Bektour Iskender

Jun 21, 2024 | internazionale.it | Bektour Iskender

Da quando Sadyr Japarov è diventato presidente del Kirghizistan nel 2021, i diverbi con Mosca sono diventati molto rari. Il paese centrasiatico, infatti, ha spesso percorso le stesse tappe dell’ex Unione Sovietica, adottando molte delle sue leggi autoritarie (come quella recente sugli “agenti stranieri”). Ma nel luglio 2023 Japarov si è ritrovato a discutere con il ministro degli esteri russo Sergej Lavrov.

Jun 14, 2024 | meduza.io | Bektour Iskender

Story by Bektour Iskender for The Beet. Edited by Eilish Hart. A note from the editor: With the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers already underway, Kyrgyzstan is still in the running to compete in the beautiful game’s greatest tournament. But the following story by journalist Bektour Iskender is about much more than that. It also involves FC Barcelona, Bishkek’s spy chief, and the ongoing clampdown on press freedoms in Kyrgyzstan.

Apr 18, 2024 | occrp.org | Bektour Iskender

Users encountered problems accessing the app on Thursday, after the National Security Service of Kyrgyzstan (GKNB) instructed internet providers to limit access to the service two days earlier. TikTok fell victim to a controversial law signed by Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov in August 2023, aimed at “protecting children from harmful information.” Human rights organizations criticized the legislation back then, pointing out that it can be used as a tool for censorship.

Mar 26, 2024 | themoscowtimes.com | Bektour Iskender

I remember the first time I entered Russia back in 2012 very distinctly. I traveled from my hometown of Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, to Moscow to attend a three-day conference organized by Google's Russian office. Given the short duration of my trip, I opted to travel light, relying solely on a backpack to carry my essentials. This is what caught the attention of the Russian customs official.

Mar 14, 2024 | tribunecontentagency.com | Bektour Iskender

“We decided to shut down our organization,” said Dinara Oshurahunova, a prominent human rights activist from Kyrgyzstan known for her foundation, Civic Initiatives. When she spoke to The Diplomat, Kyrgyzstan was one step away from passing a draconian law on so-called “foreign representatives.” Mirroring the 2012 Russian “foreign agents” law, the law is expected to significantly erode space for civil society in the Central Asian nation. Oshurahunova judged such a radical move prudent.