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Kazakhstan

Monthly Updates

January 2023

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev dissolved parliament on 19 January and set snap elections for 19 March. Only two months after an early presidential election, Tokayev said the elections were necessary to keep pace with his reform agenda, but analysts say the moves are instead part of a larger effort to sideline former President Nursultan Nazarbayev and his clan and cement Tokayev’s power.

November 2022

On 20 November, the Kazakh election commission reported President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev was re-elected with 81.31 per cent of the vote. President since 2019, Tokayev faces no tangible opposition in the country’s strictly controlled political and media environment. The OSCE election observation mission reported a peaceful and orderly election day, but that “important safeguards were disregarded and substantial procedural errors and omissions were observed.”

October 2022

On 27 October the Kazakh legislature approved a bill granting amnesty to over 1,500 individuals charged for their involvement in the dispersion of the mass protests in January 2022 known as ‘Black January.’ The amnesty has been criticized by rights advocates as an attempt to avoid public trials or prosecutions of those responsible for the protests’ violent turn, including law enforcement officers.

September 2022

President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev called for early presidential elections for November on 2 September. The decision was pitched as a move away from the dominating style of his predecessor Nursultan Nazarbayev, but critics argue Tokayev is abusing democratic processes to further his own legitimacy. See August report for more information. 

Explore past monthly updates

GSoD Indices Data 2012-2021

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Basic Information

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Population Tooltip
19 002 590
System of government
Presidential system
Head of government
Prime Minister Älihan Smaiylov (since 2022)
Head of government party
Amanat
Electoral system for lower or single chamber
List Proportional Representation
Women in lower or single chamber
27.4%
Women in upper chamber
18.8%
Last legislative election
2021
Head of state
President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev
Selection process for head of state
Direct election (two-round majority)
Latest Universal Periodic Review (UPR) date
07/11/2019
Latest Universal Periodic Review (UPR) percentage of recommendations supported
87.35%
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Human Rights Treaties

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State Party State party
Signatory Signatory
No Action No action
United Nations Human Right Treaties
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
State Party
International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
State Party
International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination
State Party
Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women
State Party
Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman and Degrading Treatment or Punishment
State Party
Convention on the Rights of the Child
State Party
International Convention on Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families
No Action
International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance 
State Party
International Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
State Party
International Labour Organisation Treaties
Forced Labour Convention
State Party
Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention
State Party
Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention
State Party
Equal Remuneration Convention
State Party
Abolition of Forced Labour Convention
State Party
Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention
State Party
Convention concerning Minimum Age for Admission to Employment
State Party
Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention
State Party
in
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Attributes Over Time

Representative government neutral Representative Government
Sep 2022
Oct
Nov
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Jan
Feb 2023
Representative government neutral Fundamental rights
Sep 2022
Oct
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Representative government neutral Checks on government
Sep 2022
Oct
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Representative government neutral Impartial administration
Sep 2022
Oct
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Feb 2023
Representative government neutral Participatory engagement
Sep 2022
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb 2023

GSoD Indices

Regime type
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