Uzbeks weigh vaccines: Russian vs. Chinese Vaccine hesitancy in Uzbekistan is high, bred by social media conspiracies that seem credible in a country without accountable authorities. Ezoza Yakvalkhodjieva Jun 2, 2021
Kazakhstan: Endangered antelope bounces back The saiga population has rocketed by 150 percent in the last two years. Joanna Lillis May 28, 2021
Tajikistan: COVID strikes again, despite official denials The government appears to be taking active measures to cover up the new outbreak. Kamila Ibragimova May 26, 2021
Kazakhstan: Vaccine app offers hope of reopening, but there are hiccups Critics are concerned over potential privacy issues. Almaz Kumenov May 13, 2021
Kazakhstan: A diary from a vaccination Our Kazakhstan correspondent describes the waiting, the bureaucracy, and the anticlimax of getting his Sputnik V jab in Almaty. Almaz Kumenov Apr 22, 2021
Tajikistan: Huge Muslim Brotherhood trial ends with lengthy prison sentences The group's alleged leader was an Egyptian national teaching Arabic at a local state-run university. Apr 12, 2021
Kazakhstan: Officials under fire over vaccination failures Only a tiny fraction of the population has got the jab so far. Almaz Kumenov Apr 1, 2021
Uzbekistan tightens rules for media as president braces for re-election The timing of the new legislation recalls recent reporting that cast the president in an unfavorable light. Mar 31, 2021
Tajikistan president pulls disappearing act over holiday season What makes Rahmon’s disappearance all very odd is that he is a particular devotee of the Nowruz spring equinox feast. Mar 23, 2021
As a possible new COVID-19 wave looms, Central Asia is napping The region appears wholly unprepared for the latest rise in cases. Mar 17, 2021
Kazakhstan: Vaccination campaign proceeds at snail’s pace Only 0.25 percent of the population aged over 15 have had the first injection. Joanna Lillis Mar 11, 2021
Uzbekistan and the red lines of free speech: A citizen journalist goes on trial As the country opens up, citizen journalism is flourishing. In a place unaccustomed to journalists, and with the ethics of the profession not yet cemented, theirs is a risky business. Peter Leonard Mar 10, 2021
Uzbekistan embarks on mass vaccination, but where will doses come from? Hopes are being pinned on the Sino-Uzbek vaccine ZF-UZ-VAC 2001. Mar 3, 2021
Kazakhstan: Authorities use pandemic to quash protests Restrictions on movement do not appear intended to stem the spread of COVID-19. Almaz Kumenov Mar 1, 2021
Tajikistan’s excess mortality data belie COVID-19 denialism Authorities have not made any attempt to explain the abnormally high number of deaths last year. Feb 23, 2021