How do dodgy dealers from Central Asia make their way in the West, amassing fortunes, hobnobbing with elites, and building good reputations regardless of the questionable integrity of their ventures and the institutions supporting them?

This Central Asia Program seminar, organized in partnership with Crude Accountability, will present three case studies: Dmitry Leus, Gulnara Karimova, and Dmitry Makarov. How do they and other dodgy dealers make good in the West?

Join us on Thursday, June 6, 2024 

10:00–11:15 a.m. (EST).

Register for the event.

On April 30, The George Washington University’s Central Asia Program together with Crude Accountability hosted a panel discussion on the upcoming UN Climate Change Conference (COP29) held in Baku, Azerbaijan.

Our Executive Director Kate Watters was joined by Angelina Davydova and Arzu Geybulla to address the country’s poor human rights record, President Aliyev’s crackdown on dissent, and the country’s environmental crisis at the expense of its dependence on oil and gas.

Watch the full event on the Central Asia Program's YouTube page here.

#freegubad #cop29baku

US lawmakers have raised concerns over the upcoming COP29 in Azerbaijan, underlining Azerbaijan's poor human-rights record and citing the appointment of a fossil fuel executive as president-designate as a significant conflict of interest and

In a letter addressed to Secretary of State Antony Blinken and President Biden’s Climate Envoy John Podesta, twenty-six Democratic lawmakers from both the House and the Senate have expressed concerns that fossil fuel companies, despite being the primary contributors to the climate crisis, wield disproportionate influence at COP. This issue is particularly highlighted by the recent appointment of Mukhtar Babayev as president-designate of COP29. The letter also highlights the Azerbaijani government’s intolerance of environmental defenders and the 2023 crackdown on civil society.

Read the letter here.

#cop29baku

Joining 240 organizations and individuals, Crude Accountability signed a letter to authorities in Azerbaijan demanding the unconditional release of Gubad Ibadoghlu and immediate guarantees for his health.

He's now under house arrest, but urgently needs international medical attention.

Gubad's stand against corruption must not be the reason his health suffers further. The international community must act.

Read the open letter.

#freegubad #cop29baku

Flooding of the Ural River has upended many lives in Western Kazakhstan, and coverage of its destruction on communities by journalists on the front line remains as an essential source of information for locals.

However, independent journalism is under threat in the region.

According to Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty, journalist Raul Uporov, one of the authors of our partner organization, Prosto Journalism (Просто Журналистика), was charged with hooliganism for his coverage of the floods and critique of the government, which the local Emergencies Department prohibited journalists from covering the affected areas on April 20th.

While his fine has been paid, it is essential to protect the rights and free speech of journalists to not only inform the public but safeguard transparency.

Watch Prosto Journalism's latest coverage of the flood’s impact on Kazakhstani communities here.

The Business & Human Rights Resource Centre recorded 630 attacks against people raising concerns about harmful business practice last year, directly affecting an estimated 20,000 people. Business & Human Rights Resource Centre's annual analysis breaks down the data - revealing a persistent pattern of attacks against the human rights defenders protecting our rights & planet.

Read the report here.