Exclusive: in an interview with openDemocracy, veteran human rights defender Yevgeniy Zhovtis spoke about how Kazakhstan's tumultuous protests started – and ended – this week
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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