MONITORING OF POLITICAL PERSECUTION IN THE REPUBLIC OF KAZAKHSTAN from 1 to MAY 31, 2025

May 1, Almaty, the satirical news agency Qaznews24 announced that it would continue operating with a new editorial staff and without its founder, T. Yensebek. In April Yensebek was convicted under Article 174, Part 1 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan and sentenced to five years of restricted liberty[1].

May 1, A. Kozhabekova, a current employee of the General Prosecutor’s Office of Kazakhstan, released a new video message in which she again appealed to the country’s president. She claimed that, since making her public statements, she has been subjected to increased pressure from her colleagues. She also claimed that the inspection appointed by the agency is being conducted formally, with attempts to conceal the real scale of violations[2].

May 1, in response to legislative initiatives by the Ministry of Labor to strengthen union control, the sectoral trade union of fuel and energy workers sent official appeals to the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) and IndustriALL Global Union.[3].

May 1, Kostanay, the NGO “Human Rights Center of the Kostanay Region” filed a claim with the Astana Specialized Economic Court to challenge the legality of the Ministry of Transport of the Republic of Kazakhstan’s April 11, 2025, Order No. 115, which establishes a toll for the Kostanay-Denisovka highway[4].

May 1, Karaganda Region, Aktau village, residents are compelled to endure perpetual ecological contamination. The polluted air, dust, and harmful emissions from industrial facilities are undermining the health of the locals. They have addressed President K. Tokayev, saying, “We no longer believe the Akimat’s words. We ask for the head of state’s intervention”[5].

May 1, Astana, the Russian marketplaces “Ozon” and “Wildberries” removed advertisements for the sale of Kazakhstan flags bearing religious symbols. The criminal prosecution body, in the framework of the investigation, made a submission to the Ozon marketplace’s representation in Kazakhstan to remove the circumstances that contributed to the commission of criminal and other offences under Article 200 of the Criminal Procedure Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan[6].

May 1, Konaev, the criminal case concerning the scandalous dance in the yurt, which was initiated in the summer of 2024, is still under investigation in Kazakhstan. The police in the Karasay district are conducting a pre-trial investigation under Article 174, Part 1 of the Criminal Code of the RK[7].

May 2, the RSF Index characterized Kazakhstan as a country that has “overshadowed the Central Asia region”, ranking it 141st. Authorities use all available means, including arrests, attacks, telecommunications shutdowns, and internet blackouts, to prevent media coverage of major events, such as the unprecedented protests against the government in January 2022. “Journalists are restricted from accessing information, and their questions during government briefings are censored”[8].

May 2, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty launched a donation page, according to Torokul Doorov, head of the publication’s Kazakh service, who announced it on his Facebook page[9].

May 2, Petropavlovsk, Zh. Kopeev, Article 174, Part 1 of the Criminal Code of the RK. The court decided to suspend the trial against the activist due to force majeure, which temporarily prevented further proceedings in the case[10].

May 2, Almaty, Amir Adil Mohammed el Taib, a 20-year-old refugee from Sudan, was stuck in the transit zone at the airport. The Kazakh authorities had denied him asylum, and he feared returning to his homeland because of the war and famine there[11].

May 2, Astana, the Administrative Court accepted the claim filed by Salauatty Astana LLP against Majilisman Bazarbek regarding the protection of business reputation for consideration. The LLP representatives did not reach a settlement agreement with the deputy in the pre-trial order. The lawyers filed a claim with the court under Article 143 of the Civil Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan.[12].

May 2, Astana, the Legal Media Center Foundation released the following statement: “May 3 is World Press Freedom Day. The Legal Media Center Foundation expressed its support for Kazakhstani journalists, bloggers, human rights defenders, and activists who continue to defend society’s right to information and freedom of expression despite pressure”[13].

May 3, Amnesty International presented a new report on the state of human rights in Kazakhstan. Freedom of expression and assembly remains limited. Civil society activists, opposition supporters, human rights defenders, journalists, and bloggers who are critical of the authorities have faced intimidation, harassment, detention, and prosecution on politically motivated charges[14].

May 3, Astana, Abdul Khalil Najibullah, an ethnic Kazakh who has lived in Kazakhstan for over 20 years, lost his citizenship and business in 2019. He said that Kazhimkan Masimov, the father of the then-National Security Committee Chairman K. Masimov, had demanded his business. He refused, and as a result, this happened[15].

May 3, Ust-Kamenogorsk, Chingiz Kurmankhan, a third-group disabled person and former orphanage resident, recorded his first video address to President K. Tokayev. He did so due to the indifference of officials of all kinds and ranks to his problems[16].

May 4, Almaty, Amiru Adil Mohammed el Taib, a Sudanese refugee who was denied asylum in Kazakhstan, was not deported to Sudan. Instead, he was allowed to fly to a country that has a visa-free policy for Sudanese citizens[17].

May 4, Almaty, as Victory Day approaches, videos of deepfakes featuring well-known journalists and officials urging Kazakhstani citizens to participate in the “Immortal Regiment” procession on May 9 are increasingly appearing on the internet. Thanks to modern technology, these fakes are sometimes very realistic and provocative[18].

May 4, Almaty, someone tried to hack the personal Telegram channels of energy expert O. Baidildinov and Orda.kz editor-in-chief G. Bazhkenova, titled “Baidildinov. Oil“and “Bazhkenova Live”. On the evening of May 3 the Russian-language version of the Orda.kz website was blocked. Access was partially restored the next day[19].

May 5, at approximately 10:00 p.m., residents of the 19th microdistrict in Aktau, having reached the limit of their endurance due to incessant power outages, took to the streets. They attempted to obstruct traffic in an effort to draw attention to their plight[20].

May 5, Karaganda— Residents of the Orbita-1 neighborhood are on the verge of despair because the RGB Group intends to build a 15-story building under their windows. This will destroy what little comfort and light they have left. Residents have appealed to the president of Kazakhstan and the general prosecutor’s office. They are tired of “hearings for show” and are ready to fight to cancel the construction by any legal means necessary[21].

May 6, Almaty, lawyers were unable to properly work with their clients in the detention center, the institution No. 72 of the Department of the Criminal-Executive System. They must wait in line for hours and undergo multi-stage searches to see their clients. In the end, they have no more than 30-40 minutes for the conversation itself, even if they schedule an appointment in advance[22].

May 6, Almaty, G. Bazhkenova, the editor-in-chief of Orda.kz, reported a psychological attack. She has been receiving endless calls about ads on OLX that she did not post. These calls are occurring in the context of attempts to hack her personal Telegram channel[23].

May 6, a new service called “Nomad Guard” was launched on “eGov Mobile.» With its help, you can detect personal data leaks by checking links and sites for possible threats. With the Nomad Guard service, you can check specific links and sites that you often use[24].

May 6, Astana, the Ministry of Justice and businesses responded to the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of the Population of Kazakhstan’s attempt to amend labor legislation, including trade union regulations. The «Institute of Legislation and Legal Information of the Republic of Kazakhstan, which is part of the Ministry of Justice, criticized the proposals for being insufficiently developed[25].

May 8, Almaty, Jacob Vorontsov, a former priest of the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC), announced that the criminal case initiated against him almost a year and a half ago under Article 141 of the Criminal Code of the RK was terminated due to lack of corpus delicti[26].

May 8, Astana, E. Narymbayev was sentenced to five days of arrest under Article 669, Part 1 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the RK “for non-execution of the court decision”. The basis for the sentence was that, from March 20 to April 21, 2025, E. Narymbayev posted ten publications on socio-economic and socio-political topics on Facebook. On September 19, 2023, the Konaev Court ruled that E. Narymbayev could not engage in public activities or make publications[27].

May 8, Aktobe, the Regional Court’s Judicial Board on Civil Cases considered Dauylov M.K.’s appeal of the court’s refusal to allow a single picket, as decided by Court No. 3 of Aktobe on February 25, 2025. Resolution: “The appeal complaint is dismissed” [28].

May 8, Astana, the personal data of Kazakhstani citizens was leaked online. According to Majilis deputy M. Abenov, a bot appeared on Telegram that provides confidential information about citizens of the country with open access. Abenov is demanding urgent action from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Prosecutor General’s Office[29].

May 8, Almaty, The Adil Soz Foundation has expressed serious concern regarding another digital attack on the Orda.kz editorial office and its employees. The Foundation urges law enforcement agencies to conduct a thorough investigation into the digital attack and to identify those responsible for pressuring the Orda.kz editorial office and its employees[30].

May 9, the NGO Coalition of Kazakhstan against Torture, together with partner organizations International Partnership for Human Rights (headquartered in Belgium) and World Organization Against Torture (headquartered in Switzerland) prepared and sent on May 9 a report on the situation against torture for the period from July 2024 to May 2025 at the request of the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture [31].

May 11, Aktau, the personnel of the Mangistau Region Police Training Unit filed a collective complaint against their commander, Police Major M. Aigeldiev. According to the employees, after his appointment in November 2024, the unit experienced mass dismissals, pressure on employees, and violations of service ethics[32].

May 12, Almaty — “They kicked the children out of the house while their parents were away”: Almaty resident Satybaldieva complained about the lawlessness of private bailiff A. Eltokov. He illegally and unethically evicted her family from their apartment. As a result, her 80-year-old mother and three minor children were psychologically traumatized[33].

May 12, Almaty, in the Specialized Interdistrict Court on Administrative Offenses of Almaty continued the court hearing on the complaint of Abishev A.M. on numerous violations by police officers of Bostandyk district of Almaty during the drawing up of a protocol on administrative offenses under Article 456-2 of the Code of Administrative Offences of the RK and the termination of proceedings on the case. The court decided to leave Abishev’s complaints without satisfaction[34].

May 12, From May 5 to May 12, large-scale DDoS attacks were registered on Kazakhstan’s information and communication infrastructure. According to the “State Technical Service,” these attacks ended without any data leaks or compromised systems[35].

May 12, Aktau, residents of the 16th microdistrict gathered in front of the building of Mangistau Regional Akimat to demand that the construction of the school be completed before the beginning of the school year. In their words, Alash Lyceum allegedly started to expel students. This was because of the transition to a fee-based school. Education is being commercialized, and mothers of 300 to 400 pupils are speaking out against it[36].

May 12, the Mangistau region was placed on the list of regions with the highest number of teenage pregnancies. The Kostanay, Almaty, and Turkestan regions also have high rates of teenage pregnancy. In these regions, the birth rate among girls aged 15-19 exceeds the national average. [37].

May 12, Karaganda region, settlement “33rd mine”, the residents made a demand. They demanded that the quarry be resumed at the site of the former mine. In a collective appeal sent to the Ministry of Ecology, the General Prosecutor’s Office, and Majilis deputies, citizens requested a thorough investigation into the legality of the project[38].

May 13, Almaty, Mansur Movlayev, a Chechen activist, was detained in Almaty. According to Almaty police, he was wanted by Russia [39].

May 13, the unregistered party “Alga, Kazakhstan!” declared that it had submitted notifications to the akimats of Almaty and Astana to hold a march dedicated to the memory of the famine and repression victims on May 31 from 12:00 to 15:00[40].

May 13, Ust-Kamenogorsk, the regional court considered the akimat’s appeal against the court of first instance’s decision. On March 4, 2025, the court had previously ruled that the akimat’s refusal was illegal and ordered the Akim of Ust-Kamenogorsk City to consider L.V. Kartashev’s notice from December 2, 2024, within a month of the decision’s legal enforcement. The appeal ruling left the decision of the court of first instance unchanged.[41].

May 13, Taraz, Nurlan Baigaziev, a deputy of the Iliyskiy District Maslikhat of the Almaty Region, was the victim of an armed attack by an unknown assailant near the “Gibrat»” café. A pre-trial investigation is underway under Article 293, Part 1 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan (hooliganism). The individual involved in the incident has been identified and taken into police custody[42].

May 13, Taraz, the editorial staff of Vera.kz sent a request to Zhambyl Regional Police Chief B. Malybaev. The reason was the activity of Taraz blogger T. Nurmatova and possible violations of the law on her part.[43].

May 13, the akimats of Almaty, Astana, Shymkent, Pavlodar, Petropavlovsk, and Ust-Kamenogorsk banned peaceful marches scheduled for May 31, 2025. The theme: Day of Remembrance of Victims of Political Repression and the Holodomor. The reason for the refusal was previously agreed-upon activities, incomplete information, and a lack of regulations for peaceful assemblies, although all the necessary information was included in the notification[44].

May 13, Akmola region, Stepnogorsk city, institution No. 4, political prisoner M.Zhylanbaev, Article 405, Part 2, Article 258, Part 1 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan, 7 years of imprisonment. Due to issues with his stomach, M. Zhylanbaev ended his hunger strike on May 13. According to lawyer M. Doskaraev, the colony repeatedly violated his rights and forced him to cut off his finger[45].

May 14, North-Kazakhstan region, Birlik village, N.Onerkhan, Article 456-2, Part 3 of the Code of Administrative Offences of the RK, fined 78640 tenge for publishing a post about allegedly planned Referendum on April 23-24, 2025[46].

May 14, Astana, Akmaral (the wife of M. Zhylanbaev) stated that “bedding, medicine, and other personal belongings” had been confiscated from her husband in prison. The Department of the Criminal Executive System denied this information.[47].

May 14, Astana, Kazakhstan MPs approved the bills on the regulation of artificial intelligence (AI) in the first reading. The bill provides for penalties for deepfakes[48].

May 14, Almaty, we plan to show S. Toyken’s movie “Marafonshy”. We will show it on the big screen. The date, place, and time will be announced at a later date as well. Come to see, take part in the discussion, and support M. Zhylanbaev,” said B. Toregozhina.[49].

May 14, Karaganda, public hearings on the development of residential areas in the southeast of the city were postponed. The residents present at the hearings shouted, “The hall is overcrowded!” and “You do not respect the people!” They also shouted, “We have to shout in order to get through to you!” and “The developers brought their own”[50].

May 14, Astana, Ombudsman A. Lastaev called the Kazakhstan International Bureau for Human Rights’ information on torture “escapades”[51].

May 14. Astana, the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to recognize faces in public places in real time is set to be prohibited in Kazakhstan, according to a statement by Majilis deputy E. Smyshlyayeva, with the exception of instances permitted by law[52].

May 14, Astana, the deputies of the Majilis supported the introduction of administrative and criminal liability for forced marriage. This norm is intended to be adopted as part of the draft law optimizing the Criminal, Criminal Executive, and Criminal Procedure Codes[53].

May 14, Harry Azaryan, a Kazakh citizen and St. Petersburg State University student, was detained in St. Petersburg, Russia, along with other participants of the student initiative “Rabochaya Vlast” (“Workers’ Power”). The court opened a criminal case against him for participating in a peaceful action. Currently, there is no way to contact him[54].

May 14, Almaty, public figure S. Bokayev and lawyer M. Adam submitted a notice to the city Akimat to hold a May 24 rally calling for the resignation of metropolis head E. Dosayev. The Akimat denied their request, stating that “cultural and mass events are planned there”[55].

May 14, Ust-Kamenogorsk, A. Ismailova, the head of a fund that protects the rights of orphans in the East Kazakhstan Region, said that the new public housing rules, which will take effect on May 24, 2025, will cause orphans to lose their priority right to receive an apartment. In other words, they could end up homeless after graduating from the orphanage[56].

May 15, Almaty, 8 reputable international NGOs call on the presidents of Central Asian states to give high priority to human rights and fulfill the promises made at the European Union-Central Asia Summit. The statement was signed by Civil Rights Defenders, International Partnership for Human Rights, Araminta, Freedom Now, Norwegian Helsinki Committee, People in Need, International Federation for Human Rights, World Organization Against Torture[57]

May 15, Almaty, R. Kerimov’s lawyer reported that M. Movlaev “considers himself a civil activist who faced persecution for criticizing the authorities in Chechnya. “He spoke out against corruption and the disappearance of people. We believe that he is facing political repression. He has expressed strong concern for his life and health”[58].

May 15, “Stepnogorsk prosecutor’s office covers the violation of the rights of convict M. Zhylanbaev by the administration of institution No. 4. Marat used to jog and paint at this institution until he was punished for it! Now, these activities are allegedly ‘prohibited’ by bylaws. The prosecutor’s office is covering up the violation of the rights of a political prisoner”, said B. Toregozhina[59].

May 15, Astana — The Ministry of Digital Development refuted reports of an alleged ChatGPT ban and clarified that the recommendations only pertain to data protection in the public sector[60].

May 15, Semey, the City Akimat refused to allow a peaceful march on May 31, 2025, in response to a notification from activist E. Dosanov. Theme: Day of Remembrance of Victims of Political Repression and the Holodomor. Reason for refusal: The city is holding a previously planned, city-wide environmental action called “Taza Qazaqstan”[61].

May 15, Astana, the vice minister of internal affairs, I. Lepekha, said that the administrative supervision of pedophiles in Kazakhstan will be extended to lifetime supervision[62].

May 15, Astana, Kazakhstan, will introduce administrative liability for placing and distributing illegal content. Administrative liability will also be introduced for the “malicious” non-fulfillment of state authority submissions[63].

May 15-16, the akimats of Almaty, Aktobe, Semey, Shymkent, Uralsk, and Karaganda all refused to allow peaceful assemblies on May 31, 2025. Theme: Day of Remembrance of Victims of Political Repression and the Holodomor. Reason for refusal: Activities that were previously agreed upon, the provision of incomplete information, and the lack of regulations for the assembly, construction, and installation works, as well as sanitary cleaning and landscaping works [64].

May 15, Astana, regular consular consultations were held between the foreign ministries of Kazakhstan and Georgia. During the meeting, the Kazakh side expressed concern about an increasing number of cases in which citizens of the Republic of Kazakhstan were denied entry to Georgia upon arrival and subsequently deported[65].

May 15, Astana, in the past half-decade, a total of 160 government officials in Kazakhstan have been convicted of the crime of torture. The aforementioned data was provided by the Ombudsman, A. Lastaev[66].

May 15, Almaty, civil society organizations and the NGO Coalition against Torture express their regret and concern regarding the comments of the Commissioner for Human Rights in the Republic of Kazakhstan published in response to the posted information with answers to the questions of the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment[67].

May 15, Karaganda, the Kazybek Bi District Court concluded a 8-month trial involving the editor-in-chief of MSU.City, M. Nurgalimova, journalist I. Strizhakov, and citizen E. B. Kim. E.B. Kim tried to hold them responsible for disseminating information that defamed her honor and dignity. The court dismissed E.B. Kim’s case. The court also ordered her to reimburse the defendants’ legal fees[68].

May 16, Astana, D. Okremova, director of the Legal Media Center, which has been monitoring the state order in the media since 2009, commented, “More than 200 billion tenge will be spent from the budget of Kazakhstan to support the ‘right’ media, which tell us that life in the New Kazakhstan has become better and more cheerful” [69].

May 16, a working group was formed to draft a new law on non-governmental organizations (NGOs). “Essentially, we are discussing the state’s direct interference in the affairs of NGOs, the promotion of a policy that further segregates NGOs based on the ‘friend or foe’ principle, and the final resolution of the issue of freedom of speech and expression according to the principle that ‘freedom of speech ends where the interests of the state begin’”, said human rights activist R. Reimer.[70].

May 16, Astana, Didar Smagulov, the executive director of the NGO “Adildik Zholy”, announced that he had been banned for life from entering the Russian Federation by the Russian Federal Security Service[71].

May 16, Taldykorgan, V. Druzin, a member of the city’s public council, made a video about the struggles of G. Abdykhalykova, a master of international class in para-powerlifting. She trains and works; often, she has to go in and out of her apartment. In the video, she painfully recounts what an athlete in a wheelchair has to experience[72].

May 16, Almaty, an investigative court authorized the temporary detention of Chechen activist M. Movlaev under arrest for 40 days. According to the lawyers, the prosecutor stated that no criminal cases had been initiated against Movlaev in Kazakhstan[73].

May 16, Astana, Chingiz Kurmankhan, a former orphanage resident and orphan, visited the Ministry of Health in Astana to meet with T. Sultangaziyeva, assistant to the vice minister. He had hoped until the end that they would help him, but instead he was scolded. He needs dental surgery in Astana, which would cost 3 million tenge[74].

May 17, Astana, S. Zakirova, K. Takeeva, Span Bakhyt, and E. Kuandyk from Almaty; and A. Mamedova, A. Alieva, A. Abizov, S. Bazarbaeva, and B. Smailova from Astana. They were issued protocols under Article 489, Part 10 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Republic of Kazakhstan for holding and participating in a press conference (allegedly of the unregistered party “Our Right”) in S. Zakirova’s apartment in Astana on April 25, 2025, and were fined 50 MCI[75].

May 17, Almaty, public hearings were held where participants, including R. Sarsenbay, A. Zhapisheva, and S. Bokayev, expressed their opinions on issues such as political prisoners, elections, freedom of speech, and the construction of a nuclear power plant. The participants said they would adopt a resolution and send it to President K. Tokayev[76].

May 16, Almaty, I. Mednikova, the founder of the Youth Information Service of Kazakhstan, said that she was on Russia’s list of undesirable persons. This information is only available before departure and not when buying a ticket[77].

May 17, North Kazakhstan region, there was another emergency at the maximum-security Institution No. 51 in the village of Novoukrainka in the Ayirtau district of the North Kazakhstan region. The prisoners injured themselves as a sign of protest. One prisoner swallowed an object and underwent urgent surgery. He is currently in the hospital. The prisoners announced a mass protest due to unbearable conditions and constant pressure from the administration[78].

May 17, Almaty: “Friends! My email is under attack. Yesterday, I received strange letters supposedly from Lukpan Akhmedyarov that he did not write. Today, I received this message: Be careful! Someone is not acting in good faith. Cybermonitors, that’s your job. Find out who is trying to hack my accounts”, said B. Toregozhina[79].

May 17, Pavlodar, it took the intervention of the Kazakhstan International Bureau for Human Rights to diagnose and hospitalize Vitaly (name changed), a 21-year-old former orphanage resident with a neurological disease. His case revealed several serious issues, ranging from the formal approach to medical examinations during military recruitment to the denial of medical care and gaps in social protection for former orphanage residents[80].

May 18, the case of the murder of journalist A. Sadykov in Kiev remains unresolved in Kazakhstan, despite the existence of suspects and requests from the Ukrainian Prosecutor General’s Office to their Kazakhstani counterparts[81].

May 18, Astana, the famous film director E. Tursunov announced his departure from the country. He stated that he had to leave because an information campaign had been organized against him. He also said that his films were being examined by specialized organizations[82].

May 18, Astana — The anti-corruption service reports that investigative measures against Director E. Tursunov are not being carried out. However, a pre-trial investigation is underway based on Director “N”’s statement “on bringing the former management of the film studio to criminal responsibility for abuse of official powers”[83].

May 18, Almaty, It was reported by journalists Baitelova, D. Moldabekov, and O. Makushina, who cooperate with Respublika.kz.media, that their e-mail was hacked[84].

May 18, Uralsk, a video circulated on social networks showing a convict performing correctional work naked in high-security colony No. 28. According to the institution, the convict took off his clothes as a sign of protest against the compulsory two-hour work to improve and maintain the territory of the institution[85].

May 19, Almaty, President of Kazakhstan K. Tokayev signed the Law of Kazakhstan “On the Ratification of the Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Government of the United States of America’ on granting the U.S. government a land lease for the construction of premises for a U.S. consular facility in the city of Almaty”[86].

May 19, the press service of the General Prosecutor’s Office reported that several districts in the North Kazakhstan region had cases of the uncontrolled use of property belonging to children who were left without parental care, as well as the illegal occupancy of apartments intended for orphans[87].

May 19, G. Azaryan is accused of justifying terrorism in Russia. Azaryan is a master’s student at St. Petersburg State University (SPbSU). He is also a citizen of Kazakhstan. Azaryan is detained until July 14. The accusation is based on transcripts of statements made at public meetings of the organization “Workers Power”, which were uploaded to Google Drive[88].

May 19, the Karaganda Region Prosecutor’s Office began investigating the legality of issuing land plots to BI Group for the construction of an elite residential complex. This information was revealed by Prosecutor General B. Asylov in response to a parliamentary inquiry[89].

May 19, Astana police organized a police duty near the building of the synagogue “Beit Rachel Chabad Lubavitch”. The police post was set up in response to a terrorist threat. The reasons for the increased guarding are unknown, according to reports from the synagogue itself[90].

May 19 in Astana, before the end of the session, it is expected that the deputies will propose an amnesty initiative. According to the document, individuals who have committed minor or medium-level criminal offenses will be exempt from criminal liability or basic punishment[91].

May 19, Astana, Majilisman S. Bashimov sent a letter to Prosecutor General B. Asylov requesting support for the introduction of extended confiscation, a key measure in the fight against money laundering. Extended confiscation allows for the seizure of assets recorded under third parties[92].

May 19, Aktau, discontent erupted again in the 20th microdistrict. Residents of multistory buildings, left without electricity, took to the streets and tried to block the roadway. This is not the first time they have done so. Residents say they are tired of enduring constant power outages[93].

May 20, Uralsk, the City Akimat denied permission to activists B. Utebaev and R. Kariev to hold a march on May 25 from the “Glorious Daughters of the Kazakh People” Square to the Abay Square. Akimat did not provide a reason for the refusal. In the event of a disagreement, the Akimat advised that one should petition a higher authority or the court[94].

May 20, Astana, activist Margulan Boranbay was released from prison. He was sentenced under Article 174, Part 1 and Article 179, Part 2 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan to five years in prison for “public calls to seize or retain power” and “incitement of ethnic hatred”[95].

May 20, Almaty, the Exclusive.kz server was subjected to a new DDoS attack. According to the server log data, attempts to hack the site began at least on the night of May 20. The source of the cyberattack is unknown; localhost was used as the IP address for sending requests[96].

May 20, East Kazakhstan region, activist R. Nurkanov was detained en route to Astana and then to the Stepnogorsk colony, where he was traveling to learn about the condition of prisoner M. Zhylanbayev. He was taken to the district court, where he will be tried under Article 456-2 of the Code of Administrative Offences of the RK[97].

May 20, Kostanay, a man in overalls threatened to burn himself on the construction platform of the house at 70 Pobedy St. within two hours and broadcast what was happening. He made demands. One of the cardboard posters had an inscription in Kazakh that read, “Help is needed”. The second poster read, “Give the money back”[98].

May 20, Almaty, E. Kuandyk, I. Kenzin, and S. Zakirova, together with a lawyer, held an online press conference. They expressed their disagreement with the fines imposed on them under Article 489, Part 10 of the RK Code of Administrative Offenses, which amounts to 50 MRP. The fines were issued “for participating in a press conference of an unregistered organization on April 25, 2021”[99].

May 20, Almaty, about 100 Barys-4 market traders gathered for an impromptu meeting to protest the seizure of a 23-acre plot of land. Some of the traders’ containers are located on the plot, and trucks carrying goods from other regions and countries also stop there[100].

May 21, Almaty, Kirill Pavlov, an agroblogger who had criticized the Ministry of Agriculture of Kazakhstan’s forecasts, was charged with an administrative offense under Article 456-2 of the Code of Administrative Offences of the RK. Pavlov is accused of “disseminating false information’ for his Facebook post about locusts occupying fields and causing losses for farmers[101].

May 20, Kostanay, three construction workers climbed to the ninth floor of a multi-story building and staged a protest, demanding that their wages be paid. The three men were found guilty by the court under Article 488 of the Code of Administrative Offences of the Republic of Kazakhstan. They were sentenced to one day of arrest[102].

May 22, Almaty, lawyers representing the Chechen activist M. Movlaev, who had been detained for 40 days, held a press conference. They urged Kazakhstan to refrain from extraditing him to the security agencies of the Chechen Republic. Lawyer M. Adam elucidated that M. Movlaev was granted this status on May 21, yet no documentary evidence has been procured thus far, as it was transmitted to the arrestee via postal delivery to the detention facility[103].

May 22, Kyzylorda, According foundation “Ne Molchi”,» a well-known feminist was severely beaten. Her name is Zhamilya Kasymkhan. She has been engaged in human rights activities for many years. The attacker was her young man. Zhamilya Kasymkhan, who is seven months pregnant, filed a complaint with the police. The investigation into the beating is being conducted by the police department of the city under Article 109, Part 1 “Beatings” of the Criminal Code of the RK[104].

May 22, Almaty, the mother of Aknar Gulstan, a 22-year-old woman who died after falling from the seventh floor, appealed to the President of Kazakhstan, K. Tokayev. She asked the president to reclassify the criminal case as “murder” and “illegal deprivation of liberty”. Due to their lack of confidence in the investigative authorities of Almaty, the relatives of the deceased ask the investigative team from Astana to take over the case[105].

May 22, Ust-Kamenogorsk, L. Kartashyov, a public activist, submitted an appeal to the administrative board of the regional court of East Kazakhstan Region. This appeal was against the decision made by Judge E. Amerkhanov of the Specialized Inter-district Administrative Court. Judge Amerkhanov had ruled in favor of the city akimat, which had banned the rally on March 25. This rally was intended to raise awareness about the time change[106].

May 22, Shymkent, activist A. Dzholdasova was summoned to the police department for questioning in a criminal case. However, the summons did not specify why she was being questioned. The interrogation is of possible participants in the peaceful rallies that took place in Shymkent in January 2022[107].

May 22, Shymkent, activist Zharkynbek Seitinbek was summoned to the police department for questioning as a witness in a criminal case. The interrogation is related to the peaceful rallies that took place in Shymkent in January 2022[108].

May 22, Shymkent, on the eve of May 31—the Day of Remembrance of Victims of Political Repression—police officers came to activist Urbibi Saduova with a summons. Thus, the police took preventive measures against the activist[109].

May 23, S. Zakirova arrived in Astana with activists. Their goal was to reach the presidential administration and meet with Ombudsman A. Lastayev. They wanted to discuss the violation of activists’ rights. These violations included illegally imposed fines and harassment by the police. However, the ombudsman never came to meet with the activists[110].

May 23, East Kazakhstan Region, Ulan District, R. Nurkanov was found guilty by the Stepnogorsk Online Court under Article 488, Part 12 of the Administrative Offences Code of RK. He was sentenced to 20 days of arrest for participating in an illegal action in support of M. Zhylanbaev on 07.04.25 in Stepnogorsk near the institution No. 4[111].

May 23, Astana, D. Zakieva presented information on the work being done to protect children’s rights and strengthen the child protection system. A total of 13 regions and 73 settlements were monitored, which included anonymous surveys of children in 272 institutions and visits to 173 families. One hundred and seventy-one violations were identified in the implementation of adopted laws and in the functioning of the child protection system. The effectiveness of 112 family support centers was confirmed[112].

May 23, Almaty, more than a dozen residents who lost breadwinners during the January events came to the Almaty Akimat to demand help for their families. They told journalists about the difficulties they have faced since the death of their loved ones. They believe the state, which recognized their relatives as accidental victims of the bloodshed should provide financial assistance and help with housing[113].

May 23, Karaganda, Shymkent, activists Bolatbek Tokmyrza and Bakytzhan Zhanseitov were arrested for 15 days under Article 667 of the Code of Administrative Offences of the RK. This is how preventive measures are being taken by the authorities on the eve of May 31, Day of Remembrance for Victims of Political Repression[114].

From May 24 to 25, 2025, events were planned in Karaganda to discuss Professor Nurtaza Kadyrniyazov’s program on philological sciences: “No sale of land, the issue of language, and providing housing for young families”. In the future, the plan was to register a party. The program also planned to discuss granting freedom to political prisoners. B. Toregozhina published a list of those detained and arrested.[115]

May 26, Astana, A. Kozhakeev (Onlanbekkyzy) was summoned to the police department to file a report about the protest that took place on April 25 near Institution No. 4 in Stepnogorsk[116].

May 26, Karaganda, journalist Oleg Gusev, who had exposed the activities of corporations and condemned many officials, including Lakshmi Mittal, found himself on the verge of arrest. He recorded a video in which he spoke about the fabricated criminal case against him. He has now been summoned to Almaty and does not rule out the possibility of his detention[117].

May 26, Uralsk, B.Utebaev went on a hunger strike in protest and a number of demands were put forward to the authorities: 1) Fight corruption, 2) Stop rising prices for medicine and food, 3) Reduce the retirement age, and 4) Fight fraud[118].

May 26: The list of M. Zhylanbaev’s supporters who are being prosecuted for participating in the April 7, 2025, action in support of M. Zhylanbaev in front of Institution No. 4 in Stepnogorsk City[119].

May 26, Almaty, the lawyers of Chechen activist M. Movlayev, who was detained at Russia’s request, reported that Movlayev had received asylum-seeker status in Kazakhstan. The Almaty detention center promptly issued power of attorney to all three defense lawyers to handle Movlayev’s case. [120].

May 26, Karaganda, residents of the Stilny residential complex made an official appeal to the General Prosecutor of Kazakhstan, expressing outrage over the actions of the Karaganda Regional Department of Emergency Situations. Instead of addressing the root causes of fire safety violations, the department prefers to fine ordinary residents[121].

May 26, Astana, the court of first instance considered the appeal of the civil case filed by former Senator K. Safinov against the Ulysmedia.kz information agency. The case concerns the removal of Safinov’s image from a publication. The court dismissed the ex-senator’s suit, citing the law on mass media: According to this law, “the placement and distribution of images are allowed without the consent of a person, particularly if the image is related to their public or official activity and has been previously published in open sources”.[122]

May 27, Almaty, T. Yensebek, Article 174 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan, 5 years of restriction of liberty. The online city court considered the journalist’s appeal against the sentence. The court upheld the Nauryzbay court’s verdict from April 25, adding: “Punishment in the form of deprivation of the right to engage in public activities is appointed on the basis of Article 50, Part 3 of the Criminal Code of the RK for a period of five years”. The prosecutor’s appeal petition shall be satisfied. The appeal complaint of the defense counsel shall be left without satisfaction[123].

May 27, Ust-Kamenogorsk city, the regional court considered the prosecutor’s objection to Bondarev’s petition to replace the unexecuted term with a more lenient punishment. The court again found that the convicted Bondarev has a positive character. He has served the necessary term of punishment to replace the part of the sentence that has not been served. There is a positive change in his behavior. Based on this, the ruling of the court No. 2 was left unchanged and Bondarev was released [124].

May 27, Abay region, Borodulikha district prosecutor’s office analyzed the observance of the rights of children suffering from mental and behavioral disorders. According to the legislation, minors with these diagnoses are entitled to monthly social assistance in the amount of 7 MRP (27,524 tenge). However, none of the 80 children registered at the district hospital received this support[125].

May 27, Uralsk, Zh. Nurmagambetova, a representative of the Human Rights Ombudsman for the West Kazakhstan region, visited strict-regime colony No. 28 in the city of Uralsk. A video filmed in this colony on May 25 showed a prisoner working in the nude. The material is presently in the prosecutor’s office. An audit is currently being conducted by the prosecutor[126].

Astana, May 28 — Since the beginning of 2025, more than 7,000 violations of Kazakhstani law have been revealed on Facebook and Instagram. Of those, 3,027 occurred on Facebook and 4,662 on Instagram. In response to the Ministry of Culture of Kazakhstan’s appeals, Meta removed 90% of the illegal content from Facebook and 51% from Instagram[127].

May 28, Astana, the deputies of the Majilis of Kazakhstan approved, in the second reading, amendments to the Criminal Code that introduce criminal liability for forced marriage. The new Article 125-1 provides a wide range of penalties, including fines of up to 2,000 MRP and imprisonment of 2 to 10 years[128].

May 28, Aktau, the administrative court in found A. Sarsenbayev guilty under Article 73-3 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Republic of Kazakhstan, “Defamation”, and imposed a 20-day arrest based on Antikor’s statement that the activist had allegedly“ knowingly disseminated false information defaming their honor and dignity”.[129]

May 28, the secretary of the Ulan district court in East Kazakhstan received a request from journalist I. Kakimova regarding the online presence of the court in relation to the case of R. Nurkanov, who is accused of violating Article 456-2, Part 3 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Republic of Kazakhstan. However, the judge insisted on offline participation in the court. Since the trial was held online and Kakimova requested online participation, she considers this discrimination[130].

May 28, Akmola region, Stepnogorsk, A. Onlanbekkyzy was sentenced to 10 days of arrest by the court for violating Article 488, Part 6 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the RK. This was for participating in the April 7, 2025 action to support M. Zhylanbaev near the Institution No. 4 in Stepnogorsk[131].

May 29, Almaty, K. Makhanbaev, who was previously convicted under Articles 269, Part 3 and 272 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan and sentenced to one year and eight months in prison, filed a lawsuit against the government. The lawsuit demands payment of 50 million tenge in compensation for the 2 months and 9 days he spent in prison beyond his sentence. The hearing is being held online[132].

May 29, Karaganda, the MSU.CITY editorial staff conducted a survey in which 96% of the 1,252 respondents expressed distrust in the judicial system. Journalists often attend court hearings and investigate various cases. There are many examples where the objectivity and legality of verdicts are called into question[133].

May 29, Semey City — Since the beginning of this year, the Abay Region Police Department has received 155 reports of missing persons. As a result of the measures taken, 151 people have been located. The analysis reveals that missing persons are most often either minors or individuals with mental health conditions[134].

May 29, Akmola region, Stepnogorsk city, institution No. 4, M.Zhylanbaev, Article 405, Part 2, Article 258, Part 1 of the Criminal Code of the RK, 7 years of imprisonment. M. Doskaraev, the lawyer of the convict, reported on his condition and his complaints about the detention conditions and the continued pressure from the institution’s administration[135].

May 29, Almaty, public activist S. Bokayev and lawyer M. Adam plan to file a lawsuit against the Almaty Akimat. The Administrative Court accepted the lawsuit against the Akimat for recognizing the refusal to hold a rally for E. Dosayev’s resignation as unlawful[136].

May 29, Taraz, about 90 employees of the Kazakh National University of Water Resources and Irrigation took action and signed a collective letter addressed to the president and the minister of science and higher education. The rector, K. Tusupova, is accused of performing her duties poorly — “doing nothing and always traveling”. Eight hours went by, and the teachers were left waiting for the rector, who never appeared[137].

May 29, Stepnogorsk, Akmola Region, A. Sadvakasova was sentenced to 10 days in jail for participating in a protest in support of M. Zhylanbaev on April 7, 2025, near Institution No. 4 in Stepnogorsk. The court found her guilty under Article 488, Part 6 of the Code of Administrative Offences of the RK. She went on a hunger strike to protest her unlawful arrest[138].

May 30, Aktau, local resident Gauhar was subjected to cruel treatment by her ex-husband. The court found the man guilty under Article 461 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the RK and sentenced him to 10 days in jail. He was also placed on a special registry for three months. A criminal case was initiated against him under Article 109 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan (“Causing Minor Harm to Health”)[139].

May 30, Kostanay, the court ruled that the bus station “Sayakhat” must pay 100 thousand tenge in moral damages to Yakupov Mamatkobuly, a citizen of Uzbekistan, for refusing to sell him a ticket. The bus station employees referred to verbal instructions from the carriers prohibiting the sale of tickets to citizens of Uzbekistan and Tajikistan[140].

May 30, the Taraz news office received a disturbing video from a pensioner lying in a hospital ward. In a weak voice, she asked for help. “I purchase medications on my own. When they run out, the doctors tell me to go to the pharmacy. They just don’t give me state medicine”. The woman also expressed dissatisfaction with the quality of medical care and the staff’s attention[141].

May 30, Ust-Kamenogorsk, the Cite appeal instance canceled the Tarbagatai District Court’s decision to punish S. Demesinov, the deputy of the district maslikhat, under Article 73-3, Part 3 of the RK Code of Administrative Offenses for 25 days of arrest. The arrest had previously been postponed due to the deputy’s illness[142].

May 30, Uralsk, the sister of a civil activist M. Yeskendirov was visited by two men in civilian clothes. These men were likely police officers or KNB agents. Despite the sister’s refusal to discuss matters with anyone but Marua, the officers demanded to have a conversation with her. The officers insisted, making it clear that it was a matter of “warning”[143].

May 30, Almaty, activist M. Turymbetov was refused permission to hold a rally regarding the akim election on June 8 in A. Imanov Square and M. Gandhi Park. The reason for the refusal was the repair and construction works and previously scheduled cultural events[144].

May 31, Almaty, residents and visitors gathered at the monument in Karagaily Park to commemorate those who were repressed and those who died of famine. Those gathered emphasized that, in their opinion, the state has not yet provided a political and legal assessment of the repressions and famine that occurred during the Soviet period[145].

[1] https://vlast.kz/novosti/64873-qaznews24-prodolzit-rabotu-bez-osnovatela-temirlana-ensebeka.html

[2] https://orda.kz/prokuror-zajavivshaja-o-manipuljacijah-v-erdr-snova-prosit-pomoschi-u-prezidenta-ee-dannye-sterli-posle-zhaloby-401212/

[3] https://bureau.kz/novosti/profsoyuz-upolnomochen-zayavit/

[4] https://iagorod.kz/news/8358/

[5] https://kmsu.kz/tpost/zd8ia89z01-zhiteli-aktau-trebuyut-spravedlivosti-ko

[6] https://kaztag.kz/ru/news/ozon-i-wildberries-udalili-obyavleniya-o-prodazhe-flagov-kazakhstana-s-religioznoy-simvolikoy

[7] https://kaztag.kz/ru/news/ugolovnoe-delo-po-faktu-skandalnogo-tantsa-v-yurte-prodolzhayut-rassledovat-v-kazakhstane

[8] https://respublika.kz.media/archives/145120

[9] https://vlast.kz/novosti/64889-radio-svobodnaa-evroparadio-svoboda-nacalo-prinimat-donaty-ot-citatelej.html

[10]https://web.facebook.com/toregozhina/posts/pfbid02MSpSGdLv3sqeczdhoLMNXUEDSDeq2rezNLb1jrvkxkfWMmT56XK9Qa579qhM1ev5l

[11] https://kaztag.kz/ru/news/poluchivshiy-otkaz-kazakhstana-bezhenets-iz-sudana-opasaetsya-vozvrashcheniya-na-rodinu

[12] https://orda.kz/ranenaja-reputacija-stolichnaja-medicinskaja-organizacija-ne-smogla-primiritsja-s-deputatom-bazarbekom-i-budet-suditsja-401254/