Kazakhstan

President appoints acting prime minister after earlier declaring a state of emergency to tackle widespread demonstrations over rising fuel prices.

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has signed a decree “On further measures of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the field of human rights”, which he said represents an important step in the political modernisation of the Central Asian country.

People have taken to the streets in cities and town across Kazakhstan to press for democratic reforms.

Kazakhstan’s ruling party has cemented its grip on parliament in the opposition-free election, officials said on Monday. … The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe said in a statement that “an uncompetitive campaign and systemic de-facto limitations on constitutionally guaranteed fundamental freedoms left voters without genuine choice”.

The Central Election Commission of Kazakhstan has completed the accreditation of observers of international organisations and foreign states for the 10 January elections, media in the Central Asian nation reported. … Kazakh authorities and commentators previously said the COVID-19 pandemic should not be an obstacle for holding the election, which is expected to further advance the soft democratic reform process currently ongoing in the Central Asian country.

The All-National Social Democratic Party of Kazakhstan (OSDP), which bills itself as an opposition group, has announced that it will boycott the upcoming parliamentary elections. … The Kazakh government has said six registered political parties will take part in the elections. The parties include the ruling Nur Otan, four pro-government parties -- Aq Zhol, Auyl, Birlik, and the Communist People's Party -- and the OSDP.

Kazakhstan is to hold parliamentary elections for the Majilis, the lower chamber of the Kazakh parliament, on 10 January 2021. Despite the coronavirus pandemic, the Central Asian country is inviting observers and journalists and is hoping to attract international attention.

Kazakh President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev has set the date of elections for the lower house of parliament, or Majlis, for January 10, 2021. The decree, signed on October 21, paves the way for the energy-rich Central Asian country’s first parliamentary elections since Toqaev in 2019 succeeded Nursultan Nazarbaev, who resigned that year after nearly three decades in power.

Kazakhstan has allowed the transit of thousands of Uzbek and Kyrgyz migrant workers who've been stranded in Russia for months along the border with Kazakhstan due to coronavirus travel restrictions.