Day: May 14, 2025

Nurlan Baigaziev, a local politician in the Ili district in the Almaty region, has been brutally beaten in Taraz, according to reports that quickly spread across social media and were subsequently confirmed by law enforcement authorities.

Incident Details

Police confirmed that the incident occurred on the evening of May 13 at a local café. Baigaziev, who sustained facial injuries, was taken to a hospital but declined further treatment. The Zhambyl region police stated that a pre-trial investigation has been launched under Part 1 of Article 293 of the Criminal Code (hooliganism). An individual identified as being involved in the attack has been detained, and investigators are working to determine all the circumstances surrounding the case.

Background and Possible Motives

Social media reports indicate that Baigaziev was in Taraz on a business trip, purportedly meeting with clients in his capacity as a lawyer. Some accounts suggest that the assailant used brass knuckles during the attack. However, the exact motives remain unclear.

This incident comes on the heels of an earlier controversy involving Baigaziev. On April 28, a video circulated online showing juvenile police officers in the Almaty region stopping a 17-year-old girl and offering her a ride in an official vehicle. Baigaziev, who publicly criticized the police for what he described as an abuse of power, attracted widespread attention. The fallout from that video led to the dismissal of one officer and the removal of another.

Related Incidents

Notably, attacks on officials in Kazakhstan are not uncommon. For example, on April 21, Ruslan Berdenov, the deputy mayor of Shymkent, was seriously injured near the city administration building when an assailant fired shots with a Saiga-12 shotgun. The attacker, identified as 30-year-old Zhiinbai Yernar Zhiinbaiuly, was detained at the scene following the intervention of Berdenov’s driver, and a criminal case has been opened on charges of attempted murder. The investigation into that incident remains ongoing.

In the first four months of 2025, Kyrgyzstan exported 143.7 tons of honey, a 47% increase compared to the same period last year, according to the Ministry of Water Resources, Agriculture, and Processing Industry.

China emerged as the leading importer, purchasing 82.1 tons of Kyrgyz honey. Other major destinations included the United Arab Emirates (24.5 tons), Uzbekistan (15.1 tons), Qatar (6.3 tons), and Kuwait (4.6 tons).

Meanwhile, honey imports into Kyrgyzstan have virtually ceased. Only 0.5 tons were imported in 2025, a dramatic drop from 44.8 tons the previous year. The ministry attributed this decline to robust domestic production and growing consumer confidence in local honey.

EU Market Prospects

Kyrgyz honey is expected to be included in the European Union’s product registry by early 2025. To gain access to the EU market, Kyrgyz authorities submitted a residue monitoring plan to the European Commission, a required step for export approval.

Renowned for its flavor and health benefits, Kyrgyz honey owes its distinctive quality to the diverse herbs found in the country’s mountainous regions.

International Attention

At EXPO 2025 in the Japanese city of Osaka, Kyrgyz honey drew significant attention. Nazim Baibosunov, a representative of the Kyrgyz diaspora in Japan, noted that the product created a stir on the opening day. One incident underscored its popularity: an 83-year-old Japanese man attempted to steal a jar of Kyrgyz honey on display.

According to Japanese media, this marked the first reported theft and subsequent arrest at the exhibition.

Southern and western regions of Kazakhstan are expected to face a shortage of rainfall this summer during the critical ripening period for vegetables and fruits. Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation, Nurzhan Nurzhigitov, has urged local authorities and the Ministry of Agriculture to prepare measures for irrigating croplands.

Speaking at a government meeting, Nurzhigitov cited forecasts from Kazhydromet, Kazakhstan’s national meteorological service, supported by data from the World Meteorological Organization and the North Eurasian Climate Center. According to the forecasts, a short-term drought is expected in May in the southern part of the Kostanay region, a major grain-producing area in northern Kazakhstan. However, this will likely be alleviated by subsequent summer rains.

In contrast, the May drought in other regions is expected to persist. Areas likely to be affected include the southwestern half of West Kazakhstan and Mangistau regions, the northwestern Kyzylorda region, northern parts of the Almaty and Zhambyl regions, southern Karaganda, and various parts of the Aktobe, Atyrau, Abai, and Turkestan regions.

Nurzhigitov emphasized that the western and southern regions, located in the Zhayik and Syr Darya river basins, are particularly at risk. He warned that prolonged dry conditions could significantly disrupt the agricultural sector.

“It is necessary to develop a set of operational measures aimed at minimizing the consequences of a possible moisture deficit,” he said, highlighting especially severe concerns about water shortages in the Turkestan and Kyzylorda regions. According to Nurzhigitov, water reservoirs in the affected basin are currently at only 75% of average capacity.

As previously reported by The Times of Central Asia, Kazakhstan aims to boost its grain exports this year, with an eye on expanding deliveries to Africa.