Podcast: Majlis - Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty

A lot has changed in Central Asia in the more than three years since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The region's giant neighbors -- Russia and China -- have played and will no doubt continue to play large roles in Central Asia. However, the Central Asian states have strengthened relations, economic partnerships, and export routes with other countries since February 2022, loosening, to some extent, the grip Russia and China have had over Central Asia. How much have the Central Asian states used this period to further consolidate their independence and sovereignty -- both in foreign policy and economic terms? Joining host Bruce Pannier to discuss this process are guests Nargis Kassenova, a senior fellow and director of the Program on Central Asia at Harvard University's Davis Center; Bakyt Beshimov, a former member of Kyrgyzstan's parliament and former Kyrgyz ambassador to the OSCE and India who now teaches at Northeastern University in Boston; and Temur Umarov, a fellow at the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center in Berlin.

Top EU officials visited Central Asia for the first-ever EU-Central Asian summit in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. Joining host Bruce Pannier are Terhi Hakala, a diplomat from Finland and Samuel Doveri Vesterbye, director of the European Neighborhood Council.

The Caspian Sea is home to many unique marine species and other wildlife. The Caspian Sea Basin is also rich in oil and natural gas. The development of these lucrative hydrocarbon resources is having an adverse effect on the indigenous plant life, and some species are at risk of extinction. At the same time, water levels in the Caspian Sea are dropping, and it is particularly noticeable in the shallow northern section where Kazakhstan's Caspian ports are located. To look at the ecological challenges and efforts to find an acceptable biological and business balance in the Caspian Sea, host Bruce Pannier is joined by two guests from Kazakhstan: Vadim Ni, a lawyer, environmental activist, and founder of the Save the Caspian Sea movement; and Tatyana Sedova, an expert in extractive industries governance, civic participation and capacity building, who has worked with organizations such as the World Bank and the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative.

Tajikistan has been acknowledged by Freedom House as one of the worst human rights violators for years, but 2025 has seen Tajik authorities take repression to new levels. Eight former government officials and political opposition figures were convicted at a closed-door trial of plotting a coup and given lengthy prison sentences. In addition, a journalist was convicted of treason for reporting on Tajik citizens' opinions on Chinese influence in their country, and the OSCE said it would not observe Tajikistan's March 2 parliamentary elections because Tajik authorities failed to give assurances of accreditation. Joining host Bruce Pannier to discuss events in Tajikistan in early 2025 are guests Muhamadjon Kabirov, editor at Azda.tv, a media outlet run by exile Tajik journalists; Edward Lemon, the president of the Washington-based Oxus Society for Central Asian Affairs; and Steve Swerdlow, a rights lawyer who is currently an associate professor at the University of Southern California.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) just released its annual report about the human rights situation around the world https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2025. The report points to a deterioration in rights in Central Asia in such areas as civil society, freedom of media, the judicial process, the rights of minority groups and vulnerable segments of the population, and more. Joining host Bruce Pannier to discuss the report are Syinat Sultanalieva, HRW's researcher covering Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, and Hugh Williamson, HRW's director for Europe and Central Asia.

We know what U.S. policy for Central Asia was when Donald Trump was president the first time. But the region has changed significantly in the four years since. U.S. forces are no longer in Afghanistan, the relationships between Central Asia's governments and Russia have shifted since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, trade routes have expanded, and there are new issues like energy resources and access to critical minerals. Joining host Bruce Pannier to discuss U.S.-Central Asian ties under the second Trump administration are guests Bakyt Beshimov, a former member of Kyrgyzstan's parliament and former Kyrgyz ambassador to the OSCE and to India who now teaches at Northeastern University in Boston; Richard Hoagland of the Washington-based Caspian Policy Center, who previously served as U.S. ambassador to Kazakhstan and Tajikistan and charge d'affaires to Turkmenistan; and Eric Rudenshiold, also of the Washington-based Caspian Policy Center, who served as director for Central Asia in the National Security Council under both Trump and President Joe Biden.

This year's edition of the international 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence campaign got under way on November 25. While Central Asian authorities acknowledge that gender-based violence (GBV) has been a problem for years, a trio of studies on gender-related killings about to be published by UN Women Europe and Central Asia is expected to show the problem is getting worse. Joining host Bruce Pannier to discuss these questions are guests Khalida Azhigulova, a Kazakhstan-based lawyer and international consultant on the prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse; and contributors to the UN studies Svetlana Dzardanova, human rights and corruption researcher at Freedom for Eurasia, currently located in Kyrgyzstan; and Niginakhon Saida, a researcher, educator, and freelance journalist from Uzbekistan specializing in Islam, education, and gender issues in Central Asia.

China's presence in Central Asia has been growing for 30 years. China is now a leading trade and security partner, foreign investor, and source of everyday goods available in markets and bazaars across Central Asia. The Central Asia Barometer recently released the results of a survey conducted over the course of several years that analyzes the opinions of Central Asian citizens toward various spheres of interaction with China, including the presence of Chinese workers in Central Asia. The results are surprisingly positive. Joining host Bruce Pannier are Kasiet Ysmanova, director of the Central Asia Barometer and a survey research practitioner based in Bishkek; Frank Maracchione, a postdoctoral research associate at the School of Politics and International Relations, University of Kent, working on Sinophobia in the Global South; and Irna Hofman, a rural sociologist specializing in social and agrarian change in Central Asia who has followed China's presence in rural Tajikistan ethnographically for some 15 years.

Tajik opposition activist Dilmurod Ergashev arrived in Tajikistan on November 7, after he was deported from Germany, where he had been seeking asylum since 2011. Ergashev was immediately arrested on his return by Tajik authorities; he hasn't been heard from since. Ergashev is one of several Central Asian opposition activists sent back to their homelands; dozens more continue to pursue asylum claims in Europe. Why, despite knowing the repressive tendencies of Central Asian governments and being party to international agreements against “refoulement,” do some European countries still deport people to countries where returnees are routinely imprisoned? Joining host Bruce Pannier to discuss this are Leila Seiitbek, a lawyer and chairwoman of the NGO Freedom for Eurasia, and Hugh Williamson, the Europe and Central Asia director for Human Rights Watch.

The Oxus Society for Central Asian Affairs just released a detailed report on military and security forces in Tajikistan. The comprehensive work examines the 30-year history of the Tajik defense forces, their mission and composition, how they are deployed, and the role of foreign countries in training and equipping Tajik forces. Joining host Bruce Pannier to discuss the report are two of its authors: Michael Hilliard, the host of the Redline podcast, which deals with military and security matters around the world; and Derek Bisaccio, Forecast International's lead analyst for international defense markets, specializing in the defense trade in Eurasia and the Middle East.

Russian officials and celebrities have become increasingly critical of the countries and peoples of Central Asia since the Kremlin launched its full-scale war on Ukraine in February 2022 -- and patience is wearing thin in the region. Central Asians are pushing back against Russian lecturing, racist comments, and mistreatment of migrant laborers. Joining host Bruce Pannier to discuss Central Asia's sharp responses to Russia's unwanted advice and strict rules for migrants are Edward Lemon, president of the Washington-based Oxus Society for Central Asian Affairs, and Fran Olmos, a senior researcher in Central Asian affairs at Spain's GEOPOL 21 Center and research fellow at the London-based Foreign Policy Center.

Kazakhs will vote on October 6 in a national referendum to authorize construction of a nuclear power plant. In recent winters, Kazakhstan has experienced severe power shortages, and Kazakh officials assert that nuclear power could help fill the gap. People remember, however, that 456 nuclear weapons were detonated in northeastern Kazakhstan between 1949 and 1989 as part of the Soviet Union's testing program. The byproducts of these tests continue to affect public health in the region, and many people in Kazakhstan are not pleased with the prospect of nuclear power. Joining host Bruce Pannier to discuss the pros, cons, and controversy of Kazakhstan's proposed nuclear power plant are guests Togzhan Kassenova, author of the widely acclaimed book Atomic Steppe: How Kazakhstan Gave Up The Bomb; Aya Renaud, an editor at RFE/RL's Kazakh Service, known locally as Azattyq; and Darkhan Umirbekov, digital editor at Azattyq, who is based in Astana.

Russia's longtime influence in Central Asia seemed to fade after the launch of its full-scale war on Ukraine in February 2022, as other countries pursued stronger relations with Central Asian states and active roles in lucrative projects. The Kremlin noticed and has countered with its own initiatives, of which the most binding may be a series of recent agreements that will increase some Central Asian states' dependence on Russia for energy resources. Joining host Bruce Pannier to look at Russia's counter-campaign to preserve its strong position in Central Asia are guests Assel Tutumlu, a lecturer at the International Relations and Political Science Department at the Near East University in Cyprus; Francis Olmos, a senior researcher in Central Asian affairs at Spain's GEOPOL 21 Center and research fellow at the London-based Foreign Policy Centre; and Temur Umarov, a fellow at the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center in Berlin.

Racialization is the process of viewing a specific people with preconceived notions about them. In Russia, non-Russians -- particularly people from Asia or the South Caucasus -- have long been targets of racialization. The problem is especially acute in today's Russia, where many Russians openly express negative or derogatory views of these peoples, making life extremely difficult for Central Asians who live or work in the country. Joining host Bruce Pannier to look at the impact of racialization and ethnic discrimination on Central Asians in Russia are guests Nodira Abdulloeva, an advocate for the rights of migrant workers in Russia; sociologist and University of Amsterdam postdoctoral researcher Nodira Kholmatova; and Tolkun Umaraliev, chief editor for RFE/RL's Migrant Unit and Ferghana Valley Bureau.

Russia's historical legacy in Central Asia has come under increased scrutiny in the region since Russia launched its full-scale war in Ukraine. Many Russians, including officials, claim -- in some cases insist -- that Russia's colonization of Central Asia was beneficial to the region. A growing number of people in Central Asia are coming to a different conclusion, as they reassess the years under Russian and Soviet rule and what Central Asia's relationship with Russia should be going forward. Joining host Bruce Pannier to discuss this issue are guests Erica Marat, a professor of political science at the National Defense University in Washington and a Central Asia expert originally from Kyrgyzstan, Diana Kudaibergen, a political sociologist from Cambridge University who will be moving on to the University College of London this autumn, and Azamat Junisbai, a sociologist and professor at Pitzer College in Claremont, California. Both Kudaibergen and Junisbai are originally from Kazakhstan

In late June, Tajikistan passed a law on "alien clothing" that bans certain types of Islamic attire, particularly from Arab countries, and some types of Western clothing. Wardrobe violators run the risk of stiff financial penalties. Similar fashion mandates exist throughout Central Asia, focused more on women than men. Joining host Bruce Pannier to discuss clothing rules in Central Asia and who is affected by these directives are guests Svetlana Dzardanova, human rights researcher at Freedom for Eurasia, who is based in Kyrgyzstan; and Niginakhon Saida, a researcher, educator, and freelance journalist from Uzbekistan specializing in Islam, education, and gender issues in Central Asia.

Nearly three years have passed since the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan, to the dismay of much of the world. While the Central Asian states were among the countries that didn't welcome the return of the Taliban, most of them took a different approach to the Afghan militant group than they did when the Taliban first ruled Afghanistan in the late 1990s. Trade has grown steadily between Central Asia and Afghanistan since August 2021, and Central Asian officials meet regularly with Taliban representatives to discuss cooperation on major projects. Joining host Bruce Pannier to discuss the Taliban's new relations with its northern neighbors are guests Qadir Habib, director of RFERL's Radio Azadi; Pahlavon Turgunov, managing editor at RFERL's Uzbek Service; and Farruh Yusupov, director of RFERL's Turkmen Service.

Two years have passed since violence erupted in western Uzbekistan's Karakalpakstan Sovereign Republic. In early July 2022, Uzbek law enforcement personnel used stun grenades and tear gas to disperse thousands of Karakalpaks gathered in a peaceful protest in the Karakalpak capital, Nukus, over proposed changes to Uzbekistan's constitution that would have stripped Karakalpakstan of its nominal status as a sovereign republic and right to conduct a referendum to secede from Uzbekistan. Officially, 21 people were killed, most of them protesters. Since then, Uzbek authorities have imprisoned dozens of Karakalpaks, and Karakalpak activists located in other countries are also facing pressure. Joining host Bruce Pannier to discuss the topic are Leila Nazgul Seiitbek, a lawyer and chairwoman of the NGO Freedom for Eurasia; Hugh Williamson, the Europe and Central Asia director of Human Rights Watch; and Mynaim, a pseudonym for a Karakalpak activist living outside Uzbekistan. (Note: Mynaim's comments have been voiced over to protect her identity, family, and friends in Karakalpakstan.)

The threat of terrorism is never far from the minds of officials in Central Asia, who know that their region shares a 2,000-kilometer border with Afghanistan. In recent weeks, Tajikistan's speaker of parliament has warned about a growing number of militants in northern Afghanistan and in Kyrgyzstan, where authorities detained 15 suspected members of Islamic State-Khorasan (IS-K), a group operating out of Afghanistan. Suspected IS-K militants who are Tajik nationals have been blamed for terrorist attacks in Moscow in March and Iran in January. Joining host Bruce Pannier to look at who these militants are and where they are active are guests Lucas Webber, the co-founder and editor of militantwire.com and a research fellow at the Soufan Center; and Riccardo Valle, an analyst focused on jihadism security and the director of thekhorasandiary.com.

Turkey is building up its influence in Central Asia -- as shown by the Organization of Turkic States (OTS). The OTS includes Turkey, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan; Turkmenistan and Hungary are OTS observer members. The growing cooperation between these states since Russia launched its full-scale war in Ukraine accelerated in 2024, in such sectors as investment, trade, transport, energy, and security. Joining host Bruce Pannier to look at developments in the OTS are guests Assel Tutumlu, a lecturer at the International Relations and Political Science Department at the Near East University in Cyprus, and Johan Engvall, from the Stockholm Centre for Eastern European Studies (SCEEUS), based at the Swedish Institute of International Affairs.

Two years have passed since the Tajik government launched its crackdown on residents of the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast, or GBAO. On May 16, 2022, police and security forces attacked peaceful protesters in the GBAO capital, Khorugh, and dozens of people were killed in the weeks that followed. After the shooting stopped, the state's repression of the region continued with the arrests of hundreds of GBAO natives – including this month, when at least 35 residents of GBAO's Yazgulom district were detained. Joining host Bruce Pannier to discuss the Tajik government's crackdown in GBAO are guests Syinat Sultanalieva, a researcher covering Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan for Human Rights Watch, and Bakhtiyor Safarov, the founder of the firm Central Asia Consulting in the United States who is originally from Gorno-Badakhshan.

The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) just released its annual report on freedom of religion in the world. The sections on Central Asia make for grim reading. Constitutionally, people in Central Asia can practice whatever faith they choose. In practice, however, only the state-approved forms of Islam and the Russian Orthodox Church are acceptable to authorities in Central Asia. Other groups face a myriad of problems; discussions of religion posted on social networks that stray from state sanctioned norms can lead to legal repercussions. Joining host Bruce Pannier to discuss are Mollie Blum, a researcher at USCIRF who helped compile the data on Central Asia for the recent report, and Felix Corley, editor of the Forum 18 News Service that monitors religious freedom in the former Soviet republics and Eastern Europe.

British Foreign Secretary David Cameron just completed an official trip to all five Central Asian states. For Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan, this was the first time a British foreign secretary had ever visited. In this episode of the Majlis podcast, we look at Cameron's Central Asia tour, what he was offering to his hosts, and what he was able to accomplish during the trip. Joining host Bruce Pannier are guests Aijan Sharshenova, a research fellow at the Bishkek-based think tank Crossroads Central Asia; Ben Godwin, the head of analysis at PRISM Political Risk Management, who lived and worked in Kazakhstan for seven years and continues to monitor events there; and Luca Anceschi, professor of Central Asian studies at Glasgow University and author of several books on Central Asia.

Can an authoritarian government's policies contribute to its citizens becoming terrorists? Tajik President Emomali Rahmon's government has received financial and security aid from many governments and for more than three decades, in an effort to keep Tajikistan from becoming a second Afghanistan or Syria. During that time, Rahmon has exploited these concerns to crush all potential opposition and allow his family to take control of nearly every profitable business in the country. In recent months, a few dozen citizens of Tajikistan have carried out -- or been accused of carrying out or abetting -- terrorist attacks in several countries. Should the Tajik government also be held responsible? Joining host Bruce Pannier to discuss this are guests Marius Fossum, the regional representative in Central Asia for the Norwegian Helsinki Committee, and Steve Swerdlow, a rights lawyer with long experience in Central Asia and currently an associate professor of the practice of human rights at the University of Southern California.

Russian security forces arrested several Tajik citizens in the wake of the March 22 attack on the Crocus City Hall outside Moscow that left more than 140 dead, claiming they were the perpetrators of the massacre. The news touched off a wave of xenophobia against Central Asian migrant laborers in Russia, with most of the suspicion and hostility directed toward ethnic Tajiks. This overt racism is also spilling over into Tajik-Russian relations. Joining host Bruce Pannier to discuss these matters and more are Edward Lemon, a professor at Texas A&M University and president of the Oxus Society for Central Asia; and Salimjon Aioubov, director of RFE/RL's Tajik Service.

In the first two weeks of March, Turkmenistan has been unusually active in promoting its potential as a natural-gas supplier. Among the countries Turkmen officials have named as potential customers are Azerbaijan, Turkey, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, and Kazakhstan. Why is Turkmenistan suddenly so interested in finding new markets for its gas, and what are the chances any of these countries might become importers of Turkmen gas? Joining host Bruce Pannier to discuss these questions are guests John Roberts, one of Europe's leading specialists on the Middle East, Russian, Caspian, Turkish, and Kurdish energy security issues; and Farruh Yusupov, the director of RFERL's Turkmen Service, known locally as Azatlyk.

Karakalpak activists are experiencing problems in Kazakhstan and in Europe. Trouble started after Uzbek security forces brutally suppressed a peaceful protest over the region's sovereignty within Uzbekistan in Nukus, capital of the Karakalpakstan Sovereign Republic, in July 2022. This year, a Karakalpak activists died in Kazakhstan while another is currently detained there. Two more activists in Europe face possible deportation. Joining host Bruce Pannier are Arzu, a pseudonym for a Karakalpak activist now living outside Uzbekistan; Catherine Putz, managing editor at The Diplomat magazine; Leila Seiitbek, chairwoman of the NGO Freedom For Eurasia; and noted human rights lawyer Steve Swerdlow. (Note: Arzu's comments have been voiced over to protect family and friends in Karakalpakstan.)

A court in Kyrgyzstan ordered the closure of Kloop Media on February 9. The court's ruling came after a series of state-selected “experts” testified on court that Kloop's reporting was having a negative psychological effect on Kyrgyzstan's people. The ruling against Kloop sends a chilling message to independent outlets and journalists, who were already bracing for the possible adoption of two draft laws—one on media, the other on NGOs—that would give Kyrgyz authorities even greater latitude to limit independent journalism. Joining host Bruce Pannier to discuss the court's decision against Kloop and what it means for media freedom in Kyrgyzstan are guests Gulnoza Said, the Europe and Central Asia coordinator for the Committee to Protect Journalists and Muzaffar Suleymanov, program officer in the Eurasia Department at the Swedish-based organization Civil Rights Defenders.

On January 29-30, Brussels hosted an Investors Forum for European Union-Central Asia Transport Connectivity. At the forum, EU officials announced that European and international investors would commit 10 billion euros ($10.8 billion) in support and investments toward transport connectivity between Europe and Central Asia, as part of the EU's Global Gateway trade network. The money will go toward a wide assortment of projects -- from roads and railways to renewable energy resources. Joining host Bruce Pannier to discuss what is in this 10-billion-euro package are guests Samuel Doveri Vesterbye, director of the European Neighborhood Council, and Kestutis Jankauskas, the European Union's ambassador to Kazakhstan.

While Kyrgyzstan's independent media scene has been slowly deteriorating for two years, January 15 marked a turning point with raids by law enforcement officers at media outlets and homes of journalists. At least 11 people were detained and ordered into police custody for two months. Kyrgyzstan's parliament is again considering a restrictive draft media law compared to legislation used by Russia to shut down media outlets there. Joining host Bruce Pannier to look at the crackdown on Kyrgyzstan's independent media and what might be coming if the draft media law is approved are guests Tattuububu Ergeshbaeva, director of the Tandem - Lawyers' Community and Syinat Sultanalieva, Central Asia researcher for Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan at Human Rights Watch.

Kyrgyzstan has changed its national flag. It was clear from the time the idea of altering the flag was first proposed in September 2023 that the country's president, Sadyr Japarov, wanted the change. There was strong opposition from many of the country's citizens, but that met with a very aggressive response from authorities and very quickly the idea became a reality. The process by which Kyrgyzstan's flag was changed is especially interesting because it illustrates more broadly how the country has been governed since President Japarov came to power. Joining host Bruce Pannier to discuss Kyrgyzstan's new flag and what it says about the current Kyrgyz government's methods are guests Leila Seiitbek, chairwoman of the NGO Freedom for Eurasia, and Admir Kurman, who is from Kyrgyzstan, but currently works in London as an innovation strategist.

It has been more than 30 years since the five Central Asian states became independent, yet the term “Russia's backyard” is often still used by some people, including Western media, when reporting on the region. Understandably, many in Central Asia find this way of describing their region offensive. Yet Russia remains a neighbor and a country with unique influence in Central Asia. How far has Central Asia come in being independent from Russia and what are some of the ties that still bind the region to its former colonizer? Joining host Bruce Pannier to discuss the ebb and flow of Central Asia's relations with Russia in the last two years are guests Johan Engvall, an analyst at the Stockholm Center for Eastern European Studies; Navbahor Imamova, veteran correspondent for the Uzbek Service at Voice of America, and Temur Umarov, a fellow at the Carnegie Russia-Eurasia Center in Berlin.

Central Asia has never enjoyed so much international attention as it has since Russia launched its full-scale war on Ukraine. The search for new, non-Russian trade routes and energy resources to replace Russian oil and gas supplies is leading many countries to strengthen their ties with the Central Asian states. One sign of this is the world tour the Central Asian leaders (as members of the C5 group of states) have been on in 2023, traveling to meet with heads of state in China, the United States, Saudi Arabia, Germany, and other countries. This new popularity has changed the fortunes of the Central Asian countries, but also the manner in which the leaders govern their countries. Joining host Bruce Pannier to discuss all this are guests Catherine Putz, managing editor at The Diplomat magazine, Nargis Kassenova, senior fellow and director of the program on Central Asia at Harvard Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies, and Luca Anceschi, professor of Central Asian studies at Glasgow University.

Since Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoev came to power in late 2016, he has often exhorted journalists to draw attention to corruption and other problems in the country. Mirziyoev has promised he would “stand behind” journalists and media outlets. However, the Uzbek president has been nowhere in sight recently as bloggers in the country have been arrested and given long prison sentences -- in some cases longer sentences than people in Uzbekistan convicted for violent crimes receive. Joining host Bruce Pannier to discuss are guests Umida Niyazova, director at the Germany-based Uzbek Forum for Human Rights, and Steve Swerdlow, a rights lawyer with many years of experience in Central Asia who is currently an associate professor of the practice of human rights at the University of Southern California.

The government's announcement of a new tax regime for local bazaars and markets sparked an unexpected backlash, with protests erupting in towns and cities across Kyrgyzstan. President Sadyr Japarov's government has made it difficult for people to gather and criticize the authorities' actions; the merchants' protests ended a long period without any large demonstrations. What was behind this public display of dissatisfaction, and what does it say about the culture of protest in Kyrgyzstan, a country that has seen three presidents chased from power as a result of street demonstrations? Joining host Bruce Pannier to discuss the issue are Asel Doolotkeldieva, nonresident fellow at George Washington University; and Medet Tiulegenov, senior research fellow at the University of Central Asia in Bishkek.

December 3 is International Day of Persons with Disabilities. Central Asian countries have all ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and are moving toward implementing the UN Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. Two of those goals are: quality education for all; and decent work and economic growth. In this podcast, we look at the prospects for Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan to achieve these goals for persons with disabilities. Joining host Bruce Pannier to discuss this topic are guests Seinep Dyikanbayeva, program manager and lawyer of the Kyrgyz NGO Parents of Children with Disabilities; Madina Karsakpaeyava, currently working for the UNDP to help make all of Kazakhstan accessible for the disabled; Mirsaid Mukhtorov, a student of the International Law Faculty at the University of World Economy and Diplomacy in Uzbekistan, and an independent researcher of rights of people with disabilities; and Dilmurad Yusupov, co-founder of the NGO Sharoit Plus, an organization which aims to promote a barrier-free and inclusive society for all disabled people in Uzbekistan.

All five Central Asian militaries have drones, and four of the countries produce military drones domestically. Drones were first used in anger in Central Asia during Kyrgyz-Tajik border clashes in September 2022, when Kyrgyzstan's drones were used to attack positions in Tajikistan. Drone acquisition is a point of pride -- and of media coverage -- throughout the region. Who is supplying drones to Central Asia or helping Central Asian governments produce their own? Why do the Central Asian states even need drones? Joining host Bruce Pannier to discuss this topic are guests Derek Bisaccio, Forecast International's lead analyst for International Defense Markets, specializing in the defense trade in the Eurasia and Middle East regions, and Francisco Olmos, senior researcher in Central Asian affairs at Spain's GEOPOL 21 Center, and also a research fellow at the London-based Foreign Policy Centre.

Headlines in Kazakhstan in recent weeks have been dominated by reports of violence against women. Two women were the victims of rape. In one case, the victim said police pressured her to drop the complaint against her attacker. In the other, the accused rapist was the local chief of police. A third woman is dead after her husband, a former government minister, beat her to death in a restaurant. Are the law and society in Kazakhstan failing to protect women, and what can be done to change the situation? Joining host Bruce Pannier to discuss this issue are guests Khalida Azhigulova, a lawyer and international consultant on the prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse; Svetlana Dzardanova, human rights and corruption researcher at Freedom for Eurasia; and Zhanar Sekerbayeva, co-founder of the Kazakhstan Feminist Initiative Feminita with focus on lesbian, bisexual, queer, and trans women's rights.

Gallup World Poll just released the results of its annual Law and Order Index, which ranked Tajikistan as the most secure country in the world. The poll was based on whether people “are confident in their local police, feel safe in their neighborhoods, and were victims of theft or assault in the past year.” The rating surprised some, and there is certainly another side to the story of law and order in Tajikistan. Joining host Bruce Pannier to discuss the situation are guests Marius Fossum, the longtime Central Asia representative of the Norwegian Helsinki Committee, and Muhamadjon Kabirov, whose family fled Tajikistan to escape political repression, and who currently serves as editor in chief of the Tajik-language news network Azda.TV, which is based in Europe.

Geographically, Central Asia is located a comfortable distance away from the wars in the Caucasus, Ukraine, and the Middle East, but these conflicts affect Central Asia's governments, as well as the region's people. For different reasons, the fighting in those three areas is causing rifts and bringing new challenges. How are the region's governments reacting to the conflicts? How do Central Asia's residents feel about the wars -- and their leaders' responses to them? Which combatants can Central Asians openly support, and how? Joining host Bruce Pannier to look at these questions are Joseph Epstein, a legislative fellow at the Endowment for Middle East Truth who focuses on the post-Soviet Space and the Middle East; Mukhtar Senggirbay, managing editor at RFE/RL's Kazakh Service, known locally as Azattyq; and Salimjon Aioubov, director of RFERL's Tajik Service, known locally as Ozodi. (Editor's Note: Some of the claims made by podcast participants about the fighting between Israel and Hamas have not been confirmed.)

On October 25, Kyrgyzstan's draft law on noncommercial organizations was adopted by parliament in its first reading. The bill has been criticized by domestic and international rights groups, but if it passes through two more readings it will become law. There is another controversial bill on media that will be reviewed soon by parliament. Both draft laws are close copies of similar laws in Russia that the Kremlin used to silence critical voices. Even without these laws being in effect, the activities of independent media outlets, and other groups, are already increasingly restricted in Kyrgyzstan. Joining host Bruce Pannier to discuss how Kyrgyzstan's laws are being used to pressure media and civil society organizations are Jasmine Cameron, senior legal adviser for Europe and Eurasia with the American Bar Association's Justice Defenders Program; and Aibek Askarbekov, a Bishkek-based lawyer specializing in political, civil rights, and noncommercial law.

It's no secret that kleptocracy is a problem in every Central Asian country. The presidents, their families, and close associates all seem to live very well while their populations can barely make ends meet. Might sanctions help rein in these excesses? Joining host Bruce Pannier to discuss this issue are guests Eldiyar Arykbaev, senior investigative reporter and coordinator for Central Asia at the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project; Tom Mayne, a research fellow at Oxford University and co-investigator on the Providing the Evidence and Analysis for a UK Counter-Kleptocracy Strategy project; and Leila Seiitbek, chairwoman of the NGO Freedom for Eurasia and a member of the working group advocating for a global Every Woman treaty to end all forms of violence against women and girls.