Attacks on the Press in 2008: Kazakhstan

Temirlan Yensebek – currently in pre-trial detention – was charged with ‘inciting inter-ethnic discord’ for his satirical content. He faces up to seven years in prison if convicted.

The new law imposes onerous registration requirements on online publications and gives the government power to interfere with the work of foreign journalists if their materials contain “propaganda of extremism.”

For the first time, three countries from Central Asia will be members of the UN HRC. Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan – each of which has serious human rights concerns – will join the other 44 members at this year’s opening session on 27 February.