The police conducted massive arrests with gross violations of human rights and legislation in a number of cities of Kazakhstan in order to prevent protests. The detainees were held for a long time without access to duty lawyers and human rights activists. Preventive detention of human rights defenders contradicts the provisions of the UN Declaration on the Right and Responsibility of Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.
Arrests of journalists performing their professional duties at the scene are unacceptable for the state that has assumed the obligation to ensure rights of citizens to access to information.
Soros Foundation-Kazakhstan calls upon the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan to actually ensure observation of key human rights and freedoms, especially in the run-up to Kazakhstan’s defense of the State Report on the implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.