Central Asia

Nursultan Nazarbayev ruled Kazakstan between 1991 and 2019. Over three decades the former president and his inner circle, accused of corruption and nepotism, have built a cult of personality around him. © elbasy.kz

Kazakstan: Nazarbayev’s Fading Personality Cult

Since 1991, the ex-leader has become identified with the state itself, but his status is now crumbling.

11 Feb 22

Prominent Kyrgyz investigative journalist Bolot Temirov as he was arrested in the office of the outlet he founded, Terminov Live, on January 22. © Kloop.kg

Kyrgyz Authorities Arrest Investigative Journalist

Case highlights growing pressures on free expression in Central Asian state.

2 Feb 22

A view of central Kazakstan's capital Nur-Sultan, with the 105-metre tall Baiterek tower on the horizon. Previously known as Astana, meaning "capital city" in Kazakh, the city of 1 million was renamed on 20 March 2019 as a tribute to the long-ruling Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev, shortly after his resignation. © Leon Neal - Pool/Getty Images

Kazakstan: Will Nur-Sultan City Be Renamed?

Calls for reinstatement of “Astana” as ex-leader continues to be blamed for legacy of corruption and inequality.

31 Jan 22

Rubbish pile up on the side of the village’s muddy, unpaved streets. Residents complain that when it is dry, the roads are dusty and when it rains, they are muddy. Taxi drivers are unwilling to take passengers here. © CABAR

Kazak Villages Struggle with Poverty

In Nur-Sultan, glitzy shopping malls and swanky hotels mirror Kazakstan's vast natural resources. In the outskirts, villages with no running water and basic services tell a different story of poverty and inequality.

26 Jan 22

The impoverished village of Prigorodny lies 10 kilometres from the shiny centre of Kazakstan's capital Nur-Sultan. The country's deep inequality has driven the most serious unrest the oil-rich Central Asian nation faced in decades. © CABAR

Kazakstan: Economically Successful, Socially Unequal

Vast natural resources have made a select few rich while millions of Kazaks struggle to make ends meet.

20 Jan 22

President Kasym-Zhomart Tokayev giving a speech in the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan. © Akorda.kz

What Next for Kazakstan?

Leadership promises economic reforms – but does not stint on criticism of elite.

14 Jan 22

Kazak president Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. © Akorda.kz

Kazakstan: Tokayev’s Ascent to True Power

The career diplomat’s slow, hierarchical advancement has finally lead to real authority.

14 Jan 22

January 5, 2022 Kazak government declared a nationwide state of emergency after protests over a fuel price hike erupted into clashes and saw demonstrators storm government buildings. © ABDUAZIZ MADYAROV/AFP via Getty Images

Kazak Human Rights Activists Fear Crackdown

Experts predict further prosecutions and tightened censorship in the wake of unrest.

13 Jan 22

Vikram Ruzakhunov, a well-known jazz pianist on his return to Kyrgyzstan.

Anger Over Kyrgyz Detained in Kazakstan

Arrests seen as a way for Kazak authorities to justify their claim that the clashes were sparked by external forces.

11 Jan 22

Protesters stormed the mayor's office in Kazakhstan's largest city Almaty on Wednesday as unprecedented unrest in the Central Asian nation spun out of control. © ABDUAZIZ MADYAROV/AFP via Getty Images

Interview: Kazakstan in Crisis

Country sees a clampdown on independent media and civil society as CSTO troops arrive and a weakened president scrambles to entrench his grip on power.