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Analysts at Ranking.kz have provided an overview of press freedom in Kazakhstan and alleged violations against journalists. According to the International Foundation for the Protection of Freedom of Expression, Әdil sөz, there was a 20.1% decrease in incidents of violations against correspondents last year, with 434 incidents in 2023 and 141 from January to May this year. Additionally, reports of pre-trial claims or lawsuits against individual journalists or editorial offices declined by 5% in 2023. Despite this, seven court decisions led to various sentences for journalists at the end of 2023. The most common violation was obstruction of legitimate professional activities, with 51 cases, including six violent ones, primarily involving police and state employees. Threats to journalists and editorial offices were also significant, with 44 incidents reported. Nonviolent attempts to coerce journalists were noted to have decreased slightly. However, despite fewer reported violations, according to Reporters Without Borders, censorship issues have worsened. Kazakhstan's press freedom ranking fell from 134th to 142nd in 2024, with a score of 41.11 out of 100. In contrast, Kyrgyzstan ranks highest in Central Asia at 120th, while Turkmenistan remains one of the worst globally in 175th place.
In Bishkek, Chyngyz Azhibayev, a deputy of the Kyrgyz Republic's Jogorku Kenesh (Parliament), almost ran over an employee of the Asia Mall shopping and entertainment center, after which he got into a fight with him, 24.kg has reported. The incident occurred on June 21, but has only just been acknowledged. According to a source in law enforcement agencies, at about 3PM, whilst driving his car out of the shopping mall's parking lot, Azhibayev narrowly avoided hitting a security guard. The deputy then reacted aggressively to the security guard's remarks, exited his vehicle, and proceeded to start a fight with him. The pair were separated by bystanders, but the deputy then called the police and filed a complaint against the guard. The press service of the Leninsky district police department said that the call came in at 15:50. Law enforcement officers who arrived on the scene took Azhibayev's statement, which he later withdrew, meaning the case was terminated.
Al-Farabi Kazakh National University and the Northwest Polytechnic University of China have agreed to conduct joint scientific research using microsatellites. According to the press service of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the agreement was reached during talks between the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, and Xi Jinping, during the latter's official visit to Kazakhstan. The initiative, the first of its kind to be implemented by Kazakh universities, opens up new opportunities for space research, training qualified specialists, and developing joint satellites, as well as enabling remote sensing studies of the Earth via a microsatellite. Integral to the project, is an aim to develop equipment for gravimetric measurements, including a specialized ground station and a transmitter on the satellite, designed to detect density inhomogeneities in the Earth's crust and mantle. The employment of such, will help solve fundamental problems in the study of geodynamic processes at great depths. The North-West Polytechnic University of China is a leader in launching objects into space whilst Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, the only Kazakh university with experience in launching nanosatellites into orbit , has already launched its own Al-Farabi-1 and Al-Farabi-2 nanosatellites.
Considering the appeal of convicted activist Zarina Torokulova, the Supreme Court of Kyrgyzstan upheld the sentence passed down on her by lower courts, lawyer Akmat Alagushev has reported. According to Alagushev, the charges against the defendant were not proven at the investigation or in court; despite this, the court found her guilty. On January 16, the Pervomaisky District Court of Bishkek found the activist guilty of violating Part 3 of Article 278 of the Criminal Code of the Kyrgyz Republic, which addresses "Calls for active disobedience to the lawful demands of authorities, mass disorder, and incitement to violence against citizens." Earlier, the prosecution noted that the activist shared two messages from the Facebook account "Umai Aruu." One was "Japarov Mafia," and the other was "Organizing an online rally," a repost of a video by journalist, Olzhobai Shakir, who opposed the transfer of four boarding houses on Issyk-Kul to Uzbekistan, and urged citizens to come out for a rally. He was detained on August 23, 2023, by officers of the State Committee for National Security, accused of calling for active disobedience to law enforcement officials, mass disorder, and attempted seizure of power. Torokulova was sentenced to five years' imprisonment with three years' probationary supervision.
The staff of the Kyrgyz diplomatic mission in Pakistan appealed to the leadership of the Foreign Ministry with a request to take action against Ambassador Ulanbek Totuyaev. According to the staff of the diplomatic mission, Totuyaev "has organized himself a Khanate of permissiveness in the foreign office entrusted to him." The diplomat has been removed from his post by presidential decree. The press service of the Kyrgyz Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that Totuyaev grossly violated the rights of his subordinates by giving them assignments that had nothing to do with the work of a diplomatic officer. "He treated his subordinates unethically, did not solve their everyday problems, and arranged terrible living conditions, driving them into cramped dormitory-type apartments. At the same time, he and his family lived in a separate residence with luxuries, including security," the Foreign Ministry stated. According to diplomats working in Pakistan, four cars are assigned to the Kyrgyz Embassy in Islamabad, two of which Totuyaev and his wife used for personal purposes. "The board of the Kyrgyz Foreign Ministry considered this issue and recommended to the President of the Kyrgyz Republic that Totuyaev be dismissed from his post," the ministry stated. Totuyaev, however, disagrees with the decision. In an interview with Kyrgyz media, he claimed that the real reason for his removal was his antipathy towards Foreign Minister Zheenbek Kulubaev.
Human rights activist Gulshayyr Abdirasulova has reported on social media that Zhomart Karabayev, a former employee of the Academy of Sciences in Kyrgyzstan, has been detained by officers of the SCNC (State Committee for National Security). According to Abdirasulova, Karabayev had openly expressed his disagreement with the activities of special services and refused to participate in expert examinations in multiple cases. "Zhomart Karabayev, a former employee of the NAS (National Academy of Sciences), has repeatedly stated that the NAS provides its' expertise on [criminal cases] under the dictation of special services. He also stated this at the trial of Olzhobai Shakir (who was sentenced to five years in prison in May this year in a case pertaining to the preparation for mass riots - ed.). Now, he has been taken away by GKNB officers. Is this what they want? To investigate themselves? Or should the young man be jailed for his statement about breaking the law? We are waiting for the official position of the SCNS," Abdirasulova wrote. "The lawyer said that Zhomart is suspected of committing an act under Article 278 part 3 of the Criminal Code - calls for mass riots. The lawyer believes there are no grounds for suspicion of committing this crime and hopes the case will be dropped. Zhomart remains in the [custody of the] SCNS until the measure of restraint is considered". According to local media, Karabayev was summoned to the SCNS for questioning yesterday, and was not released following interrogation.
