Leading off… The US Helsinki Commission is calling on the United States and European Union to follow up on reports that the Georgian government repeatedly employed a harmful chemical agent to disperse lawful protesters in the capital Tbilisi.
If the reports are substantiated, the commission urges the US and EU to impose “relevant sanctions” on those responsible.According to a statement issued by the Commission, the “chemical attacks left victims with burns and long-term health complications and are a violation of the human rights commitments that Georgian authorities are obliged to uphold.” The Georgian Dream leadership, it adds, “fear their own people and will stop at nothing to maintain their grip on power.” The commission’ statement came in response to an investigative report by the British Broadcasting Corp.
alleging that Georgian authorities added a substance, identified as most likely to be camite, which was widely used during World War I, to water cannon that were deployed during anti-government protests that erupted in late 2024.
Georgian officials have admitted that a chemical was added to water cannon used against protesters, but have denied it was camite, or any other substance with potentially lasting health consequences.
Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze assailed the BBC report as a “a cheap provocation planned by foreign intelligence services.” One of Georgia Dream’s fiercest critics, South Carolina Republican Rep.
Joe Wilson, is a co-chair of the US Helsinki Commission.In case you missed it from the Caucasus… In Armenia, officers from the State Security services have taken a top lieutenant of the Catholicos, Archbishop Arshak Khachatryan, into custody on drug-related charges.
Church officials loyal to Karekin II described the arrest in a statement as “a manifestation of recent [government] repression unleashed against the church and a continuation of political persecution.” Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Karekin II are engaged in an ongoing feud rooted in the Church’s open opposition to the government’s reform aims.
Azerbaijan’s leader, Ilham Aliyev, published a note from US President Donald Trump, who expressed gratitude for a Nobel Peace Prize nomination. “Thank you for your and [Armenian] Prime Minister [Nikol] Pashinyan's joint letter advancing my nomination,” the letter, dated December 6, begins.
The nomination is an outgrowth of the provisional peace agreement signed by Aliyev and Pashinyan in August at the White House.The prospect of a Nobel prize “inspires us to sustain our important mission” to finalize the peace deal, Trump’s letter adds. “With your ongoing partnership, we will achieve the impossible.” Meanwhile, across the Caspian… Draft amendments to Kazakhstan’s legislative code covering social and mass media published December 4 may place added restrictions on the circulation of information on the internet.
The primary stated purpose of the proposed changes is to protect children from harmful content.The most substantial change, if enacted, would prohibit individuals under 16 years of age from registering for most online platforms, including video sharing channels.
Children would still be able to use instant messaging services. “The draft laws aim to create the necessary legislative framework to reduce the volume of illegal content on online platforms … and other measures aimed at ensuring a secure information environment,” according to a statement published by the Ministry of Culture.
The amendments are open for public comment, the statement adds.Rosatom, the Russian nuclear power agency, is branching out in Kyrgyzstan, announcing that design work has started on a 100 Megawatt wind farm in the Issyk-Kul region, the TASS news agency reports.
Construction is expected to begin at an unspecified date in 2026, the report adds.Tajikistan has signed agreements worth 43 million euros with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the European Union to improve the efficiency of the country’s electricity distribution network, the Asia-Plus news agency reports.
The improvements are aimed at making metering and billing more efficient in two heavily populated provinces, Sughd and Khatlon.The Tajik government recently announced mandatory energy-saving measures in anticipation of an expected shortage of heating and electricity this winter.
Turkmenistan is among the 19 countries subject to an immigration crackdown by the United States following the shootings of two National Guard soldiers in Washington, DC, by an Afghan refugee.
US officials circulated a memo on December 2, putting all applications for residency, naturalization and asylum on hold for citizens of the 19 countries.In addition, the memo specifies that some legal immigrants from the same states are subject to re-review of their qualifications.
Meanwhile, Russian leader Vladimir Putin is planning to travel December 12 to the Turkmen capital, Ashgabat, to participate in a “Peace and Trust” forum, the official RIA Novosti news agency reported.
Uzbekistan has reopened the Termez-Hairatan bridge, its sole land-border crossing with Afghanistan, for individual citizens.The crossing has been closed since 2021, when the Taliban returned to power in Kabul.
Uzbek officials say the opening should help boost cross-border trade.Travelers will still need to obtain visas.