Author: Leila Zhaparov

Kyrgyzstan on Thursday denied helping its ally Moscow circumvent sanctions imposed over its invasion of Ukraine, but did not rule out the involvement of private companies. The Central Asian country, which has close political, economic, and military ties with Russia, is suspected of exporting dual-use electronic components that Moscow can use for military purposes. Kyrgyzstan’s security agency said that “neither the Kyrgyz state itself nor any state structures and companies are involved in the violation of the regime of compliance with sanctions imposed by the United States and Western countries on Russia.” But it admitted the “possible involvement of private companies,” saying they…

The Kyrgyz parliament should reject a highly repressive draft law that would interfere with the activities of nongovernmental organizations, Human Rights Watch said today. The law would require organizations to register with the Justice Ministry as “foreign representatives” if they receive funding from abroad and engage in political activity. On May 19, 2023, parliament members registered Making Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts of the Kyrgyz Republic for consideration, known as the draft law on “Foreign Representatives.” Failure to register under the law could result in suspension of the organization’s activities, including its banking operations, for up to 6 months or until it is…

In the Mailuu-Suu area, uranium was mined and milled between 1946 and 1967 as part of the Soviet nuclear programme. During this period, some 10,000 tonnes of uranium oxide were produced there. The underground mines are subdivided into five mine fields and are accessible via three shafts. The Kara Balta Mining Combine was set up in the 1950s to mine and treat this ore in the north, near Bishkek. Many unsecured deposits of uranium tailings on the steep and unstable mountain slopes around Mailuu-Suu (a former closed city) pose serious risks to the health of the local population and the…

The volume of consumption and the number of consumers of cold water in Bishkek is increasing annually. Currently there are 270,342 consumers in the city growing by 7% year-on-year, according to the mayor’s office. Last year the number of consumers was 263,286. Consumption of drinking water increases significantly during the off-heating period. The mayor’s office urges to save water and use it rationally. Bishkekvodokanal municipal water supply company also urges consumers to close the tap when washing dishes or brushing teeth; optimize use of washing machines and dishwashers by using them to their full capacity; repair any water leaks in…

The clashes, which broke out on September 14, reportedly began when Kyrgyz and Tajik border guards exchanged fire along a disputed segment of the border. With hundreds more wounded, fighting has affected civilian populations in at least a dozen villages located on both sides of the largely undelineated border between the two countries. Many homes in Kyrgyzstan’s Ak-Sai village are alleged to have been deliberately burned and pillaged, according to Kyrgyz authorities’ claims reported in the media, and more than 300 civilian structures, including markets and schools, were set on fire or damaged during the hostilities. Nearly 137,000 people had to be evacuated, Kyrgyzstan authorities say, and are now…

International human rights law, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, guarantees the right to freedom of expression, which includes the right to seek, receive, and impart information and ideas of all kinds, regardless of frontiers. Kyrgyzstan’s constitution also guarantees freedom of speech and prohibits censorship, as stated in Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which Kyrgyzstan has ratified. However, there is ongoing debate and concern about the spread of hate speech and disinformation on social media and its negative impact on society. While freedom of expression is a fundamental right, it is not an…

The new service will commence on June 11 with a weekly round-trip flight from Incheon International Airport to Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan’s capital, every Sunday.T’way Air also stated that they may increase the number of flights to twice a week in the future, depending on the performance of the flights and routes.Despite the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, T’way Air has been steadily operating chartered flights to Kyrgyzstan. From 2020 to November 2022, the budget airline conducted a total of 22 chartered flights, carrying around 3,600 passengers and 75 tons of cargo, according to the company.To commemorate the launch of the…

   First Lady of Kyrgyzstan Aigul Japarova, as part of her participation in the first Kyrgyz-Russian Women’s Forum «Dialogue between women of Kyrgyzstan and Russia for the sake of the future», visited educational institutions in Moscow. Press service of the President reported. Aigul Japarova had a conversation with Kyrgyz students studying at the Gnesin Russian Academy of Music and the Mikhail Shchepkin Higher Theatre School (Institute). She noted that the guys have the opportunity to receive a quality education in the best higher educational institutions in Russia. «Young people, as an integral part of society, have always played and will continue to play an important role in the development of the people and the state,» the First Lady noted and wished the…

23,751 men work in schools in Kyrgyzstan, which is 19.3% of the total number of employees, the Ministry of Education said. 14,858 men or 15.3% of the total number of teachers work in schools. 8,893 men work as non-teaching staff of schools. 5,642 men or 20.5% of all employees work in schools in Osh region, 4,723 men or 19.3% in Jalal-Abad region, 3,081 men or 17.7% in Chui region, 2,911 men or 22.3% in Batken region, 1,931 men or 24.4% in Naryn region, 1,913 men or 20.6% in Osh, 1,890 men or 19% in Issyk-Kul region, 1,621 men or 13.8%…

BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan—Rain drizzles down on the capital city and the temperature hovers around freezing. In a hostel in the city center, young men from Russia gather in the common hall. Nikita sinks his tall frame into an oversized sofa and takes a sip of a tea before telling his story. Nikita, 25, was against Russia’s war in Ukraine from the beginning. He spent years living and studying in Western Europe and had a good job in finance. In May, he heard the first rumors of conscription, but he didn’t really believe it would happen. By September, with the war going…