Theses and quotes: Касым-Жомарт Токаев

Despite numerous calls, Tokayev refused an international investigation, and the topic of the Bloody January victims remains taboo and suppressed.

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The amendments also annulled a law granting Nazarbayev immunity from prosecution and protection of his property.

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Serik Beysembaev and Aliya Tlegenova’s September 2024 analysis, published by the Carnegie Center, thoroughly examines the essence of Tokayev’s reforms. The authors argue that these reforms were primarily designed to ensure the regime’s survival rather than to promote genuine democratization.

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The minimal timeframe for the presidential elections effectively excluded serious candidates from participating. Tokayev announced the elections on September 1, 2022, and voting took place two-and-a-half months later.

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The OSCE reported violations in the parliamentary polls.

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Key figures, such as Karim Massimov – the former head of the National Security Committee (KNB), who was sentenced to 18 years for treason – became the first targets.

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However, a controversial practice emerged that allowed convicted oligarchs to negotiate their freedom by returning stolen assets to the state budget. For instance, Satybaldy was released on parole after returning assets worth 732 billion tenge ($1.6 billion), while the latter was even reinstated as president of the National Paralympic Committee.

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These examples not only expose deep contradictions in the justice system under Tokayev but also underscore a lack of genuine political will to dismantle the system of crony capitalism.

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But Saltanat’s Law was not the result of a government initiative. Instead, it was the outcome of immense pressure from civil society and a petition that garnered over 150,000 signatures.

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Last autumn, Tokayev announced another referendum inviting citizens to vote on the question of whether Kazakhstan should construct a nuclear power plant (NPP).

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Based on official data, 71 percent of voters backed the initiative; however, according to independent polls, one-third of respondents (32.4 percent) doubted the credibility of the referendum results.

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According to Freedom House, the media landscape remains under stringent control by the state and its affiliated business groups, while the political environment is characterized by a total lack of pluralism.

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