Acknowledgements

This report was researched and written by Andrea Berg, researcher in the Europe and Central Asia Division of Human Rights Watch. Mihra Rittmann, associate in the Europe and Central Asia Division and Sasha Petrov, senior advisor, conducted additional interviews and research. Eugene Sokoloff, an intern, and Sonya Kleshik, associate in the Europe and Central Asia Division, helped research the background.

The report was edited by Rachel Denber, acting director of the Europe and Central Asia Division, Cynthia Brown, consultant, and Ian Gorvin, senior program officer. Clive Baldwin, senior legal advisor at Human Rights Watch, conducted legal review. Veronika Szente Goldston, advocacy director of the Europe and Central Asia Division, reviewed and provided comments on the summary and recommendations.  Production assistance was provided by Anna Lopriore, Grace Choi, and Fitzroy Hepkins.

Human Rights Watch deeply appreciates the cooperation provided by numerous human rights defenders and journalists in Kazakhstan who spoke with us for the report, providing us with information about the general state of civil and political rights in Kazakhstan and sharing their personal experiences with us. Human Rights Watch particularly appreciates the assistance of Evgeniy Zhovtis and all staff of the regional offices of the Kazakhstan International Bureau for Human Rights and Rule of Law, as well as Tamara Kaleeva from Adil Soz, who were untiring in answering our follow-up questions and sharing their expertise via phone and email with us.