Kazakhstan parliament considers law that would identify foreign funded organizations News
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Kazakhstan parliament considers law that would identify foreign funded organizations

Kazakhstan’s parliament considered a “foreign agent” law proposal on Wednesday, with member of parliament Irina Smirnova arguing that there is a need for a law that clearly identifies and marks organizations that are financed by foreign sources.

Smirnova claimed that foreign donors are masking their political interests under “media support,” “human rights protection” and the “increase of tolerance.” She stated that the government has an interest to prevent propaganda from being portrayed as independent journalism.

Smirnova referenced similar laws enacted in other countries that are being used as a basis for this proposal, specifically noting US’s Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA).

In September 2024, Human Rights Watch (HRW) published a critique on the application of similar “foreign agent” laws enacted in other countries and claimed that they allow governments to punish critical voices. In the article, HRW traced the abusive “foreign agent” laws birth to Russia’s enactment of them in 2012. It is also noted that the Russian Federation claimed that it was similarly aiming to reciprocate FARA. In October 2024 the European Court of Human Rights ruled that Russia’s “foreign agent” law violates the European Convention on Human Rights.

Smirnova claimed that sources of financing affect what information is delivered to citizens. She argued that the proposed law would not outlaw the truth, but would identify who paid for the “truth” that is presented to the population:

 Of course if the information is harmful for our country, then it should not be [spread]

[The proposed law is needed] so we know where the information is coming from, and what information is real and what information [exists] to change our beliefs and bring outside opinion [to our country]…

Transparency International previously expressed concern over Kazakhstan’s Finance Ministry publishing a list in 2023 consisting of organizations receiving foreign funding. This publication was criticized and speculated to lead to the introduction of a “foreign agents” law.

After Russia, Georgia and Kyrgyzstan implemented similar “foreign agent” and “foreign representative” laws, they were met with a wave of criticism and concern over their impact on press freedom and civil society.

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