Statement Of Human Rights Groups On Events in Kazakhstan

To the President K.-J. Tokayev

To the international community

Statement Of Human Rights Groups On Events in Kazakhstan

January 5, 2022

On January 2–4, 2022, rallies are held in many cities and rural areas of Kazakhstan. Expressing one’s will in the form of protest is the sovereign right of the people of Kazakhstan and each of its citizens.  The protesters are demanding not only a reduction in the price of gas, but the resignation of the government, the removal of Nazarbayev and his family from governing the country, the release of political prisoners, the return of the stolen wealth to the people and political reforms with the participation of representatives of the opposition and civil society.

We are receiving alarming signals about the possible use of weapons and violence against protesters, as well as the use of the armed forces of Kazakhstan by the authorities to suppress the protest.

We, human rights defenders, appeal to the leadership of the Republic of Kazakhstan to stop forceful and military methods of suppressing legitimate and justified indignation of protesters, and call for immediate measures to be taken for a peaceful settlement of the conflict through negotiations.

Regardless of the situation, the state is obliged to guarantee every citizen their rights and freedoms, and first of all the right to life, physical integrity, freedom of speech and assembly. Detained protesters must be released immediately.

We call on the authorities to renounce violence and not to repeat the mistakes of December 2011, when unarmed people were shot in the city of Zhanaozen and the village of Shetpe.

The main task of the authorities should be to restore the trust of the people, for this it is urgent to ensure access to mobile and Internet communications, to stop the persecution of activists, independent media and journalists.

We appeal to international organizations and the media provide as much as possible coverage of the events taking place in the Republic of Kazakhstan, to break the information blockade, to take an active part in monitoring the observance of human rights and their protection;

We also appeal to the diplomatic missions of democratic countries to call on the authorities of Kazakhstan to dialogue and make every effort to peacefully resolve the current conflict.

Freedom of Eurasia, Austria

Liberty, Kazakhstan

Ar.Rukh.Khak, Kazakhstan

Coalition of Civil Society of Kazakhstan “Dongelek Ustel”, Kazakhstan

School of Law, Kyrgyzstan

Public Organization “Expert Group “SOVA”, Ukraine

Association of Central Asia, Sweden

Charitable Foundation for Assistance to Prisoners and Their Families “Imprisoned Russia”, Russian Federation

Eurasia Democracy Initiative, USA

Turkmen Initiative for Human Rights

Institute of Public Analysis, Kyrgyzstan

TurkmeniaUnite

The Center for Civil Liberties, Ukraine

Project “No Borders”, Ukraine

Original statement