MONITORING OF POLITICAL PERSECUTION IN THE REPUBLIC OF KAZAKHSTAN from September 1 to 30, 2024

On 2 September, in Astana, Kazakhstan’s cabinet of ministers will discuss measures for the implementation of the president’s message to the people of Kazakhstan. However, journalists have been refused accreditation and will not be able to enter the government building. They will have to follow the meeting online[1].

September 2, Almaty region, Karasai district, Kaskelen town: The district court held a preliminary hearing on the case of torture in the special detention center in the village of Koshmambet during the events of January 2022. The victims were identified as 44 people, including citizens of Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan. The charges in this case were brought against 6 police officers under Articles 146 and 362 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan. They are free on a written undertaking not to leave the country[2].

September 2, Astana, A. Balaeva, Minister of Culture and Information, evaded journalists’ questions about the new accreditation rules. “First of all, we need to understand how you have been accredited, from which media you have been accredited. I have repeated this many times – let’s see how the rules will work in practice”, – said A. Balayeva in the parliament[3].

September 3, Petropavlovsk, the court, after considering the application of the plaintiff Pak S., made a decision to find Kuramshin V. guilty of violating Article 456-2 of the Code of Administrative Offences of the RK “Placement, dissemination of false information” and sentenced him to 20 days in prison[4].

September 3, New York, NY, The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) remains concerned that recent changes to accreditation rules for national media in Kazakhstan and proposed changes to accreditation rules for foreign media could be used to silence critical journalists[5].

September 4, Astana, Information Minister Balayeva A. said that the rules violating journalists’ rights and restricting their work were perfectly legal, and that the reporters themselves were to blame: “They’re the ones who ask officials inconvenient questions”, she said[6].

September 5, Astana, it became aware of the fact that the appeal of Birzhanova G., a lawyer of the PF “Legal Media Center”, faced with the arbitrary refusal to authorize a rally in Astana, was accepted for consideration by the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Kazakhstan[7].

September 5, West Kazakhstan region, Aksai city. The activist Sarsenov Aizhar was arrested. Police officers detained him in the morning, released him after 12 noon, but detained him again an hour later. A criminal case was opened against the activist under Article 380, Part 2, Clause 4 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan (“threatening to kill representatives of the authorities via the Internet”). A search of his home was carried out by the police.

September 5, Almaty, Overview of the situation in Kazakhstan with regard to freedom of expression, receipt and dissemination of information from 29 August to 5 September. The monitoring was prepared by the Adil Soz Foundation and information was taken from publicly available sources[8].   

September 6, Astana, “Why is the journalist Zh. Urankaeva not allowed to enter the government building? Give an official explanation for this situation. Where did such sanctions to restrict her access to the government building from 5 September 2024 to 31 December 2024 come from? Where are the repeated warnings and admonitions recorded?” the journalists ask. Violation of Article 20 of the Constitution of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the ban on the profession, interference in the professional activities of a journalist[9].

Septembern 6, Almaty, the Union of Journalists of Kazakhstan issued a statement on the situation with freedom of expression, which has begun to take shape following the adoption of new rules for the accreditation of media professionals[10].

September 6, Almaty, Bokayev S.: “The page ‘NoUtilSbor” (No to recycling fee) on Facebook has been blocked. What is going on? A new way of suppressing freedom of expression and democracy in Kazakhstan. Across the country, many independent experts and public figures are being attacked in a similar way. And even news sites that the authorities don’t need are being blocked,’ said the public activist[11].

September 6, Astana, the authorities want to prosecute Iskakov Samat under Article 120, Part 3 of the Code of Administrative Offences of the RK “Violating the provisions on conducting a public opinion poll in connection with the elections”[12].

September 6, Almaty, the builders of the Sunkar International Ski Jump have once again reminded themselves. Once again they gathered in front of the Almaty City Prosecutor’s Office to express their dissatisfaction with the work of the supervisory body. All their efforts to have their rights restored are being thwarted by the “corporate solidarity” of the state bodies and the mutual responsibility[13].

September 7, Kokshetau, T. Danebaev, Article 174 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan, 3 years’ imprisonment. The judge rejected the request for his participation in the offline court. All his applications from the pre-trial detention centre in Kokshetau have been ignored and lost. Timur also asks to see the supervising prosecutor, but he cannot reach him either. 12 former employees of IK-20 in the dock[14].

September 9, Almaty, “My client, who was injured during the events in January, hasn’t been able to execute the court decision for four months, because Judge Ibragimova’s secretary doesn’t send the execution order to the Justice Ministry in Astana, and the court decision is returned without execution. The Bostandyk district court does not act and does not listen to us” – said the lawyer Tusupova M.[15].

September 9, the Almaty City Prosecutor’s Office responded to the request to initiate an act of prosecutorial supervision over the activities of the district police inspector of Almaty on the fact of illegal harassment of activist Tashimova S. in order to hold her responsible for organizing an illegal rally[16].

September 9, Astana, the Supreme Court of Kazakhstan refused to consider a cassation appeal against the sentence of Zhanbolat M., who was given a 6-year suspended sentence under Article 272 Part 1 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan for “organizing an illegal rally’” during the January events. The lower courts also found him guilty of “insulting” a representative of the authorities and “deliberately spreading false information”[17].

September 10, Tashimova S. was arrested in Almaty. The trial of the activist was adjourned to 11 September at 15:00 in order to consider additional evidence from the defence. The activist is charged under Article 488 Part 7 of the Code of Administrative Offences of the Republic of Kazakhstan, which provides for a fine of 50 MRP (184,000 thousand tenge) or up to 15 days’ imprisonment, said lawyer Murat Adam[18].

September 10, Almaty, at a press conference, a group of environmental activists announced the creation of a platform called “AES kerek emes” (We don’t need a nuclear power plant). The platform will bring the arguments of Kazakh citizens against the nuclear power plant to the public and inform citizens about the risks of building the plant[19].

September 10, Astana, According to the head of the government press service, M. Tulegenov, journalist Zh. Urankaeva’s access to the Cabinet of Ministers was restricted on the grounds of a police report[20].

September 10, Astana, the ministers of the social bloc attended a press conference after the government meeting to inform about the fulfilment of the president’s instructions. However, journalists told the ministers that they should work on another of the president’s instructions, namely the concept of a “hearing state”. The journalists said that the accreditation rules, which give wide powers to prohibit media representatives from working in state bodies, should be revised[21].

September 10, Almaty, Dostiyarov A., Article 120, Part 3 of the Code of Administrative Offences of the RK: The court found Dostiyarov A. guilty of “Violating the provisions on conducting a public opinion poll in connection with the elections” and sentenced him to a fine for posting a video containing a public opinion poll on the construction of a nuclear power plant on his YouTube channel. The fine was 55380 tenge ($116 at the exchange rate)[22].

September 10, Astana, “The NewTimes.kz newsroom is being deliberately denied accreditation and access to the Majilis building”, said Sagidulla Zhanna, editor-in-chief of the news agency. She said that all the necessary documents, including the agreement signed by each employee, had been sent on 4 September[23].

September 11, Astana, the People’s Headquarters of the city of Astana, which supports the construction of a nuclear power plant (NPP), was inaugurated. The event was attended by Maslikhat deputies, public figures, intellectuals and members of the headquarters. The room was provided by the “AMANAT” party, which is based in the same building[24].

September 11, Almaty, Tashimova S., Article 488, Part 7 of the Code of Administrative Offences of the RK: the court found the activist guilty of violating the order to hold rallies and sentenced her to a fine of 129255 tenge for allegedly calling for a rally on 3 February 2024.[25]

September 11, Astana, Suyubaev Asanali, Article 297, Part 2 of the Criminal Code of the RK. The court sentenced the activist to 10 years’ imprisonment, finding him guilty of “illegal possession and distribution of drugs”. The case was considered with jury participation[26].

September 12, Akmola region, Stepnogorsk, M. Zhylanbaev, Articles 258, 405 of the Criminal Code of the RK, 7 years’ imprisonment. The activist went on a 40-day hunger strike against the illegal sentence of 7 years’ imprisonment. Marat also protested against the construction of the nuclear power plant. [27].

September 12, Almaty, Imanbai I. was detained by police as she was leaving the Zhibek Zholy metro station. ”I was detained by the police. They are taking me to the Almalinskiy District Department of Internal Affairs. They still can’t explain why they detained me!” – said the journalist. She believes the detention may be linked to her human rights activities and political beliefs. She was later released because the police had made a mistake[28].

September 12, Almaty, blogger Niyazov A., who was detained near the city Akimat, taken to the Bostandyk district police station and later released after less than an hour. After his release, Niyazov A. explained that he and his film crew had been waiting for Almaty Akim Dosayev near the entrance to Akimat to interview him[29].

September 12, Astana, Kazakhstan’s Prosecutor General’s Office said it had identified eight cases of violations of the rules for conducting public opinion polls during elections and referendums on the construction of a nuclear power plant. Fines were imposed in six of these cases[30].

September 12, Astana, Majilis deputy Bapi E. said that he had spoken to the government about the restriction on journalist Urankaeva Y.’s access to the building and that the problem would soon be resolved[31].

September 13, Aktobe, Bauyrzhan Maratuly, Article 488 of the Code of Administrative Offences of the RK. The court sentenced the activist to a fine of 184,600 tenge (about $380) for allegedly calling for a rally against the nuclear power plant. Police officers are stepping up security ahead of potential opposition rallies in Kazakhstan (local authorities do not allow such actions)[32].

September 13, Almaty, Vadim Ni, initiator of the newly created platform “AES kerek emes” (We don’t need a nuclear power plant), announced that the panel discussion on NPP scheduled for 16 September had been cancelled by the DoubleTree by Hilton Almaty hotel, with which the discussion was originally agreed. Vadim Ni suggests that the cancellation of their event may have been due to the influence of people linked to the authorities and NPP supporters[33].

September 13, Almaty, the Commission refused to grant asylum in Kazakhstan to Akylbek Muratbay, an activist from Karakalpakstan. On 12 September, A. Muratbay spoke at a meeting of the Commission considering his application for asylum in Kazakhstan[34].

September 13, Almaty, Overview by the Adil Soz Foundation on the situation in Kazakhstan with the right to freedom of expression, receiving and disseminating information from 5 to 13 September [35].

September 15, Turkestan region, the Saryagash district police closed the case against correspondent Dilara Isa on the charge of “spreading deliberately false information” for lack of a corpus delicti. On 25 July, Azattyk’s correspondent in Shymkent was summoned to the police station. She and her lawyer signed a non-disclosure agreement [36].

September 17, Astana, Syzdykov A., Article 297, Part 3 of the Criminal Code of the RK: a preliminary trial was conducted against a civil activist[37].

September 17, Yevgeniy Nakazenko was detained at Almaty airport as he was boarding a flight from Almaty to Istanbul. He was arrested for criticising the actions of the Russian authorities in relation to the war in Ukraine. Russia opened a criminal case on the basis of articles on “falsifications about the army” and “calls for terrorism”. The court ordered his detention for 40 days[38].

September 17, The OSCE/ODIHR Mission will not send observers to the 6 October referendum on nuclear power plants in Kazakhstan. “There is no possibility to conduct referendum observation activities for the 6 October referendum”[39].

September 18, a group of activists from the platform “AES kerek emes” (We don’t need a nuclear power plant) held a panel discussion in Almaty on the question: “Does Kazakhstan need nuclear power?”. Akimat officials were among those present at Wednesday’s discussion[40].

September 18, Astana, some Kazakhstani media have faced an interesting problem: when asked to provide information, state bodies demanded to provide “a document confirming the authority of the applicant” or “necessary documents of the accredited journalist”, – said PF “Legal Media Centre”[41].

September 18, Almaty, “Why does Kcell mobile block my access to Facebook? I have no problems with other operators! How long will this go on? Today I will file a pre-trial complaint with them” – said human rights defender Toregozhina B.[42].

September 18, the National Security Committee (NSC) reported that 50 people suspected of involvement in an organized criminal group had been arrested in several regions of Kazakhstan. The arrests took place in the cities of Astana, Almaty and Shymkent, and in the regions of Aktobe, Atyrau, Almaty, Zhetysu, Western Kazakhstan and Pavlodar[43].

September 19, Astana, access to the government building in Astana was restored to Zh. Urankaeva, a journalist with Press.kz. The agreement to resolve the issue of access to the building of the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan was reached with the assistance of the Adil Soz Foundation[44].

September 19, Almaty, Overview by the Adil Soz Foundation on the situation in Kazakhstan with the right to freedom of expression, receiving and disseminating information from 12 to 19 September [45].

September 19, Astana, the Ministry of Justice refused to register the public movement “STOP AES” (STOP NPP) on the grounds that the statute did not specify the purpose of the association, the full legal status of the association (there is no district) and the procedure for the founders to withdraw from the association[46].

September 20, Almaty, active opponents of a nuclear power plant (NPP) in Kazakhstan urged like-minded people to go to a referendum, the agency’s correspondent reports[47].

September 23, Astana, Zhagiparov B., Article 456-2, Part 3 of the Code of Administrative Offences of the RK, was found guilty of “placing, disseminating false information”. The activist raises the problems of the Ulytau region. He was fined 73840 tenge. The case arose from an article on Zhagiparov B.’s Facebook page on 18 July about the bonus fund of the region’s football team[48].

September 23, Almaty, Nurila Tolepbek, wife of Almaty activist Askar Zhumagali, said that police officers have fabricated a criminal rape case against her husband and demanded a bribe of $100,000[49].

September 24, Almaty, “I have a problem accessing Facebook. Kcell blocks the site; I access it via WiFi from other operators. That’s why my activity is interrupted. I have no doubt that this is the work of the cyber-police, but I hope that after the referendum the paranoia of the authorities will disappear and my access will be restored” – said human rights defender Toregozhina B.[50].

September 24, Zarechny settlement, Institution No. 14, Klyshev K., Article 405, Part 1/2 of the Criminal Code of the RK, 5 years’ imprisonment, and Namazbaev D., Article 174 of the Criminal Code of the RK, 5 years’ imprisonment, informed about systemic corruption crimes in Institution No. 14: embezzlement of funds for food, medicines, bed linen, dishes, clothes, towels, etc. They sent a letter with information about embezzlement to the General Prosecutor[51].

September 24, Almaty, participants in the Regional Women’s Expert Forum addressed German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on the challenges of building a strong civil society, promoting democracy and respect for human rights in Central Asia[52].

September 24, Almaty, A. Knyazev, a member of the community “Dorozhnyi Kontro”’ (Road Control) from Ust-Kamenogorsk, was detained for 20 days. The decision was made by the Online Administrative Court in Almaty under Article 73-3, Part 2 of the Code of Administrative Offences of the RK “Defamation”against police officers of the southern capital. He was prosecuted for publishing the number plate of Almaty policemen with an advertisement for a car show on it. [53].

September 24-30, the Akimats of Astana, Karaganda, Kokshetau, Kostanay and Semey did not grant permission to hold peaceful rallies on the theme “Stop AES”(Stop NNP) on the day of the referendum on 6 October 2024. Reasons for refusal: previously authorized events, work on landscaping the territory, installation of street lighting elements, etc.[54]

September 25, Ridder, the Akimat refused to grant the Stop AES public movement permission to hold a rally on 6 October, the day of the referendum on the construction of the nuclear power plant. On 25 September, activist Asainov Nazar applied to the Akimat for permission to hold the rally[55] .

September 25, Astana, deputy of the Amanat party Suleimenova Zh. expressed her opinion on child suicide. She believes that social networks play a role in these tragedies. Social networks have a negative impact on the fragile psyche of young people. She called for greater control or blocking of content on social networks[56].

September 25-26, the Akimats of the cities of Almaty, Aktobe, Pavlodar, Petropavlovsk, Uralsk, Shymkent and Ridder refused to grant the Stop AES public movement permission to hold peaceful rallies on the day of the referendum on 6 October 2024. Reasons for the refusals: previously coordinated events, submission of incomplete information, alleged lack of regulations for holding a peaceful rally, the current emergency regime at the local level[57].

September 26, Astana, The Supreme Court has called inaccurate the information published in the media and social networks the day before that the ban on wearing headscarves in schools had been declared illegal. The Court of Cassation only recognized as illegal the fact that the school did not allow the student to attend classes, the press service of the Supreme Court said in a statement[58].

September 26, Almaty, Overview by the Adil Soz Foundation on the situation in Kazakhstan with the right to freedom of expression, receiving and disseminating information from 19 to 26 September [59].

September 27, Astana, Syzdykov A., Article 297, Part 1 of the Criminal Code of the RK. The court sentenced the activist to 5 years’ imprisonment for “illegally producing, processing, acquiring, storing, transporting with a view to sale, transferring or selling narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances or their analogues”[60].

September 27, “During the inspection of the route of the motorcade of the head of state in the Turkestan region, officers of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the NSC together with the State Security Service of the Republic of Kazakhstan found a small arms cache. A criminal case has been opened”, the Interior Ministry said. A number of investigative measures are under way to establish all the circumstances and arrest the suspects[61].

September 28, Almaty, Zhovtis Ye. resigned as Director of the Kazakh Human Rights Bureau. The 69-year-old, the country’s leading human rights defender, had led the NGO since its establishment in 1993. Zhovtis Ye. will remain at the Bureau as a senior expert advisor[62].

September 29, Astana, “Norms that are too stupid and absurd” – human rights activist Okremova D. shared her views on access to information and accreditation of journalists in Kazakhstan[63].

September 29, at least three activists were detained in Almaty: Sydykov F., Tokmambetov R., Tuleukhan A. Police searched the house of one of them. The reason for the arrests is not yet known[64].

September 29, Almaty city, the list of persons detained on September 29.09.2024 within the framework of criminal case in Almaty city was published. The list was prepared by Toregozhina B.A.[65]

September 29, 12 people were detained in the cities of Almaty, Astana and Talgar. They were taken to the city Police Departments as part of a criminal case. The detainees are being held in the city Police Departments. Some of them were released on their own recognizance[66].

September 30, Astana, Majilis deputy Yermurat B. said that parliamentarians expect answers from law enforcement agencies about the detention of activists ahead of the referendum on the nuclear power plant (NPP) in Kazakhstan[67].

September 30, Akimats in Almaty and Ridder denied permission for activists to hold rallies against the construction of a nuclear power plant in Kazakhstan on the day of the referendum. Akimats did not give permission for activists in Almaty to hold a similar rally on 6 October, said Nauryzbaev A, a member of the “AES Kerek Emes” platform, which opposes the construction of a nuclear power plant in Kazakhstan[68].

September 30, Astana, civil activist Kopeyev Zh. was arrested ahead of the referendum on building the nuclear plant and is awaiting trial[69].

September 30, Kostanai city, S. Zinchenko, Article 73-3, Part 2 of the Code of Administrative Offences of the RK: the court found the activist guilty of defamation on the basis of the testimony of a local resident and arrested him in the courtroom for 20 days[70].

[1] https://vlast.kz/novosti/61665-pravitelstvo-resilo-ne-priglasat-zurnalistov-na-zasedanie-po-realizacii-poslania-tokaeva.html

[2] https://rus.azattyq.org/a/33102776.html

[3] https://kaztag.kz/ru/news/balaeva-ushla-ot-otveta-na-vopros-zhurnalistov-o-novykh-pravilakh-akkreditatsii-smi

[4] https://bureau.kz/novosti/po-natorennoj-dorozhke/

[5] https://cpj.org/2024/09/cpj-concerned-by-kazakhstans-restrictive-new-media-accreditation/?fbclid=IwY2xjawFFpONleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHWjWblQ9wxGLntc3TItJf1kInEzMluV3T-bn-dQRdz2ySi2NAQeaehXIFg_aem_cD5BIWiiuD5dmpHI_scTAQ

[6] https://rus.azattyq.org/a/33105052.html

[7] https://bureau.kz/novosti/konstituczionnyj-sud-rk-proverit/

[8] https://adilsoz.kz/weekly-monitoring/narusheniya-svobody-slova-v-kazahstane-s-29-avgusta-po-5-sentyabrya-20.html

[9]https://www.facebook.com/GulmiraBirzhanova/posts/pfbid02g2oPALvPHx9YUPNaeoNyikWb2qUwu99pKqMKDhcPZAwSnr8RZSuVCYgSmy8M8PSyl

[10] https://kaztag.kz/ru/news/soyuz-zhurnalistov-kazakhstana-o-novykh-pravilakh-opaseniya-opravdalis

[11] https://www.facebook.com/sanzhar.bokayev/videos/1039430957893781/

[12]https://www.facebook.com/GulmiraBirzhanova/posts/pfbid02KVyPdDekWk2j4fYWQ49EcYpuTvrWnK4rEPEYz17ELrSaNtLymz7spXDNRsuAYbRWl