Listen "Death, Detention, Deportation: The Plight of Karakalpak Activists"
Episode Synopsis
Karakalpak activists are experiencing problems in Kazakhstan and in Europe. Trouble started after Uzbek security forces brutally suppressed a peaceful protest over the region’s sovereignty within Uzbekistan in Nukus, capital of the Karakalpakstan Sovereign Republic, in July 2022. This year, a Karakalpak activists died in Kazakhstan while another is currently detained there. Two more activists in Europe face possible deportation. Joining host Bruce Pannier are Arzu, a pseudonym for a Karakalpak activist now living outside Uzbekistan; Catherine Putz, managing editor at The Diplomat magazine; Leila Seiitbek, chairwoman of the NGO Freedom For Eurasia; and noted human rights lawyer Steve Swerdlow. (Note: Arzu’s comments have been voiced over to protect family and friends in Karakalpakstan.)
More episodes of the podcast Majlis
EU Strengthens Ties With Central Asia
20/04/2025
Saving The Caspian Sea
23/03/2025
Tajikistan's Descent Into Despotism
23/02/2025
What Do Central Asians Think About China?
24/11/2024
Diving Deep Into Tajikistan's Armed Forces
27/10/2024