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Extremism

Kazakhstan Detains Ten Over Alleged Plot to Change Constitutional Order

Kazakhstan's security service has detained ten people in the western city of Atyrau over an alleged plan to change the constitutional order by force. Investigators also say the suspects operated three underground educational centers for children and teenagers. The National Security Committee (KNB) announced on November 2 that the arrests took place on October 30. The operation was coordinated with the prosecutor's office, and all ten suspects were detained simultaneously. Investigators suspect the detainees of creating, leading, or participating in an extremist group. The allegations also include promoting terrorism and inciting religious discord. According to the KNB, the group sought to “forcibly change the foundations of the constitutional order” in western Kazakhstan. The authorities have not identified the group or disclosed a specific plan of attack. Officers searched the suspects' homes and seized firearms, drugs, religious items, literature, and other materials, the committee said. It released images and video from the operation, showing armed officers taking suspects into custody. The three educational centers are a notable element of the investigation. The KNB said the suspected group established the facilities for children and teenagers and that officers had stopped their activities. The committee gave no attendance figures or details of what the children were being taught. It also said several suspects had previously been convicted of terrorism-related or other criminal offenses. In its announcement, the KNB cited Article 201 of Kazakhstan's Criminal Procedure Code, which restricts the release of information during a pretrial investigation. The suspects' identities have not been released. Earlier Extremism Investigations The Atyrau case follows a series of security operations involving alleged extremist propaganda and recruitment across Kazakhstan. The authorities have increased investigations into the distribution of extremist material, including through social media. In a June 12 statement, the KNB reported eleven arrests during April and May, including operations in the Atyrau region. The detainees included two foreign nationals and three Kazakh citizens extradited from abroad. Investigators in those cases alleged the distribution of extremist materials online and among acquaintances. They also cited calls to travel to areas of terrorist activity and use violence against people who held different beliefs. The same report listed 13 prison sentences in terrorism and extremism cases. An Astana resident received eight years for urging travel to areas of terrorist activity. In another case, a Shymkent man was sentenced to seven years after advocating for a theocratic state and spreading terrorist ideas. A subsequent KNB update reported that 19 people were convicted of terrorism and extremism offenses between June and August. Another 28 were detained on suspicion of related offenses over the same period. The KNB has repeatedly carried out raids in Atyrau and other regions. In February 2024, it conducted 49 searches across several regions and detained 23 suspects, according to a TCA analysis of the government's intensifying campaign against extremism. That reporting also examined expanded powers for the committee to monitor online activity. The authorities have not announced formal indictments or court dates, and the allegations against the ten detainees remain...

Russia's War in Ukraine

Tajik Prisoners in Russia Say They Face Pressure to Fight in Ukraine

Tajik citizens imprisoned in the Russian city of Volgograd say they are being put under pressure to sign military contracts and fight in Ukraine, allegations which the Russian prison authorities have rejected. The prisoners are asking Tajikistan to facilitate their transfer home. Two inmates contacted Radio Ozodi, the Tajik service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, on October 29. They said about 150 prisoners from Central Asia were facing pressure, including approximately 60 Tajik citizens. The outlet said it knew the men's identities but had withheld them for their safety. The men said that despite difficulties, they had obtained a mobile phone, contacted Tajikistan's embassy in Moscow, and hoped to complete their prison sentences in Tajikistan rather than face military service. “We want to go home. We are ready to serve our sentences there,” one prisoner said, even offering to work without pay on Tajikistan's Rogun hydropower project if that would secure his return. “Here they are taking us to our deaths,” he added. The inmates said Central Asian prisoners were being held in blocks with particularly harsh conditions. They described facilities used for inmates considered dangerous and claimed many convictions were based on false accusations. More seriously, the men alleged that over 100 Central Asian inmates had left one Volgograd prison for the Ukraine war during the previous year. They said about 40 were Tajik citizens and claimed none of those sent had survived. There is no independent confirmation of those figures, the alleged deaths or the circumstances in which the men entered military service. The original report did not identify the prison by name. On October 31, the Federal Penitentiary Service's Volgograd regional directorate issued a denial, stating that claims Tajik inmates were being pressured to sign military contracts “do not correspond to reality.” The outlet said its calls to Tajikistan's embassy on October 30 went unanswered. Earlier Warnings from Volgograd The latest allegations follow an earlier warning from the same Russian city. In April 2025, relatives said eight Tajik prisoners had been taken from Correctional Colony No. 26, apparently for deployment to Ukraine. Another inmate at that facility described attempts to secure military contracts. “First they try to persuade us, then they start threatening us,” he said. He alleged that prisoners who refused were put in punishment cells and denied calls or visits. Russia has recruited prisoners for its war since the invasion began in February 2022. The Wagner private military group initially conducted much of that recruitment before the Defense Ministry took a larger role. Changes to Russian legislation in 2023 and 2024 expanded opportunities for convicted people and criminal defendants to sign military contracts to gain relief from criminal prosecution or punishment under specified circumstances. An August 2026 UK government assessment summarized reports of coercion in Russian detention facilities, including beatings and threats. A Request to Serve Sentences at Home The prisoners are not asking for their convictions to be overturned, but to serve out the remainder of their terms in Tajikistan, beyond the reach of...

School Violence

School Bullying in Kazakhstan: Prosecutors Propose New Deputies to Protect Students from Violence

In schools across Kazakhstan’s Zhambyl region, children told visiting inspectors about beatings, extortion, and threats. Some described incidents involving brass knuckles and stun guns. But reports from those same schools recorded no bullying. The scale of the problem was exposed in October 2025, when Kazakhstan’s commissioner for children’s rights, Dinara Zakiyeva, published the findings of inspections across the region. An interagency team identified more than 200 cases of bullying and extortion in the Baizak and Zhambyl districts alone. During the first nine months of that year, 14 suicides involving minors were recorded in the region. Prosecutors have introduced the position of deputy principal for legal affairs at 190 schools in the region. They say the initiative has helped reduce crime involving minors. The Prosecutor General’s Office now wants to extend it nationwide. But the proposal raises a question about how schools handle violence. Children do not always trust adults, teachers often prefer to resolve conflicts themselves, and school administrators may see public disclosure as a threat to their institutions’ reputations. Why Bullying Goes Unreported In November 2024, regional prosecutor Nurgalym Abdirov reported that recorded offenses counted against schools in performance rankings, giving administrators an incentive to conceal incidents. Following intervention by prosecutors, this indicator was removed from the evaluation system. But changing reporting criteria proved easier than changing school practices. In the fall of 2025, inspections again uncovered violence that children had disclosed only after outside specialists intervened. Similar incidents have been uncovered in other regions. In the Atyrau region, five school principals were held accountable for concealing beatings and other unlawful acts committed by older students. Kazakhstan introduced a legal definition of bullying in 2022, and administrative liability for bullying took effect in 2024. In 2025, authorities registered 438 administrative cases and held 272 people accountable. By October 22, 2026, authorities had received more than 2,000 reports of bullying that year. A study published in 2013 by the United Nations Children’s Fund found that 66% of children surveyed had witnessed, experienced, or perpetrated school violence or discrimination during the preceding year. The 2022 Programme for International Student Assessment found that 12% of students in Kazakhstan did not feel safe in their classrooms, while 14% felt unsafe in school hallways, cafeterias, and restrooms. Both figures exceeded the averages for countries belonging to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. The gap between official reports and children’s experiences was also evident during an independent evaluation of the DosbolLike anti-bullying program, introduced in all schools and colleges across the country in September 2025. The findings, reported in August 2026, showed that students often denied that bullying occurred when completing questionnaires but described harassment during group discussions. Some said teachers or psychologists had asked them to redo their questionnaires. Researchers also examined whom children were willing to trust with reports of violence. Nearly 90% of respondents named their homeroom teacher, 55.3% named their parents, and 18.4% selected the 111 child-protection helpline. None of the students surveyed on this question selected the police. One...

Oil Arbitration

Kashagan Arbitration: Tribunal Rejects $12 Billion in Kazakhstan’s Claims

An international arbitration tribunal has rejected approximately $12 billion in claims brought by Kazakhstan against investors in the Kashagan oil field, Bloomberg reported on October 22. Citing sources familiar with the confidential proceedings, the report said the claims concerned field development costs incurred between 2011 and 2015 and were filed after the applicable deadline. Claims concerning another $8 billion in disputed costs have been allowed to proceed. Kazakhstan had sought to exclude approximately $20 billion from the costs investors are entitled to recover through oil production. The arbitrators did not examine whether the expenses covered by the rejected claims were justified. The ruling has not been made public. Kashagan is operated by North Caspian Operating Company (NCOC), whose shareholders include KazMunayGas, ExxonMobil, Eni, Shell, TotalEnergies, China National Petroleum Corporation, and INPEX Corporation. The field is located in the northern Caspian Sea. High reservoir pressure and hydrogen sulfide levels drove up construction costs and delayed the project's launch, with difficult climatic conditions compounding these problems. Production began in 2013 but was suspended shortly afterward because of gas leaks in pipelines. Operations resumed in 2016. Under the 1997 production-sharing agreement, investors recover eligible project costs through a portion of the oil produced. The remaining oil, known as profit oil, is then divided between the state and the project participants. An increase in recognized costs reduces the amount of oil available for distribution as profit. Kazakhstan is challenging costs under contractor agreements, including spending on construction work and equipment. In August, the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) reported that the wider arbitration included allegations concerning about a dozen construction contracts worth $10.7 billion, awarded during the 2000s. Kazakhstan alleges that some involved inflated costs or conflicts of interest; it has also alleged bribery. NCOC says its members acted in accordance with their contracts and Kazakh law. In April 2025, ICIJ reported that Kazakhstan had brought claims totaling $160 billion against Kashagan's investors. The report also cited Kazakhstan's claim that the consortium receives approximately 98% of oil revenue after priority payments to the state under the production-sharing agreement. According to ICIJ, the proceedings are registered with the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague and could continue until at least 2028. Separately, Kazakhstan is seeking to recover an environmental fine of 2.3 trillion tenge, or approximately $5.2 billion, from Kashagan's operator. The allegations concern breaches of limits on storing sulfur produced during oil and gas processing. On September 29, the authorities resumed enforcement proceedings to collect the fine. The move followed a three-week suspension while a Kazakh court considered NCOC's challenge to the enforcement process. NCOC is contesting the fine, and the project's foreign shareholders have initiated international arbitration, alleging that Kazakhstan violated its investment protection obligations. NCOC says an arbitration tribunal issued an interim order barring collection of the fine while the proceedings continue. Kazakhstan's Ministry of Justice disputes whether the order can prevent the authorities from enforcing a ruling by a Kazakh court.

Sexual Violence

Kazakh Women Share Stories of Sexual Violence Under #IAmJaneDoe Hashtag

Women in Kazakhstan have joined the international #IAmJaneDoe social media campaign, sharing accounts of sexual violence they experienced as children and teenagers. The posts include allegations of abuse by relatives, acquaintances, and strangers. Many participants say they remained silent because they feared being judged and did not trust law enforcement authorities. Denis Dzhivaga, director of the Kazakhstan International Bureau for Human Rights and Rule of Law, told The Times of Central Asia why speaking out publicly sometimes becomes the only way for survivors to draw attention to their experiences, despite tougher legislation. How #IAmJaneDoe Began The international #IAmJaneDoe campaign emerged amid a case involving a former student at Cornell University in the United States. In September 2026, a woman identified in court documents by the pseudonym Jane Doe filed a civil lawsuit against seven former members of the Chi Phi fraternity, the university, and other defendants. According to the plaintiff, she was subjected to a gang sexual assault in October 2024. The initial investigation ended without criminal charges being filed. After the lawsuit was brought, prosecutors reopened the investigation, and New York Governor Kathy Hochul appointed state Attorney General Letitia James as special prosecutor. No criminal charges have been filed, and the seven men deny wrongdoing. Women in different countries began posting under #IAmJaneDoe in an effort to frustrate attempts to reveal the plaintiff's identity. Through these posts, they express solidarity with the plaintiff and share their own experiences of violence. In Kazakhstan, the campaign has brought attention to the silence surrounding sexual abuse within families. In their accounts, women describe incidents dating back many years, including alleged crimes committed by fathers, stepfathers, and brothers. Dzhivaga believes that the decision to share such experiences publicly is often linked to a lack of effective support. “From families that try to cover up cases of abuse to police officers who still prefer not to interfere in family matters, everything pushes women to at least tell their stories publicly. Quite often, women simply have no other options,” he said. However, speaking out does not guarantee sympathy. According to the human rights advocate, women who share their experiences face blame and condemnation, including from other women. What Has Changed Under the ‘Saltanat Law’? In June 2024, amendments informally known as the “Saltanat Law” came into force in Kazakhstan. They were adopted following the murder of Saltanat Nukenova, a case that sparked widespread public outrage. Former Minister of National Economy Kuandyk Bishimbayev was sentenced to 24 years in prison for her murder. The amendments reinstated criminal penalties for battery and intentional infliction of minor bodily harm, strengthened protections for women and children, and expanded measures aimed at preventing violence. However, Dzhivaga argues that the legislative changes have not yet produced comparable improvements in how government agencies respond. “When everyone was celebrating the adoption of the law, I said that passing a law is only half the battle. What matters is how it is enforced. The law has to work, but in many respects, the response...

Harassment Laws

Sexual Harassment in Kazakhstan: Why Are Such Cases Difficult to Track?

A woman who said she was sexually harassed on a bus in Astana decided against going to the police because she feared she would be unable to prove what had happened. Instead, she confronted the man and photographed him. "It wasn't an accidental touch because the bus was crowded. He was groping me," she wrote on Threads. Police identified the 46-year-old man after discovering her post. A court sentenced him to ten days of administrative detention for indecent behavior on public transport. On October 13, a court in the capital had imposed the same penalty on an inDrive driver who had asked a female passenger intimate questions and propositioned her for sex during a ride. The woman also took to Threads to describe the incident. The court classified the driver's actions as petty hooliganism. Why Sexual Harassment is Prosecuted as Petty Hooliganism Kazakhstan does not have a comprehensive legal provision specifically addressing sexual harassment of adults in public places. Depending on the circumstances, law enforcement authorities may apply administrative or criminal law. Article 434 of the Code of Administrative Offenses, which covers petty hooliganism, is used in cases of this kind. It applies to offensive harassment of others and other conduct that disturbs public order, including obscene language. The law does not distinguish sexual harassment from other forms of offensive behavior. A first offense is punishable by a fine of 20 times the monthly calculation index (MCI) or 20 to 60 hours of community service. Alternatively, courts can impose five to 15 days of administrative detention. The MCI is a government-set unit used to calculate fines and certain other payments. In 2026, it stands at 4,325 tenge, making a fine of 20 MCI equal to 86,500 tenge, or approximately $190. In August 2023, an Almaty moped rider was held administratively liable under the petty hooliganism provision after slapping a woman he did not know on the buttocks. Because these incidents are recorded alongside other public order violations, official statistics do not show how many cases specifically involve unwanted sexual conduct. Criminal law provides more serious penalties for certain forms of sexual coercion. Article 123 of the Criminal Code addresses coercion into sexual acts through blackmail or threats against property. It also covers exploitation of a victim's financial or other dependence. It does not cover every instance of unwanted touching or verbal sexual harassment. In April 2024, Kazakhstan amended legislation protecting women and children, including provisions establishing criminal liability for sexual harassment of children under 16. The amendments did not create an equivalent standalone offense covering all forms of sexual harassment of adults in public places. Workplace Sexual Harassment Legislation Is Being Developed The Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of the Population has developed amendments that would introduce a definition of workplace sexual harassment into national labor legislation for the first time. The proposals would establish employers' responsibilities for preventing such conduct and create legal grounds for dismissing offenders. However, they would not establish a separate criminal or administrative penalty...