- Kazakhstan human rights abuses reveal 238 civilians killed during the January 2022 protests
- Widespread torture and forced confessions documented in Kazakh detention centers
- Tokayev’s constitutional reforms strengthened authoritarian control instead of democracy
- International silence enables continued repression and impunity
Pakistan, February 2026 — In a recent interview with the Pakistani press, Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev presented himself as a “wise and just leader,” a supporter of peace and the rule of law. In reality, these words are a cynical mask, hiding the horrors endured by the people of Kazakhstan in January 2022.
January 2022: Mass Killings of Civilians
According to official Kazakh authorities, 238 people aged 5 to 75, including children and the elderly, died during the January events. Among them was five-year-old Aykorkem. Burned bodies with multiple gunshot wounds were discovered in the cars of ordinary citizens.
No senior officials or security personnel have been held accountable. An independent international investigation has never been conducted, and the full list of the deceased remains unpublished.
Torture, Repression, and Medieval-Style Trials
Thousands of detainees were subjected to torture: broken ribs, nail extraction, and burns with a hot iron. These methods were used to extract “confessions,” justifying the mythical “20,000 foreign terrorists.”
Bodies of the deceased were exhumed, and medieval-style trials were conducted over them, demonstrating complete disregard for human dignity.
Particularly tragic is the killing of journalist Aidos Sadykov in Kyiv: killers, whose links to Tokayev’s security services were confirmed by Ukrainian police, shot him in front of his wife, leaving three minor children orphaned. Kazakhstan refused to extradite the murderers to Ukrainian justice, despite their identities being fully confirmed and repeated diplomatic requests.
In Kazakh prisons, civil leader Dulat Agadil died, later followed by the murder of his 17-year-old son, while civil activist and poet Aron Atabek was left in a COVID-19-infected cell until near death, without medical assistance.
Constitutional Reform: Strengthening Authoritarianism
Tokayev presents the 2022 constitutional reform as a “democratic modernization.” In reality, it significantly strengthened presidential powers: the judiciary is now fully subordinated to the president, parliamentary oversight has been weakened, and real checks and balances are effectively absent. Any claims of a “strong democracy” are a cynical mask for the international community.
Importantly, Professor Maidan Suleimenov, a highly respected legal scholar and member of the National Academy of Sciences, publicly refused to participate in drafting the constitutional reform. He warned that the changes would entrench authoritarian rule in Kazakhstan, undermining the principles of justice, accountability, and the rule of law. His refusal stands as a rare and principled condemnation from within Kazakhstan’s legal establishment.
Hypocrisy on the International Stage
Tokayev joined the Abraham Accords on behalf of Kazakhstan, despite the ongoing conflict in Gaza, where tens of thousands of civilians, including children, have been killed.
The Kazakh people are overwhelmingly outraged by the barbarism and genocide inflicted upon the fraternal Muslim people of Palestine. Public outrage was particularly strong over Tokayev’s decision to join the Accords to please the Trump administration, which bears direct responsibility for supplying weapons to Israel to destroy Gaza’s civilian population.
Pakistan and Moral Responsibility
Awarding President Tokayev Pakistan’s highest honor, Nishan-e-Pakistan, is a blow to the country’s reputation. A democratic nation has honored a leader whom international human rights organizations accuse of crimes against humanity. Such a decision discredits Pakistan on the global stage and demonstrates complete disregard for the suffering of hundreds of deceased Kazakh citizens.
Conclusion: A Call to Action
Tokayev’s words about the “rule of law” and “democratic modernization” cannot hide the blood of 238 deceased and thousands tortured citizens. The international community, including Pakistan, must:
- •Insist on an independent international investigation into the January 2022 events with participation of UN experts and human rights organizations.
- •Demand accountability for those responsible for excessive force, torture, and political killings.
- •End diplomatic and moral legitimization of the regime until human rights obligations are met.
Silence and awards are complicity in impunity. It is time to demand truth and justice. Civil societies in Pakistan and Kazakhstan must show unity and solidarity in the fight against tyrannical regimes.