While there have been improvements in recent years, criminal justice policy in Central Asia remains punitive.
Central Asian states have much larger prison populations than other European countries with similar populations. Due to high prison populations, many prisons have become significantly overcrowded and conditions worsen and prisons systems are left without adequate resources or training to respond.
Central Asian prisons still carry echoes of the Gulag regimes of Soviet prison management. Yet, they are also influenced by contemporary Russian penitentiary systems which employ harsh punitive approaches to manage defendants and people in prisons.
In some countries accessing information about prison populations can be challenging. In Turkmenistan, for example, prison statistics have not been updated for decades, and many people in prisons seem to ‘disappear’ and remain missing from official record.
PRI has been working in the Central Asia region since 2001. The Central Asia programme is based in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan. We work in Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
Current work focuses on legislative reform in Kazakhstan, torture prevention, improving independent public oversight of places of detention and supporting the reintegration of people in prison into society. We are also involved in countering violent extremism and radicalisation in prisons.
Latest updates
News
Olivia Rope appointed as leader of Penal Reform International
The Executive Board of Penal Reform International (PRI) has announced that Olivia Rope has been appointed as the organisation’s Executive Director. Olivia, who has been acting Executive Director since 1 November, is stepping up from her role as Director of Policy and International Advocacy. Dirk van Zyl Smit, Chairperson of PRI, said “We are delighted […]
News
Advisory Council established with distinguished experts appointed to support PRI’s work
Penal Reform International (PRI) has announced the establishment of an Advisory Council and is honoured that eight distinguished experts have been elected as the first members. The Council will strengthen the organisation’s impact and networks to achieve PRI’s ambitions for 2020-2023. Hon’ble Justice Muhammad Imman Ali, a Judge of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh and […]
Blog post
Proving who I am: the plight of people in detention without proof of legal identity
This expert blog by human rights expert and commentator, Vicki Prais, examines the issues faced by people in prison without proof of legal identity. Vicki explains how the absence of ID can in itself lead to detention for some people, and also causes a range of problems for those detained or leaving prison impacting on […]
9th October 2020