Category Archives: Uncategorised

Photos show Uzbek President’s daughter

SEPT. 16 2014 (The Conway Bulletin) – More news stories have emerged to suggest that Gulnara Karimova, eldest daughter of Uzbek President Islam Karimov, has been charged with various economic crimes.

The most pressing of these are three photos allegedly showing Ms Karimova under house arrest in Tashkent. These were released by her PR agent in London.

In the photos, which are undated, three men in military style fatigues appear to be pushing and pulling a gaunt- looking Ms Karimova. Gone are her designer dresses, and expensive make-up. Instead Ms Karimova wears a tracksuit top and has her hair tied back in a simple bunch.

A statement alongside the photos said they showed that Ms Karimova was staving and that she wouldn’t face a fair trial in Uzbekistan.

“She [Gulnara] is willing to travel to any court where the rule of law is upheld so she can clear her name,” the statement said. “The fact that an Uzbek military court — which sits in secret — has already found her associates to be guilty makes it almost impossible for Gulnara tried fairly in the normal Uzbek judicial process.”

There is, no doubt, a kernel of truth in all this. It’s more difficult to see, though, who is going to come to the aid of Ms Karimova. She is reviled in Uzbekistan, where she was once touted as a successor to her father, and is liked hardly any more outside Uzbekistan.

Ms Karimova has been under house arrest for most of this year. Her close associates have already been jailed for a mix of crimes. Although it’s unclear exactly what Ms Krimova will be charged with, she is probably facing a prison sentence.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 200, published on Sept.17 2014)

Uzbek car sales to Russia fall

SEPT. 11 2014 (The Conway Bulletin) – GM Uzbekistan sold 20% fewer cars in Russia between January and August this year than it did during the same period in 2013, media reported. Russia is GM Uzbekistan’s main market. The data is important as a macro indicator of how the slowdown in the Russian economy, because of sanctions, is impacting Central Asia.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 200, published on Sept.17 2014)

Corruption proves stubborn in Kazakhstan

SEPT. 15 2014 (The Conway Bulletin) – An opinion poll in Kazakhstan said that a third of people don’t believe various high profile government campaigns to reduce corruption will have any impact, media reported. Most of the respondents said corruption is too ingrained in the system to be rooted out.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 200, published on Sept. 17 2014)

Inflation rises in Tajikistan

SEPT. 11 2014 (The Conway Bulletin) – Tajikistan’s Central Bank expects official inflation to hit 7.5% this year, double the figure for 2013, the ASIA-Plus website reported quoting a source at the Central Bank. Rising prices will place increased pressure on the authorities. Basic services are already strained in Tajikistan.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 200, published on Sept.17 2014)

Kazakh Post Office not to cut rural branches

SEPT. 10 2014 (The Conway Bulletin) – KazPost, the Kazakh Post Office, will not close hundreds of rural branches as it had said it would do earlier this year, KazPost chairman Bagdat Musin told media. There had been a outcry when KazPost had said it wanted to close branches, which deliver a spectrum of services, to cut costs.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 200, published on Sept.17 2014)

Opinion poll in Armenia backs Customs Union membership

SEPT. 10 2014 (The Conway Bulletin) – An opinion poll in Armenia has highlighted support for joining the Russia-led Customs Union, despite sanctions against Kremlin-linked companies that have triggered a negative knock-on effect on the Armenian economy.

The poll carried out by Gallup last month showed that 60% of people in Yerevan still favoured joining the Customs Union later this year, media reported.

Aram Havasardyan, Gallup’s representative in Armenia, said that this was a slight drop from the 70% who favoured membership of the Customs Union in 2013.

Clearly support for Russia has held up in Armenia despite the sanctions against Russia imposed on it by the US and the EU because of its meddling in Ukraine. This is important for President Serzh Sargsyan who has been pushing for membership.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 200, published on Sept.17 2014)

US criticises Georgian charges

SEPT. 13 2014 (The Conway Bulletin) – Once again the United States has said it is concerned about criminal charges brought against leading members of the former Mikheil Saakashvili government. The current government has charged several members of the previous government with abuse of power.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 200, published on Sept.17 2014)

Political row bubbled in Georgia

SEPT. 11 2014 (The Conway Bulletin) – Tension between Georgia’s President, Giorgi Margvelashvili, and its PM, Irakli Garibahvili appeared to bubble to the surface. Mr Margvelashvili accused Mr Garibashvili of thwarting his attempt to speak at the UN by planning his own address at the UN General Assembly. Growing tension between the presidency and the PM is important to monitor.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 200, published on Sept.17 2014)

Kyrgyzstan opened another trial against Bakiyev

SEPT. 17 2014 (The Conway Bulletin) – Kyrgyzstan has opened another trial against Maksim Bakiyev, the son of ousted president Kurmanbek Bakiyev, media reported. Bakiyev lives in London. He fled Kyrgyzstan with his father in 2010. He has already been sentenced in absentia to 25 years in jail for corruption.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 200, published on Sept.17 2014)

Uzbek cotton harvest begins

SEPT. 17 2014 (The Conway Bulletin) – Opposition Uzbek websites reported that the annual cotton harvest had begun. This is important as human rights groups have accused Uzbekistan of using forced human labour to pick the cotton. One news outlet, uznews.net, said 40% of medical staff in one region had been sent out to pick cotton.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 200, published on Sept.17 2014)