Message from the Team
Welcome to the summer edition of your Central Asia Political Exiles Newsletter.
In this issue, we feature the launch of the second edition of the CAPE database and a number of reports on the deteriorating space for human rights and free media in parts of the Central Asian region. We link internal and external aspects in critical commentary on the role of the Western donors in human rights promotion and democratic reforms in Central Asia and call for more coherent and conditional approaches to the region.
We hope you will enjoy our latest news update! CAPE Team
Recent Publications
The second edition of the Central Asian Political Exiles database is available here, as well as background and details here.
Blog Posts
Heathershaw, J. and Furstenberg, S. (2018). The struggle for freedom of speech in Tajikistan: Khayrullo Mirsaidov and the question of international responsibility. Open Democracy, July 16, 2018.
Kenan, A. and Sutton, N. (2018). Preventing Transnational Repression, Protecting Human Rights Ideas for the Future? ExCAS, July 13, 2018.
Kenan, A. (2018). Tajikistan’s Imprisonment of Journalists: Khayrullo Mirsaidov and the question of Western (ir)responsibility. ExCAS, July 13, 2018.
Sutton, N. (2018). Resilience and Repression of Political Islam in Central Asia: Muhiddin Kabiri at Chatham House. ExCAS, July 13, 2018.
Furstenberg, S. (2018). Kyrgyzstan’s Struggle for Freedom of Expression. ExCAS, May 29, 2018.
Heathershaw, J. and Lewis, D. (2018). The Skripal Attack and the Post-Soviet Practice of Extraterritorial Security. ExCAS, March 22, 2018.
Furstenberg, S., Sutton, N. and Kenan, A. (2018). Tajikistan’s Repression Beyond Borders: the Case of Namunjon Sharipov. ExCAS, March 6, 2018.
Heathershaw, J. and Schatz, E. (2018). Academic Freedom in Tajikistan: Critical Engagement and Solidarity. ExCAS, March 2, 2018.
Books from our colleagues
Koch, N, (2018). The Geopolitics of Spectacle: Space, Synecdoche, and the New Capitals of Asia. Ithaka and London: Cornell University Press.
Laruelle M. (2018). Being Muslim in Central Asia. Practices, Politics, and Identities. Volume 9 in the Eurasian Studies Library series, Leiden and Boston: Brill.
Past events
Central Asian Political Exiles and Transnational Repression: Data, Networks, Advocacy, University of Exeter, June 21, 2018
This workshop included academics, journalists and human rights activists with the aim to exchange data and ideas on transnational repression. Its objective was enhance knowledge and collaboration to improve the effectiveness of protecting the human rights of those forced to flee their countries due to persecution from their government.
Why is Tajikistan Imprisoning Journalists? All-Party Parliamentary Group, House of Commons, London, June 20, 2018
This APPG discussed how and why Tajikistan has become more repressive and heard specifically about Khayrullo Mirsaidov’s case, as well as other journalists like him.
Political Exiles and Transnational Repression in Central Asia and Beyond, Chatham House, London, June 20, 2018
This workshop at Chatham House was attended by academics, human rights activists, lawyers, journalists and exiles themselves. Muhiddin Kabiri, leader of the Islamic Revival Party of Tajikistan, banned within the country, joined us also via video connection to discuss together the launch of the 2018 CAPE database, and the new cases and dynamics of extraterritorial security the database finds.
Political Exiles, Transnational Repression and Global Authoritarianism in Eurasia and Beyond, Harriman Institute, Columbia University, May 7, 2018
This workshop organized by Ed Lemon brought together academics, journalists, and human rights activists for three thematic panels. The workshop discussed practices of authoritarian regimes and transnational repression.
Association for the Study of Nationalities (ASN) conference, Harriman Institute, Columbia University, May 3–5, 2018
With Lawrence Markowitz as Chair and Erica Marat as Discussant, Saipira Furstenberg & John Heathershaw as well as Ed Lemon presented papers in Panel EU1 (Session VI): Understanding Authoritarianism in an Age of Globalization: Authoritarian Politics, the State and Security in Central Asia.