Month: August 2025

Tajikistan may review criminal cases in which individuals were convicted solely for “likes” and other digital interactions on social media. This was announced on August 7 by Rustam Mirzozoda, Chairman of the Supreme Court of Tajikistan.

Possibility of Sentence Review

According to Mirzozoda, existing legislation permits the review of such cases, though most convictions to date have been based on additional charges.

“If the sentence was handed down solely on the basis of ‘likes and reposts,’ the courts are ready to review such decisions,” Mirzozoda stated.

He added that no appeals have yet been filed with Tajikistan’s courts on this issue, and no cases have been reviewed.

Navruz Odinaev, founder of the Khimoya law firm, previously explained to Asia-Plus that the Criminal Code allows for retroactive application of laws if they reduce penalties or decriminalize offenses. This means that recent amendments may apply not only to future prosecutions but also to previously issued sentences.

Origins of the “Like Law”

In 2018, amendments to Article 179 of the Criminal Code introduced penalties for public calls for terrorist activity and the justification of terrorism, including online actions.

These changes allowed likes, reposts, and comments on extremist content to be treated as evidence of criminal involvement. Convictions under this article carried sentences ranging from 5 to 15 years. Similar amendments to Article 307 (“Public calls for extremism”) imposed prison terms of 3 to 12 years.

President Rahmon’s Reversal

In October 2024, President Emomali Rahmon publicly condemned the prosecution of individuals for social media interactions, describing the practice as excessive and misguided.

“Recently, the authorities have considered the fact that some citizens like shared materials and videos on social media as evidence, which has caused them enormous difficulties,” Rahmon stated. “In other words, some authorities are unjustifiably bringing criminal cases against them, and these actions must be stopped.”

His comments came amid growing scrutiny of citizens for engaging with content posted by religious or opposition figures.

On May 14, 2025, Rahmon signed legislation decriminalizing digital reactions on social media, even those related to content previously deemed extremist or a threat to public order.

What Prompted the Shift?

According to Deputy Prosecutor General Umed Karimzoda, more than 1,500 people were imprisoned in 2024 for social media activity deemed extremist.

Lawyer Ranjet Yatimov attributes the president’s policy reversal to several factors. He notes that prosecutions for digital expression have damaged Tajikistan’s international reputation, especially given its membership in global human rights organizations. Domestically, the increase in such cases has fueled public dissatisfaction and eroded trust in law enforcement. Legal ambiguities also played a role, as vague statutory language enabled selective enforcement, prompting urgent legislative reform.

Kazakhstan has doubled its barley exports in the 2024-2025 marketing year, strengthening its position as a key player in the global grain market.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture, the country exported 1.82 million tons of barley between September 2024 and August 2025, twice the volume recorded in the same period the previous season.

The sharp increase was driven by a strong harvest of 3.84 million tons, robust demand from major markets such as Iran and China, and competitive pricing.

Iran emerged as the largest buyer, importing 1.064 million tons, nearly 30 times more than the previous year. China followed with 414,400 tons, while Uzbekistan imported 125,200 tons.

The surge in international demand has also pushed up domestic barley prices, providing a boost to local producers. In September 2024, prices ranged between KZT 50,000 and 52,000 per ton; by early August 2025, they had climbed to KZT 85,000-87,000 per ton.

The Ministry projects total barley exports for the 2024-2025 season will reach 1.9 million tons.

Kazakhstan has also reported a significant rise in wheat exports. Between September 2024 and July 2025, the country exported 12.4 million tons of wheat and flour, a 34% increase compared to the 9.3 million tons exported during the same period in 2023-2024.

Kazakhstan has shipped its first batch of crude oil to Hungary, marking a significant step in the deepening energy partnership between KazMunayGas (KMG), the country’s national oil and gas company, and Hungary’s MOL Group.

According to KMG, 85,000 tons of crude were transported by sea from the Russian port of Novorossiysk to the Croatian port of Omisalj aboard the Alatau tanker, operated by Kazmortransflot, a KMG subsidiary. From there, the oil was transported via the Adriatic pipeline, operated by JANAF, Croatia’s state oil pipeline operator, to the Százhalombatta refinery in Hungary.

Upon the tanker’s arrival in Croatia, representatives of KMG, MOL Group, and JANAF convened to discuss further cooperation. Following the meeting, KMG and MOL Group signed a framework agreement outlining future oil supply arrangements.

The deal broadens the scope of Kazakhstan’s oil exports to the European Union. Kazakhstan already supplies crude to Germany via the Druzhba (Friendship) pipeline, which runs through Russian territory.

As previously reported by The Times of Central Asia, Kazakhstan and Hungary reached a preliminary agreement earlier this year to supply Kazakh oil to Hungary through the Druzhba pipeline as well. The agreement was concluded in February during a meeting in Astana between Kazakhstan’s Minister of Energy, Almasadam Satkaliyev, and Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Péter Szijjártó. The two sides agreed to conduct trial shipments in 2025.

MOL Group has been active in Kazakhstan for over two decades and has invested $200 million in the development of the Rozhkovskoye gas condensate field in western Kazakhstan.