Author: Aijan Karimov

The State Commission on Religious Affairs of Kyrgyzstan has proposed several important initiatives to regulate religious activity in the country and in particular, a ban on face coverings that hinder citizen identification in state institutions and public places. The ban will not apply to protective masks, and a draft decree, carrying a proposed fine equivalent to 235 USD for violation of the law, has now been submitted for public discussion. In addition, the State Committee of Religion also proposes banning the distribution of religious literature and other materials in public places, residential premises, state and municipal institutions, and educational organizations. Recommendations have…

Frankfurt, Paris (18/8 – 62.50) Ukraine has scored a series of victories in more than a week since launching a lightning offensive into Russian territory. Now the stakes are rising as its forces prepare to defend their gains and Russia begins to regain its footing. Last week, Ukraine deployed thousands of troops to the Kursk region in western Russia, removing Russian flags from captured towns and taking the initiative from Moscow for the first time in months. On Wednesday, officials in Kyiv said Ukraine would use seized Russian territory as a “buffer zone” to shield its north from Russian strikes.…

Explanations beginning to emerge after worst terror attack in Israel’s history They might as well have been sitting ducks. They are the tatzpitaniyot, mostly female soldiers stationed on the IDF bases near the Gaza Strip, their eyes glued to security cameras and other feeds of the border. Last Saturday morning, the Hamas terrorists who entered some of those bases with hang gliders shot at cameras and jammed some communications systems. They shot at the combat soldiers who were stationed at those bases, as well as at the tatzpitaniyot. “Yes, they surprised us, and we weren’t ready for it,” said a female soldier…

Frankfurt, Brussels (6/10 – 27) While Tajik authorities have not been able to lay their hands on their activist opponents living in Europe, they are able to turn the screws on their families and relatives, back in the old country. The recent case of arrest of family members took place shortly after President Emomali Rahmon’s visit to Germany, to attend a summit of Central Asian leaders, at the end of last month. Throughout Rahmon’s visit, he was trailed by demonstrators holding up placards bearing pictures of political prisoners and calling him a dictator. When Rahmon headed to the Bundestag on…

A group of representatives of Kyrgyzstan received the «Best Delegation» award following the results of participation in China — Eurasia: Commodity and Trade EXPO 2023. The Ministry of Economy and Commerce reports. «This recognition is a result of the country’s excellent representation on the world stage and proof that the Kyrgyz Republic is actively and effectively working to expand its international trade ties,» the ministry stressed. The Ministry of Economy notes that within the framework of the exhibition, enterprises of Kyrgyzstan have achieved important results in the field of international trade. They successfully concluded contracts and agreements for the export of goods, including meat and meat products, fish and fish products, as well as natural honey. The most significant achievements are…

Two QAZAQ AIR flights were in Kazakhstan for the first time, the crew of which was entirely female, writes Vc.ru. Crew commander Ekaterina Sverchkova and co-pilot Azhar Nessipbayeva flew on the routes Astana – Petropavlovsk – Astana and Astana – Omsk – Astana. The crew also included two female flight attendants. Ekaterina Sverchkova has been working at QAZAQ AIR since 2018, and her passion for parachuting led her to aviation. According to her, she has never encountered gender stereotypes or prejudice in her work. Source: Turkmen Portal

The Ministry of Agriculture of the Kyrgyz Republic, together with the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), has developed a strategic plan for the development of a fruit cluster in the country, Azernews reports, citing Kabar. According to the ministry, the main concept for the development of the fruit cluster is to strengthen the relationship between the main components of the value chain of the fruit industry, including farmers, processors and its auxiliary components, including research and government institutions. In other words, the fruit cluster development strategy includes the concept that those who are involved in the production, processing and distribution…

The Kyrgyz parliament has adopted a law under which foreign citizens who invest US$230,000 in the country’s economy will have the right to receive 10-year visas. The Kyrgyz parliament considered and passed in the third reading a bill On Changes to the Law of the Kyrgyz Republic On External Migration. “The bill proposes gradation of invested amounts according to which a foreign citizen or a stateless person has the right to receive a visa for five years for investment worth at least 10 million Som (US$115,000) and a foreign citizen or a stateless person has the right to receive a…

Kyrgyzstan’s parliament should reject two draft laws currently under discussion that would restrict freedom of speech and the work of the mass media, Human Rights Watch said today. These draft laws, as well as a highly controversial draft law on “foreign representatives” that would restrict the activities of nongovernmental organizations, may be adopted before the end of the parliamentary session on June 30, 2023, and come into force by the end of July. “Freedom of media and expression are once again under siege in Kyrgyzstan today with a slew of highly restrictive legislative initiatives, as well as a spate of criminal cases against…

To raise awareness of the Kyrgyzstan’s responsibility to improve workplace safety and strengthen workplace inspections,  the Solidarity Center last year launched a program to increase the visibility of the country’s Labor Inspectorate among workers and employers through education seminars and other consultative fora.   Significant progress has been made. Kyrgyzstan’s Labor Inspectorate is reporting that in 2022, as compared to the year prior: The right to a safe and healthy work environment place is a fundamental right of every worker. Developing partnership between Kyrgyzstan’s unions, government and employers is yielding results by better capturing and addressing safety violations, and ensuring compensation and wages to…