Marat Zhanuzakov
Marat Zhanuzakov is a member of the “Coalition for Protection of Human Rights Defenders, Activists”. He is also a member of the organising committee of the "Freedom" award, an award for people who contributed to the development of democracy and civil society in Kazakhstan. Marat Zhanuzakov has been harassed by the authorities, fined and had his office raided for his vocal stance campaigning against corruption, advocating for civil and political rights, taking part in rallies and pickets, and as a result of his other work in human rights. Marat Zhanuzakov is an active trial observer and closely monitors cases involving human rights defenders who are prosecuted for political motives.
Human rights defenders (HRDs) in Kazakhstan are faced with physical and verbal threats, acts of intimidation, judicial harassment, and arbitrary detention; their work continues to be hindered by legislative obstacles that vastly infringe on the rights to freedom of association, assembly, and expression, as well as human rights monitoring and promotion.
In 2015, Kazakhstan's government passed a law that imposes burdensome reporting obligations and state regulation on funding of non-governmental organisations through a government-appointed body, therefore subjecting HRD initiatives to further restrictions on their work.
