On May 26, 2025, Access Now, the International Justice Clinic (IJC), and MediaNet submitted a NGO report to to the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Committee during its periodic review of Kazakhstan. The purpose of this submission is to inform the committee of issues relating to Kazakhstan’s non-compliance with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) arising after the adoption of the List of Issues Prior to Reporting (LOIPR), and to address claims made by Kazakhstan’s government in their state response to the LOIPR. This submission was made possible with the collaboration of Access Now and MediaNet, who provided their expertise, valuable insight, and research recommendations to develop this report.
This report was a follow-up to our 2023 report submitted before the adoption of (LOIPR) by the Human Rights Committee. That report highlighted how Kazakhstan suppresses internet access and freedom of speech through widespread internet shutdowns, blocking websites, and the use of spyware against journalists, human rights defenders, and government critics. These actions violate Kazakhstan’s obligations to protect freedom of speech and expression under the ICCPR, especially under Article 19. Since 2023, these issues have continued to persist. Kazakhstan has failed to repeal harmful laws, such as its law granting the government the authority to shutdown internet access, and it has adopted further media regulations bolstering the government’s ability to restrict free speech. Under Kazakhstan’s laws, insulting public officials is considered a criminal offense. In July 2023, Aigerim Tileuzhan, a civil rights activist and journalist was sentenced to four years in prison for allegedly “organizing mass unrest”. Tileuhzhan’s conviction, as well as the conviction of four others who were tried on related charges have been widely criticized as politically motivated.
Our report responds to the arguments provided by Kazakhstan’s government in their state response to the adoption of the LOIPR. For example, Kazakhstan has argued that its “[r]estrictive measures are applied strictly within the law, in order to ensure the safety of citizens and respect for public order.” However, under Article 19(3) of the ICCPR, restrictions on freedom of expression must be necessary and proportionate to their stated aim. In their response, Kazakhstan made no demonstration of a direct and immediate connection between its media restrictions and the protection of public safety and order.
Finally, this report makes recommendations to the government of Kazakhstan on how they can meet their obligations under international law. For example, Kazakhstan can review and revise its laws on journalists, as well as redefine vague terms, to comply with Article 19(2), 3, and 21 of the ICCPR. Kazakhstan can also hold the responsible individuals accountable for imposing internet shutdowns in 2022, 2018, 2019, and 2021, among others, and provide remedies to the people affected so that it complies with Article 2(3). Among other recommendations, we also advise Kazakhstan to immediately stop with the use of spyware and other forms of invasive surveillance being used against journalists, activists, and human rights defenders.