Ongoing concerns about lack of impartial investigations into "Bloody January’’ events

This is an update on developments affecting the freedoms of expression, association and peaceful assembly in Kazakhstan from March to May 2022. It has been prepared by International Partnership for Human Rights (IPHR) and Kazakhstan International Bureau for Human Rights and Rule of Law (KIBHR) as part of their cooperation with the CIVICUS Monitor. Kazakhstan is currently on the CIVICUS Monitor Watchlist due to a rapid decline in civic freedoms.

During the reporting period, the fallout from the ‘’Bloody January’’ 2022 events continued to evolve. While the authorities have pledged to ensure that reported abuses are investigated, an ongoing concern was the lack of effective, impartial and thorough investigations into allegations of the use of excessive force to end the January protests and unrest, arbitrary detentions of protesters, as well as due process violations, torture and ill-treatment of people detained during these events.

Hundreds of people remained under investigation on criminal charges relating to the January events. Among these are activists who are facing charges believed to be in retaliation for their legitimate civic, human rights and pro-democracy engagement. The trials against some activists began in May 2022. Two Shymkent-based activists were convicted on charges of rioting, although they both insisted that they only peacefully protested to voice misgivings about socio-economic problems and call for political change. Some activists have been charged with the broadly worded offence of ‘’knowingly spreading false information”, which has been repeatedly used to stifle free speech.

In the aftermath of the January events, President Tokayev has vowed to promote political modernisation and create ‘’a new Kazakhstan’’ (for more background information, see our previous update). As part of this initiative, a constitutional referendum was organised on 5th June 2022. .However, at the same time, fundamental freedoms continue to be seriously violated in the country.

During the reporting period, supporters of opposition movements continued to face persecution, and the pre-trial detention of opposition leader Zhanbolat Mamai was prolonged on criminal charges widely condemned as politically motivated. On 8th June 2022, additional, spurious charges related to the January 2022 events were initiated against him.

The authorities also continued to selectively deny permission for peaceful protests, and dispersed peaceful, unsanctioned assemblies whose participants protested against the war in Ukraine, demanded the release of political prisoners and called attention to other issues that are inconvenient to those in power.

Civil society actors working on documenting and assisting victims of violations committed in connection with the January events faced various obstacles, including lack of transparency by authorities and incidents of intimidation and harassment.

The adoption of legislation introducing new restrictions on the operation of social media and messenger applications in the name of preventing cyberbullying reinforced concerns about increasing attempts to stifle free speech on online platforms.