Transparency International says its 2023 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) paints a "troubling picture" of Central Asia as the region struggles with "dysfunctional rule of law, rising authoritarianism, and systemic corruption."
The Turkmen president’s cousin, Shamyrat Rejepov, reportedly punched a bartender and a woman at an Ashgabat bar. The incident has dashed hopes that President Serdar Berdymukhammedov had sidelined Rejepov, who was previously known for having immense influence and thuggish behavior.
The United States has put Azerbaijan and three other countries on a watch list for engaging in or tolerating “severe violations of religious freedom” after Baku took over the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh.