The government of Kazakhstan fails to guarantee workers’ rights to freedom of association and to fully protect their interests in the workplace. Workers must overcome significant obstacles established in law and in practice to organise in Kazakhstan. Legislative changes in recent years have made it more difficult for workers to freely form unions and bargain collectively, and have introduced criminal sanctions for leading or participating in illegal strikes. Outspoken trade leaders and worker activists face harassment, surveillance, and in some cases dismissal because of their labour activism.

This report–based on interviews with over 50 trade union leaders, labour activists, and workers in key industries across Kazakhstan–documents retaliatory company action against workers and state and company harassment of labour rights activists. It identifies key labour rights concerns voiced by workers and activists, and details the restrictive labour and trade union legislation that makes it difficult to independently organise and defend workers’ rights in Kazakhstan. Human Rights Watch also sought the views and perspectives of the Ministry of Healthcare and Social Protection, as well as those of companies named in the report.

There is limited space for dissent in Kazakhstan, the largest country by land mass in Central Asia with a workforce of approximately 8.9 million people. Kazakh authorities tolerate little public criticism of the government or its record. The government’s hostility towards activists inhibits the defence of workers’ rights in Kazakhstan. While the government of Kazakhstan has long restricted the right to freedom of association and the right to carry out peaceful dissent, in recent years the government has further tightened controls over trade unions and civil society groups.

Report by the Human Rights Watch