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Human Rights Watch (HRW) reported on Monday that Kazakhstani authorities have arrested Temirlan Ensebek, a 29-year-old blogger and founder of the satirical Instagram account Qaznews24. The organization called for his immediate release, the dismissal of all charges against him, and respect for freedom of expression in Kazakhstan.
Ensebek was detained on January 17, 2025, after police searched his home in Almaty. The next day, an Almaty court ordered his pretrial detention for two months on charges of “inciting interethnic discord” under Article 174 of Kazakhstan’s Criminal Code. The charges stem from a satirical post he shared over a year ago, though authorities have not specified which post led to his arrest. If convicted, Ensebek could face up to seven years in prison.
HRW condemned his arrest, describing it as part of a broader crackdown on free speech in Kazakhstan. According to the organization, the authorities have increasingly used vague criminal charges such as “inciting discord” to target journalists, bloggers, and activists critical of the government. Human rights organizations argue that these laws are being misused to suppress political dissent and restrict open discussion.
HRW has urged Kazakh authorities to immediately drop all charges against Ensebek, release him from detention, and amend Article 174 of the Criminal Code to ensure it is not used to target peaceful expression. The organization also called on Kazakhstan’s international partners to press the government to respect fundamental freedoms.
The Kazakh authorities have not yet responded to HRW’s request for comment.
The Kazakh Constitution guarantees freedom of speech, and the country is a party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which protects the right to free expression. However, authorities continue to use restrictive laws to curb dissent. HRW emphasized that under international human rights standards, limitations on free speech must be necessary, proportionate, and aimed at protecting legitimate interests such as national security or public order. The organization argues that satire does not meet these criteria and should never be criminalized.
HRW and other human rights groups have documented multiple cases in which Kazakhstani authorities have prosecuted online commentators, especially those engaging in political satire. Satirical content, which is protected under international human rights law, has been increasingly targeted in Kazakhstan, raising concerns over the shrinking space for free expression.
On January 31, HRW similarly urged Kazakhstan to implement recommendations from member states at the UN Human Rights Council, including upholding the right to freedom of expression under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
The post HRW urges Kazakhstan to release satirical blogger and protect free speech appeared first on JURIST - News.
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Ensebek was detained on January 17, 2025, after police searched his home in Almaty. The next day, an Almaty court ordered his pretrial detention for two months on charges of “inciting interethnic discord” under Article 174 of Kazakhstan’s Criminal Code. The charges stem from a satirical post he shared over a year ago, though authorities have not specified which post led to his arrest. If convicted, Ensebek could face up to seven years in prison.
HRW condemned his arrest, describing it as part of a broader crackdown on free speech in Kazakhstan. According to the organization, the authorities have increasingly used vague criminal charges such as “inciting discord” to target journalists, bloggers, and activists critical of the government. Human rights organizations argue that these laws are being misused to suppress political dissent and restrict open discussion.
HRW has urged Kazakh authorities to immediately drop all charges against Ensebek, release him from detention, and amend Article 174 of the Criminal Code to ensure it is not used to target peaceful expression. The organization also called on Kazakhstan’s international partners to press the government to respect fundamental freedoms.
The Kazakh authorities have not yet responded to HRW’s request for comment.
The Kazakh Constitution guarantees freedom of speech, and the country is a party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which protects the right to free expression. However, authorities continue to use restrictive laws to curb dissent. HRW emphasized that under international human rights standards, limitations on free speech must be necessary, proportionate, and aimed at protecting legitimate interests such as national security or public order. The organization argues that satire does not meet these criteria and should never be criminalized.
HRW and other human rights groups have documented multiple cases in which Kazakhstani authorities have prosecuted online commentators, especially those engaging in political satire. Satirical content, which is protected under international human rights law, has been increasingly targeted in Kazakhstan, raising concerns over the shrinking space for free expression.
On January 31, HRW similarly urged Kazakhstan to implement recommendations from member states at the UN Human Rights Council, including upholding the right to freedom of expression under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
The post HRW urges Kazakhstan to release satirical blogger and protect free speech appeared first on JURIST - News.
Continue reading...
Note: We don't have any responsibilities about this news. Its been posted here by Feed Reader and we had no controls and checking on it. And because News posted here will be deleted automatically after 21 days, threads are closed so that no one spend time to post and discuss here. You can always check the source and discuss in their site.