Edward Lemon
Friday, September 25, 2015 - 06:43
Never a bastion of democracy, the post-Soviet republic of Tajikistan has just become a one-party state.
Tuesday, May 12, 2015 - 07:29
The Tajik security services are well known for employing heavy-handed tactics as they attempt to stamp out extremism. In recent months, some have reportedly forced men with beards under the razor, tried to ban sales of hijab, and carried on with the usual mass arrests of suspected Islamists.
Thursday, February 19, 2015 - 06:35
The International Crisis Group’s latest report, “Syria Calling: Radicalization in Central Asia,” has generated a lot of media buzz. But two prominent experts on the region are less than convinced. In a critique published February 17, John Heathershaw and David Montgomery slam the report’s fundamental assumptions, calling the research “suggestive impressions masquerading as solid insights.”
Thursday, February 5, 2015 - 07:27
Ibragimov’s arrest appears to be part of a pattern, whereby the hypersensitive government of strongman Emomali Rakhmon accuses critics of “extremism” and uses the servile judiciary to lock them up.
Tuesday, January 20, 2015 - 06:30
Estimates of the number of Central Asians currently living in the Islamic State (IS) vary. The ICG calls Central Asian government figures “conservative” and instead gives greater credence to Western officials’ counts, placing the number between 2,000 and 4,000—most from the “long-rebellious” Fergana Valley.
Wednesday, November 12, 2014 - 06:38
How many Central Asians are fighting for the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, and do they want to return to wage jihad upon their return home? No one knows for sure, but in recent months Russian officials and pundits have sounded the alarm. Their comments – often adhering to a narrative about weak states needing Russian protection – fit neatly with the Kremlin’s efforts to maintain, or even expand, its military presence in the region.
Monday, September 22, 2014 - 07:18
In the past Central Asian governments expressed concern over foreign fighters infiltrating their territory. Now the principal concern for security services in the region is the return of Central Asian jihadists who are currently fighting in Syria and Iraq. Central Asian nationals are becoming increasingly involved in these conflicts.