SCA MORNING PRESS CLIPS
Prepared for the U.S. Department of State
Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs
TO: | SCA & Staff |
DATE: | Wednesday, April 2, 2025 6:30 AM ET |
Afghanistan
Immigration Officials Detain Former Taliban Ambassador to Spain (New York Times)
New York Times [4/1/2025 4:14 PM, Zach Montague, 831K]
The Taliban’s former ambassador to Spain was detained by U.S. immigration officials while entering the United States on Saturday, and remained in custody after a federal judge declined to order his release on Monday.
The former Afghan diplomat, Mohammad Rahim Wahidi, was detained at Washington Dulles International Airport under what his lawyer described as a weaponization of part of the Immigration and Nationality Act. Under the law, the secretary of state can deport a noncitizen determined to be a national security risk.
Mr. Wahidi is a lawful permanent resident and his wife, Mary Shakeri-Wahidi, is a U.S. citizen, according to a court filing from his lawyer, Hassan Ahmad.
The Trump administration has recently cited similar legal justifications for canceling the visas of hundreds of students whose participation in pro-Palestinian demonstrations has appeared to become grounds for detention and deportation. In targeting student activists such as Mahmoud Khalil, Rumeysa Ozturk and Momodou Taal for deportation, the administration has tried to link their protests against Israel to “adverse foreign policy consequences” that would justify their removal.
Mr. Wahidi’s case appears to be different.
According to the filing asking for his release, Mr. Wahidi’s brother-in-law is wanted by the United States in connection with a plot to assassinate an Iranian journalist that the Justice Department detailed in a news release in November.
Mr. Wahidi was stripped of his title in Spain over accusations of sexual assault during his time there, but criminal charges were never filed against him and he was allowed to leave the country, according to the filing.
Upon returning to the United States on a Turkish Airlines flight on Saturday, Mr. Wahidi was detained for more than 30 hours without access to a lawyer, according to the filing. He was then interrogated by “an unclear number of officers” who appeared to be from the F.B.I., Mr. Ahmad wrote in the petition.
Mr. Ahmad has also represented Badar Khan Suri, a postdoctoral student at Georgetown University who was targeted for deportation over his involvement in campus protests there.
After Mr. Wahidi’s petition was filed, Judge Leonie Brinkema of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia blocked the government from transferring Mr. Wahidi out of the area. In cases involving the student activists, people have routinely been moved to Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention centers in Louisiana, hundreds of miles from where they were initially arrested.
Neither Mr. Ahmad nor a spokesperson for Customs and Border Protection responded to requests for comment.
Judge Brinkema declined to immediately order Mr. Wahidi’s release, saying that “at this point the court cannot offer any relief.”
While the case proceeds, she ordered the government to “comply with C.B.P. short-term detention standards” and not to restrict Mr. Wahidi from speaking to a lawyer. US immigration officials detain Taliban’s former ambassador to Spain (The Independent)
The Independent [4/2/2025 2:57 AM, Arpan Rai, 44838K]
A former Taliban-appointed Afghanistan ambassador to Spain will remain in US immigration detention after a federal judge refused to order his release, according to media reports.
Mohammad Rahim Wahidi, an American resident and an Afghan diplomat, will spend time in a detention facility, reported Politico.
Mr Wahidi was detained on Saturday at the Dulles International Airport as he returned to Virginia from Turkey. The former Taliban official, who lives in Sterling with his American national wife Mary Shakeri-Wahidi, has been detained as part of a larger crackdown by the Trump administration targeting immigrants not in consensus with the foreign policy, his lawyer said.
After the petition hearing, US district judge Leonie Brinkema temporarily barred authorities from transferring the Afghan official out of the judicial district and asked for his appearance in court on Monday for a hearing. The judge has also declined to order his release and told the officials of their obligations to abide by the US customs and border protection’s detention standards.“At this point the Court cannot offer any relief,” Ms Brinkema, an appointee of former president Bill Clinton, wrote in the order.
A former Taliban-appointed Afghanistan ambassador to Spain will remain in US immigration detention after a federal judge refused to order his release, according to media reports.
Mohammad Rahim Wahidi, an American resident and an Afghan diplomat, will spend time in a detention facility, reported Politico.
Mr Wahidi was detained on Saturday at the Dulles International Airport as he returned to Virginia from Turkey. The former Taliban official, who lives in Sterling with his American national wife Mary Shakeri-Wahidi, has been detained as part of a larger crackdown by the Trump administration targeting immigrants not in consensus with the foreign policy, his lawyer said.
After the petition hearing, US district judge Leonie Brinkema temporarily barred authorities from transferring the Afghan official out of the judicial district and asked for his appearance in court on Monday for a hearing. The judge has also declined to order his release and told the officials of their obligations to abide by the US customs and border protection’s detention standards.“At this point the Court cannot offer any relief,” Ms Brinkema, an appointee of former president Bill Clinton, wrote in the order. ‘An indescribable feeling’: After 2 years held hostage by Taliban, George Glezmann is back home (WSB-TV 2 Atlanta)
WSB-TV 2 Atlanta [4/1/2025 7:00 PM, Staff, 52868K]
An American hostage that was freed last month from the Taliban in Afghanistan is now back home.
George Glezmann arrived at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport around 5 p.m. Tuesday evening, and Channel 2 investigative reporter Mark Winne was there to greet him.
Glezmann was abducted by the Taliban in 2022 while on vacation in Kabul and held prisoner there until a month ago.
The freed hostage said he feels ‘gratitude and emotion’ being back home here in Atlanta.
"An indescribable feeling of being home, being protected, being back where I belong," Glezmann told Winne.
He said his family’s support is one of the things that got him through the last couple of years.
"My wife ... was there for me every single minute," Glezmann said.
Glezmann is a mechanic for Delta Air Lines, who also helped bring him home. He said that he is not only thankful for them, but also President Donald Trump and others in the administration that helped get him freed from the Taliban.
"They never gave up until they brought me home," Glezmann said.
Winne has been reporting on Glezmann’s capture since it happened. Glezmann thanked him for keeping his name in the news and not giving up on him. Lammy needs to condemn Taliban, say family of captured couple (The Telegraph)
The Telegraph [4/1/2025 6:24 PM, Akhtar Makoii, 29116K]
The family of an elderly British couple detained in Afghanistan have urged David Lammy to publicly condemn the Taliban and demand the couple’s release.Peter Reynolds, 79, and his 75-year-old wife Barbie, were captured by the Taliban while returning to their home in Bamiyan, central Afghanistan, in February.Faye Hall, an American citizen who was detained alongside them, was released last week in a deal cut with senior US officials.Sarah Entwistle, the Reynolds’s daughter, told The Telegraph that if American officials were able to free Ms Hall, the Government should be able to free her parents.“We understand that there have been reasons for caution over previous weeks, but now that America has Faye back, we are desperately hoping there is more the British Government can do.“We are asking the Foreign Secretary to make a public statement condemning the Taliban for detaining Mum and Dad without any evidence of wrongdoing,” she added.When asked by The Telegraph if Mr Lammy would condemn the Taliban, a spokesman said: “We are supporting the family of two British nationals who are detained in Afghanistan.” Victims of deepening internal power struggle
Peter and Barbie were detained by the Taliban’s interior ministry on Feb 1 for allegedly travelling on fake passports.
The Telegraph has subsequently learnt, however, that they are victims of a deepening internal power struggle within the Islamist regime. Their arrest was ordered by a commander linked to the Haqqani network, a powerful Taliban faction led by Sirajuddin Haqqani, the interior minister.
“All of them [Ms Hall and the Reynolds] were arrested by the Haqqani network to extract concessions from their respective governments and put pressure on the supreme Mulla,” a senior Taliban official said
“They are now satisfied after the [Americans] lifted sanctions on Sirajuddin [Haqqani] and are waiting to see what they can get from the British.”
The couple, who married in Kabul in 1970, have lived in Afghanistan for 18 years and have joint UK-Afghan citizenship
The pair set up Rebuild, a company that provides education and training programmes for government and non-government organisations. They remained in the country when the Taliban took power in 2021.
The couple were taken to court separately last month in Kabul but did not appear before a judge.
Ms Entwistle said her mother is suffering from malnutrition, receiving only one meal per day compared with three meals provided to male detainees.
Ms Entwistle said, “We are delighted that Faye has been released and will be able to return to America in time for the birth of her granddaughter.”
“We continue to hope that the Taliban will embrace all that is decent and just by granting clemency during this meaningful time of Eid.”
Pakistan
Pakistan Extends Deadline For Expulsion Of Afghans (Agence France-Presse)
Agence France-Presse [4/1/2025 6:34 AM, Staff, 126906K]
Pakistan has postponed a deadline for hundreds of thousands of Afghans to return to their country due to Eid al-Fitr holidays marking the end of Ramadan, a government official told AFP on Tuesday.In early March, Islamabad announced a deadline of the end of the month for Afghans holding certain documentation to leave the country, ramping up a campaign to send Afghans back to their homeland."The deadline has been extended until the beginning of next week due to Eid holidays," the official said on the condition of anonymity as he was not authorised to speak to the media.Afghans holding Afghan Citizen Cards (ACC) -- issued by Pakistan authorities and held by 800,000 people, according to the United Nations -- face deportation to Afghanistan after the deadline.More than 1.3 million Afghans who hold Proof of Registration (PoR) cards from the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, are also to be moved outside the capital Islamabad and neighbouring city Rawalpindi.The UN says nearly three million Afghans live in Pakistan, many having fled there over decades of war in their country and after the return of the Taliban to power in Afghanistan."Many have been living in the country for years and going back means going back to nothing," Pakistani human rights lawyer Moniza Kakar told AFP.Ties between the neighbouring countries have frayed since the Taliban takeover, with Pakistan accusing Kabul’s rulers of failing to root out militants sheltering on Afghan soil, a charge the Taliban government denies.A delegation from Islamabad met with officials in Kabul in March, with Pakistan emphasising the importance of security in Afghanistan for the region.The Taliban government has repeatedly called for the "dignified" return of Afghans to their country, with Prime Minister Hassan Akhund urging countries hosting Afghans not to force out them out."We ask that instead of forced deportation, Afghans should be supported and provided with facilities," he said in an Eid message the day before Pakistan’s original deadline.Rights groups have condemned Pakistan’s campaign.Human Rights Watch slammed "abusive tactics" used to pressure Afghans to return to their country "where they risk persecution by the Taliban and face dire economic conditions".Afghan girls and young women would lose rights to education if returned to Afghanistan, as per Taliban authority bans.Amnesty International condemned the removal of Afghans in Islamabad awaiting resettlement in other countries, saying they would be "far from foreign missions who had promised visas and travel documents, and risk deportation due to the increased difficulty in coordinating their relocation with missions such as the United States".Following an ultimatum from Islamabad in late 2023 for undocumented Afghans to leave Pakistan, more than 800,000 Afghans returned between September 2023 and the end of 2024, according UN figures. Afghan refugees in Pakistan fear looming deportation after Eid delay (Amu TV)
Amu TV [4/2/2025 4:30 AM, Ahmad Azizi, 126906K]
As Pakistan prepares to resume mass deportations of Afghan refugees, many of whom have lived in the country for decades, families facing expulsion say they are being cast out of the only home they have ever known.The government had set March 31 as the deadline for Afghan Citizen Card (ACC) holders and undocumented migrants to leave voluntarily. Deportations were expected to begin on April 1 but were briefly delayed due to the Eid al-Fitr holidays. Authorities now plan to restart removals in the coming days.The Interior Ministry has framed the expulsions as part of a broader national security campaign against “illegal foreigners,” though rights groups and refugee advocates say the crackdown violates international protections and risks tearing apart long-settled communities.“This is unfair,” said Painda Khan, an Afghan refugee awaiting removal at a relocation center near Islamabad. “We were born here. We have lived our whole lives in Pakistan, gone to school here, worked here. Now we’re told we don’t belong.”Khan is among thousands of Afghans relocated to camps near the border ahead of deportation. He, like many others, worries that returning to Afghanistan—a country he barely knows—will leave him without support, safety or opportunity.Others say the forced returns will derail the futures of Afghan students and children. “I’m in ninth grade and my exams are next week,” said Irfan, a teenager. “If I’m deported, I lose everything—my school, my dreams. Why should I pay the price for being born a refugee?”Pakistan has long hosted one of the world’s largest refugee populations, including millions of Afghans who fled conflict over the past four decades. But in recent months, Islamabad has accelerated removals, citing rising insecurity and blaming Afghan nationals for a series of militant attacks—a charge Kabul has denied.According to the United Nations, more than 800,000 Afghans have returned to their country since late 2023, while nearly 2.8 million remain in Pakistan. That figure includes around 1.3 million people registered under Pakistan’s Proof of Registration (PoR) program and over 800,000 ACC holders.It remains unclear whether PoR holders will be affected in this latest phase, though authorities have said all unauthorized foreign residents will eventually be required to leave.Ajmal Khan, another refugee facing removal, said deportation would sever his family from everything familiar. “If we go to Afghanistan, we’ll be strangers,” he said. “We don’t have homes there. Our children were born here. This is the only country they know.”The crackdown has drawn international criticism. Human rights groups have urged Pakistan to halt the deportations, warning that many returnees face persecution under Taliban rule or extreme hardship in a country crippled by economic collapse.Many Afghans at risk of deportation are also awaiting resettlement in the United States and Europe, having worked with Western governments, aid agencies, or civil society organizations after the Taliban seized power in 2021. Yet tens of thousands remain stranded, stuck in bureaucratic limbo as deportations accelerate.“The world asked these people to stand for human rights, democracy, and freedom,” said a humanitarian worker in Islamabad. “Now, many of them are being sent back to face danger alone.”For families like Khan’s, the fear is not just of deportation—it is of erasure. “We are not illegal,” he said. “We are people. And we’re being asked to disappear.” India
US flags India’s burdensome import requirements as trade barrier ahead of Trump’s tariffs (Reuters)
Reuters [4/1/2025 4:35 AM, Shivangi Acharya and Manoj Kumar, 62527K]
The United States has flagged concerns over India’s increasing and burdensome import-quality requirements, among its many barriers to trade, in a report released two days before planned U.S. reciprocal tariffs take effect.The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative on Monday provided an encyclopedic list of foreign countries’ policies and regulations it regards as barriers, calling out India’s customs barriers, import curbs and licenses, alongside high tariffs.In the midst of President Donald Trump’s efforts to upend the global trade order and shift it in Washington’s favour, India is one of the few nations working to lower tariffs and win over Trump, who has often called the South Asian nation a "tariff king" and "tariff abuser."Both countries have started talks towards clinching an early trade deal. Last month, Reuters reported India was open to cutting tariffs on more than half of U.S. imports worth $23 billion, the biggest cut in years.Still, the U.S. has concerns that some of India’s import requirements are not internationally aligned, and that some are burdensome or lack clear timelines, the Trump administration said in its latest USTR report.It wasn’t clear if Trump’s April 2 announcement on tariffs would factor in the findings of the USTR report. Some of India’s non-tariff barriers have also been a pressure point in bilateral trade ties.
Since 2019, India has made many Bureau of India Standards (BIS) standards mandatory for quality control in sectors including chemicals, medical devices, batteries, electronics, food and textiles, the USTR said.
India’s standards certification authority, which has so far issued over 700 quality control orders in around 100 sectors, plans to issue 125 new orders in sectors covering chemicals, textiles, steel, aluminum, electric equipment, as per an Indian government statement.
India is not considering imposing retaliatory tariffs yet in response to Trump’s worldwide reciprocal tariffs, as New Delhi hopes for an exemption, two government officials said.
The U.S. has, however, offered no assurance on exemptions during bilateral talks last week, the officials added.
The USTR’s Monday report also highlighted other contentious non-tariff issues, including India’s data privacy regime.
India’s draft rules for its so-called Digital Personal Data Protection Act released last month could require disclosure of personal data to the Indian government, restrict cross-border data transfer and may allow data localization, the USTR said.
The U.S. has also raised concerns over policies for electronic payments services that appear to favor Indian domestic suppliers over foreign ones.
Trump Claims India Will ‘Drop Tariffs Substantially’ (Breitbart)
Breitbart [4/1/2025 6:01 PM, John Hayward, 2923K]
President Donald Trump on Tuesday predicted India will reduce its tariffs to avoid the reciprocal tariffs Trump plans to impose on Wednesday, April 2, which he has proclaimed as "Liberation Day."."I think I heard that India just a little while ago is going to be dropping its tariffs very substantially, and I said, ‘why didn’t somebody do this a long time ago?’" Trump said at a press conference on Tuesday.
Trump added that many other countries "will drop their tariffs" because "they have been unfairly tariffing the United States for years." He cited the European Union’s reduction of auto tariffs by 2.5 percent as an example of what he hopes to see.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on Monday included India in a list of countries that "have been ripping off our country for far too long" and "made their disdain for the American worker quite clear.".
"If you look at the unfair trade practices — we have 50 percent from the European Union on American dairy, you have a 700 percent tariff from Japan on American rice. You have a 100 percent tariff from India on American agricultural products. You have nearly a 300 percent tariff from Canada on American butter and cheese," she said.
"This makes it virtually impossible for American products to be imported into these markets, and it has put a lot of Americans out of business and work over the past several decades," she argued.
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Leavitt said it was "time for reciprocity, and it’s time for a president to take historic change, to do what’s right for the American people and that’s going to take place on Wednesday."—
Indian and American representatives held trade talks in New Delhi last week. According to India’s Commerce Ministry, both sides have "broadly come to an understanding on the next steps towards a mutually beneficial, multi-sector Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA), with the goal to finalize its first tranche by fall 2025.".
The Indian statement said nothing about taking immediate steps to avoid the April 2 tariffs, which could reduce India’s exports to the U.S. by over $7 billion next year. India has made a few small conciliatory tariff cuts, but has not yet offered anything on the scale envisioned by the Trump White House.
That might be about to change, as Indian media has been buzzing with speculation about emergency tariff reductions on U.S. automobiles, electronics, and medical products.
India’s PTI news service on Tuesday quoted sources in the Commerce Ministry who said analysts are working on different "scenarios" for how Trump’s tariffs could play out.
Concessions on some of India’s especially high trade barriers might be in the offing, as Trump hinted in his comments on Tuesday, although another strategy apparently under consideration is to stress the value of "non-tariff barriers" imposed by the U.S. to argue that the disparity between American and Indian tariffs is not quite as enormous as it appears.That would be a tough sell to the Trump White House, as PTI noted the tariff differentials in certain sectors are very high indeed:
Currently, US goods face a weighted average tariff of 7.7 percent in India, while Indian exports to the US attract only 2.8 percent, leading to a 4.9 percent difference. Indian farm exports to the US currently face a 5.3 percent duty, whereas US farm exports to India face a much higher 37.7 percent, creating a 32.4 percent gap.
Trade experts said that at the broad sector level, the potential tariff gaps between India and the US vary across the sectors.
The gap is 8.6 percent for chemicals and pharmaceuticals, 5.6 percent for plastics, 1.4 percent for textiles and clothing, 13.3 percent for diamonds, gold, and jewelry, 2.5 percent for iron, steel, and base metals, 5.3 percent for machinery and computers, 7.2 percent for electronics, and 23.1 percent for automobiles and auto components.
As for the non-tariff barriers Indian officials want to highlight, they include "the U.S. banning export of wild-caught shrimp from India on the grounds that Indian trawler vessels were not using Turtle Excluder Devices; private standards of American companies; and high registration costs for sectors like pharma.".
PTI reported the Indian Commerce Ministry is "developing a portal for registering non-tariff barriers (NTBs) faced by exporters." The system is "currently working on beta mode," but could be fully operational within two months. China Ready to Buy More Goods from India as US Tariffs Loom (Bloomberg)
Bloomberg [4/1/2025 7:05 AM, Sudhi Ranjan Sen, 5.5M]
China is willing to buy more Indian products to balance trade, Beijing’s Ambassador Xu Feihong said just ahead of a US tariff announcement expected to hit the south Asian neighbors.“We are willing to work with the Indian side to strengthen practical cooperation in trade and other areas, and to import more Indian products that are well-suited to the Chinese market,” the ambassador to India was quoted as saying by China’s state-run Global Times, in a story posted Monday.
Bilateral trade between the neighbors stood at $101.7 billion in 2023-24, according to India’s trade ministry, with India running a significant deficit. India’s main exports include petroleum oil, iron ore, marine products and vegetable oil, amounting to $16.6 billion, according to the government figures.
The envoy’s remarks were to mark the 75th anniversary of the diplomatic ties. In a congratulatory message to mark the occasion, Chinese President Xi Jinping also called for stronger communication and cooperation between the world’s two most populous countries, according to China Central Television. It is the right choice for the two nations to be partners, Xi said in a message to the president of India, adding that he is willing to deepen coordination in major international matters and jointly safeguard peace in the border areas.
US President Donald Trump, who is set to roll out reciprocal tariffs Wednesday on countries around the world, has called out China and India for trade practices that he sees as unfair.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi lavished praise on Trump in a podcast in March and has been making concessions to appease the US leader. Modi also said he is working with the Chinese President to restore normalcy at the border.
Relations between the nuclear-armed neighbors plunged after clashes in a disputed region of the Himalayas in 2020, when skirmishes between troops led to the first deadly clashes in four decades. New Delhi hit back economically, by blocking investment and curtailing access to the vast Indian market for Chinese tech firms especially.
Xi and Modi met on the sidelines of the BRICS summit last year, agreeing to restart direct flights in a sign of a thaw. They had not had a formal bilateral meeting prior to that since 2019. China willing to import more Indian products, envoy says (Reuters)
Reuters [4/1/2025 7:44 AM, Shivam Patel, 41523K]
China is ready to import more Indian products and strengthen trade cooperation, Beijing’s ambassador to New Delhi said ahead of U.S. tariffs expected to take effect on Wednesday.
The two Asian neighbours are taking steps to rebuild their ties after a 2020 border clash on their Himalayan frontier soured relations.
China and India should work more closely together, Chinese President Xi Jinping told Indian President Droupadi Murmu on Tuesday, while exchanging congratulatory messages to mark the 75th anniversary of the start of their diplomatic ties.
"We are willing to work with the Indian side to strengthen practical cooperation in trade and other areas, and to import more Indian products that are well-suited to the Chinese market," Chinese Ambassador Xu Feihong told Chinese state-backed newspaper the Global Times in an interview published on Monday.
"We also welcome more Indian enterprises to cross the Himalayas and seek opportunities for cooperation in China, sharing the dividends of China’s development," he said.
In January, both sides said they would resume direct flights after they reached an agreement in October regarding patrolling their Himalayan border.
Xu added that China hopes India will create a fair and transparent business climate for Chinese companies and further expand their mutually beneficial cooperation.
India placed restrictions on Chinese investments in the country after the 2020 clash and has not yet lifted the barriers.
India is one of the few nations working to lower tariffs in an effort to appease U.S. President Donald Trump, who has called the South Asian nation a "tariff king" and "tariff abuser" and has vowed to reciprocate.Both countries have started talks towards clinching an early trade deal and resolving their standoff on tariffs. Xi says China and India should strengthen ties in ‘Dragon-Elephant tango’ (Reuters)
Reuters [4/1/2025 6:41 AM, Xiuhao Chen and Ryan Woo, 41523K]
China and India should work more closely together, Chinese President Xi Jinping told Indian President Droupadi Murmu, saying their relationship should take the form of a "Dragon-Elephant tango" - a dance between their emblematic animals.
The Chinese and Indian presidents exchanged congratulatory messages on Tuesday, the 75th anniversary of the start of their diplomatic ties, as tensions ease after a 2020 clash between their troops along their shared border in the Himalayas.
Xi said the neighbours should find ways to coexist peacefully and that he was ready to deepen communication and coordination in major international affairs, and jointly safeguard peace in border areas. New Indian bill proposes to revamp Muslim land management, faces backlash (Reuters)
Reuters [4/2/2025 4:52 AM, Rupam Jain, 5.2M]
The Indian government on Wednesday presented a bill in parliament that plans sweeping changes in the management of vast tracts of land set aside solely for Muslim use, potentially stoking tensions between the government and minority Muslims.
The land and properties fall under the "waqf" category, which means "to stay" in Arabic, and are endowed by a Muslim for religious, educational or charitable purposes. Such land cannot be transferred or sold.
Government and Muslim organisations estimate that over 25 waqf boards hold nearly 85,1535 properties and 900,000 acres of land, putting them among the top three landowners in India.
The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, tabled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government, proposes inclusion of non-Muslim members in the central Waqf Council and waqf boards and will enable the government to determine ownership of disputed waqf properties.
The legislation comes amid tensions between the Muslim community and Modi government. Opposition lawmakers and Islamic groups see the bill as a plan to secure assets owned by Muslims and to weaken their property rights under the Indian constitution.
Minister of Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju, who tabled the bill, said it would end corruption, mismanagement and examine ownership rules largely controlled by some Muslim families and elite groups.
The bill should "be viewed as a "pro-Muslim reform," he said.
VOTE TO DECIDE BILL’S FATE
A vote by ruling alliance and opposition lawmakers in the lower house will decide the fate of the bill later on Wednesday.
"It is okay to reserve two posts in the Waqf board for non-Muslims but does it mean that Muslims will get similar reservation in the boards of Hindu temples?" asked Kamal Farooqui, an official of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board.
"Modi government wants to control the Islamic land bank and they have no right to undermine our institutions," he said.
A 2006 report by the government-appointed Sachar Committee had urged an overhaul of waqf boards and monitoring of properties to generate higher returns for the Muslim community.
India is set to have the world’s largest Muslim population by 2050, the Pew Research Center has forecast. Yet the community, which makes up about 13% of India’s population, lags the national average on indicators such as education, employment and political representation.
Muslim groups allege Modi’s ruling party and hardline Hindu affiliates since 2014 have promoted anti-Islamic policies, violent vigilantism and demolished Muslim-owned properties.
Modi and his party officials deny religious discrimination allegations. India’s top court raps state government over ‘inhuman’ bulldozer demolitions (The Independent)
The Independent [4/1/2025 7:43 AM, Alisha Rahaman Sarkar, 44838K]
India’s Supreme Court on Tuesday pulled up the government of the country’s most populous state for its "unconstitutional" and "inhuman" demolition of houses.
A two-judge bench of the court criticised the government of Uttar Pradesh, led by prime minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party, as well as local authorities in Prayagraj city for demolishing five homes in 2021. "These cases shock our conscience," justice AS Oka and justice Ujjal Bhuyan said.
The court ordered the government to pay Rs1m (£9,000) in compensation to each of the house owners.
"Residential premises of the appellants have been high-handedly demolished," the judges said. "There is something called right to shelter, due process of law.".
State officials claim that demolitions only target illegal buildings, but human rights groups accuse the government, led by a saffron-clad Hindu religious leader named Adityanath, of weaponising what has come to be popularly known as "bulldozer justice" against the minority Muslim population.
The counsel for the five petitioners argued the government had wrongly demolished their houses claiming they were constructed on land that belonged to gangster-politician Atiq Ahmed, who was shot dead by the state police in 2023.
"This affixing business must be stopped. They have lost their houses because of this," justice Oka said, referring to the government’s practice of affixing notices on properties listed for demolition, Live Law reported.
The court had previously pulled up the Uttar Pradesh government for "shocking" and rampant demolitions in Prayagraj city without following due legal procedure.
After ruling against arbitrary government action against suspects or convicts of an offence, the top court had, in November 2024, laid down guidelines for demolishing private property, including issuing a prior notice and videographing the process.
"It is not a happy sight to see women, children and aged persons dragged to the streets overnight. Heavens would not fall on the authorities if they hold their hands for some period," the court said.
Amnesty International reported in February that authorities had unleashed bulldozers to raze the properties of dissenters and protesters in the capital New Delhi and neighbouring Uttar Pradesh.
The aim of the demolition drive was to destroy Muslim-owned shops, the rights group said after investigating 62 of the 128 demolitions documented in five states between April and May 2022.
At least 617 people were rendered homeless or deprived of their livelihoods as a result, the investigation found.
The international rights group said Muslim properties were "discriminatorily targeted" without any due process. Death Toll 21 In India Firework Factory Blast: Officials (Agence France-Presse)
Agence France-Presse [4/1/2025 6:17 AM, Staff, 126906K]
An explosion at an illegal firecracker factory in western India left 21 people dead and several others injured on Tuesday, officials said.The fiery blast sent chunks of rock, metal and body parts flying far from the factory complex in the town of Deesa in Gujarat state."There was a huge blast in the factory causing the concrete roof to collapse," government spokesman Rishikesh Patel told reporters, confirming many deaths and injuries."The number of people killed in the incident at the firecracker unit now stands at 21," police officer C. L. Solanki said.Top district government official Mihir Patel said that the "explosion was so powerful that body parts of some victims were found scattered in a farm 200-300 metres away."The families of the victims lived on the factory premises, Patel said, which was operating without a licence.Authorities have launched a probe into the incident.Fireworks are hugely popular in India, particularly during the Hindu festival of Diwali, as well as for use during wedding celebrations.Explosions are common in firecracker workshops, with owners often disregarding basic safety requirements.Last year, 11 people died in a firework factory explosion in the central state of Madhya Pradesh.In 2019, at least 18 people were killed in a similar explosion in Punjab state, and another 10 were killed the same year in Uttar Pradesh. India braces for extended heatwaves again as summer heat expected to strain power systems (The Independent)
The Independent [4/2/2025 5:30 AM, Stuti Mishra, 1270K]
India is bracing for another summer of prolonged and deadly heatwaves, as its weather office warns of above-normal temperatures and significantly more days of extreme heat in many parts of the country from April to June.This year, states like Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Odisha could see up to 11 days of heatwaves, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) said. Heatwave days are defined as prolonged periods of exceptionally hot weather.In many parts of central, northern and eastern India, there may be more heatwave days than the historical average, Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, the chief of IMD, said during a press briefing this week."From April to June, most parts of north and east India, central India, and the plains of north-west India are expected to experience two-to-four more heatwave days than normal," he added.The warning follows what has already been an unusually warm start to the year. February was among the hottest on record worldwide, as well as in India, putting wheat crops at risk with many states reporting minimum temperatures 1-3C above normal.In parts of western and southern India, including Mumbai, Goa and Karnataka, early-season heatwaves were already declared by the end of that month.India typically sees heatwaves between April and June, but rising global temperatures are shifting this pattern, making extreme heat arrive earlier and last longer.In 2024, India recorded its hottest day ever at 50.5C in Rajasthan, and the country saw over 40,000 suspected cases of heatstroke. The health ministry officially attributed 143 deaths to the heatwave, but independent researchers say the real toll is likely far higher.In February, officials warned that unusually high March temperatures could harm wheat, chickpea and rapeseed crops that are sensitive to heat stress. India, the world’s second-largest wheat producer, has already faced consecutive years of poor harvests, forcing export bans and increasing price volatility."March is not going to be conducive for wheat," an IMD official said earlier this year, warning that grains could shrivel and ripen too soon.The energy sector is also under strain. The rising use of air conditioners in homes and businesses during hotter months has led to a sharp spike in power demand. Experts now warn that electricity consumption this summer could surge by up to 10 per cent, risking blackouts.A recent study from the University of California, Berkeley, found that India could face severe power shortages as early as next year unless it updates energy efficiency standards for cooling appliances. Doubling the efficiency of air conditioners could save consumers $26bn and prevent 60GW of excess demand by 2035, the report said."ACs are becoming one of the biggest drivers of peak demand, and without intervention, we risk blackouts or costly emergency fixes," said Nikit Abhyankar, lead author of the study.Experts have long warned that global warming is intensifying extreme heat events in India. A recent analysis by Climate Central found that February temperatures in Mumbai and Goa, which broke records this year, were three to five times more likely due to human-caused climate crisis.IMD chief Mr Mohapatra has previously cautioned that if greenhouse gas emissions are not reduced, heatwaves could become more frequent and severe. "We are endangering not only ourselves, but also our future generations," he said last year.The rising risks have led some states to roll out heat action plans and emergency protocols, including early warning systems, hydration centres and adjusted school hours. But many experts say India’s response is still piecemeal and underprepared, especially as climate extremes intensify."Summers are expanding. Winters are shrinking. The cycles have shifted," said Mahesh Palawat, vice president of Meteorology and Climate Change at Skymet Weather. "And what we are seeing now is the impact of that shift unfolding in real time." Christian preacher in India gets life in jail for raping woman (BBC)
BBC [4/1/2025 7:40 AM, Charylann Mollan, 69.9M]
An Indian court has sentenced self-styled Christian preacher Bajinder Singh to life imprisonment for raping a woman in 2018.
The woman had accused Singh of raping her at his home in the northern state of Punjab, recording the act and using the video later to blackmail her.
Singh, who has millions of followers, rose to fame for his evangelist-style preaching and events, where he can be seen "healing" people suffering from serious illnesses by placing his hands on them.
His Church of Glory and Wisdom - which is one of the largest private churches in Punjab - counts some Bollywood stars as followers and says it has branches across the world.
According to his website, the branches are in countries such as the US, UK and Canada.Singh also has significant presence on social media with more than three million subscribers on YouTube.
The preacher, who attends well-attended sessions in sharp suits, is known for giving fiery sermons - often claiming that he can make people extremely wealthy and cure them of illnesses. In many of his viral videos, he can be seen whipping the crowds into a frenzy.
He places his hands on his followers who shake and convulse before claiming to be miraculously healed from whatever is ailing them.
On Tuesday, after the court pronounced the punishment for Singh in the 2018 rape case, the woman’s lawyer, Anil Sagar, hailed the decision, calling it an "exemplary punishment".
"Any leniency in such cases where people use their social position to rape poor and weak people increases the confidence of predators," Mr Sagar said.
Singh’s lawyers have not commented on the verdict. He is expected to appeal against the order in the high court.
The preacher has also been accused of sexual assault by at least two other women. In February, police began an investigation after a former disciple accused him of sexual assault.
Days later, the Punjab police registered a third case against Singh for allegedly assaulting another woman after a prayer session. He has denied both the allegations.
His churches have also faced financial scrutiny. In January last year, some of them were investigated by India’s income-tax department.
Born in Haryana state in a Hindu family, he reportedly converted to Christianity about 15 years ago when he was in prison. Media reports said he was in jail in connection with a murder case, but he has publicly not commented on it.
On his website, he claims that "evil forces" had pushed him towards a life of crime before someone handed him a Bible and he found God. His website also refers to him as a "prophet" and offers "services" of healing people with holy oil and water.
Because of the various criminal cases against him, he is described as a controversial figure in the media. But his supporters defend him - and Singh himself has previously attributed some of the negative press to "schemes" and "plots" by rival pastors. NSB
Deported Dauphin County Bhutanese refugee arrested in Nepal, more deported (WHTM-TV ABC 27 Harrisburg)
WHTM-TV ABC 27 Harrisburg [4/1/2025 5:05 PM, George Stockburger, 52868K]
A Bhutanese refugee who was living in Dauphin County and subsequently deported earlier this year has been arrested in Nepal, according to County Commissioner Justin Douglas.
Ten Bhutanese refugees, including several Dauphin County residents, were deported from the region and flown to Bhutan via New Delhi, India. According to Douglas, 10 refugees who resettled in the U.S. were deported, and Douglas has "reason to believe" that eight additional refugees were deported.
Among them were two individuals from Dauphin County, bringing the total to three county residents deported.
Douglas says the deported individuals were taken to a town in India and crossed into Nepal to visit family in refugee camps. At least four of the deported individuals, including a man who lived in Dauphin County, were arrested while traveling into Nepal.
Fourteen deported refugees are unaccounted for, and at least nine from Pennsylvania’s Bhutanese Nepali community are being detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, according to Douglas. Central Asia
‘Packing Our Bags’: Exodus Of Ethnic Russians From Central Asia (Agence France-Presse)
Agence France-Presse [4/2/2025 1:56 AM, Bruno Kalouaz, 931K]
Unable to find work and feeling increasingly isolated from her relatives, Tatiana Lopatina finally has decided it is time to pack-up and move from Kazakhstan to her ancestral homeland: Russia.
The 52-year-old former sports teacher will join the millions of ethnic Russians who have left Central Asia since the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union -- dismayed by shrinking job opportunities and political marginalisation, and no longer feeling at home as the region drifts from Moscow’s cultural and linguistic orbit.
"The work situation is very difficult here. And when you’re no longer young, it becomes doubly problematic," Lopatina told AFP.
Russians made up about a fifth of Central Asia’s population at the time of the Soviet collapse, but that figure is now five percent, with tens of thousands more leaving each year.
While they enjoyed a privileged position during the Soviet Union era, many have suffered a social downgrade since the five Central Asian states became independent.
"The decision to leave Kazakhstan has been taken. We’re going to give up our Kazakh passports to receive Russian passports," Lopatina told AFP.
With her husband, Dmitry, they plan to move to the Siberian city of Omsk, where they have family roots.
Russia, which has a shortage of workers, an ageing population and a low fertility rate, has welcomed the arrival of hundreds of thousands of new citizens.
The Kremlin has long warned of a looming demographic crisis -- described by President Vladimir Putin as the country’s "most important challenge".
In March he called for a step-up in efforts to support the "return of our compatriots".
Since 2006, Russia has offered relocation allowances to those moving to the homeland of their parents or grandparents, providing them with unemployment benefits and sometimes even land.
Around 1.2 million people have immigrated to Russia under the scheme, mainly from Central Asia -- a figure that does not include those who emigrated outside of government channels.
But since Russia invaded Ukraine, moving to Russia has become less attractive.
In 2024, only 31,700 people took up the offer, the lowest level in 14 years.
Authorities launched a new scheme for compatriots last year in the hope of boosting take-up, with less stringent conditions for obtaining citizenship but no financial benefits.
Many ethnic Russians in Central Asia share the same story.
Their parents were sent there under the Soviet Union to develop agriculture in the steppes of Kazakhstan, extract raw materials from the mountains of Kyrgyzstan, build cities in Uzbekistan or irrigation canals in the desert of Turkmenistan.
Although they praise the beauty of their country and the kindness of the local people, they no longer see prospects for themselves and their children, despite the region’s rapid development.
"Maybe some see something, but I, for one, see absolutely nothing at the moment," said 50-year-old tour guide Lyubov Tyasova, who is leaving her small town of Orlovka in Kyrgyzstan.
She laments a lack of opportunity in the town, which until the 1990s was majority Russian.
"Absolutely nothing here has changed in 30 years... I see my children’s future in Russia. A future in stable jobs and prosperous cities," she told AFP.
To many, Russia is a lifeline, despite the low wages in some regions.
When the Russian relocation programme was launched in 2006, "moving was out of the question because I felt good in Kazakhstan", Lopatina said.
But calls from family telling them to move, memories of summer holidays in Moscow, and the poor job situation in Kazakhstan eventually won out.
The strengthening of Central Asian identities, particularly since the invasion of Ukraine, has made many ethnic Russians feel marginalised.
"I don’t think I can find work because I don’t speak Turkmen," 48-year-old former civil servant Nikolai told AFP.
He moved to the Russian city of Voronezh, seeing "no prospects in Turkmenistan".
In Uzbekistan, Semyon, a 35-year-old computer scientist, wants his two daughters to be in a Russian-speaking environment.
In the capital Tashkent, "Russian is spoken less and less", he said.
He is selling his flat, like Valentina and Konstantin in Ashgabat, the Turkmen capital.
"We are starting to pack our bags and as soon as we find a buyer, we will leave," said Valentina.
"We will miss Turkmenistan, the year-round sunshine and the peace and quiet. We will have to start all over again... but it will be easier to find work in Russia," she added. Russian order slashes Kazakh oil export capacity amid OPEC+ row (Reuters)
Reuters [4/1/2025 9:08 AM, Staff, 9K]
Russia has ordered the Black Sea terminal handling Kazakhstan’s oil exports pumped by U.S. majors Chevron and Exxon Mobil to close two of its three moorings amid a standoff between Kazakhstan and OPEC+ over excess production.
The operator of the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC), which exports around 1% of global oil supply via the Russian terminal, said late on Monday that the two moorings were halted following snap inspections by Russia’s transport watchdog.
The stoppage could more than halve CPC exports if it lasts for longer than a week, trading sources told Reuters.
The Russian order to CPC came just hours after U.S. President Donald Trump said he was unhappy with Russia and the rate of progress in peace talks with Ukraine and threatened to impose secondary tariffs on buyers of Russian oil.
RECORD-HIGH OUTPUT
Kazakhstan has frequently exceeded its production quotas under a pact among OPEC+ producers, which includes the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies, such as Russia.
However, it is finding it difficult to convince the companies operating its largest oilfields to reduce output where they have spent tens of billions of dollars to expand capacity.
According to two industry sources, Kazakhstan’s oil output reached a record high in March with increased supply from the giant Tengiz oilfield and stable exports via the CPC, further exceeding OPEC+ production quotas.
Its oil and gas condensate production reached 8.95 million metric tons in March, or 2.17 million barrels per day (bpd), the sources said. Its energy ministry had reported output in February averaged 2.15 million bpd.
Kazakhstan’s energy minister stepped down last month after tough discussions on OPEC+ compliance.
One OPEC+ source said there is always "a challenge" with Kazakhstan but it eventually gets resolved, referring to its excess output and the CPC moorings closure.
CPC said the mooring closures followed an inspection by Russia’s transport watchdog, allowing the company to address "violations".
CPC did not specify the exact nature of these violations nor say how long the closures were expected to last.
It said the inspection was prompted by an oil product spill following the sinking of a Russian tanker in the Kerch Strait in December.
FLOWS UNINTERRUPTED
U.S. oil major Chevron said on Tuesday that oil output at its unit in Kazakhstan, Tengizchevroil (TCO), as well as the delivery of oil to the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) pipeline remain uninterrupted.
Kazakhstan’s energy ministry also said oil shipments via the CPC are being carried out normally without restrictions.
"At the moment there are no restrictions on receiving Kazakh oil into the system of CPC," the Kazakh energy ministry said in a statement. It said loading was being carried out "in normal mode, according to schedule" via the third mooring point, which was still in operation.
Separately, three industry sources told Reuters on Tuesday that Kazakhstan will have to start cutting its record high oil production within days due to reduced intake on the CPC.
Another source said that repair work at the CPC terminal would take more than a month.
A trader said he had not heard of any planned cuts to Kazakh production yet.
"One jetty is still loading, there is capacity for storage of five days at port. If the situation is not resolved in five days, then production cuts will be needed," he said.
Citing technical outages, Russia has closed the CPC moorings in the past. Operations were suspended in 2022 and 2023 due to damage and storms, interrupting CPC exports and hitting Kazakhstan’s output.
In February, a Ukrainian drone attack struck a pumping station along the pipeline serving the terminal, according to CPC and Russian pipeline monopoly Transneft.
The pipeline had been set to export 1.7 million barrels per day (bpd), or approximately 6.5 million metric tons, in April, Reuters reported.
It exported more than 63 million metric tons (1.4 million bpd) in 2024.
CPC’s top shareholders are Transneft (24%) and Kazakhstan’s KazMunayGas (19%) while U.S. majors Chevron and Exxon Mobil also hold stakes. Kazakhstan’s oil and condensate production hits record in March, sources say (Reuters)
Reuters [4/1/2025 7:17 AM, Staff, 41523K]
Kazakhstan’s oil and condensate output reached a record high in March, with higher output from the giant Tengiz oilfield and stable exports via the Caspian pipeline, further exceeding OPEC+ production quotas, two industry sources said and Reuters calculations showed on Tuesday.
The country has repeatedly exceeded its OPEC+ quotas in recent months and has promised to reduce output under pressure from OPEC+ leaders Saudi Arabia and Russia.
Oil and gas condensate production in Kazakhstan reached 8.95 million metric tons in March, or 2.17 million barrels per day (bpd), the sources said. That compared with 2.15 million bpd on average in February, according to the state’s Energy Ministry.
Kazakhstan’s OPEC+ quota does not limit condensate production, but crude oil output is meant to be set at 1.468 million bpd.
Excluding gas condensate, a type of light oil, crude oil production increased last month to 1.88 million bpd from 1.83 million bpd in February, according to the source familiar with the official statistics, and Reuters calculations, which take into account Kazakhstan’s tons per barrel ratio of 7.5.
Kazakhstan’s March oil exports remained high, with flows via its Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) export route continuing unabated last month, despite expectations after drone attacks on its infrastructure in February and March.
Exports via the CPC pipeline have been initially set at 1.7 million bpd for both March and April.
However the CPC operator, which exports around 1% of global oil supply via the Russian terminal, said late on Monday that the two single mooring points (SPM) were halted following snap inspections by Russia’s transport watchdog. That means April CPC Blend oil loadings might decline. Poverty rate at risk of rising in Kyrgyzstan, despite economic growth – UN agency (EurasiaNet)
EurasiaNet [4/2/2025 12:00 AM, Staff, 57.6K]
The United Nations’ World Food Programme is sounding alarm bells about Kyrgyzstan’s vulnerability to a rapid increase of hunger.
The WFP’s latest annual report on social and economic conditions in Kyrgyzstan contends the country is highly exposed to “internal and external shocks” that could deepen already substantial problems relating to poverty and food insecurity. The report notes that Kyrgyzstan’s poverty rate is substantially higher now than in 2020, when the Covid pandemic wrought economic havoc.“Despite a 9 percent increase in Gross Domestic Product in 2024, social inequalities continue to hinder inclusive development,” says the report. “Economic growth has not significantly reduced poverty, with 30 percent of the population living in poverty and an additional 10 percent at risk of falling below the poverty line.”
Among the risk factors threatening food security are a “heavy reliance on food imports,” and regional geopolitical factors mainly relating to labor migration. In particular, Russia’s tightening of rules covering Central Asian guest workers could result in a debilitating decrease in remittances that many families in Kyrgyzstan rely on to help meet essential needs, the report cautions.
Environmental challenges heightened by global warming, including drought, glacier melt and floods, compound uncertainty, the WHP asserts. Food prices today are roughly 50 percent higher than pre-pandemic levels, due to inflation, it adds.“As a result, 36 percent of the population cannot afford a nutritious diet, while 72 percent of households also rely on coping strategies – such as spending savings, borrowing money, and reducing expenses on education and health – to meet their food and other basic needs,” the report states. Uzbekistan: Fresh abuse allegations aired by jailed Karakalpak activist (EurasiaNet)
EurasiaNet [4/1/2025 4:14 PM, Staff, 57.6K]
An activist in Uzbekistan, jailed on charges of fomenting the worst bout of violence in the Central Asian nation in almost two decades, is renewing allegations of mistreatment by prison officials.
Dauletmurat Tazhimuratov, a lawyer by training, received a 16-year sentence in early 2023 for his alleged leading role in mass protests the previous year in Nukus, the capital of the autonomous region of Karakalpakstan, which straddles the receding Aral Sea. He maintains his prosecution was politically motivated.
A statement from Human Rights Watch on April 1, citing his lawyer who recently visited him in prison, says authorities are subjecting Tazhimuratov to ongoing “mental and physical abuse,” including seizing his “uneaten food before he could break his fast, which he was keeping during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.” In addition, Tazhimuratov in recent weeks has been assaulted by other inmates reportedly at the behest of prison guards, had his writings confiscated and had telephone conversations with family members cut short, according to HRW.
Tazhimuratov’s defense lawyer alleges that officials have quashed recent efforts to file formal complaints over his treatment and prison conditions.“It’s important that obligations to prevent, investigate, and punish acts of prohibited treatment are met and that officials promptly investigate Tazhimuratov’s allegations and ensure he comes to no harm while in prison,” the HRW statement said.
This is not the first time Tazhimuratov has reported experiencing abuse behind bars. He earlier said he was repeatedly beaten while in pre-trial detention and complained about humiliating treatment in mid-2023.
The 2022 protests that led to Tazhimuratov’s imprisonment erupted in response to an abortive initiative by the Uzbek government to make constitutional changes that would have downgraded Karakalpakstan’s autonomous status. Authorities ultimately declared a state of emergency and called in riot police to crush the protests. An HRW investigation accused Uzbek authorities of “unjustifiably used lethal force” on largely peaceful demonstrators during the July 1-2, 2022, bout of unrest. Karakalpak Lawyer Imprisoned in Uzbekistan Alleges Torture, Again (Human Rights Watch)
Human Rights Watch [4/1/2025 8:34 AM, Mihra Rittmann, 1628K]
New allegations of ill-treatment and torture by Dauletmurat Tazhimuratov, the wrongfully imprisoned Karakalpak blogger and lawyer, have emerged following a prison visit by his lawyer.
In a March 24 statement, Tazhimuratov’s attorney, Sergey Mayorov, detailed "mental and physical torture," including beatings by other inmates at the behest of prison officials and filthy conditions in Tazhimuratov’s cell. Tazhimuratov said his personal writings have been stolen and prison officials have apparently delayed and cut short his telephone calls to his family.
This is not the first time Tazhimuratov has alleged ill-treatment and torture in detention. At his trial in 2022, he claimed that while in pretrial detention, police had beat him and stood on his head, causing him to lose consciousness. In 2023, he filed complaints about inadequate healthcare and food in prison.
In his statement, Mayorov also said that between March 4 and 7, the first four days of his client’s 10-day stint in solitary confinement after an altercation with another inmate, guards seized Tazhimuratov’s uneaten food before he could break his fast, which he was keeping during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Denying a prisoner food during religious fasting is a violation of the obligation to respect Tazhimuratov’s freedom of religion as well as his right to freedom from inhumane treatment.
Mayorov also said that he had met with a prison official regarding Tazhimuratov’s allegations, noting that his client told him he had repeatedly tried to file complaints "to protect his rights," but that the appeals "do not leave the [facility]." Mayorov has asked the prosecutor and Ombudsman to investigate.
Inhuman treatment of detainees is strictly prohibited under customary international law, and Uzbekistan is a party to several international human rights treaties that include the prohibition on torture and other inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. It’s important that obligations to prevent, investigate, and punish acts of prohibited treatment are met and that officials promptly investigate Tazhimuratov’s allegations and ensure he comes to no harm while in prison.
Yet as Tazhimuratov and other activists languish in prisons and forced psychiatric detention, Uzbekistan is gearing up host to a high-level European Union-Central Asia Summit later this week. As EU officials look to deepen bilateral agreements with Uzbekistan, they should stress the importance of upholding the rule of law and call for Tazhimuratov’s and other activists’ unconditional and immediate release. Three Sentenced to Death for Murdering Rabbi (Newsweek)
Newsweek [4/1/2025 6:36 AM, Amira El-Fekki, 3973K]
Three people have been sentenced to death in the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.) after being convicted of the premeditated murder of an Israeli-Moldovan rabbi.
The ruling follows a high-profile investigation into the brutal killing, which sent shockwaves through both the local and international Jewish communities.
Newsweek has reached out to the Israeli Prime Minister’s office for comment.
Why It Matters
The murder drew international attention, prompting strong condemnations from both the U.S. and Israel, which had urged the U.A.E. to ensure full accountability. The U.A.E. has become one of Israel’s most closely linked countries in the Middle East after it joined the Abraham Accords under U.S. President Donald Trump in 2020.
Relations between many Arab countries and Israel have been under extra strain since its war with Hamas which has devastated the Gaza Strip since the Palestinian Islamist group attacked Israel in October 2023.
What To Know
The court sentenced three defendants to the death penalty and a fourth to life imprisonment for the "premeditated murder with terrorist intention," the Emirati News Agency WAM reported. The defendants were convicted of the kidnapping and murder of Moldovan-Israeli citizen Zvi Kogan, who went missing in the U.A.E. back in November 2024, and was later found dead.
Kogan, 28, was an ultra-Orthodox rabbi and entrepreneur who managed Rimon Market, a kosher grocery store in Dubai, a city that has seen an influx of Israeli tourists and businesses since the Abraham Accords.
The Uzbek defendants were arrested in Turkey in November, as Uzbekistan stood in solidarity with Israel and decried "terrorism and extremism," according to The Associated Press.
The arrested suspects were brought to trial in the U.A.E. State prosecutors said they had tracked and murdered the victim and later confessed to the crime, according to WAM.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office had called Kogan’s murder a "heinous antisemitic terror incident". The U.S. National Security Council had also described it as a "horrific crime against all those who stand for peace, tolerance, and coexistence," a November statement by embassy in the U.A.E read.
Both the U.S. and Israel said then they were coordinating with the U.A.E. to bring perpetuators to justice.
What People Are Saying
U.A.E. Attorney General Hamad al-Shamsi, according to WAM: "The verdict reflects the U.A.E.’s unwavering commitment to combating terrorism in accordance with the highest standards of justice and the rule of law while ensuring fair trial guarantees. The U.A.E. stands as a global model of coexistence and tolerance, where its laws protect all residents, regardless of religion or ethnicity, ensuring their safety and security.".
Political Commentator Rabbi Elie Abadie told i24 News Channel: "We have been feeling safe since the beginning. His memory will always be remembered – it is a great, great loss for the community.".
U.A.E. Political Affairs Analyst Amjad Taha on X: "When Rabbi Zvi Kogan was killed, the U.A.E. swiftly arrested the perpetrators and brought them to justice. Soon, our respected Jewish community will witness righteous, firm, and strong justice in action.".
What Happens Next
The verdict is set to be reviewed and receive final adjudication by the local Federal Supreme Court according to Emirati laws on capital punishment sentences. Indo-Pacific
Myanmar’s deadly earthquake brings diplomatic payoff for junta chief (Reuters)
Reuters [4/2/2025 3:45 AM, Devjyot Ghoshal and Panu Wonghcha-um, 9K]
Myanmar’s deadliest natural disaster in years has strengthened the position of ruling general Min Aung Hlaing, by opening diplomatic channels closed for four years after his junta ousted an elected government to unleash a brutal civil war.Just before Friday’s quake of magnitude 7.7 that killed almost 2,900 people, the junta chief was readying for a rare foreign visit to a regional summit in Thailand, as aides worked the phones to arrange meetings with other leaders.It is still unclear if Min Aung Hlaing will attend the BIMSTEC grouping’s summit in Bangkok this week, but the disaster has helped end his isolation by most world leaders over a war that displaced 3.5 million and decimated the economy."The junta knows that regional powers jostling for influence in Myanmar, like India, China, and Russia would want to use this opportunity to strengthen their own toehold in the country," said Angshuman Choudhury, an analyst based in Singapore."By publicly and directly engaging with regional capitals, it can demonstrate its supposed indispensability as Myanmar’s primary public authority."A junta spokesman did not respond to telephone calls from Reuters to seek comment.In the past week, Min Aung Hlaing has spoken with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim - conversations that have led to a flurry of international aid.Just weeks after the junta reaffirmed plans for a general election in December, one of the impoverished nation’s strongest earthquakes in a century has opened a new window for its leader to engage with regional powers.The junta had steadily lost ground in the conflict sparked by the 2021 coup, suffering a string of battlefield defeats and piling unprecedented pressure on Min Aung Hlaing himself.Key allies such as China have backstopped the junta, with efforts such as pushing major anti-junta groups to stop fighting, but even Beijing had not entirely embraced the embattled general.He did not get an audience with Xi when he visited China in November for the first time since the coup, for example.But during a state visit to Moscow last month, Min Aung Hlaing held court with Russian leader Vladimir Putin, one of his earliest backers after the coup."I would think he’s getting like everything he ever dreamt of and more right now," said a diplomatic source in the commercial capital of Yangon, referring to the Moscow visit, the telephone call with Modi and a meeting of the ASEAN grouping."He’s back in the circle. He has a seat at the table."However, the junta is doing what it can to benefit from the crisis and deny assistance to civilians and opposition groups, said a second diplomatic source in the country.Millions of dollars in aid, relief supplies and hundreds of rescue workers from countries such as China, India, Russia and Southeast Asia, have flooded Myanmar since the quake, though the junta keeps up military operations despite ceasefire calls.The junta could exploit the crisis to strengthen its position in Myanmar’s battlefield, Choudhury added. "The quake will complicate the resistance’s fight and its ability to retain support from the local population."
TIGHTROPE WALK
Some regime hardliners believe the junta can continue with the help of a handful of allies, said Sihasak Phuangketkeow, a former Thai vice minister for foreign affairs who visited Myanmar last month.
"They see the world order as shifting, and that there is a new pole with China, Russia and India," Sihasak told Reuters.
"They think Myanmar may be able to thrive without other engagement."
If Min Aung Hlaing were to attend this week’s BIMSTEC summit, he would get a further opportunity for diplomatic validation, such as more engagement with India and Thailand.
BIMSTEC, or the Bay of Bengal initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation, comprises Thailand, Myanmar, India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bhutan.
"What I got from my recent trip was that Min Aung Hlaing doesn’t want to be just under China only," said Sihasak.
"It is about how we can assert our own position. We should not let this opportunity to engage Myanmar slip by."
In Bangkok, the junta chief could meet Modi, who has rushed aid and personnel to Myanmar since the quake, said three sources with knowledge of discussions.
"Modi, particularly, has already indicated that he is willing to directly engage," said Choudhury, referring to the two leaders’ call.
The visit may also give Min Aung Hlaing a chance to meet Thaksin Shinawatra, the former Thai prime minister whom Malaysia’s Anwar appointed a personal adviser in his capacity as chairman of ASEAN.
Some analysts say Thailand is walking a tightrope by giving legitimacy to Min Aung Hlaing as he battles the armed resistance which has eroded his grip on Myanmar.
"There’s a nasty, brutal, violent civil war," said Thitinan Pongsudhirak, a political scientist at Chulalongkorn University.
"Thailand has to be very careful because it has a long border with Myanmar and lots at stake."
Twitter
Afghanistan
UNICEF Afghanistan@UNICEFAfg
[4/2/2025 2:26 AM, 132.6K followers, 2 retweets, 3 likes]
Open defecation used to be common in Rahmatullah’s village, leading to health issues for children. But after several @EUinAfghanistan-supported sessions, Rahmatullah’s community has embraced latrines and handwashing, ending open defecation. Learn more: https://www.unicef.org/afghanistan/stories/working-together-cleaner-community
Jahanzeb Wesa@Jahanzeb_Wesa
[4/1/2025 7:10 PM, 5.7K followers, 10 retweets, 15 likes]
Subahanullah Shams, final-year medical student in Islamabad, & Khalid Mamundzai, a recent graduate, were tragically killed by Taliban after a verbal altercation while traveling from Logar to Kunar. This highlights growing dangers for civilians under Taliban rule in Afghanistan.
Jahanzeb Wesa@Jahanzeb_Wesa
[4/1/2025 7:28 PM, 5.7K followers, 16 retweets, 18 likes]
More than 50 Afghan women’s rights activists in Pakistan face deportation to Afghanistan, where the Taliban may imprison or kill them. Pakistan’s crackdown on Afghan refugees puts their lives at grave risk. Sign the petition: https://change.org/p/save-60-afghan-women-leaders-from-imminent-deportation-saveafghanwomen?recruited_by_id=d3826410-eadb-11ef-9ea2-b38a9b31aa5d&fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR2O9-5QxaeLxP2HedJDPRuVbvioomlWw24R-iR_ZRMK7G4iq8_CkDXzQs0_aem_2HzNHug7I44ATFdnfkHDoQ
Habib Khan@HabibKhanT
[4/1/2025 1:15 PM, 247.7K followers, 87 retweets, 306 likes]
The Afghan cricket team is now the Taliban’s team. When we called for a boycott, many said the players had no choice. Yet here’s the captain smiling with the Taliban PM during Eid—clearly willing, not forced. Silence on women’s sports, but smiles for the regime. Pakistan
Government of Pakistan@GovtofPakistan
[4/1/2025 1:51 PM, 3.1M followers, 5=8 retweets, 29=6 likes]
Pakistan stands in solidarity with the people of Myanmar. On the special directives of Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, Pakistan has dispatched the first air cargo flight carrying 35 tons of relief supplies to Yangon, Myanmar, for the victims of the recent earthquakes. The consignment includes essential humanitarian aid such as tents, blankets, food, medicines, and water purification modules.
Anas Mallick@AnasMallick
[4/1/2025 6:05 AM, 76.3K followers, 5 retweets, 29 likes]
#Pakistan send 1st consignment of 35 tons of aid to Earthquake struck #Myanmar -- Yesterday during his phone call with the Myanmar administration, PM @CMShehbaz had promised to send 70 tons of aid within 48hours, first consignment of 35 tons being sent today. India
PMO India@PMOIndia
[4/1/2025 9:45 AM, 57.6M followers, 356 retweets, 1.3K likes]
Deeply saddened by the loss of lives in the explosion at a firecracker factory in Banaskantha, Gujarat. Condolences to those who lost their loved ones. May the injured recover soon. The local administration is assisting those affected. An ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of each deceased. The injured would be given Rs. 50,000: PM @narendramodi
Rajnath Singh@rajnathsingh[4/1/2025 7:43 AM, 24.4M followers, 1K retweets, 3.8K likes]
India’s defence exports have surged to a record high of Rs 23,622 crore in the FY 2024-25. An impressive growth of Rs 2,539 crore or 12.04% has been registered in the just-concluded FY over the defence exports figures of FY 2023-24, which were Rs 21,083 crore. I congratulate all stakeholders on this significant achievement. Under PM Shri @narendramodi’s leadership India is marching towards achieving the target of increasing defence exports to Rs 50,000 crore by 2029. NSB
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Bangladesh@BDMOFA
[4/2/2025 12:08 AM, 75.9K followers, 2 retweets, 29 likes]
Bangladesh participated in the 25th #BIMSTEC Senior Officials’ Meeting in Bangkok, ahead of the 6th #BIMSTEC Summit. Foreign Secretary Ambassador Md. Jashim Uddin emphasized finalizing key trade agreements to accelerate regional economic growth. Bangladesh looks forward to hosting the 26th SOM in Dhaka! #BIMSTEC #RegionalCooperation
Sultan Mohammed Zakaria@smzakaria
[4/1/2025 11:08 PM, 7K followers, 5 retweets, 20 likes]
#Bangladesh: American Enterprise Institute’s senior fellow @mrubin1971 is the newest mouthpiece of the Indian deep state/BAL-orchestrated propaganda against Bangladesh in recent days. Why doesn’t Rubin visit Bangladesh and see himself firsthand what’s actually happening there?
Jon Danilowicz@JonFDanilowicz
[4/1/2025 4:58 PM, 14.8K followers, 18 retweets, 114 likes]
Today has been one of those days… Almost immediately after former PM Hasina was forced to flee Dhaka for India after the Bangladesh Army told her they would not obey her orders to kill student protesters, the @albd1971 and its supporters began a disinformation campaign aimed at distracting attention from their crimes.
The Awami League and their supporters did not want to talk about the events of July/August 2024 or during their previous 15 years of kleptocratic rule. Instead they fell back on their tried and true propaganda strategy. In India they hyped the issued of violence against Bangladesh’s Hindu minority, knowing this would gain sympathy and dovetail with the Modi regime’s domestic political agenda. In the West they hyped the fear of islamist extremism. The AL had played this card since returning to power in 2008, seeking to excuse their crimes in other areas by positioning themselves as the only safeguard against extremism.
The disinformation being spread by the AL and its Indian supporters has been relentless and is fueled by the resources political leaders and allied oligarchs stole during their time in office. Their lies do not withstand close scrutiny and are not intended to convince anyone in Bangladesh.
Instead their target is an audience outside Bangladesh that doesn’t normally pay much attention to the country. They recruit or co-opt journalists, academics, and others who are willing to sacrifice their integrity in exchange for one type of compensation or another. In the face of this relentless propaganda and disinformation, the real issues facing Bangladesh get ignored. I appreciate the efforts of all those dedicated to telling the truth about Bangladesh’s complicated transition from autocracy to something better. They deserve credit for responding to lie after lie and all the accompanying personal attacks. I salute all those who continue to fight for Bangladesh’s future against those who want to take the country backwards.
Tshering Tobgay@tsheringtobgay
[4/2/2025 1:07 AM, 101.6K followers, 11 likes]
Last evening, I had the honour of hosting a welcome dinner for delegates attending the Olympic Council of Asia–Olympic Solidarity (OCA-OS) Regional Forum 2025, which is taking place in Thimphu.
Tshering Tobgay@tsheringtobgay
[4/2/2025 1:07 AM, 101.6K followers]
It is a proud moment for Bhutan to welcome representatives from National Olympic Committees across East Asia, Southeast Asia, and South Asia, alongside officials from the IOC, OCA, and other international sporting bodies.
Tshering Tobgay@tsheringtobgay
[4/2/2025 1:07 AM, 101.6K followers]
In my remarks, I shared that our overall wellbeing begins with a healthy body. To promote a vibrant sporting culture, we need champions, & in Bhutan, we are fortunate to have HRH Prince Jigyel Ugyen Wangchuck leading our Olympic movement with exceptional vision & commitment.
Tshering Tobgay@tsheringtobgay
[4/2/2025 1:07 AM, 101.6K followers]
Held once every four years, this forum is not just a gathering, but a celebration of values that bring nations together. I wish all participants a productive and inspiring forum, and our guests a memorable stay in Bhutan.
The President’s Office, Maldives@presidencymv
[4/1/2025 1:20 PM, 112.6K followers, 193 retweets, 195 likes]
H.E. President Dr @MMuizzu departs for the United Kingdom, at the invitation of CEO of Liverpool Football Club (@LFC) to kick off a Maldives Tourism promotion campaign in collaboration with @LFC. This initiative is a part of the co-branded campaign with @LFC and @mmprc_corporate/@visitmaldives.
PMO Nepal@PM_nepal_
[4/1/2025 9:59 AM, 721K followers, 10 retweets, 110 likes]
Rt. Hon. PM KP Sharma Oli arrived in Bangkok for the 6th BIMSTEC Summit and his first official bilateral visit to Thailand. Upon arrival, he received a warm welcome from DPM Suriya Juangroongruangkit.
Dr. Arzu Rana Deuba@Arzuranadeuba
[4/1/2025 1:24 AM, 5.2K followers, 17 retweets, 49 likes]
On behalf of the Government of Nepal, I have signed a Cultural Agreement between the Government of Nepal and the Government of the Kingdom of Thailand and a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Government of Nepal and the Government of the Kingdom of Thailand on Tourism Cooperation. Several other agreements have also been signed between our countries’ non-government industries. Together, these initiatives will facilitate the strengthening of Nepal-Thailand ties across sectors.
Sajith Premadasa@sajithpremadasa
[4/2/2025 12:02 AM, 234.5K followers, 6 retweets, 39 likes]
Today, is #WorldAutismAwarenessDay, In Sri Lanka, many autistic individuals are held back not by their differences but by systems that fail to understand and support the spectrum. We need an education system that adapts, one that offers therapeutic, remedial & inclusive pathways for every learner to thrive. This is where digital infrastructure in schools will play a big role. Progress is not just economic. It’s measured by how well we embrace neurodiversity. #AutismInSriLanka #InclusiveEducation #WorldAutismDay Central Asia
Javlon Vakhabov@JavlonVakhabov
[4/1/2025 1:05 AM, 6.2K followers, 3 likes]
In Samarkand, President @TokayevKZ will participate in the "Central Asia – European Union" Summit and hold a series of bilateral meetings. More at: https://t.me/aqorda_resmi/23654
Javlon Vakhabov@JavlonVakhabov
[4/1/2025 8:55 AM, 6.2K followers, 11 retweets, 26 likes]
Central Asia & EU: A Historic Summit in Samarkand For the first time, the leaders of the five Central Asian nations and the European Union are gathering in Samarkand for a groundbreaking summit, poised to reshape interregional cooperation. In an interview with @euronews, @president_uz Shavkat Mirziyoyev underscored the historic significance of the event and outlined key areas of collaboration.
Key Takeaways:- The Central Asia-European Union format of cooperation is a unique platform of interaction and is unparalleled in its scale and institutional scope. - Trade turnover between Central Asia and the EU has quadrupled over the past seven years, with European investments in Uzbekistan surpassing €30 billion. - Historically, the world from Samarkand is seen as one and indivisible, not divided. This is the essence of a unique phenomenon - the “Samarkand spirit”, based on which a fundamentally new format of international interaction is being constructed. - Central Asia has undergone a profound transformation in recent years and has acquired a new identity as a space of constructive dialogue, trust and comprehensive cooperation. - During its chairmanship at the Central Asian Five, Uzbekistan will pay special attention to three key areas: strengthening regional security, deepening economic integration and environmental sustainability. -To elevate economic interconnectedness to a qualitatively new level, it is essential to further simplify trade procedures, improve access for Central Asian goods to European markets, and harmonise technical standards and certification processes. - We recognise that our region and the European Union face common security threats and challenges, including the fight against terrorism, extremism, and transnational crime, such as drug trafficking. - In today’s context, Afghanistan should be viewed through the lens of emerging strategic opportunities. We are ready to work together with the European Union and other international partners to jointly promote a positive agenda and initiatives that will help Afghanistan not only to overcome the current crises but also to develop in the long term.
The summit will culminate in the signing of the Samarkand Declaration, setting the stage for a deeper strategic partnership between Central Asia and the European Union. Read full interview: http://euronews.com/2025/04/01/qa-…
Yerzhan Ashikbayev@KZAmbUS
[4/1/2025 9:00 PM, 2.7K followers, 2 likes]
Honored to join Amb. Cekuta @CekutaRobert and Amb. Campbell at American University’s SIS for a discussion on KZ-US relations in a shifting global context. Engaging with U.S. academics and students focused on Central Asia is always rewarding.
UNODC in Central Asia@UNODC_ROCA
[4/1/2025 5:15 AM, 2.5K followers, 2 likes]
At the International Conference “The Year of Peace and Trust: Development of International Activities for the Sake of Children” in Turkmenistan, UNODC called for advancing family skills-based interventions and youth engagement in drug use prevention.
Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s Press-service@president_uz
[4/1/2025 9:38 AM, 215.1K followers, 10 retweets, 33 likes]
"We are facing a historic chance to make our region not only sustainable but also prosperous". Exclusive interview of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat #Mirziyoyev to @euronews on the eve of the first “Central Asia - European Union” summit in Samarkand. https://president.uz/en/lists/view/8009 https://euronews.com/2025/04/01/qa-we-have-a-historic-chance-to-make-our-region-prosperous-uzbekistan-president-tells-euro
Bakhtiyor Saidov@FM_Saidov
[4/1/2025 5:49 AM, 12.2K followers, 1 retweet, 8 likes]
We welcome H.E. Liu Jianchao, Minister of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee. Our discussions focused on strengthening the #Uzbekistan-#China strategic partnership, expanding cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative, and enhancing connectivity. Agreed to deepen collaboration within international organizations like the SCO and others to support further regional prosperity.{End of Report} To subscribe to the SCA Morning Press Clips, please email SCA-PressOfficers@state.gov. Please do not reply directly to this email.