Uzbekistan hides the names of those killed, missing, and victims of mass arbitrary detentions The report was prepared by a coalition of human rights organisations #ActivistsNotExtremists, including the Open Dialogue Foundation, “Qaharman” Human Rights Foundation, “Elimay” Human Rights Movement, “Bostandyq Kz” Human Rights Initiative, “Femina Virtute” Human Rights Movement, “Article 14” Human Rights Movement, “405” […]
After the tragic January events, the Kazakhstani authorities publicly refused to ensure an international investigation into the matter and said they would conduct an objective and full investigation themselves
Key points In early January 2022, mass protests were held across Kazakhstan demanding that Nursultan Nazarbayev step down from power and extensive political reforms. The authorities declared protesters ‘terrorists’ and resorted to a violent crackdown on the protests, ordering to shoot to kill without warning. A Russian-led CSTO (Collective Security Treaty Organisation) military force was […]
Mass protests in early January 2022 in Kazakhstan took place in 48 cities and over 40 localities. Growing repression, the deteriorating economic situation and bogus reforms caused this unprecedented social upheaval in the modern history of independent Kazakhstan.
Canadian MP and freedom fighter Tom Kmiec has appealed for intervention to the Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs Michael Chong, drawing his attention to gross human rights violations during the detention of the political prisoner Iskander Yerimbetov. Based on the passage of Canada’s Magnitsky legislation, the Canadian MP has urged the Minister to impose targeted sanctions on Azamat Iztleuov, a prison official responsible for continued abuse of human rights in Kazakhstan. Iztleuov has participated in designating certain prisoners for abuse and torture including Yerimbetov. He has also removed the video surveillance equipment from the cell in which Yerimbetov was tortured, and has further denied him the right to counsel and medical treatment.
On 3 September 2021, within the framework of the Eastern Economic Forum, Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Askar Mamin and head of the Russian SBER group of companies (SBER) German Gref [German Gref, the head of SBER, has been close to Putin since his work in St-Petersburg. Gref was mentioned in the Pandora papers scandal with his offshores in Singapore, Panama and Samoa] signed a Memorandum of Cooperation on Digital Transformation Projects for the Republic of Kazakhstan, Transition to the Platform-Based Digitalisation Model and the Data Driven Government Concept. The Memorandum was approved by the Decree of the Government of Kazakhstan on the same day. Pursuant to the Memorandum, SBER will create, implement and support a single centralised digital platform (GovTech) for all electronic state services in Kazakhstan to replace Kazakhstan’s existing e-government platforms (united by the website – https://egov.kz/cms/en). As of today, over 80% of state services are available on egov.kz.
On Wednesday 18 September, the Italian Federation for Human Rights and the Open Dialogue Foundation co-organised a side event entitled “Suppressing Civil Society in China: Role Model for OSCE Authoritarian Members?”
On 6 July 2019, rallies were planned in various cities of Kazakhstan to demand that the results of the presidential election be cancelled and Nazarbayev be deprived of power, as well as against Chinese expansion. Law enforcement agencies detained about 700 peaceful protesters in different places.
Arbitrary application of anti-terrorism laws and criminalization of using an i-message application (Bylock).
This report is a collective complaint on behalf of 129 citizens of Kazakhstan who have fallen victim to arbitrary detention, criminal prosecution, torture, ill-treatment, threats and surveillance. All were accused of supporting the peaceful opposition movement “Democratic Choice of Kazakhstan”.
President of the European Parliament Martin Schulz has responded to a request sent by the Open Dialogue Foundation regarding the case of film director Oleg Sentsov and Ukrainian activists arrested in Crimea and illegally transferred to Russia, where they were charged with alleged participation in a terrorist group and preparation of terrorist acts. Schulz expressed […]
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