CENTRAL ASIA

Uzbekistan: protests further show need for democracy

State’s failure to spot the warning signs of anger leads to rare protests and avoidable violence

Civil society campaigning achieves forced labour victory in Uzbekistan

Seventeen years of advocacy and activism leads to the end of state-imposed forced and child labour in country’s cotton industry

ECONOMY | ENVIRONMENT

Turkmenistan: tyranny mutates into dynasty

Ritualistic election enthrones president’s son – but his father retains power behind the throne

Kazakhstan: demands for radical change met with lethal response

President puts himself firmly in Putin’s pocket to deny democracy