Kazakhstan’s recent intensification of measures against independent journalists has raised alarms among human rights organizations and media watchdogs. On December 1, law enforcement raided the newsroom of Orda.kz, a well-regarded independent media outlet, detaining Editor-in-Chief Gulnara Bazhkenova. The authorities placed her under house arrest, alleging she spread false information, according to a report by a coalition of nine human rights organizations, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch.
The conditions of Bazhkenova’s house arrest have been described as exceptionally harsh, with restrictions on internet access and communication, except through legal counsel. Her lawyer, Murat Adam, emphasized that these constraints are detrimental, particularly given her need for assistance due to medical conditions and responsibilities towards her minor child.
This action against Orda.kz reflects a wider trend of the Kazakhstan government’s pressure on independent media entities. Shortly before the raid, journalists Lukpan Akhmedyarov and Raul Uporov produced a critical documentary about the deaths of 270 soldiers, facing warnings from the Defense Ministry about discussing military issues.
The crackdown aligns with a pattern of increased state control over media, exacerbated by the introduction of restrictive accreditation rules in August 2024. These rules allow authorities to suspend journalists’ credentials, a move criticized for potentially leading to increased censorship, as highlighted by the Committee to Protect Journalists. Similarly, in July 2025, the foreign ministry denied accreditation to journalists from Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty’s Kazakh service, prolonging a legal battle that continues to this day.
The deployment of “false information” charges appears to be a favored strategy in this campaign. In one instance, journalist Daniyar Adilbekov received a four-and-a-half-year prison sentence for allegations of corruption against an energy official. Bazhkenova now faces similar accusations.
Anthony Bellanger of the International Federation of Journalists articulated the concerns of many by labeling these actions a stark attack on press freedom. Highlighting the imperative need for journalists to operate without fear of retaliation, these developments indicate a troubling shift away from media freedom in Kazakhstan, with significant implications for transparency and democracy.
This narrative underlines the urgent call by human rights advocates for Kazakhstan to uphold media freedoms and reiterates the critical role of independent journalism in fostering informed public discourse.