If President Sadyr Japarov’s bid to eliminate his last potential competitor works, Kyrgyzstan may again slip toward the entrenched autocracy of its neighbors.
Kyrgyzstan’s march into a new and perhaps more permanent season of illiberalism shows the unique challenges of building an “island of democracy” in Central Asia.
Written by Alexander M. Thompson, a freelance journalist in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.
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Kyrgyzstan used to be the “exception” in Central Asia — looks like that window is closing.
Power consolidates quietly until one day elections are just for show.
Seen this movie before, just a different country.
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The rise of China encouraged lots of countries to go authoritarian. Centralizing power, censorship, reducing civilian rights and fairness, all for the sake of „national progress“ (in reality the interests of the ruling class).
We from the outside may see them sliding back. But the people over there probably don’t even know because of censorship.
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If President Sadyr Japarov’s bid to eliminate his last potential competitor works, Kyrgyzstan may again slip toward the entrenched autocracy of its neighbors.
Kyrgyzstan’s march into a new and perhaps more permanent season of illiberalism shows the unique challenges of building an “island of democracy” in Central Asia.
Written by Alexander M. Thompson, a freelance journalist in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.
Kyrgyzstan used to be the “exception” in Central Asia — looks like that window is closing.
Power consolidates quietly until one day elections are just for show.
Seen this movie before, just a different country.
The rise of China encouraged lots of countries to go authoritarian. Centralizing power, censorship, reducing civilian rights and fairness, all for the sake of „national progress“ (in reality the interests of the ruling class).
We from the outside may see them sliding back. But the people over there probably don’t even know because of censorship.