Civil Society Cornered in Central Asia
Civil Society Cornered in Central Asia

Author(s): Tinatin Tsertsvadze
Subject(s): Human Rights and Humanitarian Law, Civil Society, Government/Political systems, Politics and society, Sociology of Politics
Published by: CEPS Centre for European Policy Studies
Keywords: Central Asia; civil society; repression; fundamental freedoms; NGOs; human rights; democracy; regime;
Summary/Abstract: Civil society and independent voices in Central Asia are increasingly under pressure from the authorities. Repression has intensified over the past five years, against a backdrop of a decline in fundamental freedoms – of expression, association and assembly – and an increase in crackdowns on critical independent voices globally. More and more, they face restrictions imposed in the name of law and order, and their work is stigmatised and criminalised. There is a risk that earlier small gains be lost in Central Asia, with social, political and economic consequences. Civil society is here understood as independent from state or business influence, including broad groups such as non-governmental organisations (NGOs), the church, trade unions, individual activists, human rights defenders, and bloggers, among others.

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