By 
18-04-2026 | Asia Team Researcher, Global Human Rights Defence.
Nineteen activists were convicted in Kazakhstan for participating in a peaceful protest against human rights violations in China.
The Case: a New Restriction of Freedom
In Taldykorgan, Kazakhstan, on April 13th, 2026, 19 activists associated with the Nagyz Atajurt Group were convicted for participating in a peaceful protest. According to Amnesty International, eleven activists were charged under Article 174 of the Criminal Code for “inciting interethnic or social discord”, an overly broad offense that has long been used as a tool for silencing dissent. Protesters were banned from engaging in public or political activities for three years, restraining them from engaging publicly with human rights issues. By criminalising these peaceful demonstrations, Kazakhstan has been failing its obligation to uphold the rights to freedom of expression, association, and peaceful assembly.
A Peaceful Protest Turned into a Criminal Offense
The roots of the case lie in November 2025. In a demonstration near Almaty, activists gathered to condemn human rights violations committed by the Chinese authorities. Protesters proceeded to burn a Chinese flag and a portrait of Xi-Jiping, and later called more specifically for the release of Alimnur Turganbay, a Kazakhstani citizen detained in China since July 2025. The response to this peaceful exercise of expression was driven by external pressure. Indeed, after the protest, the Chinese consulate in Almaty urged Kazakhstani authorities to react. Following this complaint, local authorities escalated what were initially administrative charges into a full-scale criminal prosecution. For this matter, Human Rights Watch identifies a clear instance of “transnational repression,” where the Kazakh government has demonstrated its willingness to “sacrifice the freedoms of its citizens” to maintain “cozy relations with Beijing”. This event strongly marks a significant escalation in the Kazakh government’s suppression of fundamental freedoms.
