Human Rights Watch (HRW) voiced its concern on Monday over the case of Dinara Smailova, a leading women’s rights advocate in Kazakhstan who is currently facing several criminal charges. According to HRW, the authorities’ actions might be an act of reprisal aimed at quieting her activism. HRW’s call for due process and fairness arises from these suspicions.
Smailova stands accused of widescale fraudulent practices, breaches of privacy, and knowingly circulating false information. As stated by the Kazakhstan Internal Ministry’s public announcement in December, authorities from Almaty City, East Kazakhstan, and Almaty regions are leading the charges against her. Should she be proven guilty, potential ramifications could include property seizure and a lifetime ban from designated jobs or activities.
In addition to querying the validity of the charges, HRW suggests that they might be an attempt to tarnish the reputation of Smailova’s organization. Smailova’s legal representation argues that the prosecution’s case lacks substantial proof, and further alleges procedure violations during the investigation, including early denial of case material access to one of Smailova’s attorneys.
Smailova founded the #NeMolchikz Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping and advocating for survivors of sexual and domestic violence across Kazakhstan. These charges come against a backdrop of controversial legal changes. In 2017, Kazakhstan’s criminal code underwent amendments that led to the decriminalization of domestic violence offenses, rendering them administrative rather than criminal infractions.
Many critics argue that this shift towards decriminalization contributed to the normalization of domestic abuse. In its 2024 World Report, HRW also criticized Kazakhstan, suggesting that the nation had failed to effectively confront the ongoing human rights violations or ensure justice for past abuses.