Kazakhstan: unprecedented acts of the regime’s terror against civilians and the Russian-led CSTO’s military intervention

Kazakhstan: unprecedented acts of the regime’s terror against civilians and the Russian-led CSTO’s military intervention

This report is based on data, video and photo materials from eyewitnesses, activists, human rights defenders, peaceful protesters from more than 60 cities and villages in Kazakhstan, where protests were held. It also contains references to statements of the US, the EEAS, international organisations such as the UN, the OSCE, media outlets. In order to ensure safety of eyewitnesses, their names are not mentioned. Co-authors of this report, Raigul Sadyrbayeva and Aiya Sadvakasova, have been arrested under politically motivated criminal cases for their human rights activities. The authors of this report express their gratitude for all informants and volunteers, who contributed to this report despite risking their lives and freedom. The authors of the report extend their condolences to families, relatives and friends of those who lost their lives during these mass repressions. We strongly believe that the truth must be unravelled and perpetrators must be held accountable.

ODF and 10 partners release an appeal about protests in Kazakhstan

ODF and 10 partners release an appeal about protests in Kazakhstan

On 5 January 2022, 10 Human Rights NGOs, including the Open Dialogue Foundation, issued an appeal on the current protests taking place in Kazakhstan. Against the backdrop of the massive street protests against the government and the Nazarbayev regime, which were met with widespread repression, ODF and its partners have condemned the government’s violence and […]

Martin Mycielski for EUobserver: Have the Polish people finally had enough?

Martin Mycielski for EUobserver: Have the Polish people finally had enough?

After years of mostly ineffective protests against the dismantling of the independent judiciary, human-rights standards, relationship with the EU and, finally, against the ongoing deaths of migrants at the Belarus border, you’d be excused for thinking Poles must have lost hope. Indeed, some on the pro-European side of the expert circles fear Polish democracy might […]

Political prisoners and victims of political persecution in Kazakhstan

Political prisoners and victims of political persecution in Kazakhstan

1.  Introduction Tokayev’s deaf state After Kassym-Jomart Tokayev took over as President of Kazakhstan in 2019, he announced plans to implement the concept of a “listening state”, which means “supporting and strengthening civil society”. In September 2020, Tokayev stated that a priority issue for him was to “adopt new measures to protect human rights in […]

#ActivistsNotExtremists

#ActivistsNotExtremists

The purpose of the coalition and Facebook group #ActivistNotExtremists is to collect information and organise legal and humanitarian aid for all those who have been politically persecuted for participating in peaceful protests in Kazakhstan. The monitoring is a part of the civil society control for the implementation of the international obligations undertaken by the Kazakhstani […]

Political persecution of Mukhtar Ablyazov

Political persecution of Mukhtar Ablyazov

The political struggle against the main opponent of the regime has resulted in gross violations of civil and political rights in Kazakhstan, as well as the neglect of the international obligations, assumed by the state.