In December 1986, well-known and long-time First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of KazakhstanDinmukhamed Kunaev was dismissed from his post and was replaced by Gennady Kolbin, an ethnic Russian which received discontent among the Kazakh public. Riots and clashes between protestors and police broke out on 17 December at the Brezhnev Square (now Republic Square) in Almaty and eventually spread to other parts in the city. As result, 168–200 people were killed and more than 200 were injured with large detentions taking place.[8]
In June 1989, Kolbin was replaced by ethnic Kazakh, Nursultan Nazarbayev, who previously served as the Chairman of the Council of Ministers. After Nazarbayev's rise to power, Kazakhstan experienced in the rise of authoritarianism and corruption which faced opposition movements that were met with political repressions, eventually leading to a decline in civil activism and opposition in the country.[9][10]
In the aftermath of Jeltoqsan event, a new aspect of political life in Kazakhstan as new nationalist movements such as Azat, Jeltoqsan and Alash began to form which called for independence from the Soviet Union and the anti-nuclearNevada Semipalatinsk movement led by Olzhas Suleimenov sought for closure of the Semipalatinsk Test Site. Rallies and demonstration were held in the country and independent media began to appear, as well as increased price of goods which led to inflation.[11]
On 16 October 1991, President Nursultan Nazarbayev signed decree setting for the country's first direct presidential elections to be held for 1 December. The Supreme Soviet proposed People's Congress of Kazakhstan leader, anti-nuclear activist Olzhas Suleimenov for candidacy to which he declined to run himself.[citation needed]Hasen Qojahmetov, leader of the Jeltoqsan National Democratic Party expressed his desire to join the race, however the requirement for collecting 100,000 signatures for registration was unusually higher to which Qojahmetov as a result wasn't able to collect, claiming that parts of the signatures were stolen by the police.[12] Nazarbayev appeared alone on the ballot and won 98% of the vote in what was seen as a sham election.
In June 1992, demonstrations were held in Alma-Ata by the Azat, Jeltoqsan and Alash parties which called for the resignation of former Communist officials within the government, specifically President Nursultan Nazarbayev. An estimated of 5,000 persons participated in 17 June rally with Nazarbayev himself claiming that the situation would lead to a "complete split in society."[13]
Following the 1994 Kazakh legislative elections where newly formed political parties for the first time were allowed to participate, some parties such as the nationalist ones boycotted the elections while the Communist Party of Kazakhstan itself was barred from participating.[14][15] In the result, four major pro-presidential parties occupied the seats in the Supreme Council although it created some form of a multi-party system within the Parliament. The opposition criticized the elections as not meeting democratic standards.[14]
In March 1995, followed by the decision from the Constitutional Court, Nazarbayev dissolved the Supreme Council. This led to dissatisfaction amongst the 72 MP's whom went on a three-day hunger strike while several MP's even refused to leave the Parliament House, warning of the growth of authoritarianism and political repression that would happen within the country by expanding executive branch's power.
1996
Protest against Nazarbayev's policies was held on 8 December 1996 which was barely mentioned in Kazakh media. According to journalists, around 3500 persons participated in the demonstration which lasted for about three hours.[16]
Democratic Choice of Kazakhstan (2001)
On 17 November 2001, several known Kazakh officials and businessmen announced the creation of the Democratic Choice of Kazakhstan (QDT) where it revealed its policies of empowering parliament, direct elections for regional authorities, introducing election and judiciary reforms as well as granting more freedom to the media.[17]
A sanctioned rally by the QDT with a support by the Communist Party of Kazakhstan (QKP) was held in Almaty on 20 January 2002. The QDT called for a referendum on the need to continue democratic reforms, stronger role for the Parliament in control of the government and Prosecutor General's Office, direct elections of äkıms and the development of local government. An estimated 2000–5000 people attended the demonstration.[18]
On 13 February 2006, Nağyz Ak Zhol co-chairman Altynbek Sarsenbaiuly was found shot dead in his car along with his bodyguard and driver. An unsanctioned opposition rally was held in Almaty on 26 February where 1000 people demanded the justice for Sarsenbaiuly's death.[21]
After the Almaty Regional Court found the leaders of For a Just Kazakhstan and Alğa! parties guilty for illegally organising event, a hunger strike was then held in response to the court's decision on 1 March 2006.[22]
A rally in memory of Sarsenbaiuly was held at the Şoqan Uälihanov Square in Almaty on 10 February 2007, where little more than 1000 demonstrators paid respects to Sarsenbaiuly. This marked the first time that a sanctioned demonstration was held in the city center and not in the outskirts.[23]
Zhanaozen 2011 massacre
Zhanaozen has been described as "a one-industry town... centered on the ageing oilfield of Ozen".[24] In May 2011, workers from the Ozenmunaigas oil field went on strike for unpaid danger money, higher wages and better working conditions.[25] The strike was declared illegal by local courts and the state oil company fired nearly 1000 employees.[26] Some of the sacked workers then started a round-the-clock occupation of the town square in protest, demanding better union representation and recognition of workers' rights. The strike continued for months without official interference.[27] According to Radio Free Europe, the protest expanded, "with demonstrators furious over what they saw as a stranglehold on collective bargaining and labor rights by the government."[25] In mid-December, some workers in the square began calling for the right to form independent political parties free of the government's influence.[28]
On 16 December, there were clashes between protesters and police who were attempting to evict them from the square in preparation for an Independence Day celebration. Activists claimed security officers opened fire on unarmed demonstrators. Authorities claimed that "bandits" infiltrated the protesters and began the riots first, producing video to support their version of events.[29] Eleven were killed, according to government officials, though opposition sources put the death toll in the dozens.[30]
On 28 January, 300–1000 people gathered in Republic Square in an unsanctioned rally, demanding for democratic change and a transparent investigation regarding the Zhanaozen riots.[32]
2016 protests
The 2016 Protests against land reforms in Kazakhstan were a massive, unauthorized protests that were held in Kazakhstan against the new amendments to the Land Code, which began on 24 April 2016 in the city of Atyrau. Three days later, the rallies were held in the cities of Aktobe and Semey.[33] During the first three rallies, the authorities did not try to harshly suppress the protests, but tried to calm the protesters and offer other forms of dialogue. Only on May 21, the authorities thoroughly prepared to suppress any protests in all administrative centers of the republic.[34]
Re-establishment of the QDT and 2018–2020 Kazakh protests
In April 2017, exiled Kazakh banker Mukhtar Ablyazov announced the re-establishment of the Democratic Choice of Kazakhstan (QDT). From 2018, the QDT held unsanctioned rallies throughout Kazakhstan aimed at resignation of the government, end of corruption, as well as the transformation from the presidential system to parliamentary republic.[35] Protests became intensified from February 2019, after a fire burned down apartment building killing five children.[36]
Protests broke out in the cities of Astana and Almaty on 9 June 2019. The protest itself was organized by a banned opposition group the Democratic Choice of Kazakhstan which is led by a former, now-exiled Kazakh banker Mukhtar Ablyazov.[23] The Ministry of Internal Affairs reported that in Nur-Sultan, the protesters used throwing stones, objects that came to hand, and used pepper spray, which caused three police officers to be injured.[37] According to official reports, the units of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the police and the National Guard took measures to ensure public safety and law and order, the squares and streets were cleared of protesters by dispersal and detentions.[38] According to the statement of the First Deputy of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Marat Kojaev, on 9 June, during the protests, about 500 people were detained among which were journalists.[39][40] By 18 June, there were reports of the detainees of about 4,000 people in all cities of Kazakhstan.[41]
The opposition prior to that, called for boycott in the elections while Tokayev's challenger, Amirjan Qosanov, whom proclaimed himself to be an opposition candidate, was seen as compromised figure.[42] Tokayev in response to the situation blamed poverty for the sole cause of protests and promised that the government would address the social and economic problems within the country.[43]
A series of mass protests that began in Kazakhstan on 2 January 2022 after a sudden sharp increase in liquefied gas prices following the lifting of a government-enforced price cap on 1 January. The protests began peacefully in the oil-producing city of Zhanaozen and quickly spread to other cities in the country, especially the nation's largest city Almaty, which saw its demonstrations turn into violent riots, fueled by rising dissatisfaction with the government and widespread poverty.[44] During the week-long violent unrest and crackdowns, 238 people were killed and over 9,900 were arrested, according to Kazakh officials.[45][25]
Democratic Choice of Kazakhstan is a political party in Kazakhstan. It was founded by Mukhtar Ablyazov, a businessman and a former minister and Galymzhan Zhakiyanov, who was the akim of Pavlodar Region. The QDT embraced a number of influential politicians and wealthy businessmen of the country who grew disillusioned with the inner circles of President Nazarbayev. The movement adopted a strong anti-Nazarbayev stance and criticized the corruption and nepotism of the president and his clique. The party seeks to peacefully topple the current Kazakh regime and to transform Kazakhstan into a parliamentary republic.
Zharmakhan Aitbaiuly Tuyakbay is a retired Kazakh politician. He was the chairman of the Nationwide Social Democratic Party from 2007 to 2019 and prior to that, he served as the Mäjilis chairman from 1999 to 2004.
Ermukhamet Qabidenuly Ertisbaev is a Kazakh politician and diplomat who has served as the chairman of the People's Party of Kazakhstan since 27 March 2022. Prior to that, he served as the Kazakh ambassador to Belarus from November 2017 to August 2019 and to Georgia from April 2013 to November 2017.
Qairat Nogaibaiuly Rysqulbekov was a participant in the Jeltoqsan riot of 1986 that took place in Almaty, Kazakhstan. He later died in mysterious circumstances while held by the authorities. He was posthumously awarded the title Hero of Kazakhstan after independence.
Legislative elections were held in Kazakhstan on 15 January 2012. The result was a victory for the Nur Otan party, which won 83 of the 98 seats in the Mäjilis. However, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) stated that the election "did not meet fundamental principles of democratic elections." The elections marked the first time that the second-placed party would gain parliamentary seats irrespective of whether it cleared the 7% electoral threshold. Due to the Zhanaozen massacre and the resulting state of emergency there, the election was not planned to be held in Zhanaozen. However, this decision was overturned on 10 January 2012.
The Zhanaozen massacre took place in Kazakhstan's western Mangystau Region over the weekend of 16–17 December 2011. At least 14 protestors were killed by police in the oil town of Zhanaozen as they clashed with police on the country's Independence Day, with unrest spreading to other towns in the oil-rich oblys, or region. According to Amnesty International, the massacre was a stark illustration of the country's poor human rights record under President Nursultan Nazarbayev.
Vladimir Ivanovich Kozlov is a Kazakh journalist and politician who has been a leader of the democratic opposition in Kazakhstan and a candidate for his country's presidency. In 2012, he was the defendant in what Deutsche Welle described as "the first political trial in Kazakhstan." The US charged Kazakhstan with using its criminal-justice system "to silence a leading opposition voice." Kozlov, who was found guilty and served a prison sentence, has been designated by Amnesty International as a "prisoner of conscience." He was released in 2016.
Snap presidential elections were held in Kazakhstan on 9 June 2019 to elect the President of Kazakhstan following the resignation of long-term President Nursultan Nazarbayev in March 2019. This was the sixth presidential election held since Kazakhstan's independence. The elections were not free and fair, and were widely denounced as a sham. Acting president Kassym-Jomart Tokayev of Nur Otan won the election.
Amirjan Sagidrahmanuly Qosanov is a Kazakh politician, journalist, political activist. He was a main challenger to Kassym-Jomart Tokayev in the 2019 Kazakh presidential election.
Legislative elections were held in Kazakhstan on 10 January 2021 to elect the members of the Mäjilis to the 7th Parliament of Kazakhstan. They were the eighth legislative elections in Kazakhstan's history since independence and coincided with the 2021 local elections. The elections were the first to be held under Kassym-Jomart Tokayev's presidency and the first since 2004 to be held at the normally scheduled date, rather than due to an early dissolution of the Mäjilis.
Serikbolsyn Abdildaevich Abdildin was a Kazakh economist, politician, First Secretary of the Communist Party from 1996 to 2010, member of the Mazhilis from 1999 to 2004 and a candidate in the 1999 presidential election. He is often described as "patriarch" for the formation of parliamentarism and the first-drafted Kazakh Constitution in early years of independence. While proclaiming himself as a Communist, Abdildin was vivid supporter for democracy and has called for reforms for a multi-party system with a rule of law.
The 2018–2020 Kazakh protests were a series of civil protests that took place in cities across Kazakhstan, commencing in May 2018 and gaining traction after a fire in Nur-Sultan killed five children in February 2019. Some commentators attribute President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev's decision to dismiss the government of Prime Minister Bakhytzhan Sagintayev later that month in part to the protests. Nazarbayev later himself resigned on 19 March 2019 and was replaced as president by Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, the speaker of the upper house of parliament. Nazarbayev continued to hold several political positions. Tokayev called a snap election, the 2019 Kazakh presidential election, which saw him elected with over 70% of the vote. Both the run-up to and the aftermath of the election saw further protests.
The 2016 Protests against land reforms in Kazakhstan were a series of protests that were held in Kazakhstan against the new amendments to the Land Code, which began on 24 April 2016 in the city of Atyrau. Three days later, the rallies were held in the cities of Aktobe and Semey. During the first three rallies, the authorities did not try to harshly suppress the protests, but tried to calm the protesters and offer other forms of dialogue. Only on May 21, the authorities thoroughly prepared to suppress any protests in all administrative centers of the republic. This was the first mass protest in Kazakhstan since the Zhanaozen massacre in 2011.
The Jeltoqsan National Democratic Party was an unregistered political party in Kazakhstan. The party was founded on 31 May 1990 by a group of victims of the Jeltoqsan protests that took place in 1986. Its first leader was Hasen Qojahmetov, who was Kazakh nationalist, composer, former political prisoner and the Jeltoqsan protest participant. The main purpose of the party was to free the remaining Jeltoqsan victims from prison, form an independent Kazakhstan, and create a multi-party parliamentary system in the country.
Aron Qabyşūly Edigeev, better known as Aron Atabek, was a Kazakh writer, poet and dissident.
The 2022 Kazakh unrest, also known as January Events, Bloody January, or the January Tragedy, was a series of mass protests and civil unrest that began in Kazakhstan on 2 January 2022 after a sudden sharp increase in liquefied petroleum gas prices following the lifting of a government-enforced price cap on 1 January. The protests began peacefully in the oil-producing city of Zhanaozen and quickly spread to other cities in the country, especially the nation's largest city, Almaty, which saw its demonstrations turn into violent riots, fueled by rising dissatisfaction with the government and widespread poverty. During the week-long violent unrest and crackdowns, 227 people were killed and over 9,900 were arrested, according to Kazakh officials.
The 21st Nur Otan Extraordinary Congress was held on 28 January 2022 to elect the new chairman of Nur Otan after former President Nursultan Nazarbayev announced in stepping down from leading the largest ruling party in Kazakhstan for more than 20 years in November 2021 and the days of turmoil conflict that took place in early January. The congress was conducted remotely and attended by 389 delegates. For the first time since 1999, the Nur Otan unanimously elected incumbent President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev as its new party leader.
Presidential elections were held in Kazakhstan on 20 November 2022 to elect the President of Kazakhstan. This was the seventh presidential election since Kazakhstan's independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. Incumbent president Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, an independent, was re-elected for a second term in a landslide, receiving 81% of the vote. His closest challenger, Jiguli Dairabaev of the Auyl Party, received just 3% of the vote, marking the first time since 2015 that all candidates other than the incumbent president failed to garner 5% or more of the vote. This was the first national election since 1999 in which the "against all" option was included on the ballot paper. It received 6% of the total vote. Voter turnout was 69%, the lowest ever in a Kazakh presidential election.
Snap legislative elections were held in Kazakhstan on 19 March 2023 to elect the members of the Mäjilis. This was the ninth legislative election since Kazakhstan's independence in 1991 and the first snap election for the Mäjilis seats since 2016. It was held alongside the local assembly elections.
Jasaral Minajadinuly Quanyşälin was a Kazakh politician, journalist, and activist who served as a member of the Supreme Council of Kazakhstan from 1994 to 1995.
↑ Baturo, Alexander; Elgie, Robert (2019). The Politics of Presidential Term Limits. New York City: Oxford University Press. p.224. ISBN978-0-19-883740-4.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
