Authorities in Kazakhstan routinely violate the rights to peaceful assembly, freedom of expression, and freedom of association, and misuse overbroad criminal charges in counter-extremism legislation to target government critics and others. There continued to be minimal accountability for law enforcement officials for rights violations perpetrated during and immediately after deadly 2022 anti-government protests. In April, Kazakhstan reintroduced criminal sanctions for light bodily harm and battery, the charges most commonly used in domestic abuse cases, but more reforms are needed to effectively tackle widespread domestic violence across Kazakhstan.
Accountability and Justice
A handful of law enforcement officials were prosecuted in 2024 for torture and ill-treatment of detainees who were arrested immediately after the January 2022 anti-government protests, but Kazakh authorities have still not launched a comprehensive and effective investigation into the serious loss of life and other grave human rights violations during and after the protests. In August, an Astana court sentenced former Interior Minister Yerlan Turgumbayev to a five-year suspended sentence for abuse of power in connection with the protests.
Government Opponents and Other Critics
Kazakh authorities ramped up efforts to stifle political opposition activism. Following the conviction in November 2023 of opposition leader Marat Zhylanbaev, who was sentenced to seven years in prison on charges of “financing extremist activities” and “participating in the activities of a banned extremist organization,” authorities imprisoned two other government critics on the same charges. On August 2 and 16, 2024, Kazakh courts sentenced Duman Mukhammedkarim, an independent journalist and activist, and Asylbek Zhamuratov, another civic activist, to seven years in prison each and banned Mukhammedkarim from engaging in public activities for three years and Zhamuratov from engaging in political activities for five.
On September 9, Kazakhstan’s Supreme Court declined to consider an appeal by Zhanbolat Mamay, an opposition activist and head of the unregistered Democratic Party of Kazakhstan, who was sentenced to a six-year restricted freedom sentence in April 2023 for allegedly organizing mass riots in Almaty in January 2022 and banned from engaging in political or journalistic activities.
People in Kazakhstan convicted on overbroad “extremism” and “terrorism” charges—even those who have not participated in, instigated, or financed violence—are automatically subject to wide-ranging financial restrictions that interfere with their economic and social rights, including the rights to an adequate standard of living and access to work and social security.
The Justice Ministry has denied registration to “Alga, Kazakhstan,” an opposition group, no less than 24 times, most recently in April 2024. In late November, the group applied for registration for the 25th time.
Freedom of Expression
In June, Kazakhstan adopted a new mass media law that threatens freedom of speech and the right to information. The law extends the definition of mass media to online publications, requiring that they be registered and have a physical presence in Kazakhstan, and grants the government expansive power to deny accreditation to foreign media representatives if their materials contain unspecified “propaganda of extremism.”
Journalists faced harassment, threats, and prosecution for doing their work. On May 13, an Almaty administrative court found Jamilya Maricheva, founder of the independent news agency ProTenge, guilty of “spreading false information” and fined her for a post on ProTenge Telegram expressing concern about the denial of accreditation to Radio Azattyk colleagues. On October 18, an Astana court sentenced the investigative journalist Daniyar Adilbekov to four-and-a-half years in prison on criminal charges of “knowingly false denunciation” and “disseminating knowingly false information” for Telegram posts, including two alleging corruption risks in the oil industry and Energy Ministry.
On July 26, an Astana court sentenced Alexandr Merkul, a stand-up comedian, to 10-days detention on charges of “petty hooliganism,” allegedly for using obscene language during a performance in June. In May, an Almaty court sentenced another stand-up comedian, Nuraskhan Baskozhayev, to 15 days detention for swearing in public.
During massive flooding in April, local authorities in Kazakhstan’s western regions blocked journalists from accessing affected areas and prosecuted at least one journalist, Raul Uporov, on “petty hooliganism” charges after he criticized local authorities.
On June 18, a citizen of Kazakhstan fatally shot Aidos Sadykov, an independent Kazakh journalist and outspoken government critic living in exile in Ukraine. Sadykov died on July 2. As of this writing, no one had been prosecuted for his murder.
Violence Against Women
In April, Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev signed a new law strengthening protections for women and children, but the law fell short of criminalizing domestic violence as a standalone offense. The passage of the law coincided with the high-profile trial of Kuandyk Bishimbayev, Kazakhstan’s former economy minister, who on May 13 was found guilty of the murder of his partner, Saltanat Nukenova and sentenced to 24 years in prison. As of this writing, the Justice Ministry has five times denied registration to a new fund to combat domestic violence that was founded by Nukenova’s brother to honor his sister’s memory.
In March, Almaty city authorities denied activists permission to hold an International Women’s Day march for the third year in a row.
In late December 2023, Kazakhstan’s Internal Ministry reported they were seeking the arrest of Dinara Smailova, an outspoken women’s rights advocate, on dubious criminal charges including fraud, violations of privacy, and knowingly disseminating false information. If convicted, Smailova, who previously fled Kazakhstan and lives in exile, faces up to 10 years in prison.
Disability Rights
Children with disabilities face isolation, violence, neglect, physical restraint, and over-medication in segregated special schools or residential institutions. An obligatory medical exam and other barriers continue to obstruct children’s access to inclusive education. In March, the UN disability rights committee “recommended that Kazakhstan end all forms of institutionalization” and replace the medical exam “with an individualized assessment based on the human rights model of disability” to ensure full inclusion of students with disabilities in schools.
Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity
Kazakhstan does not provide legal protection against discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. In February, the government blocked a website providing youth-targeted information about lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) issues, citing national traditions and the need to “protect children.”
In June, Kazakhstan’s Culture and Information Ministry said it was reviewing a petition against “Open and Hidden LGBT Propaganda in Kazakhstan.” Several UN experts urged the government to reject the petition as it would violate freedoms of expression, peaceful assembly, and association based on sexual orientation and gender identity. The ministry formed a working group to discuss the petition and on August 1, decided to partially satisfy the petition’s demands by considering “restrictions on the distribution of sexualized content among children.”
Asylum Seekers and Refugees
On February 15, Almaty police arrested Karakalpak activist Akylbek Muratbai after unfounded criminal charges were brought against him in Uzbekistan. In September, Kazakh authorities rejected his claim for asylum. He remains in custody facing extradition to Uzbekistan. In March and April, Kazakh police arrested two other Karakalpaks wanted by Uzbekistan—Rasul Zhumaniyazov and Rinat Utambekov. Zhumaniyazov remains in detention facing extradition to Uzbekistan. Utambekov gave his consent to return to Uzbekistan and was extradited in December.
Labor Rights
Freedom of association for trade unions and the right to strike are restricted in law and in practice. On April 17, five trade union activists from western Kazakhstan held a press conference highlighting pressure independent trade unions there face, from employers and authorities, and the challenges they have encountered trying to register and engage with their employers as union representatives.
Authorities continued to ignore a May 2021 UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention decision calling for the immediate release of Erzhan Elshibaev, an imprisoned labor activist.
Poverty and Inequality
The National Statistics Bureau reported a drop in the poverty rate in the first part of 2024 and a decrease in the overall number of households with incomes below the subsistence minimum (poverty level), but economic analysts in Kazakhstan say government figures “do not capture the real scale of poverty” in the country. Rigid eligibility criteria and means tests for Kazakhstan’s main social assistance program, Targeted Social Assistance, have excluded many people who need support. Low-income families continue to face stigma and discrimination when trying to access benefits.