Kazakhstan did not make it through its Soviet Past

In Central Asia, Kazakhstan has positioned itself as a snow leopard, the government tends to be among one of the leading countries of the world, and President Nursultan Nazarbayev periodically claims for the Nobel Peace Prize. The country is in a very important geopolitical location between China and Russia. Neighbors actively involve Kazakhstan in their zone of interests and make friends with President Nursultan Nazarbayev, not only because of its abundant oil and natural resources, but also because of so many initiatives on the creation of different organizations and his ability to maneuver between right and left.

Kazakhstan has not only geographically appeared between these two leading countries with their stable reputation of not respecting human rights, but it also has failure to comply with human rights, acts of torture and cruelty or degrading treatment. It is recognized not only by international human rights organizations but  by the Prosecutor General of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

The biggest problem in Kazakhstan is that for over 26 years the country has been under the leadership of the same person. There is a stagnation in the implementation of basic political rights: fair elections, the right to express opinions, the right to peaceful assembly and the right to freedom of religion. The country has  total corruption in all government institutions, the death penalty is not abolished torture is practiced.

The UN Committee against Torture repeatedly expressed concern about allegations of torture practiced by the police officers and ill-treatment, including threats of sexual violence and rape in detention centers (IVS) and detention units (SIZOs).These are under the jurisdiction of Ministry of Internal Affairs and National Security Committee in order to get “voluntary confessions” for use as proofs in legal processing in criminal matters.

The situation with the rule of law has become so critical that civil society does not believe any law enforcement agencies, as they are associated with total lawlessness. Kazakhstan is one of the first places on the suicide rates.  People commit suicide in police buildings by jumping out of the window or by cutting the throat with a glass. Respect for human rights, the use of torture and ill-treatment of citizens are today the criteria for the level of democracy in the country. Kazakhstan has not abandoned its totalitarian past.

Bakhytzhan Toregozhina,

Human rights activist and a winner of the "Freedom" award