Join GWU's Central Asia Program for an online talk on the coronavirus situation in Central Asia. A little more than one month after Tajikistan detected its first cases of coronavirus, on June 15 authorities have announced the first easing of restrictions introduced due to the pandemic. However, a new investigation by the Tajik Service of RFE/RL indicates that the official statistics are probably remaining highly questionable, particularly with regards to the actual death toll from COVID-19. In the meantime, while officials in Turkmenistan continue to remain in denial about the virus, there are growing signs that not only the pandemic might have reached the country, but the authorities are increasingly concerned about how to deal with it. Join GWU's Central Asia Program to discuss Tajikistan's and Turkmenistan's management of the pandemic with several speakers.

RSVP is requested; information can be found at this link.

Speakers:

Rachel Denber, ​deputy director, Europe and Central Asia Division, Human Rights Watch

​Salimjon Aioubov, director, RFE/RL's Tajik Service

Farruh Yusupov, ​acting director, RFE/RL’s Turkmen Service

Luca Anceschi, senior lecturer in Central Asian Studies (Central & East European Studies), University of Glasgow