Logo Assembly Logo Hemicycle

The Parliamentary Assembly should support Kazakhstan to continue its democratic reforms

Doc. 16245: compendium of written amendments | Doc. 16245 | 30/09/2025 | Final version

Caption: AdoptedRejectedWithdrawnNo electronic votes

ADraft Resolution

1The Parliamentary Assembly refers to its Resolution 1506 (2006) “External relations of the Council of Europe” and reiterates its commitment to enhancing the role of the Council of Europe in promoting democracy, the rule of law and respect for human rights beyond its borders, in particular in neighbouring regions, as an essential contribution to security, stability and development.
2The Assembly recalls its Resolutions 1526 (2006) “Situation in Kazakhstan and relations with the Council of Europe” and 2193 (2017) “The relations of the Council of Europe with Kazakhstan” and reiterates its view of Kazakhstan as one of the pillars of stability in the Euro-Asian region. This role has gained particular relevance in the increasingly strained geopolitical environment that has emerged following the Russian Federation's unprovoked war of aggression against Ukraine. It further notes Kazakhstan’s growing international profile, supported by its strategic geographic location and balanced foreign policy, and welcomes Kazakhstan’s contributions to international diplomacy.

30 September 2025

Tabled by Mr Max LUCKS, Ms Filiz POLAT, Mr Julian JOSWIG, Mr Mogens JENSEN, Ms Agnes Sirkka PRAMMER, Ms Kristina IKIĆ BANIČEK

Votes: 62 in favor 67 against 2 abstentions

In the draft resolution, paragraph 2, replace the last sentence with the following sentences:

"The Assembly further recalls its Resolution 2540 (2024) "Alexei Navalny’s death and the need to counter Vladimir Putin’s totalitarian regime and its war on democracy", expressing concern regarding the sharp increase in the import of microchips by Kazakhstan and corresponding exports to the Russian Federation. It is equally alarmed by the large quantities of crude oil exported from the Russian Federation to India and subsequently sold onwards to the West."

3The Assembly reiterates its commitment to the 2004 Co-operation Agreement with the Parliament of Kazakhstan which, in the last two decades, has served as a cornerstone for enhancing interparliamentary dialogue and fostering mutual understanding between the Council of Europe and Kazakhstan. It welcomes the commitment by the Parliament of Kazakhstan to uphold and further develop the structured dialogue with the Assembly, as underscored in the joint declaration by the President of the Assembly and the Speaker of the Senate of the Parliament of Kazakhstan on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the agreement.
4The Assembly further welcomes the commitment of Kazakhstan’s political leadership to democratic transformation of the country and takes positive note of the constitutional and legislative reforms undertaken since 2019. It particularly commends Kazakhstan for the abolition of the death penalty in 2022, which has been one of the Assembly’s key demands from the outset of the establishment of its relations with the Parliament of Kazakhstan.

30 September 2025

Tabled by Mr Max LUCKS, Ms Filiz POLAT, Mr Julian JOSWIG, Mr Mogens JENSEN, Ms Agnes Sirkka PRAMMER, Ms Kristina IKIĆ BANIČEK

Votes: 63 in favor 62 against 4 abstentions

In the draft resolution, at the end of paragraph 4, insert the following sentence:

"At the same time, the Assembly deplores credible reports that Kazakhstan has recently acquired and deployed commercial-scale internet censorship and surveillance infrastructure from China, severely restricting free expression and digital rights. These systems reportedly include deep packet inspection, real-time subscriber monitoring, website and application filtering, regional traffic control, internet throttling and blackouts, VPN detection, and the ability to target individuals based on online activity—capabilities which researchers have characterised as "terrifying" and far in excess of any legitimate, lawful interception framework."

5The Assembly welcomes the comprehensive co-operation between Kazakhstan and the Council of Europe within the framework of the Neighbourhood Co-operation Priorities, which has served as a valuable instrument for aligning the Kazakh legislation with Council of Europe’s standards. In this context, the Assembly takes positive note of the adoption of the current Neighbourhood Co-operation Priorities 2024-2027, which outlines an expanded range of areas for co-operation, including justice reform, anti-corruption measures, promotion of human rights, and support for democratic governance, inter alia through the co-operation with the Assembly. The Assembly expects that this broadened scope will lead to deeper engagement with Council of Europe standards and mechanisms, as well as tangible progress in the implementation of key reforms.

30 September 2025

Tabled by Mr Max LUCKS, Ms Filiz POLAT, Mr Julian JOSWIG, Mr Mogens JENSEN, Ms Agnes Sirkka PRAMMER, Ms Kristina IKIĆ BANIČEK

Votes: 67 in favor 65 against 3 abstentions

In the draft resolution, paragraph 5, replace the second sentence with the following sentence:

"At the same time, the Assembly expects tangible progress in justice reform, anti-corruption measures, promotion of human rights, and support for democratic governance, inter alia through the co-operation with the Assembly, in particular: releasing 39 political prisoners, individuals targeted for their involvement in peaceful protests, civil society and anti-corruption activities, social media publications, or their support of peaceful opposition movements; fulfilling obligations to ensure freedom of political association and to stop the domestic and transnational persecution of representatives of the peaceful political opposition movements "Democratic Choice of Kazakhstan", "Koshe Partiyasy" and "Alga Kazakhstan", as recalled in the European Parliament Resolutions of 20 January 2022 on the situation in Kazakhstan and of 17 January 2024 on the European Union strategy on Central Asia."

6The Assembly highly appreciates the fact that Kazakhstan is party to a growing number of Council of Europe conventions and instruments and has requested to accede to a number of others. The Assembly has particularly taken note of Kazakhstan’s request for a two-year extension of the invitation to accede to the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (CETS No. 210, “Istanbul Convention”), with the expressed aim to continue aligning its legislation and acceding the convention thereafter. The Assembly is determined to follow up on this issue in due course.
7The Assembly recalls that the 2004 Co-operation Agreement with the Parliament of Kazakhstan aims at promoting the principles of parliamentary democracy, the rule of law and respect for human rights as well as fundamental freedoms in the country. In this context, it takes careful note of reports about ongoing challenges in these areas. In particular, it emphasises the importance of ensuring genuine political pluralism, enhancing the independence of the judiciary, strengthening the freedom of expression and creating an environment that enables civil society to flourish. The Assembly also underscores the necessity of holding those accountable for past human rights violations, including those associated with the January 2022 events, and of further strengthening safeguards against torture and ill-treatment.

30 September 2025

Tabled by Mr Max LUCKS, Ms Filiz POLAT, Mr Julian JOSWIG, Mr Mogens JENSEN, Ms Agnes Sirkka PRAMMER, Ms Kristina IKIĆ BANIČEK

If adopted, amendment 6 falls.

Votes: 69 in favor 66 against 2 abstentions

In the draft resolution, replace paragraph 7 with the following paragraph:

"The Assembly recalls that the 2004 Co-operation Agreement with the Parliament of Kazakhstan commits to the principles of parliamentary democracy, the rule of law, and fundamental freedoms. The Assembly expresses grave concern at the Ministry of Justice’s persistent refusal to register the peaceful opposition party “Alga Kazakhstan” for the twenty-fifth time and condemns the criminalisation of fundraising for opposition campaigns and the weaponisation of financial and anti-money laundering measures to restrict critics’ access to essential services and employment. The Assembly calls for the full rehabilitation and immediate release of imprisoned opposition leaders like Marat Zhylanbayev, Askar Sembai, Asylbek Zhamuratov, Aidar Syzdykov, Asanali Suyubaev, and journalist Duman Mukhametkarim—sentenced to terms of five to ten years for exercising their civil rights, including exposing Kazakhstan’s assistance in evading sanctions against the Russian Federation. The Assembly further condemns the absence of an independent investigation into the transnational assassination of opposition journalist and political refugee Aidos Sadykov, as well as the violent crackdown on protesters in January 2022, the unclear role of external intervention following the request by President Tokayev to President Putin and the subsequent order to shoot without warning. The Assembly calls for an end to these practices, and urgently calls for the immediate cessation of all forms of harassment and intimidation against human rights defender Bakhytzhan Toregozhina, in full respect of Kazakhstan’s international obligations regarding political participation and fundamental freedoms."

30 September 2025

Tabled by Mr Emanuelis ZINGERIS, Ms Birutė VĖSAITĖ, Mr Eerik-Niiles KROSS, Ms Kadri TALI, Ms Yuliia OVCHYNNYKOVA

Falls if amendment 4 is adopted.

In the draft resolution, paragraph 7, at the end of the third sentence, insert the following words:

"and contributing to rendering Kazakhstan and Central Asia an area free of political prisoners."

8The Assembly remains committed to a co-operation with Kazakhstan that is based on shared values and is determined to support Kazakhstan to continue its democratic reforms. This support should be strategic and principled, encouraging Kazakhstan to continue with the implementation of reforms and exploring ways of closer co-operation.

30 September 2025

Tabled by Mr Max LUCKS, Ms Filiz POLAT, Mr Julian JOSWIG, Mr Mogens JENSEN, Ms Agnes Sirkka PRAMMER, Ms Kristina IKIĆ BANIČEK

Votes: 60 in favor 69 against 5 abstentions

In the draft resolution, replace paragraph 8 with the following paragraph:

"The Assembly remains committed to co-operation with Kazakhstan based on shared values and expresses its determination to support Kazakhstan’s democratic reforms. However, the Assembly notes with serious concern credible allegations that internal communications of its own members have been misused in politically motivated criminal proceedings initiated in Belgium by individuals acting on behalf of Kazakhstan’s security services, targeting human rights defender Lyudmyla Kozlovska and the Open Dialogue Foundation. The Assembly notes that complaints and criminal accusations of harassment, cyberbullying, and slander were orchestrated by Kazakhstani officials as part of efforts to remove documentation of political repression, torture, and killings in Kazakhstan from the public domain. The Assembly further notes with concern the decision of the Belgian court, which dismissed all charges for lack of jurisdiction, and the investigating judge’s explicit warning regarding the use of legal proceedings in Belgium to gather extensive personal travel, communication, and financial data for purposes unrelated to the pursuit of truth. The Assembly condemns Kazakhstan’s attempts to instrumentalise cybersecurity and anti-money laundering laws, INTERPOL Red and Purple notices, legal systems, and international parliamentary procedures for the purpose of transnational repression, and urges member States to develop effective legal remedies against such practices."

9Therefore, the Assembly encourages the Parliament of Kazakhstan to:
9.1use its strengthened position within the country's institutional framework – a positive outcome of the recent constitutional reforms – to drive forward the democratisation process in Kazakhstan;
9.2encourage the authorities of Kazakhstan to broaden the country’s participation in the European legal space and acceding to relevant Council of Europe conventions which are open to non-member States, in particular:
9.2.1accelerate progress toward the ratification of the Istanbul Convention;
9.2.2consider becoming a member of the Council of Europe International Co-operation Group on Drugs and Addictions (Pompidou Group);
9.3increase its participation in the work of the Assembly and its committees.
10The Assembly calls on the authorities of Kazakhstan to:
10.1continue with their reform agenda and translate political commitments into sustained, transparent, and measurable progress;
10.2make full use of the expertise and tools available under the Council of Europe Neighbourhood Co-operation Priorities, particularly in the newly expanded fields of justice reform, anti-corruption, human rights protection, and democratic governance.
11The Assembly urges the authorities of Kazakhstan to:
11.1acknowledge the importance of open public discourse and constructive criticism in a democratic society, foster genuine political pluralism, and ensure meaningful political competition and participation;
11.2ensure a pluralistic and independent media environment and avoid disproportionate restrictions on independent journalism and civil society, including by removing legal and administrative obstacles that hinder their operation;
11.3align with international human rights standards by ensuring that its domestic legislation, policies and practices reflect these norms, take into account the views and recommendations of domestic and international human rights bodies, including the United Nations Human Rights Committee, and implement their recommendations in full;
11.4advance reforms aimed at enhancing judicial independence and accountability, reinforcing access to justice and the right to a fair trial;
11.5ensure full accountability for past human rights violations, including those linked to the January 2022 events, and strengthen safeguards against torture and ill-treatment in all places of detention.
12The Assembly encourages the authorities of Kazakhstan to:
12.1continue their constructive engagement with the Council of Europe and other international bodies in the field of protection of democracy, human rights and the rule of law and intensify efforts to address the concerns raised;
12.2build on Kazakhstan’s active participation in international diplomacy by supporting dialogue, regional stability, and co-operation in line with international norms and Council of Europe values. This includes the steadfast commitment to preserving and strengthening fundamental principles such as respect for the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of States, the non-use of force or threats of force, and the peaceful resolution of disagreements and disputes between countries;
12.3maintain their support for a peaceful resolution to the unprovoked war of aggression against Ukraine, guided by the principles of international law, sovereignty, and territorial integrity and consider joining international efforts aimed at creating a comprehensive approach to accountability, ensuring justice for victims and reinforcing international law.
13The Assembly should regularly assess the situation in Kazakhstan and its adherence to the values of the Council of Europe.

In the draft resolution, at the end of paragraph 13, insert the following words:

", and stresses that any positive assessment must remain conditional on measurable progress in the reform agenda."