Kazakhstan urged to stop journalist persecution amid rights group appeal

Kazakhstan's President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev is facing international pressure regarding the treatment of journalists and independent media within the country. Six prominent international human rights organizations and press freedom associations have jointly appealed to the president, urging him to intervene and halt what they describe as increasing pressure on the media. The organizations specifically pointed to the use of Article 274 of the Criminal Code, which criminalizes the dissemination of knowingly false information, as a tool to suppress journalistic activity. They noted that this article's broad wording allows for imprisonment of up to three years, and several prominent media figures are currently under house arrest under this provision.

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the wave of arrests that began in December 2025 directly contradicts the concept of the president’s proclaimed reform program “New Kazakhstan” and the principles of the rule of law.

The joint statement, which includes organizations like the Committee to Protect Journalists and the International Press Institute, emphasizes that the recent wave of arrests, beginning in December 2025, directly contradicts President Tokayev's proclaimed reform program, "New Kazakhstan," and the principles of the rule of law. Human rights defenders are particularly alarmed by the application of this article, citing specific cases such as Gulnara Bazhkenova, founder of Orda.kz, who faces trial for statements made about government corruption. Her case is marked by alleged harassment, including the sending of funeral wreaths and the spread of deepfake videos, and her lawyer was reportedly stripped of his license. The editorial team of the KazTAG agency is also experiencing similar pressure, with its editor-in-chief under house arrest following a complaint from Freedom Finance, and its director reportedly attacked and arrested on hooliganism charges.

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Due to its excessively broad wording, this provision has become a tool of pressure, allowing journalists to be imprisoned for up to three years.

International observers are concerned that these repressions are not isolated incidents but have become systemic. This is evidenced by mass denials of accreditation to journalists from "Radio Azattyk," the blocking of the ResPublika portal, and the closure of the Airan project. From our perspective at Asia-Plus, while the government may frame these actions as necessary for maintaining order or combating misinformation, the international outcry suggests a significant disconnect between Kazakhstan's stated commitment to reform and the reality on the ground for independent journalists. The use of broad legal provisions to silence critics and the alleged harassment tactics raise serious questions about the state of press freedom in the country, a concern that resonates deeply within our region where media independence is often a hard-won battle. The international community's demand for transparency in these cases underscores the global scrutiny Kazakhstan faces as it navigates its path forward.

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funeral wreaths were sent to the journalist, and deepfake videos with false messages about her suicide were spread online.