Kyrgyzstan

​With early parliamentary elections scheduled for 30 November, President Žaparov would like to hold a referendum on certain amendments to the Constitution, including the reintroduction of the death penalty for heinous crimes against women and children. The vote will take place according to new rules that reserve 30% of seats for female representation.

At the session marking the 80th anniversary of the United Nations, all five heads of state emphasised in their speeches how this region, torn apart by border conflicts for centuries, is now one of the most peaceful in the world, with growing economic cooperation. There was also a common position on Afghanistan, calling for an end to its isolation through pragmatism without official recognition of the Taliban.

Perfect posture, white smile, smooth face paired with thick grey or shiny black hair: from Turkmenistan to Uzbekistan or Kazakhstan, heads of state always appear in perfect shape and full of vitality in official images. Some even use Photoshop to add a few centimetres so as not to look out of place next to Donald Trump's stature.

The two million elderly people make up less than 30% of the country's population. One of the biggest difficulties they face is healthcare, which is very precarious at the public level. ‘Without our children, we would not be able to survive.’ And many today regret the Soviet era.

The case of a 15-year-old boy who died in Tajikistan as a result of “exemplary corporal punishment” inflicted by his father has reignited the spotlight on the issue of domestic violence. According to some data, 60% of children under the age of 14 in the country are victims of domestic violence. And despite the prohibitions introduced by law, the problem is exacerbated today by ‘demonstration videos’ sent to relatives or uploaded to social networks in search of social approval.

Of the five countries, only Turkmenistan is not a member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), in keeping with its traditional international neutrality, but President Serdar Berdymukhamedov was nevertheless present at the parade in Beijing. Trade between the region and China grew by 5% last year and will soon exceed $100 billion. Russia is now forced to play a secondary role.

At the president's request, the Ministry of Culture has released a “set of moral standards” to guide the behaviour of citizens and youth. Key concepts include respect for state symbols and historical heritage, tolerance, and the rejection of any expression of hatred. The heroes of the epic Manas trilogy are held up as role models, while five texts have been proposed for the new national anthem.

It is increasingly difficult for residents to move, with central streets cleared waiting for the motorcades to pass, while cars are lined up in columns on the side streets. Citizens are forced to walk in the scorching heat. In Tashkent, the ‘clean-up’ of the city center can take ‘extreme’ forms, with armored vehicles opening fire on cars that block the way.

The five countries in the region are increasing their purchases of these devices, which are increasingly used in conflicts, from Turkey, China, Russia, and Iran, and are opening their own production lines in agreement with foreign partners. Suspicions of triangulation that would allow Russia to be supplied while circumventing sanctions.

Although it has not yet achieved full political recognition from Moscow, Kazakhstan has signed an agreement with the Taliban for an important railway line. Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan are also promoting agreements with Beijing's blessing. The only exception remains Tajikistan, where the issue of discrimination against the Tajik minority in Afghanistan still weighs heavily.

A competition promoted by the respective broadcasters chose the most representative athletes from each of the five countries. From the judoka rejected by the Russians who climbed onto the podium at the Olympics for Tajikistan to the Uzbek footballer who plays in the Premier League and led his national team to World Cup qualification. And the Kazakh who discovered he was a marathon runner after an illness.

Visits to local administrations by the head of the Bishkek security services, Kamchybek Tašiev, have ended in sensational arrests. The senior official describes the fight against corruption as “a mission received from President Žaparov”. But there are those who doubt the effectiveness of this “clean-up campaign” if, in a country like Kyrgyzstan, procedures are not radically changed to make them transparent, effective and digitised.