Kazakhstan: Authorities Must End Smear Campaign Against Anti-Torture Coalition After UN Submission

International Partnership for Human Rights (IPHR) and the World Organisation against Torture (OMCT) are alarmed by the public attack against our long-standing partners and OMCT network members from the NGO Coalition against Torture in Kazakhstan, led by the Kazakhstan International Bureau for Human Rights and Rule of Law (KIBHR). The attack occurred after the Coalition submitted information to the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture in response to a request for input — a legitimate and standard form of interaction between UN mechanisms and non-state actors. The submission was made jointly with IPHR and OMCT.

In a public statement published on 14 May 2025, the Office of the Kazakhstani Ombudsperson dismissed the Coalition’s findings as “biased”, ‘’tendentious’’ and “non-credible” and accused it of “distorting reality,” “manipulating public opinion,” and lacking interest in dialogue and partnership. He also took aim at the Coalition’s international ties, erroneously linking the UN submission to EU funding and expressing regret that “the EU is paying for all this.”

We are particularly troubled that these remarks – coming from an institution mandated to promote and protect human rights – helped trigger a broader wave of online backlash, in which Coalition members have been accused of damaging Kazakhstan’s image and criticised for receiving foreign funding. Reports also indicate that regional representatives of the Ombudsperson’s office have been instructed to collect signatures for a petition against the Coalition – a move that could further endanger the safety of its members and undermine the legitimacy of their work.

In a written response from 16 May 2025, more than 40 members of the Coalition and their Kazakhstani civil society partners expressed regret about the Ombudsperson’s accusations. They reaffirmed that the submission was part of regular cooperation with UN mechanisms, was independent of any donor funding, and was based on verified data gathered through long-standing civil society monitoring and documentation work. They also emphasised that the Coalition has consistently acknowledged not only concerns but also progress in the fight against torture, noting, however, that while some positive steps have been taken, serious problems persist. They urged the Ombudsperson to engage in respectful and constructive dialogue with civil society and to act in line with established practices of interaction with international mechanisms.

The public campaign to discredit the Coalition – a key civil society actor – comes amid renewed hostility and mistrust toward independent NGOs in Kazakhstan, especially those receiving foreign funding. For example, just last month, President Tokayev publicly accused human rights groups of using foreign funds to promote a negative image of Kazakhstan and stage “provocations.” Lawmakers have also called for tighter state control over NGOs, including through the adoption of a so-called “foreign agent” law, with new legislation currently being drafted. Foreign-funded organisations are already subject to a discriminatory reporting scheme and are listed in a stigmatising public registry.

IPHR and OMCT express our strong support for the Coalition against Torture and its members, and remind the authorities that by ratifying the UN Convention against Torture (UNCAT), Kazakhstan committed to prohibit and prevent torture and ill-treatment, including by enabling independent oversight and unhindered engagement with international human rights bodies. Targeting organisations for cooperating with UN mechanisms as part of efforts to combat torture and ill-treatment is unacceptable and undermines Kazakhstan’s credibility and its international human rights obligations.

We call on the Kazakhstani authorities to refrain from using stigmatising language against civil society organisations; to safeguard the right of such organisations to operate without intimidation or interference, regardless of their sources of funding; and to take effective measures to protect them from retaliation for their human rights work.

The Ombudsperson must maintain independence and impartiality, and uphold international standards, including the Paris Principles, which require national human rights institutions to support and protect civil society engagement with the UN system.

We urge the European Union, the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, and other international partners to speak out in support of the Coalition against Torture and to condemn attempts to stigmatise and delegitimise independent civil society actors working for human rights, justice, and the rule of law – including through engagement with international institutions and mechanisms.