Political situation in Kazakhstan: human rights and assistance to evade sanctions for Russia

Written declaration No. 784 | Doc. 15850 | 17 October 2023

Signatories:

Mr Paul GAVAN, Ireland, UEL ; Ms Petra BAYR, Austria, SOC ; Mr Iulian BULAI, Romania, ALDE ; Mr Constantinos EFSTATHIOU, Cyprus, SOC ; Ms Christiana EROTOKRITOU, Cyprus, SOC ; Ms Sascha FAXE, Denmark, SOC ; Ms Aurora FLORIDIA, Italy, SOC ; Mr Gerardo GIOVAGNOLI, San Marino, SOC ; Mr Mogens JENSEN, Denmark, SOC ; Mr Reinhold LOPATKA, Austria, EPP/CD ; Mr Max LUCKS, Germany, SOC ; Mr Simon MOUTQUIN, Belgium, SOC ; Mr Joseph O'REILLY, Ireland, EPP/CD ; Mr Andrea ORLANDO, Italy, SOC ; Mr George PAPANDREOU, Greece, SOC ; Ms Agnes Sirkka PRAMMER, Austria, SOC ; Mr Stefan SCHENNACH, Austria, SOC ; Mr Nicos TORNARITIS, Cyprus, EPP/CD ; Mr Francesco VERDUCCI, Italy, SOC ; Mr Markus WIECHEL, Sweden, EC/DA ; Ms Sandra ZAMPA, Italy, SOC

This written declaration commits only those who have signed it.

We, the undersigned, declare the following:

Despite international calls, Kazakhstani authorities failed to conduct an independent international investigation into the violent crackdown on nationwide protests. The role of the Russia-led military intervention following President Tokayev’s request to President Putin and the order to shoot without warning in January 2022 remains unclear.

Human rights defenders reported about the lack of accountability for 329 criminal cases of torture and at least 47 political prisoners such as victims of torture Timur Danebayev, Akylzhan Kiysymbayev and Kazybek Kudaibergenov; political hostage Bekizhan Mendygaziyev, activists Kairat Klyshev, Aigerim Tleuzhan, Yerkin Kaziyev and Shaden Karibayev; journalist Duman Mukhametkarim.

Moreover, for exposing the scale of Kazakhstan’s assistance to Russia in circumventing sanctions, Kazakhstan intensified its political persecution of human rights defenders from Open Dialogue Foundation, and opposition leaders Marat Zhylanbayev and Mukhtar Ablyazov. As reported, a key factor enabling Russia to evade sanctions and bolster its military-industrial complex is the circumvention of sanctions through third-party countries, specifically, through Kazakhstan. According to Ukrainian military reports and watchdogs, by exploiting these channels, Russia continues to produce and escalate its weapon production volumes.

We call on the Parliamentary Assembly to analyse and address the above-mentioned issues of human rights violations and Kazakhstan’s assistance to evade sanctions for Russia.