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Nika Novak

Nika Novak is a journalist for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL)’s Russian Service, known as Radio Svoboda, who has been unjustly detained in Russia since December 25, 2023.

Journalists in Trouble: RFE/RL’s Farid Mehralizada Marks Five Months in Detention in Azerbaijan 

RFE/RL’s Farid Mehralizada marks five months in detention in Azerbaijan; Alsu Kurmasheva receives the Committee to Protect Journalists’ (CPJ) International Press Freedom Award; Vladyslav Yesypenko’s wife advocates for him in…

Central Asia in Focus: Kyrgyz Authorities Target Another Opposition Party

In this week’s edition: Kyrgyz authorities detained leading members of Kyrgyzstan’s Social Democrats party, a Tajik court extended the prison sentence of Pamiri MMA fighter Chorshanbe Chorshanbiev, and more.

No Safe Haven In Europe For Central Asian Opposition

Tajik opposition activist Dilmurod Ergashev arrived in Tajikistan on November 7, after he was deported from Germany, where he had been seeking asylum since 2011.

Central Asia in Focus: Kazakh Journalists Take Fight for Accreditation to Court

In this week’s edition: the trial of a group of Kazakh journalists started in an Astana court last week, Turkmenistan lost its contract to supply Russia with 5.5 billion cubic…

Diving Deep Into Tajikistan’s Armed Forces

The Oxus Society for Central Asian Affairs just released a detailed report on military and security forces in Tajikistan.

Central Asia in Focus: Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan Snub Russian Organizations

In this week’s edition: Russia fails to induct Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan into two multilateral organizations, a Tajik court sentences two members of the banned political opposition movement Group 24 to…

Journalists in Trouble: RFE/RL President Visits Ukraine, Advocates for RFE/RL Journalist 

RFE/RL President visits Ukraine; EP resolution urges action on political prisoners; Alsu Kurmasheva advocates for her imprisoned colleagues; former RFE/RL journalist Viktoria Roshchyna dies in Russian detention; and more.

Central Asia Pushes Back On Russian Critiques

Russian officials and celebrities have become increasingly critical of the countries and peoples of Central Asia since the Kremlin launched its full-scale war on Ukraine in February 2022 — and…

Central Asia in Focus: Kazakhstan’s Referendum on Nuclear Power

In this week’s edition: Kazakhstan conducted a national referendum on constructing the country’s first nuclear power plant, the court decision in the controversial trial of Kyrgyz journalists is expected soon,…