@mihrarittmann.bsky.social
Senior Central Asia Researcher / Human Rights Watch
As the world marks Human Rights Day on December 10, activists in #Turkmenistan, one of the world’s most repressive countries, continue to pay a devastating price for defending those rights.
www.hrw.org/news/2025/12...
ARTICLE 19 Europe urges #Kazakhstan's draft law penalizing so-called ‘propaganda of non-traditional sexual orientation' be withdrawn. Its adoption would institutionalise discrimination & heighten risks of violence & exclusion faced by LGBT people in Kazakhstan.
www.article19.org/resources/ka...
In light of what's happening with the "anti-LGBT" law in Kazakhstan, I think it's important to listen to this superb podcast in Russian with the superb queer researchers/practitioners voices Salta Shoshanova and Medina Bazargali:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=qi4F...
#Kazakhstan: Proposed ‘LGBT Propaganda’ law risks institutionalising discrimination, warn UN experts, urging authorities to reject the proposed amendments & protect LGBT persons and human rights defenders from discrimination and reprisals.
www.ohchr.org/en/press-rel...
Seven international human rights groups, including @hrw.org called on lawmakers in #Kazakhstan to reject so called #LGBT "propaganda" proposals when they came for a vote on Weds. Flouting Kazakhstan's international obligations, lawmakers adopted them anyway.
www.hrw.org/news/2025/11...
At a time when saving water has become a matter of vital importance in Uzbekistan, it is no less crucial to monitor how the allocated funds are used.
02.11.2025 11:29 — 👍 2 🔁 2 💬 0 📌 0
Central Asia-US Summit: Address Region’s Growing Repression
Human Rights Should be Key to Economic, Security Ties
www.hrw.org/news/2025/11...
#Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev will pay a high-level visit to Brussels on October 24, 2025, to sign a partnership deal with the EU, but the EU has missed an important opportunity to bring about positive change, says @hrw.org.
www.hrw.org/news/2025/10...
🧵 As #EU governments prepare to meet amid a fragile #Gaza ceasefire, pressure is mounting for them to "drop the stick" they never used on #Israel
Caving to that pressure would be yet another blow to their credibility, and to hopes for rights and justice: hrw.org/news/2025/10... #EUCO #FAC ⤵️ 1/7
#Kazakhstan and #Uzbekistan agree multimillion-dollar deals with US to buy locomotives and aircraft www.rferl.org/a/us-kazakhs...
23.09.2025 05:28 — 👍 3 🔁 2 💬 0 📌 1HRW's Europe & Central Asia division is hiring an associate to work in Brussels or Berlin to support our work in the region. If you're a recent grad, interested in human rights, have admin skills, and looking for a job, check out the job announcement below:
job-boards.greenhouse.io/humanrightsw...
Man-made starvation, bombardment & gunfire around flawed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation facilities, but also enforced disappearances of civilians - @UN_SPExperts report.
Int'l community's and EU's inaction only enables #Israel army's abhorrent crimes.
www.ohchr.org/en/press-rel...
Was privileged to share the waters with them over the weekend!
Ukrainian war veterans, some amputees, swim Istanbul’s Bosphorus on Ukraine’s independence day
www.latimes.com/world-nation...
#Kazakhstan 🇰🇿 @rsf-interfr.bsky.social condemns the refusal to renew accreditation for seven @rferl.org.web.brid.gy
Kazakh journalists: "The judiciary is endorsing a cynical legal sleight of hand aimed at hindering the work of RFE/RL's local bureau". buff.ly/ONRuU4s
#Kazakhstan: Instead of penalizing Bakhytzhan Toregozhina for her human rights work, Kazakh authorities shld recognize her posts for what they are: an important public record of rights violations in Kazakhstan that the government itself should be working to address.
www.hrw.org/news/2025/08...
Kyrgyzstan: Rights Defender on Trial After Publishing Activist’s Letter
www.hrw.org/news/2025/08...
The draft media law has been in the works since 2022 and has been criticized by journalists, civil society, and human rights organizations from the outset.
14.08.2025 12:00 — 👍 1 🔁 5 💬 0 📌 0
European leaders should make clear to Trump that release & return of 1000s civilians, including children, protection of civilians & accountability for war-time crimes should be at center of his meeting w/ Putin.
Read @HRW Rachel Denber's take 👇
www.hrw.org/news/2025/08... @vonderleyen.ec.europa.eu
Activists up in arms as plans to build at Bozzhyra in west #Kazakhstan resurface (company linked to Azeri ruling family, controversially given construction contract at Charvak in #Uzbekistan). Development at Kok Zhaylau near Almaty also back on agenda
vlast.kz/obsshestvo/6...
Human rights defender from #Kazakhstan Bakhytzhan Toregozhina fined for social media post via Front Line Defenders
www.frontlinedefenders.org/en/case/bakh...
#Kazakhstan's Mining Industry Sees Growing Abuse
A new report highlights growing allegations of violations of labor and environmental laws
vlast.kz/english/6578...
Kazakhstani Human Rights Activist Found Guilty of Spreading Disinformation
Bakhytzhan Toregozhina has been outspoken in her support of political prisoners
vlast.kz/english/6588...
🚨 Israeli forces have killed hundreds of starving Palestinians seeking food in Gaza. These are not isolated incidents; these are war crimes. Our latest investigation lays out the evidence. #Gaza #WarCrimes
🔗 www.hrw.org/news/2025/08...
Would love to see such a victory in Central Asia too, in either (both!) Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan, countries that continue to criminalize same-sex relations between men.
31.07.2025 19:57 — 👍 1 🔁 1 💬 0 📌 0
Our @nikolamikovic.bsky.social observes that Ukraine intensifies diplomatic efforts in Central Asia, seeking support amid war with Russia, but faces economic and logistical challenges timesca.com/ukraine-eyes... #Ukraine #CentralAsia #Diplomacy #Geopolitics
31.07.2025 09:01 — 👍 3 🔁 7 💬 0 📌 0Tune in to Turan Tales, where I talked to @aga-pik.bsky.social about the long shadow Nazarbayev casts over #Kazakhstan even six years after he stepped down as president after 30 years in power substack.com/@turantales/no…
31.07.2025 09:40 — 👍 2 🔁 2 💬 0 📌 0Motherfucking wind farms…
30.07.2025 17:02 — 👍 47124 🔁 17712 💬 1148 📌 2386During its 102nd session in April 2025, the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention issued Opinion 18/2025 concerning the detention of Mr. Marat Zhylanbaev (Kazakhstan), finds Zhylanbaev's detention arbitrary & says appropriate remedy is to "release Zhylanbaev immediately."
ohchr.org/sites/defaul...
The hearing is tomorrow at 10am in Almaty. Max penalty is a fine.
The thing is... Zhylanbaev shouldn't be in prison in the first place, his health deteriorating, and authorities shouldn't be going after Toregozhina for trying to bring attention to Zhylanbaev's plight in prison! But here we are.
