Latest posts by Tolkun
Kyrgyzstan: Satanized
Shairbek Zhusuev, leader of political party ErK (Erkin Kyrgyzstan – transl. Free Kyrgyzstan), shocked many Kyrgyzstanis stating that the capital of Kyrgyzstan Bishkek city has been satanized for many years, as it has a big sign symbolizing demonolatry. Zhusuev says that he found out about it while surfing Google Earths...
Kyrgyzstan: New Prime Minister Discussed by Internet Users
One of Kyrgyzstan’s wealthiest men, the prominent government official Daniyar Usenov, was appointed the republic’s Prime Minister. President Kurmanbek Bakiev has already signed the appropriate orders. Daniyar Toktogulovich was among a list of possible candidates. Possible, but, to be honest, undesirable. At least, this is what the overwhelming majority of...
Uzbekistan: Fighting internet censorship
Today, Uzbekistan is remaining one of the repressive countries in the region that maintains a tight grip on mass media. Despite it has all the nominal guarantees of the freedom of speech, the media is being systematically attacked by the government. The article 5 in the law of the Republic...
Uzbekistan: Tashkent blogged
It is very interesting to notice that during the recent days the Uzbek blogosphere was mainly discussing Tashkent, the capital city of Uzbekistan. Today, Tashkent is at a stand of its beauty, as it is too early for summer heat and it is green and clean also. For a long...
Uzbekistan: Unwanted Changes
After the disintegration of the USSR, the Soviet communist identity and ideology ceased to exist and the new countries confronted the vital problems of defining new identities and ideologies. Most of the ex-Soviet countries were quick to give up the past and embrace the new life with new national values...
Uzbekistan: EU to play nice with Karimov's regime
The Andijon events of May 2005, when several hundred of demonstrating civilians were reportedly shot dead by the Uzbek government troops, made the whole world tremble. The results did take long to come. The United States made several statements on severe human rights violations in Uzbekistan, for which later were...
Uzbekistan: Yusuf Juma, a Martyr Poet
Today, in Uzbekistan, where free voices are being severely silenced, practically no one dares not even to promote, but just to express anti-governmental ideas. But this is not the case of dissident poet Yusuf Juma, as his poems are full of passion and concern about his country and martyr nation,...
Uzbekistan: Blogging fosters freedom of speech
Recently, the U.S. State Department has ranked Uzbekistan among “top ten” of the most authoritarian countries in the world. During almost two decades of his reign, president I. Karimov and his clan have taken control of all spheres of life in the country – political, economic and social. Civil society,...
Uzbekistan: Foreign Policy Perturbations
The Uzbek regime's violent suppression of the uprising in Andijan in May 2005 was a turning point in the country's foreign policy. The government did not allow EU to investigate the case and then, after the U.S. administration's strong opposition to “non-observation of basic human rights”, Tashkent forced American airbase...
Uzbekistan: Abnormal Cold, End of “Nirvana” and Genderwise Realpolitik
The abnormally low temperature that lasted in the region for a record-breaking long time seems to have its effect not only on Uzbek-Tajik relations but on the Uzbek blogosphere too — for the past several weeks it was not active at all. However, the topics covered there are still vital...
Uzbekistan: Stop Deportation of Asylum Seeker!
“Until this day I believed in freedom of media and its role in civil liberties in this country [Great Britain]. But information I have read today slightly changed my mind”, Craig Murray says. Such was a reaction of bloggers all over the world to the decision of the British court...
Uzbekistan: A Great Loss for the Nation
A great loss for the whole nation: such was the reaction of Central Asian – especially Uzbek – blogosphere to the assassination of Alisher Saipov, a prominent journalist from Osh, southern city in Kyrgyzstan that borders with Uzbekistan. As he was an ethnic Uzbek and lived in a border area,...
Uzbekistan: A nation's great loss
On September 7, 2007, a sunny Friday morning, Tashkent and the whole country were struck with sad news. Mark Weil, the legendary artistic director of the famed Ilkhom Theatre was mugged to death. Tolkun reports from the blogosphere.
Uzbekistan: Rumours and deception
Information is hard to get by in Uzbekistan. Check out the rumour mill in this week's blogosphere buzz: Will new license plates pave the way for corrupt officials to get nice kickbacks? Has a human rights activist sent a letter from prison? What is the UNDP in Uzbekistan up to?
Uzbekistan: Domestic violence, a prison for Uzbek Paris Hiltons and “Iran, go home!”
This week on Uzbekstani blogs: The difficult role of women in society and domestic violence stand in stark contrast to the flamboyant life of the president's daughter. Also, a young Uzbek football player displays a "Iran Go Home" poster before a match, Uzbek civil society is under threat, and a special prison is being built for delinquent civil servants.