Month in review: Central Asia in February 2020 February 2020 in Central Asia is remembered for the visit of the US State Secretary to the region, the conflict in southern Kazakhstan, protests in three countries, the government reshuffles, and coronavirus control measures. The analytical platform CABAR.asia provides a brief overview of the most significant events in the region over the past month. Follow us on Facebook KAZAKHSTAN US State Secretary Mike Pompeo in Kazakhstan United States Secretary of State Michael Pompeo arrived in Nur Sultan on February 1. On February 2, he held several meetings in Kazakh capital with the first president of the country Nursultan Nazarbayev, president Kassym-Zhomart Tokayev and foreign minister Mukhtar Tleuberdi. The economic and political cooperation of the two countries was the main focus of the meetings[1]. The parties discussed security and new prospects for economic cooperation. Month in review: Central Asia in February 2020 US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo and President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kassym-Zhomart Tokayev. Photo: akorda.kz During the meeting with Kassym-Zhomart Tokayev, the parties emphasized the importance of deepening bilateral ties across the entire spectrum of areas, including trade, investment, IT technology, promotion of democratic values ​​and countering international terrorism. The American diplomat praised Kazakhstan’s efforts to return citizens from the war zone in the Middle East as part of Zhusan Operation. He also distinguished the contribution of Kazakhstan to the restoration of peace in Afghanistan and strengthening the economic and human potential of the country[2]. At a meeting with Mukhtar Tleuberdi, Kazakhstan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, the parties discussed the development of cooperation in the areas of political relations, trade, economic and investment cooperation, security, counteraction against international terrorism, in the areas of disarmament, protection of human rights, religious freedoms. During a press conference, Pompeo brought the subject of “re-education camps” in Xinjiang and the ethnic Kazakhs that are there. The US Secretary of State called on Kazakhstan to join Washington and exert pressure on China over its treatment of Muslim minorities in Xinjiang. The politician also asked the Kazakh side to assist those seeking asylum in Kazakhstan. The Kazakh side did not comment on the issue and focused rather on economic and security cooperation[3]. Prior to this, Pompeo met with ethnic Kazakhs from China, who claim that their relatives are in political re-education camps in Xinjiang. Month in review: Central Asia in February 2020 US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo also advised caution to Kazakhstan concerning Chinese investment and influence. Pompeo declared to senior Kazakh officials that the attractiveness of Chinese investment costs sovereignty and may harm rather than help the country’s long- term development[4]. Mass riots in Kordai On the night of February 8, the riots took place in the Kordai district of the Zhambyl region in southern Kazakhstan. According to the Interior Ministry, it all started from a road conflict, which then has turned into ethnically fueled violence by provocateurs. 11 people were killed, almost 50 rioters were detained. 25 private residential buildings, 31 commercial facilities, and 41 cars were damaged as a result of arson. Masanchy village after the clashes. Photo: T. Batyrshin Sanjar Adilov, head of the investigative committee of the republic’s Interior Ministry, said the police are investigating more than 120 criminal cases after the riots in southern Kazakhstan. According to him, 11 criminal cases are being investigated on charges of Month in review: Central Asia in February 2020 homicide[5]. All other cases are related to unrest, theft, robbery, and looting. The deputy minister said that the investigation is under the inter-ministerial team led by prosecutors. Conflict in the South of Kazakhstan: What Conclusions Will Authorities Draw? Brawls, which led to unrest and the defeat of the Masanchi village, began on the evening of February 7. With adjusted figures, around 1 thousand people were part of it; 123 were injured, 39 were hospitalized with gunshot wounds[6]. Riots resulted in 1,500 people losing their homes and around 4,000 Kazakh citizens crossing the border with Kyrgyzstan[7]. As the president of the country, Kassym-Zhomart Tokayev explained, initially few domestic conflicts were used by provocateurs to foment a situation involving the nationalistic factor. He also mentioned that the riots in the Kordai district of the Zhambyl region arose with the connivance of government officials who would be punished[8]. Aisultan Nazarbayev’s statements On February 13, Aisultan Nazarbayev, the grandson of Nursultan Nazarbayev, announced on his Facebook account that he was seeking political asylum in the UK, fearing for his safety. In several posts, he accused the country’s leadership of corruption, talked about pressure from his family members[9]. Aisultan claims he possesses an “information about high-scale corruption between the government of Russia and Kazakhstan” and about “billions of dollars stolen from the people” of Kazakhstan. In his post, Nazarbayev also added that he plans to make a detailed “disclosure” in an interview with the British newspaper Times[10]. The Minister of Information and Social Development of Kazakhstan, Dauren Abayev, commented on the statements indicating that the controversial posts on Aisultan’s Facebook account have been written under the influence of certain people that use his drug rehabilitation. He also noted that the public discussion of these posts is unethical[11]. Month in review: Central Asia in February 2020 Twenty-nine-year-old Aisultan Nazarbayev is the grandson of the first president of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev, and the son of Dariga Nazarbayeva, the speaker of the Senate (upper house) of the country’s parliament. In October 2019, the Royal Southwark District Court in London sentenced Aisultan to a year of a suspended sentence for illegally breaking into someone else’s property and a fight with a police officer. Besides, the sentence includes probation for 18 months and treatment for drug addiction[12]. Protests in Kazakhstan More than a hundred detained during the opposition rallies in the cities of Kazakhstan on February 22. Two Kazakh oppositions – the new Democratic Party led by Zhanbolat Mamay and the movement “Democratic Choice” movement led by opposition leader Mukhtar Ablyazov – joined their forces to urge their supporters to protest in different cities. Earlier, the authorities refused to coordinate rallies[13]. Protesters demanded to stop the repression and persecution of the opposition, as well as release political prisoners. On the eve of the rally, police detained Zhanbolat Mamay on charges of calling for an unauthorized rally. He was taken into police custody for three days. Journalist Zhanbolat Mamay announced the establishment of the Democratic Party of Kazakhstan on October 16. Mamay previously appealed on the public to Kazakhstan’s Interior Minister, Yerzhan Turgumbayev, demanding to stop provocations against the organizing committee in the establishment of the party. He complained of recurring attempts by unknown people to disrupt the meetings of the Democratic Party’s supporters[14]. The Democratic Choice movement, led by Mukhtar Ablyazov, has been recognized extremist in Kazakhstan since 2018. Dozens of people were prosecuted on charges of participating in a prohibited movement; some were sentenced to real prison terms. All actions of the “Democratic Choice” are considered illegal by Kazakh authorities. Coronavirus Control Measures in Kazakhstan Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Health reported that a flight from China with 211 passengers on board (171 citizens of Kazakhstan and 40 citizens of Kyrgyzstan) arrived at Almaty International Airport on February 13. Kazakhstanis were hospitalized in Almaty’s multidisciplinary clinical hospital in compliance with all requirements of infection control. 40 citizens of Kyrgyzstan were taken to Bishkek. According to the acting head of the department, Tleukhan Abildaev, all arrivals within three days were under 24-hour Month in review: Central Asia in February 2020 supervision of medical staff, the coronavirus has not been detected[15]. To date, 165 people with fever and SARS have been hospitalized in the country. 158 were discharged, seven people remain in hospitals. The condition of the patients is satisfactory. 524 people have been examined and removed from quarantine and monitoring, including Kazakhstanis and citizens of other countries. The Health Ministry argued that there are no cases of coronavirus in Kazakhstan[16]. Kazakhstan’s chief sanitary doctor, Zhandarbek Bekshin, said that Kazakhstan will restrict flights to South Korea and Iran due to the coronavirus. Citizens are also advised to return to the republic by March 1[17]. KYRGYZSTAN Cabinet update On February 5, the Jogorku Kenesh approved two new members of the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic. Erkin Asrandiev, now the former head of the Russian-Kyrgyz Development Fund, became deputy prime minister for the economic bloc. Zamirbek Askarov swapped the post of deputy head of the Cabinet of Ministers to the post of Emergency Situations Minister[18]. Deputy Prime Minister for the power block and cross-border issues, Jenish Razakov resigned on February 11 reasoning it for family circumstances and fatigue. Sooronbai Jeenbekov approved