kazakhstan

Larisa Chen 01.03.23

A shocking forecast made for Kazakhstan back in 2018 has come true: the country has entered the phase of man-made disasters because of the wear of public utilities. CABAR.asia together with the honoured power engineer of the Republic of Kazakhstan and author of the Telegram channel “Haırýshev energy”, Zhakyp Hairushev,  are figuring out why disasters have become possible and how the country should recover from the crisis. (more…)

Irina Osipova 09.02.23

Kazakhstan-based businesses have used the sanctions of the western countries against Russia in its favour. In January-October 2022, trading companies of Kazakhstan sold electronics and mobile phones to its neighbour for over 575 million dollars. This is 18 times more than that in the same period of 2021.

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Zulfiya Raissova 26.01.23

In 2022, Kazakhstan rose in the press freedom index from 155 to 122 out of 180 countries. Despite this fact, violation of the rights of journalists continues, with increased cases of threats and intimidations of journalists. In January 2023, five attacks were committed against mass media workers in Kazakhstan. (more…)

The government of the Republic of Kazakhstan is remaking the law “On news media” into the law “On mass media”. CABAR.asia figures out why the authorities try to qualify all digital content creators as mass media, what will change for bloggers, and what other innovations the law will bring. (more…)

Andrey Grishin 17.01.23

In Kazakhstan, those convicted for “religion-related” offences under the Criminal Code have little chances to be released early and even after their release they continue to incur out-of-court punishments. (more…)

Anar Bekbassova 09.01.23

On December 23, 2022, the president of Kazakhstan Kasym-Zhomart Tokayev surrounded by companions walked through the Almaty-based Republic Square with a gloomy face. The memorial “Tagzym” (“Bowing”) in the memory of the tragedy of January events was built in a matter of days on the square. In early 2022, the largest in the history of sovereign Kazakhstan civil protest took place in that square. (more…)

Kazakhstan has a paradoxical situation: citizens are punished for dissemination of religious non-extremist materials. One can even get fined for selling Quran or the New Testament on classifieds sites or for publishing an interview with the clergy. (more…)

Anar Bekbassova 08.12.22

A lamb sacrificed in memory of those who died during the January events lies in front of President Tokayev wearing a business suit. Imam sits near the president, and officials sit behind them. This photo is probably the most accurate portrayal of what happens to secularism in Kazakhstan. The authorities demonstrate their piousness, at the same time speaking continuously about the secularism of the state and maintaining strict control over the religious sphere. Does the situation need to be changed? (more…)

Nuray Ozaeva 17.11.22

Snap presidential election are taking place on November 20 in the country, and the outcome is foregone, according to many Kazakhstanis. (more…)

Dana Buralkieva 16.11.22

The insufficient protection of biometric data in Kazakhstan poses threats to citizens’ personal security. There is also the possibility that the authorities could use such data to increase control over society, said Dana Buralkieva, an independent researcher and expert on digital human rights and freedoms and participant of the CABAR.asia School of Analytics. (more…)