Speakers of the Symposium of Experts 2.0 on Countering Extremism Online:
Regulative and technological solutions to prevent violent extremism in Central Asia in the context of digital transformation
Michael Yakushev
Mikhail Yakushev has wide range of experience in developing cooperation with government agencies and regulators in the field of telecommunications and the Internet.
Before joining VEON Michael held the position of Vice President of ICANN for Russia, CIS and Eastern Europe, and earlier he headed legal departments of several telecommunication and IT companies (Global One, NTV+, Microsoft Russia, SAP CIS).
Adam Hadley
Adam runs a joint project with UN CTED concentrating on deepening understanding of private sector engagement in responding to terrorist use of ICT. In 2017 Adam will be leading Phase 2 of the UN CTED project which will include convening a series of global capacity building workshops and developing the knowledge-sharing platform for the use of governments and smaller ICT companies.
Valery Zubanov
He was born in Bishkek. In 2006 he graduated from KSTU. I. Razzakova (Master of Engineering and Technology). Since 2010, he had managed the branch office of AXOFT in Kyrgyzstan and promoted solutions to ensure information security. In “Kaspersky Lab” began working in 2013 as a business development manager in Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Since 2014, the commercial director of the regional office of Kaspersky Lab in Central Asia and Mongolia.
Yuliya Denisenko
Yulia Denisenko is also a judicial expert with the right to provide forensic investigation, a consultant on impact and countering socio-psychological manipulation in destructive groups, and a professional journalist and trainer. She holds a Master degree in religious studies.
Kavitha Kunhi Kannan
As the Public Policy Manager for India, South Asia & Central Asia at Facebook, Kavitha primarily handles counterterrorism and countering violent extremism policy issues for South Asia, and related policy issues for Central Asia. She has several years of experience in the policy sector in India, working with civil society and Parliamentarians. Kavitha holds a Masters in International Studies & Diplomacy from School of Oriental & African Studies (SOAS), University of London and Bachelors in Law from ILS Law College.
Christopher Schwartz
Christopher Schwartz is an American journalist and academic based in Kyrgyzstan and Belgium. From 2012 until 2016, he was editor-in-chief of NewEurasia Citizen Media, one of Central Asia’s first citizen-journalism networks. He is currently earning a PhD from the Institute of Philosophy of the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven in the philosophy of journalism, while simultaneously serving an instructor in the Department of Journalism and Mass Communications of the American University of Central Asia. He possesses Master’s degrees in Islamic history and philosophy.
Rafal Rohozinski
Rafal Rohozinski is a senior fellow for Future Conflict and CyberSecurity at IISS and CEO of the SecDev Group. Rafal sits on the advisory committee of the UN Counterterrorism Executive Directorate (UNCTED) project on terrorist use of the Internet, and leads SecDev’s research into social media and violent extremism. In 2016, Rafal led a UN study of terrorism and social media in Bangladesh.
Neil Hauer
Neil Hauer is a security analyst based in Tbilisi, Georgia. His work covers Russia, Syria and the Caucasus, with a focus on Russian activity in Syria and violence in the North Caucasus
Rebekah Overdorf
Rebekah received her PhD from Drexel University in September 2017 and is currently work as a postdoc at KU Leuven. Her thesis explored developing and applying machine learning methods to privacy and security problems, specifically problems in which there may be distribution differences in the data across different axes.
Her research interests revolve around the application of machine learning to privacy and security and studying the challenges that are specific to these types of problems, including recovering web-history through traffic analysis techniques, deanonymization through writing style analysis, and studying the organization of online forums, specifically those associated with cybercriminal activity.
Indira Aslanova
Indira Aslanova is an assistant professor at the UNESCO Chair of World Culture and Religions, Kyrgyz Russian Slavic University (KRSU), and a project manager at Search for Common Ground, an international peacebuilding organization.
She graduated from KRSU and also studied in Egypt, USA, Norway, Indonesia and Germany. She is a member of the Public Expert Council on interethnic and interreligious issues under the Kyrgyz President and a member of the Public Council under the KR Penalty Service.
Indira’s professional interests are focused on studying religious freedom in society, issues of violent extremism, state religious policy, conflict management and peacebuilding.
Sherali Rizoyon
Sherali Rizoyon works in the SRC under the President of Tajikistan since 2010. He holds degree of candidate of political sciences earned from the Academy of Sciences of Tajikistan in 2017.
He deals with analytical works for over 9 years. Active participants of the field researches on socio-political processes in the country. Shearli’s research interests cover current issues of internal and external policies of Tajikistan and ensuring security in the region, including preventing extremism and terrorism. Author of over 30 scientific publications.
Amanzhol Urazbaev
Amanzhol Urazbaev is a member to the Council for Communication with the Religious Unions under the Government of Kazakhstan. Author of 67 scientific publications on countering terrorism, extremism and drug-related crimes. Candidate of science in law. Colonel.
Adil Jalilov
Initiator and head of the first factcheck project in Central Asia Factcheck.kz ; Director of MediaNet international center for journalism (medianet.kz).
He graduated from the faculty of Philology of Almaty state University. He studied the theory of text perception at the University of Dortmund (Germany).
In the past, the editorial Director and editor-In-chief of the publisher “Vласть” (vlast.kz); editor-in-chief of the human rights portal “Voice of freedom of Central Asia” (vof.kg); editor for Kazakhstan of the Internet magazine “Oasis” ; regional editor for Central Asia IWPR (Institute for War and Peace Reporting) ; journalist of the newspaper “Panorama”; teacher of the Kazakh-German University, etc.
Parvina Ibodova
As a well known lawyer and policy-maker, Parvina deals with the legal and policy issues of the ICT for development since 2001, when she joined the Global Internet Policy Initiative (GIPI). Based on this initiative, in 2003 she found a local NGO, Civil Internet Policy Initiative (CIPI). Parvina is now leading this organization as its Chairperson.
Parvina has also made a considerable contribution in building local capacity of two communities, ICT and mass media. For a long time she was leading the Association of Internet Service Providers of Tajikistan.
Zakir Chotaev
Zakir Chotaev graduated from the Department of International Relations, School of Political Sciences, Ankara University in 1998. In 2001 received master degree and in 2006 PhD degree from the Department of International Relations, Institute for Social Sciences, Ankara University.
In April 2014 started to work as a Head of Analysis Department of State Commission on Religious Affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic, and since August 2014 has been appointed as a Deputy Director of this organ.
Maarambek Maarambekov
Maarambek Maarambekov is an academic secretary of the Centre since 2009. He graduated from the Tajik State Pedagogical University and the Islamic Institute of Tajikistan (IIT). As a senior expert of the state authorized institution he dealt with issues of pilgrimage. Maarambek also worked as a teacher of islamic sciences for IIT.
Keneshbek Sainazarov
Keneshbek Sainazarov is Central Asia Program Director of ‘Search for Common Ground’, a conflict prevention NGO. Keneshbek has more than 15 years of experience in directing and implementing development programs in the field of democracy, governance, youth empowerment, education and policy, capacity-building, conflicts and disaster mitigation with different partner organizations in Central Asia.
Jamal Frontbek Kyzy
Jamal Fronbek Kyzy is a true multi-disciplinary expert that brings together management, economy, agriculture, islamic sharia law, and the secular law. She graduated with honour the Hazret Umar Islamic University, the Bishkek Agrarian University, and the Kyrgyz State Academy of Law. Jamal earned her degree of candidate of science in economy in 2014.
Jamal has wide experience of working in public sector with focus on religious issues, local and international projects oriented on women rights protection. She founded and leads Mutakalim, NGO that works to empower women across the country.