Tag Archives: politics

Tajik authorities ban opposition posters

JAN. 28 2015 (The Conway Bulletin) — In Dushanbe, the mayor’s office has banned activists from the opposition Islamic Renaissance Party of Tajikistan from pinning up pre-election posters around the city, media reported (Jan. 28).

The Islamic Renaissance Party of Tajikistan is the only genuine opposition party running in a parliamentary election on March 1. It has popular support but has been increasingly marginalised by the authorities under President Emomali Rakhmon. He has strengthened his control over Tajik society and politics over the past few years, especially hyping up the perceived threat from the more religious elements.

Media said that this ban on electioneering in Tajikistan was new and had not been imposed during previous elections, suggesting another round of restrictions ahead of the election.
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(News report from Issue No. 217, published on Feb. 4 2015)

Karimov hits 77

>>The long-serving leader needs to organise his succession>>

JAN. 30 2015 (The Conway Bulletin) — Known as Papa, ironically rather than for any genuine paternal feelings, Uzbek President Islam Karimov has just celebrated his 77th birthday.

He has ruled over Uzbekistan for 26 years — he came to power shortly before the 1991 break-up of the Soviet Union — meaning that half of Uzbekistan’s 30m population have only known him as their leader.

But because of Mr Karimov’s age and rumours over his health, it will soon be time to pick a new leader. Mr Karimov himself has kept his opinions close to himself but candidates from within his administration have emerged as contenders, especially now that his eldest daughter, Gulnara, has been taken out of contention.

Top of this list is probably Rustam Inoyatov, the head of Uzbekistan’s secret intelligence service. He is a long serving official and is powerful but he is also a similar age and vintage to Mr Karimov.

There are others too, including finance minister Rustam Azimov and senate head Ilgizar Sobirov. And these options are what pose a real threat to Uzbekistan’s stability and Mr Krimov’s legacy.

For Mr Karimov, or Papa, this year is going to be busy.
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(News report from Issue No. 217, published on Feb. 4 2015)

Anti-Charlie Hebdo demo staged in Bishkek

JAN. 26 2015 (The Conway Bulletin) — At least 2,500 people protested in the city of Jala-abad in south Kyrgyzstan against the publication of cartoons depicting the Prophet Mohammed in the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo, media reported. The protest was sanctioned by the authorities and is a reminder of the strong Islamic sentiment in the region.
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(News report from Issue No. 216, published on Jan. 28 2015)

Police detain journalists in Almaty

JAN. 24 2015 (The Conway Bulletin) — Police detained several journalists as they left their homes to travel to an unauthorised protest against the closure of the Adam Bol news magazine, media reported quoting associates of the journalists. The UN also said that the freedom to protest in Kazakhstan has worsened recently.
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(News report from Issue No. 216, published on Jan. 28 2015)

Georgian interior minister resigns

JAN. 23 2015 (The Conway Bulletin) — Alexander Tchikaidze quit as Georgia’s interior minister after a man who accused him of covering up the death of two people killed by police in 2006 was himself killed by a bomb. Mr Tchikaidze, an ex-police colonel, had been interior minister since 2013.
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(News report from Issue No. 216, published on Jan. 28 2015)

Students forced to sign pro-Karimov petitions

JAN. 26 2015 (The Conway Bulletin) — Students in Uzbekistan are being forced into signing petitions supporting the presidential candidature of Uzbek leader Islam Karimov, the Uzbek arm of the US-funded Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reported. Mr Karimov has said he is going to stand for another term as president in an election in March.
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(News report from Issue No. 216, published on Jan. 28 2015)

Uzbek PM likely to retain job after election

JAN. 23 2015 (The Conway Bulletin) — The lower house of Uzbekistan’s parliament approved the re-selection of Shavkat Mirziyoyev as an official PM candidate. Mr Mirziyoyev has been PM since 2003 and Uzbek analysts said it was highly likely that he would retain the job after the March presidential election.

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(News report from Issue No. 216, published on Jan. 28 2015)

Another ex-Georgia minister joins Kiev government

>>Ukraine’s government has taken on a very Georgian face>>

JAN. 14 2015 (The Conway Bulletin) — A third former Georgian minister has signed up to work for the anti-Russian government in Ukraine. This time Gia Getsadze, who held various high ranking positions under former Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili, is to become Ukraine’s deputy justice minister, media reported.

Mr Getsadze follows Georgia’s former healthcare minister Alexander Kvitashvili and former deputy interior minister Eka Zguladze to Kiev.

And this is important. Georgia’s relations with Russia have much improved since Mr Saakashvili left office in 2013 but these ties are still fragile.

What Georgia wants to avoid is the relatively new government in Kiev appearing heavily populated by Georgians. If it does, relations between Georgia and Russia could be damaged once again.
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(News report from Issue No. 215, published on Jan. 21 2015)

Georgia to sell Saakashvili-era tower

JAN. 15 (The Conway Bulletin) – Georgia’s government plans to sell the tallest building in the port of Batumi — a slender 35-storey white tower with a golden ferris wheel in one side. The tower had been earmarked as part of a new university and was seen as prestige project for the previous government of President Mikheil Saakashvili.
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(News report from Issue No. 215, published on Jan. 21 2015)

Uzbek media announces Karimov’s re-election

>>Presidential election set for March 29 in Uzbekistan>>

JAN. 15 2015 (The Conway Bulletin) — The clue was in the headline. A pro-government news outlet in Uzbekistan, they are all pro-government, ran a story under the headline: “Incumbent President Islam Karimov’s re-election scheduled”.

Nothing, it seems, could be more certain. Mr Karimov has already ruled over Uzbekistan for 25 years, despite constitutional articles that bans one person from holding the post for more than two consecutive terms.

Few people expect any surprises from this campaign and it appears that it suits the United States, Russia and China to keep the status quo. The only two other candidates cleared to run in the election by the Uzbek Central Election Committee are avowed supporters of Mr Karimov.

Importantly, also, there is little mention of Gulnara Karimova, Mr Karimova’s eldest daughter. She had been talked of as a successor to her father but has fallen from grace over the past 18 months or so. She remains under house arrest and many of her associates are in prison.

Uzbekistan’s up and coming presidential election, set for March 29, will be marked by its trademark lack of any real competition.

A seasoned Uzbekistan watcher also said that Uzbeks are apathetic about the prospect of another Karimov term in office.

“People, you know, are apathetic,” he said. “I don’t expect any surprises.”
Mr Karimov has been in power in Uzbekistan since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. It’s inconceivable that he won’t win March’s election again.
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(News report from Issue No. 215, published on Jan. 21 2015)