Human Rights Watch
Authorities in Kazakhstan have targeted at least 135 people across the country with criminal investigations and prosecutions for alleged participation in banned “extremist” political opposition groups, Human Rights Watch said today.
Over the last three years, the authorities have increased their misuse of vague and overbroad criminal charges relating to the crime of “extremism” to harass and prosecute government critics. The crackdown violates the rights to freedom of expression and association.
“It is not a crime to want to see political change in Kazakhstan, or to peacefully express sympathy or support for political opposition groups advocating those changes,” said Mihra Rittmann, senior Central Asia researcher at Human Rights Watch. “Kazakh authorities have effectively criminalized the expression of nonviolent political views, and in doing so, blatantly violated fundamental human rights.”
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Two More Activists Added To Political Prisoners List In Kazakhstan
May 19, 2021 08:08 GMT
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ALMATY, Kazakhstan Kazakh human rights organizations have added two activists to a list they keep of political prisoners in the oil-rich Central Asian nation, bringing the total number to 28.
The two activists added to the list on May 19 are Nurbol Onerkhan from the North Kazakhstan region and Zhanibek Zhunisov from the capital, Nur-Sultan.
Onerkhan was given a parole-like freedom limitation sentence last year for allegedly being involved in the activities of the Democratic Choice of Kazakhstan (DVK) movement and its affiliate, the Street party. Both groups have been labeled as extremist organizations and banned in Kazakhstan.