As Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev visits Brussels this week, International Partnership for Human Rights (IPHR) and Kazakhstan International Bureau for Human Rights and Rule of Law (KIBHR) have called on EU leaders to ensure that human rights concerns are addressed prominently and consistently in discussions with him and in broader engagement with Kazakhstan’s government. During his visit on 22-23 June 2026, President Tokayev is scheduled to hold talks with European Council President António Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
In a joint letter addressed to Costa and von der Leyen, as well as EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas ahead of the visit, the two organisations noted that the meetings come at a time of deepening EU-Kazakhstan relations. With the EU being Kazakhstan’s largest trade and investment partner, cooperation is expanding in areas of strategic importance such as energy, critical raw materials, connectivity, digital transformation and environmental protection. Reflecting current geopolitical realities, the EU has also sought Kazakhstan’s support on broader security issues, including efforts to address the circumvention of sanctions imposed on Russia.
In their letter, IPHR and KIBHR emphasised that, as EU-Kazakhstan cooperation continues to evolve, it is essential that respect for human rights remains central to the relationship, in line with the Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (EPCA). The organisations urged the EU to use discussions with President Tokayev and other engagements with Kazakhstan’s government to seek concrete progress on pressing concerns.
The organisations highlighted in particular the following issues requiring EU attention:
Crackdown on critics of constitutional reform
While presented as part of the government’s political modernisation agenda, the March 2026 constitutional referendum was preceded by a rushed, non-transparent and non-inclusive process that provided little opportunity for meaningful public debate. Individuals who criticised the proposed constitutional changes or sought to encourage discussion about them faced reprisals, including detention, questioning, pressure to remove online content, fines and short-term deprivation of liberty.
Among those targeted is lawyer Orazaly Erzhanov, who advocated a “smart boycott” of the referendum. Last month he was sentenced to four years of restricted freedom and a five-year ban on public activities for allegedly “obstructing the exercise of electoral rights”.
Growing pressure on independent media and online expression
Independent media outlets have repeatedly been subjected to cyberattacks and other forms of interference. Several news sites experienced targeted attacks linked to their reporting on constitutional reform, while websites operated by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty became inaccessible across Kazakhstan in May 2026 following the publication of an investigation linking relatives of President Tokayev to a construction company awarded major government tenders.
Critical social media accounts and content have increasingly been suspended or removed for alleged violations of platform rules based on apparently orchestrated complaints.
Criminal prosecution of journalists, activists and government critics
In an alarming trend, criminal law has increasingly been used to intimidate and silence journalists, bloggers, human rights defenders, opposition supporters and other critical voices, often under broadly worded offences such as the dissemination of “false information”, “incitement of discord” and “extremist” activities.
The letter highlights several cases of particular concern illustrating this trend.
Targeted in a recent wave of arrests of journalists, Orda.kz and KazTAG chief editors Gulnara Bazhkenova and Amir Kasenov both face “false information” charges linked to their investigative reporting on corruption, sanctions evasion and other issues sensitive to those in power.
Opposition activist Marat Zhylanbayev and journalist-activist Duman Mukhamedkarim are serving seven-year prison sentences imposed on extremism-related charges following unfair proceedings. More recently, Zhylanbayev’s fellow activist Amangeldy Jahin also received a seven-year sentence in a similar case.
The conviction of 19 activists associated with the Atajurt movement on “incitement” charges over a peaceful protest was upheld on appeal in early June 2026, despite criticism from human rights organisations and international experts regarding the unfounded nature of the charges. In a separate case, Atajurt activist Gulnaz Serikbayeva is currently on trial on similar charges.
Orthodox priest Yakov Vorontsov was forcibly transferred to a psychiatric institution in May 2026 after being detained on drug-related charges believed to be retaliation for his opposition to Russia’s war against Ukraine and his efforts to establish an independent Orthodox community.
Pressure on civil society and LGBTIQ+ advocates
Kazakhstan’s declining civic space is currently rated as “repressed” by the CIVICUS Monitor.
New regulations expanding state oversight of organisations receiving foreign grants, together with a new constitutional requirement for NGOs to publicly disclose all foreign funding, risk further stigmatising such groups and contributing to undue interference in their activities.
At the same time, an ongoing clampdown on the right to peaceful assembly has effectively curtailed the use of such gatherings as a channel for dialogue with the authorities.
The broadly worded ban on so-called “LGBTIQ+ propaganda”, which entered into force in March 2026, has already contributed to increased pressure on activists defending LGBTIQ+ rights and restrictions on information relating to such issues.
LGBTIQ+ rights groups have continued to be denied registration, while defender Zhanar Sekerbayeva was recently fined following an unfounded complaint filed by a prominent anti-LGBTIQ+ advocate.
Lack of accountability for serious violations
Widespread impunity persists for torture, excessive force and other human rights violations committed during the January 2022 events, despite repeated calls by international human rights bodies for enhanced efforts to bring perpetrators to justice.
In a case of transnational repression, accountability remains elusive for the killing of exiled Kazakhstani journalist Aidos Sadykov in Kyiv two years ago, while his widow, journalist Natalia Sadykova, has continued to face intimidation.
Recommendations to the EU
IPHR and KIBHR urge EU leaders to raise the individual cases highlighted in the letter, seek the release of those imprisoned for the peaceful exercise of fundamental rights, and insist on an end to the misuse of broadly worded criminal offences against journalists, activists and government critics.
The organisations also urge the EU to address restrictions on media freedom, digital rights and civic space; call for the repeal of the so-called “LGBTIQ+ propaganda” ban; and press for full accountability for human rights violations linked to the January 2022 events, as well as for acts of transnational repression.
The full letter to EU leaders is available HERE.
