Human rights in Kazakhstan

The human rights situation in Kazakhstan has been an area of concern for many outside governmental and non-governmental observers. Observer group Freedom House ranks this former Soviet state with a 6 in Political Rights and a 5 in Civil Liberties (scale of 1-7; 1 is the highest), denoting it as "Not Free."

The website of the US Embassy in Kazakhstan notes that in 2004-2005 the Kazakhstan government's human-rights record "remained poor," and "the Government continued to commit numerous abuses." [http://www.usembassy.kz/documents/support-hrr-kaz-en.html Retrieved 30 Nov 2006.]

Kazakhstan's political structure concentrates power in the presidency. Current President Nursultan Nazarbayev was elected to a 7-year term in a 2006 election that, many observers note, fell far short of international standards. [http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2004/41689.htm] The legislature and judiciary, as well as regional and local governments are not independent from executive control, and changes or amendments to the Constitution require presidential consent. No opposition parties are represented in the Lower House of Parliament. Corruption remains systemic.

While civilian authorities maintained effective control of the security forces, members of the security forces are reported to have committed human rights abuses. On some occasions, members of the security forces, including police, tortured, beat, and otherwise mistreated detainees; some officials were punished for these abuses. Prison conditions remained harsh; however, the Government took an active role in efforts to improve prison conditions and the treatment of prisoners. The Government continued to use arbitrary arrest and detention and to selectively prosecute political opponents; prolonged detention was a problem. Amendments to several laws governing the authority of procurators further eroded judicial independence. The Government infringed on citizens' privacy rights. [http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2004/41689.htm]

In November 2005, a former minister in the Nazarbayev government, Zamanbek K. Nurkadilov, who had stated he planned to speak publicly about high-level corruption, was found shot dead according to accounts by police and an opposition leader, the New York Times reported. His death came three weeks prior to upcoming presidential elections. Nurkadilov had been fired from his position as minister of emergency situations in 2004, after saying that President Nazarbayev ought to answer allegations that Kazakh officials had accepted millions of US dollars in bribes from an intermediary for U.S. oil firms in the 1990s. [http://www.nytimes.com/2005/11/14/international/asia/14kazakhstan.html]

Politics, freedom of speech and the press

Political expression was reported to be restricted in Kazakhstan in the months leading up to presidential elections in December, according to observers, including Human Rights Watch and Freedom House. [http://www.freedomhouse.org/media/pressrel/111405.htm] Kazakh authorities reportedly attempted to restrict freedom of speech and shut down independent media and civil society groups. In September, the Vremya printing house unexpectedly cancelled contracts with seven newspapers, with no explanation given. Likewise, other printing firms in Kazakhstan's former capital, Almaty, also refused to print the publications. After a week-long hunger strike by the editors of these papers, the Daur publishing house agreed to publish five of the newspapers. Virtually all of Kazakhstan's broadcast media are owned by firms closely associated with the government; newspapers are some of the few sources of independent reporting. [http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/69862/]

It is reported that independent media have been targeted in several government lawsuits alleging journalists of "insulting officials' 'honor and dignity'", according to Human Rights Watch. At least four newspapers face legal action for criticism of officials. Likewise, Internet media have also been targeted, with access to websites critical of Kazakh President Nazarbaev and his policies having been blocked over recent months.

New national security laws in Kazakhstan limit free expression, Human Rights Watch (HRW) reports. The country's "Law on Mass Media" contain what may be "deliberately vague language" that may leave the legislation open to abuse for political purposes.

Additionally, over 30 civil society groups and NGOs have faced tax investigations and allegations of transferring Western aid money to political opposition parties.

Some outsider observers, including HRW, have noted increasing anxiety in the Kazakh government after recent democratic revolutions in former Soviet states including Georgia, Ukraine and Kyrgyzstan. Efforts to restrict dissent ahead of the 2 December 2005 elections may have indicated the government's attempt to prevent such transformation from occurring in Kazakhstan. [http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/69862/]

Right to Fair Trial

According to a US government reported issued in March 2007, in Kazakhstan " [t] he law does not adequately provide for an independent judiciary. The executive branch limited judicial independence. Procurators enjoyed a quasi-judicial role and were permitted to suspend court decisions. . . . Corruption was evident at every stage and level of the judicial process. Although judges were among the most highly paid government employees, lawyers and human rights monitors alleged that judges, procurators, and other officials solicited bribes in exchange for favorable rulings in the majority of criminal cases." ["Country Reports on Human Rights Practices - 2006: Kazakhstan," Released by the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor. http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2006/78820.htm. Retrieved on July 31, 2007]

Religious freedom

The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the various religious communities worship largely without government interference. The generally amicable relationship among religions in Kazakh society contributes to religious freedom. Despite all this, the Government has encouraged local officials to limit the practice of religion by some nontraditional groups.

Forum 18, the Oslo-based religious-rights organization, reported in 2005 that Protestant groups and Hare Krishna followers, as well as Islamic groups not controlled by the state, have been targets of state hostility.

In 2005 and 2006 the state had persistently and repeatedly tried to close down the only Hare Krishna farming community in the entire Commonwealth of Independent States.

On November 20, 2006, three buses full of riot police, two ambulances, two empty lorries, and executors of the Karasai district arrived at the community in sub-zero weather and evicted the Hare Krishna followers from thirteen homes, which the police proceeded to demolish.

The Forum 18 News Service reported, "Riot police who took part in the destruction threw personal belongings of the Hare Krishna devotees into the snow, and many devotees were left without clothes. Power for lighting and heating systems had been cut off before the demolition began. Furniture and larger household belongings were loaded onto trucks. Officials said these possessions would be destroyed. Two men who tried to prevent the bailiffs from entering a house to destroy it were seized by 15 police officers who twisted their hands and took them away to the police car." [http://www.forum18.org/Archive.php?article_id=876]

The Hare Krishna community had been promised that no action would be taken before the report of a state commission – supposedly set up to resolve the dispute – was made public. On the day the demolition began, the commission's chairman, Amanbek Mukhashev, told Forum 18, "I know nothing about the demolition of the Hare Krishna homes – I'm on holiday." He added, "As soon as I return to work at the beginning of December we will officially announce the results of the Commission's investigation." Other officials also refused to comment.

Notes

ee also

*Central Asia Health Review
*Sergei Duvanov

External links

:Human rights reports
* [http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/181/ Censorship in Kazakhstan] - IFEX
* [http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2004/41689.htm 2004 Report on Human Rights in Kazakhstan. - US Government]
* [http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2006/78820.htm 2006 Report on Human Rights in Kazakhstan. - US Government]
* [http://www.freedomhouse.org/research/freeworld/2004/countryratings/kazakhstan.htm 2004 Human Rights Report on Kazakhstan] - Freedom House
* [http://www.forum18.org/Archive.php?article_id=701 Kazakhstan: Religious freedom survey, December 2005] - Forum 18
* [http://newsite.irinnews.org/country.aspx?CountryCode=KZ&RegionCode=ASI Kazakhstan: Humanitarian Country Profile] - UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

:News articles
* [http://www.forum18.org/Archive.php?article_id=494 KAZAKHSTAN: No under-18s to attend worship or Sunday School] (Forum 18) January 20, 2005
* [http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/international/AP-Kazakhstan-Election.html Kazakh Diplomat Praises Presidential Vote] - (AP) New York Times 21 November 2005
* [http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-12/04/content_3874287.htm Kazakhstan's presidential election kicks off] (Xinhua) 4 December 2005.
* [http://www.nytimes.com/2005/12/04/politics/04democracy.html?pagewanted=all Pro-Democracy Groups Are Harassed in Central Asia] New York Times. Dec. 3, 2005.
* [http://www.nytimes.com/2005/12/22/international/22briefs.html?pagewanted=all|Kazakhstan: Opposition Party Excluded] New York Times. Dec. 22, 2005.
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/6169041.stm Concern over Kazakh religious row] (bbc.co.uk) Dec. 11
* [http://www.forum18.org/Archive.php?article_id=848 KAZAKHSTAN: More fines for Baptists] (Forum 18) October 2, 2006
* [http://www.forum18.org/Archive.php?article_id=871 KAZAKHSTAN: Expelled for "missionary activity without registration"] (concerning a Presbyterian pastor) (Forum 18) November 15, 2006
* [http://www.rferl.org/featuresarticle/2006/11/1BC2B4F5-C8D3-4F04-BD3F-D6DA1B012C36.html Kazakhs Bulldoze Hare Krishna Commune] (Radio Free Europe/ Radio Liberty) November 21, 2006
* [http://www.forum18.org/Archive.php?article_id=873 KAZAKHSTAN: State bulldozes Hare Krishna commune, bids to chair OSCE] (Forum 18) November 21, 2006
* [http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-492358321739877391&q=kazakhstan+krishna Video of destruction of Hare Krishna homes] (Google Video)
* [http://www.osce.org/item/22228.html OSCE press release on destruction of Hare Krishna property] November 27, 2006
* [http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2006/12/07/asia/AS_GEN_Kazakhstan_Hare_Krishna.php U.S. Embassy urges Kazakh authorities to end harassment of Hare Krishna] International Herald Tribune December 7, 2006
* [http://en.wikinews.org/wiki/International_response_to_demolition_of_Hare_Krishna_property_in_Kazakhstan International response to demolition of Hare Krishna property in Kazakhstan] (Wiki-news article) Dec. 12, 2006
* [http://www.forum18.org/Archive.php?article_id=954 KAZAKHSTAN: "Economic war" to crush Baptists?] (Forum 18) May 11, 2007