Kazakhstan - March 2026

On 15 March 2026, Kazakhstan adopted a new constitution in a nationwide referendum, the country’s second constitutional referendum since 2022. The new framework replaces the existing bicameral parliament with a unicameral body with proportional representation. It also grants the President unilateral authority to appoint the heads of national law enforcement and national security bodies as well as all members of the Constitutional Court and Central Election Commission. These appointments previously required Senate approval.  The President will also be able to rule by decree between sittings of parliament and dissolve parliament should it refuse to approve his nominations. Freedom of speech is more tightly curtailed in a vaguely-worded article that says speech that violates ‘public order’ or undermines national security is not protected. According to official results, the draft was approved by 87.2 per cent of voters with 73.1 per cent turnout, and President Kassym Jomart Tokayev formally signed the new constitution on 17 March. 

On 20–21 March 2026, Kazakh journalist Botagöz Omarova was placed under two months of house arrest after being charged under Criminal Code Article 274 (‘knowingly disseminating false information’), allegedly for a post on Telegram saying a company building a presidential stable failed to pay subcontractors. Omarova is the third journalist, along with Amir Kasenov and Gulnara Bazhkenova, arrested and placed into pre-trial house arrest since December 2025. Journalist Aset Matayev was also placed under house arrest in March and awaits trial on ‘hooliganism’ charges related to an altercation when he was assaulted with a crowbar. Journalists and press freedom advocates have criticized the arrests as lacking due process and as political retaliation for critical reporting. In many of the cases, the specific statements or writings that are alleged to be false information have not been publicly disclosed.

Sources: Arasha, Kaztag, Factcheck.kz, Tengrinews, Norwegian Helsinki Committee