https://www.rferl.org Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty is an international news organization serving Central and Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, Central Asia, Russia, the Middle East and Balkan countries https://www.rferl.org/Content/responsive/RFE/en-US/img/logo.png https://www.rferl.org en Copyright 2026 - RFE/RL, Inc. 60 Sun, 05 Apr 2026 20:51:45 +0200 Pangea CMS – RFE/RL After publicly calling for the release of the Kazakh rights movement Atazhurt, Bagdat Togysbayev was detained for five days by police. But what struck him as odd wasn't being behind bars, it was how his phone worked afterward. https://www.rferl.org/a/kazakhstan-phone-unlocking-activist-crackdowns/33719830.html https://www.rferl.org/a/kazakhstan-phone-unlocking-activist-crackdowns/33719830.html Tue, 31 Mar 2026 15:14:32 +0200 KazakhstanFeaturesThe Rundown Stories Kazakh voters appear to have approved a controversial new constitution in a March 15 referendum that critics say could further concentrate power in the presidency. https://www.rferl.org/a/kazakhstan-controversial-constitutional-referendum-media-restrictions/33707171.html https://www.rferl.org/a/kazakhstan-controversial-constitutional-referendum-media-restrictions/33707171.html Sun, 15 Mar 2026 16:38:55 +0100 NewsKazakhstanThe Rundown Stories As Kazakhstan restricts independent polling ahead of a constitutional referendum, citizens have turned to humorous, coded “sour cream” posts to debate reforms online amid growing concerns over a shrinking civic space. https://www.rferl.org/a/kazakhstan-constitution-sour-cream-dissent-toqaev-internet/33693029.html https://www.rferl.org/a/kazakhstan-constitution-sour-cream-dissent-toqaev-internet/33693029.html Tue, 03 Mar 2026 12:23:51 +0100 KazakhstanFeaturesThe Rundown Stories Kazakhstan will hold a referendum on a sweeping new constitution that reshapes parliament, expands presidential powers, and addresses the status of the Russian language. Officials call the process inclusive, but critics say it consolidates authority under Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev and sidelines dissent. https://www.rferl.org/a/kazakhstan-constitutional-referendum-toqaev-power-language-russian-status/33675122.html https://www.rferl.org/a/kazakhstan-constitutional-referendum-toqaev-power-language-russian-status/33675122.html Wed, 11 Feb 2026 16:32:19 +0100 KazakhstanFeaturesThe Rundown Stories A trial is under way against 19 activists in Kazakhstan who protested against China’s camp system in Xinjiang. Earlier reporting by RFE/RL showed that the Chinese consulate in Almaty pushed for the Kazakh government to open the case. https://www.rferl.org/a/china-xinjiang-pressure-rights/33661489.html https://www.rferl.org/a/china-xinjiang-pressure-rights/33661489.html Tue, 27 Jan 2026 17:48:21 +0100 VideosKazakhstanThe Rundown StoriesChina Kazakhstan has revoked the citizenship of dozens of naturalized Kazakhs from Afghanistan in recent years. Many of them have effectively become stateless after giving up their Afghan nationalities. https://www.rferl.org/a/kazakhstan-afghan-kazakhs-naturalization/33591897.html https://www.rferl.org/a/kazakhstan-afghan-kazakhs-naturalization/33591897.html Sat, 15 Nov 2025 09:47:51 +0100 KazakhstanFeaturesAfghanistanThe Rundown Stories Thousands of Central Asians are believed to have joined Russian forces in Ukraine. The Ukrainian state project I Want To Live recently released a list of Central Asian men who have either been killed or gone missing in Ukraine. https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-ukraine-centralasia-kazakhs/33572133.html https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-ukraine-centralasia-kazakhs/33572133.html Tue, 28 Oct 2025 08:49:08 +0100 RussiaFeaturesKazakhstan Few noticed when city authorities in the Kazakh capital, Astana, quietly replaced a memorial plaque honoring the victims of the deadly 1930s famine earlier this month. The move highlights a long-standing debate over the famine, one of the darkest chapters in the Central Asian nation’s history. https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-kazakhstan-plaque-famine-ukraine/33567008.html https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-kazakhstan-plaque-famine-ukraine/33567008.html Thu, 23 Oct 2025 13:01:57 +0200 KazakhstanFeaturesThe Rundown Stories A Ukrainian drone attack on a gas plant in Russia's Orenburg, one of the largest facilities of its kind in the world, continues to impact production in neighboring Kazakhstan as the European Union moved to phase out Russian gas imports by end of 2027. https://www.rferl.org/a/kazakh-gas-production-ukrainian-drone-attack-russian-plant/33564896.html https://www.rferl.org/a/kazakh-gas-production-ukrainian-drone-attack-russian-plant/33564896.html Mon, 20 Oct 2025 15:34:15 +0200 NewsKazakhstanRussiaUkraineRussia Invades UkraineThe Rundown Stories Kazakhstan has chosen China to build its third nuclear plant, deepening Beijing’s role in its energy sector. As Russia faces sanctions and funding issues, Astana is shifting toward China as a more stable partner, signaling a strategic pivot in its nuclear and geopolitical future. https://www.rferl.org/a/kazakhstan-china-russia-nuclear-diplomacy/33495107.html https://www.rferl.org/a/kazakhstan-china-russia-nuclear-diplomacy/33495107.html Thu, 07 Aug 2025 00:01:00 +0200 KazakhstanFeaturesRussiaChina In EurasiaThe Rundown StoriesChina RFE/RL spotlights five Central Asian athletes who have turned adversity into triumph. From a paralyzed man turned ultramarathoner to a blind Paralympian and a Premier League soccer pioneer, these remarkable sportspeople have shown how resilience and courage can transcend barriers and inspire others. https://www.rferl.org/a/central-asia-sports-athletes-overcome-adversity-inspiration/33487419.html https://www.rferl.org/a/central-asia-sports-athletes-overcome-adversity-inspiration/33487419.html Wed, 30 Jul 2025 00:28:41 +0200 KyrgyzstanFeaturesKazakhstanTajikistanTurkmenistan UzbekistanThe Rundown Stories