The Committee to Protect Journalists and five other international organisations have asked Kazakhstan’s president to drop charges against journalists under house arrest and to amend laws that curb media freedom. The groups cite cases involving Gulnara Bazhkenova, Amir Kasenov, Aset Matayev and Botagoz Omarova and warn of coordinated harassment of independent media. They also point to accreditation denials for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and the blocking of ResPublika as evidence of mounting restrictions.
Press Freedom Groups Urge Kazakhstan’s President To Drop Charges, Warn Of Escalating Media Crackdown
Kazakhstan's President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, right, and Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin pose for a photo during their meeting in Astana, Kazakhstan, on Thursday, March 26, 2026.(Dmitry Astakhov, Sputnik, Government Pool Photo via AP)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), joined by five other international press freedom and human rights organisations, has written to Kazakhstan’s President Kassym‑Jomart Tokayev urging him to drop criminal charges against several journalists currently under house arrest and to revise national laws that restrict media freedom.
Allegations of Harassment
In a letter sent Monday, the groups expressed alarm at what they called a “recent spate of arrests of journalists and an escalating pattern of harassment of independent media in Kazakhstan.” The letter highlights the cases of prominent independent reporters Gulnara Bazhkenova, Amir Kasenov, Aset Matayev and Botagoz Omarova, who remain under house arrest while awaiting trial.
What the Groups Are Asking
The signatories urged President Tokayev to ensure that all journalists prosecuted for their reporting are released and that charges related to their journalistic work are dropped. They also called for a review and relaxation of laws criminalising the distribution of so‑called false information to better protect press freedom and public interest reporting.
“Mr. President, collectively these attacks on the press threaten to create a climate of fear and self‑censorship that irreparably undermines the credibility of your reform agenda,” the letter states.
Examples Cited
The organisations cited a pattern of actions they say appear intended to obstruct independent reporting, including months‑long refusals to accredit dozens of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty journalists and the blocking of the news site ResPublika. They also reported coordinated complaints leading to the removal or blocking of social media accounts and posts belonging to journalists, outlets and press freedom groups.
Political Context
Tokayev’s office declined to comment on the letter. Last month, constitutional amendments initiated by Tokayev were approved in a referendum with overwhelming support — a result observers say effectively consolidates his authority. The 72‑year‑old president is currently limited to a single seven‑year term through 2029, and analysts have suggested the referendum outcome could be used to reset presidential term limits.
Since Western sanctions on Russia over the war in Ukraine, Tokayev has sought to balance ties with both Moscow and the West. He has defended the constitutional changes as necessary to enable faster decision‑making in a rapidly changing world.
Why it matters: Independent journalism plays a critical role in accountability and public debate. International pressure from press freedom groups highlights risks to media plurality and the potential chilling effect of prosecutions and legal restrictions on reporting in Kazakhstan.
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