With the help of Interpol, Kazakhstan has intensified the hunt for political opponents abroad by labelling them criminals, document forgers or terrorists. A situation where a dictator uses the services of democratic countries to crackdown on the political opposition, must not be allowed.

For any state, it is unacceptable to exert pressure and engage foreign diplomacy, which, by providing distorted information, has contributed to the speedy expulsion of the Kazakh mother and child from Italy. I also believe that we should fully guarantee the fundamental rights of persons residing in our country, regardless of their status”.

The Government selectively prosecuted political opponents. Two founding members of the Democratic Choice for Kazakhstan (DVK) movement were arrested in late March. Both underwent trials during the summer and were convicted. Mukhtar Ablyazov, former Minister of Energy, was convicted by the Supreme Court of abuse of power and sentenced to 6 years in prison.(…) International organizations and foreign governments, while not commenting on the guilt or innocence of either defendant, criticized the timing of the government actions. The arrests came years after the alleged crimes were committed, but only months after Ablyazov and Zhakiyanov founded an opposition political movement.

European Parliament calls on the Kazakhstan authorities to carry out an independent investigation into the case of (...) the two opposition leaders Mukhtar Ablyazov and Galymzhan Zhakiyanov, and to make this information publicly available.