Registan.net

As far as I’m concerned, Colonel Mahmud Khudoberdiev is dead. At some point in late 2001 he was killed in Uzbekistan, far from his home in Qurghonteppe, Tajikistan. This Soviet Army veteran of the Soviet-Afghan War rose to prominence as a very capable commander in the Tajik Civil War. But soon it started to fall […]

Sunday is the second anniversary of the Andijon massacre. RFE/RL already has a handful of stories on what Uzbekistan’s government has gotten away with, how Andijon effects Uzbek relations with the rest of the world, and the recollections of a refugee. Events commemorating Andijon will be held around the world. Expect them not to be […]

To follow up on a heated discussion of Louise Arbour’s human rights tour of Central Asia (and Nathan’s fascinating post on Americans and sports in Tashkent):
Uznews.net – Residents of Andijan have been ordered to be jubilant about the victory of their fellow citizen boxer Ruslan Chagayev. Andijan residents had to line up along streets on […]

Uzbekistan wasn’t happy when the U.S. absorbed some refugees who fled the massacre at Andijon. Now, they’re returning home, though human rights activists are worried about their treatment.
There have been unconfirmed reports that some of the returnees have been arrested and others are being subjected to regular questioning. Some have appeared on state TV […]

In addition to what Nathan has said about Uzbekistan branching out its foreign policy, there is a lot that is darkly comic about the place. On Wednesday, during a meeting with Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz of Pakistan, President Islam Karimov declared his first name to be “a religion of peace, moderation, and harmony,” and […]

Bertrand reported earlier on President Islam Karimov’s surprising statement on the dismissal of the Andijon Viloyati hokim, Saidullo Begaliyev. Karimov said that Begaliyev held indirect responsibility for the Andijon events due to his inattention to the public’s needs. Never before had Karimov explained the events as having had roots in poor government policy at […]

On October 13th, Uzbekistan President Islam Karimov made some rather startling remarks, speaking before the Andijon Council of People’s Deputies (Kengash). While those remarks are just now becoming subject of attention outside Uzbekistan, observers inside the country have been discussing and trying to parse them since last week.
What was startling is that for the […]

From the Congress of Democratic Uzbekistan by way of Craig Murray comes the news of mysterious deaths of Andijon refugees in Idaho.
According to Akram Mahmedov living in Idaho (1444 W Jacksnipe Dr Meridian, ID 83642 ; Ph. #:208-895-0206 ; 208-713-4659), a 29 year old Uzbek citizen Alimjan Sabirov (Olimjon Sobirov, Garden city, ID) died on […]

UNESCO, the UN organization Ronald Reagan withdrew from for its anti-Americanism and love of communists, has decided to award Islam Karimov a prestigious award for his preservation of Uzbek culture. This comes slightly more than 12 months after the UN castigated Karimov for the massacre at Andijon. The Uzbek government also stands accused […]

One of the reasons there is such a lack of understanding of Central Asia and countries like Uzbekistan may well spring from the shoddy reporting on the region from the mainstream media. Case in point: an ABC news report entitled “Top Five Least Known and Most Oppresive Leaders.” The report names Uzbekistan’s […]