To Be or Not to Be...? Someone’s grief, and someone’s drinking party

Traditions of the Kyrgyz people were being formed with the help of economic, trade, domestic and other relations with kindred and other tribes that were closely related to the geography of their ha...

Iran of the 60s: unsuccessful attempt to reform

After the coup of 19 March 1953 in the socio-political history of Iran there were fundamental changes: the powers of parliament were limited and the absolute power of Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi was...

Topic: Regional rivalry in the Middle East.

In the Middle East, Saudi Arabia and the Islamic Republic of Iran are two countries that claim to leadership in the region. With a powerful resources and political potential these countries are the...

Law & Legal Issues

Kazakh Deputy Education Minister detained on suspicion of budget funds theft
20.05.2013
Cental Asia|Kazakhstan|Law & Legal Issues

Kazakhstan's Financial Police Agency has detained the Deputy Minister of Education and Science Sayat Shayakhmetov and General Director of 'Management of Education and Science Projects Construction' A. Pak, the press service of the financial police reported.

Earlier the Financial Police Agency launched a criminal investigation on the misappropriation of budget funds in the amount of about $1.5 billion tenge (150.95 tenge = $1) while constructing an educational facility for 700 pupils in the city of Ust-Kamenogorsk.

Bosnia expelled two Iranian diplomats suspected of spying
17.05.2013
Law & Legal Issues|Iran|Middle East

Bosnia has expelled two Iranian diplomats suspected of spying, including contacting a radical Muslim leader, a security ministry source said on Thursday, AFP reported.

The security ministry said that Iranian diplomats Hamzeh Doolab Ahmad and Jadidi Sohrab were declared "persona non grata" and "have left" Bosnian territory.

"As members of diplomatic personnel ... they have used their diplomatic status for activities incompatible with their diplomatic functions and the Vienna convention on diplomatic relations," the ministry said in a statement.

Iranian presidential candidate accuses Hashemi Rafsanjani of committing blunders during his time in office
17.05.2013
Law & Legal Issues|Iran|Middle East

A principlist candidate Alireza Zakani has accused former Iranian President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani of committing blunders during his time in office, Fars news agency reported.

He also predicted Rafsanjani's defeat in the upcoming presidential election.

"Rafsanjani registered for the elections under the influence of his friends and family. If he becomes president, he will regret his choice," Zakani said, adding that Rafsanjani would be making the same mistakes as he did during his years as president.

Afghanistan suspects Iran holding 21 missing laborers following border shooting incident
13.05.2013
Afghanistan|Law & Legal Issues|Middle East

Afghanistan has accused Iran of holding as many as 21 migrant Afghan workers following a border shooting incident over the weekend and has filed a formal complaint to Tehran, an official said Sunday, Washington Post reported.

According to local accounts, Iranian border guards opened fire on the Afghan laborers on Friday as they tried to cross the boundary illegally looking for work, said Abdul Rahman Zhawandai, a spokesman for the provincial governor in the northwestern Farah province.

Kazakhstan facilitates visa regime for foreign tourists and entrepreneurs
13.05.2013
Cental Asia|Kazakhstan|Law & Legal Issues

Kazakh Foreign Ministry facilitated visa arrangements for foreign tourists and entrepreneurs, the Ministry reported.

"The new rules for issuing visas are primarily aimed at creating favorable conditions for foreign tourists and entrepreneurs traveling to Kazakhstan," the Ministry said.

The experience of different countries in the area of visa policy was taken into consideration for development of the new visa rules. According to the new rules, Kazakhstan issues two kinds of visa: immigrant and nonimmigrant ones.

Another member of Ahmadinejad’s team withdraws his candidacy
13.05.2013
Law & Legal Issues|Iran|Middle East

Press adviser to the Iranian President Ali Akbar Javanfekr withdrew his candidacy for the upcoming presidential election two days after registration, the Iranian news agency Mehr reported on Monday.

Following this announcement, Javanfekr called on his supporters to support the candidacy of Isfendiyar Rahim Mashaei, who is backed by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Iranian MP sentenced to 1,5 years in prison, barred from press activities
22.04.2013
Law & Legal Issues|Iran|Middle East

Iranian MP, Hojatoleslam Hamid Rezaei has been sentenced to 1,5 years in prison and also prohibited from participating in press activites, Fars news agency reported.

Rezaei, who is also the chief editor of Iranian "9 Days" weekly newspaper, was first sued by reformist politician Ghodratollah Alikhani, Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's advisor Ali Akbar Javanfekr, former education minister Mozaffar Hussain, also by the press supervisory board of Iran's ministry of culture.

The complaints were made because of a number of articles published in Rezaei's weekly newspaper.

Turkmenistan CEC summarizes local elections
18.04.2013
Cental Asia|Law & Legal Issues|Turkmenistan

In Turkmenistan, summed up the results of the elections of new members of the local authorities, khalg maslahaty and gengeshs, to replace the leaving ones, took place on April 13, the Central Commission for Elections and Referenda of Turkmenistan announced on Thursday.

At a meeting of the Central Election Comission in Ashgabat the elections were declared valid at all polling stations; extremely high turnout was detected. Two or more candidates ran for one mandate in all constituencies, candidates receiving more than half of the votes were considered to win.

General amnesty declared in Syria
16.04.2013
Law & Legal Issues|Middle East|Syria

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has signed a decree on general amnesty, SANA agency said on Tuesday.

According to the agency, the amnesty covers all crimes committed before April 16, 2013.

Anti-government protests have continued in Syria for about two years. According to the UN, the total number of victims of the conflict in Syria exceeds 70,000 with around three million in need of humanitarian assistance. Syrian authorities say they oppose the well-armed militants.

Another major operation against drug traffickers held in Istanbul
16.04.2013
Law & Legal Issues|Middle East|Turkey

The Turkish security forces conducted an operation to arrest drug traffickers in Istanbul on Tuesday morning, Sabah newspaper said today.

A large quantity of drugs was seized during the operation which was carried out in 10 places.

A criminal case was filed.