores.
The latest move is expected to negatively affect millions of people in the energy-rich yet impoverished country. The number of Turkmen migrant workers abroad is thought to be around 1 million, most of them working in Turkey.

Inflation reaches 12.1 percent in Kyrgyzstan

As of November 19, inflation reached 12.1 percent in Kyrgyzstan in annual terms. Prices have increased by 9.5 percent since the beginning of 2021. The National Bank of Kyrgyzstan provided such data. The emerging dynamics of consumer prices is influenced by various non-monetary shocks. The main factors behind the current rise in prices are a steady growth of prices on the world food markets, an increase in tariffs and regulated prices — public transport fares and electricity tariffs. In addition, there is a significant increase in prices for fuels and lubricants associated with the global trend of rising prices for energy resources

NGOs urge the EU to insist on more space for criticism in Central Asia, document key trends ahead of meeting

The annual EU-Central Asia Ministerial Meeting is scheduled to take place in Dushanbe on 22 November 2021 with the participation of the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Joseph Borrell and the foreign ministers of the Central Asian countries. At the meeting, the EU and the Central Asian governments will discuss different areas of cooperation, including cooperation on promoting human rights, the rule of law and democratic governance.

Kyrgyzstan: Extend Time for Massive Review of Laws

The initial completion date to review and, where appropriate, amend 356 laws was set for December 31, 2021, but it should be extended, to allow for a newly elected parliament to familiarize itself with the process and for proper engagement with civil society and other relevant stakeholders. Rather than pressuring working groups tasked with the review to speed up, Kyrgyzstan should set an example by following international standards on good governance, including for drafting and adopting laws.  

Civil Society Calls on the Uzbekistani Authorities to Register the Independent Human Rights Organization Human Rights House

Civil society calls on the Uzbekistani authorities to register the independent human rights organization Human rights House. Tashkent Inter-district Administrative Court returned the NGO Human Rights House’s complaint about non-registration “on formal grounds”, but the group has appealed the decision and is currently seeking to register with the Ministry of Justice for the ninth time.  We, the undersigned members of the Civic Solidarity Platform, call on the Uzbekistani authorities to take swift steps to register Human Rights House and other independent human rights organizations in Uzbekistan, and ensure that they can freely carry out their human rights activities.

Five-year Sentence for Turkmen Blogger Who Wrote Poem about Coronavirus

YouTube blogger Murat Ovezov was sentenced to five years’ detention in summer 2020 after he wrote a poem about coronavirus quarantine entitled The Bitter Truth. Ovezov, 48, was convicted of “Fraud” under Article 228 of the Turkmenistan Criminal Code, but turkmen.news sources in Dashoguz region say his remarks on YouTube were the real reason for the case.

PUNITIVE PSYCHIATRIC DETENTION: UZBEKISTAN’S LASTING LEGACY OF SOVIET REPRESSION

Bagmanyan had no history of mental health problems. Beginning in 2018, he had been battling to save his property from demolition by the Akhangaran city hokimiyat (administrative authorities). He was determined to save two residential homes belonging to his family and a store where he had conducted his business for the past eight years. Bagmanyan’s efforts however were in vain and, according to Bagmanyan, the properties, were demolished without prior agreement or compensation for loss of property or income from his business. His repeated attempts to secure justice were consistently ignored by the authorities who appear to have resorted to the most extreme means to silence him.

WHO/ILO: Almost 2 million people die from work-related causes each year

The first WHO/ILO global estimates on disease and injury in the workplace outline the level of preventable premature deaths due to exposure to work-related health risks.

ITUC/ETUC letter to Ukrainian authorities over the ongoing regressive labour legislation reform

Here you can find a letter on behalf of the ITUC General Secretary, Ms. Sharan Burrow, and ETUC and PERC General Secretary, Mr Luca Visentini to Ukrainian authorities re draft labour laws.

Kyrgyzstan: ITUC welcomes veto of anti-worker bill

The lawmakers in Kyrgyzstan must use the expertise of its workers’ unions and the ILO to assist in any legislative process to regulate labour relations. This will achieve the best outcome for working people in the country.