Kazakhstan: Authorities in Kazahstan must ensure protection of LGBTI rights defenders facing harassment from anti-LGBTI activists
Front Line Defenders condemns the attack against LGBTI human rights defenders Ardzh Tursynkan, Temyrlan Baymash, and Zhanar Sekerbayeva. The organisation expresses grave concerns about the lack of protection the LGBTI defenders received from the authorities in Kazakhstan. Instead of safeguarding them, law enforcement officials detained and harassed the human rights defenders.
Ardzh Tursynkan is an LBGTI rights defender and researcher. He works with Kazakhstani leading trans rigths initiative, AlmaTQ, and LGBTI and youth rights human rights organisation, Education Community. Temyrlan Baymash is an LGBTI rights defender and a co-founder of a human rights initiative, Queer.kz. Zhanar Sekerbayeva is a woman human rights defender, LGBTQI+ activist and a co-founder of Kazakhstan Feminist Initiative, “Feminita.”
On 21 November 2025, in Astana, Kazakhstan, a pro-natalist and anti-LGBTI activist disrupted a roundtable discussion about SOGIE discrimination in the country. Videos recorded at the event showed him trespassing, screaming obcenities at participants, and intentionally attempting to disrupt the event. When the police arrived at the venue, the activist filed a complaint against Ardzh Tursynkan, who was presenting a report on SOGIE discrimination. The police arrested the human rights defender and brought him to the Police Precinct of the Saryark Disrtict of Astana. While in custody, Ardzh Tursynkan was subjected to a smear campaign on social media using AI-generated content to mock and degrade him.
Despite his heath conditions and disability status, the law enforcement officials placed Ardzh Tursynkan in pre-trial detention at the Police Precinct of the Saryark Disrtict of Astana, where he was questioned. In pre-trial detention, the human rights defender reported that he was threatened with sexual violence by a fellow inmate. On 22 November 2025, the Specialized Inter-District Court for Administrative Offences of the city of Astana found Ardzh Tursynkan guilty of “petty hooliganism” under Article 434 (1) of the Administrative Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan. He was fined KZT 80,000 (approximately 135 Euros), and subsequently released.
On 22 November 2025, the same anti-LGBTI activist accompanied by a group of individuals, verbally and physically attacked Temyrlan Baymash and Zhanar Sekerbayeva in a cafe in Astana. On arrival, the law enforcement officers again failed to detain the anti-LGBTI activist and instead, arrested Temyrlan Baymash. Zhanar Sekerbayeva, who went to a nearby shop to avoid harassment, was also arrested. Both human rights defenders were taken to a Police Precinct in Sary-Arka, where they were detained for three hours and released shortly after. The authorities refused to provide a reason for their arrest.
T hese attacks against LGBTI rights defenders occur amidst Kazakhstan’s move to adopt the law against so-called “LGBT propaganda.” On 12 November 2025, Kazakhstan’s Lower House of Parliament, Mazhilis, voted to adopt legislative amendments that ban the "dissemination of information containing propaganda of non-traditional sexual orientation and pedophilia" in the media and online. The debate and voting process lasted a total of 15 minutes. The bill is now pending consideration in the Senate. Since May 2024, representatives of Mazhilis have ignored strong criticism from Kazakhstani human rights defenders calling on the authorities to abandon this initiative, which originated from a petition by the vigilante activist parents’ group. Despite not yet being adopted, this law already contributes to the severe stigmatization of the LGBTI community and legitimises the malicious actions of anti-LGBTI activists.
The proposed law in Kazakhstan mirrors discriminatory legislation from Russia, that prohibits so-called “LGBTI propaganda” and was adopted nationwide in 2012. In Russia, this law has been misused against LGBTI human rights defenders, leading to sentences and administrative fines. Many international bodies have found such laws to be discriminatory.
Front Line Defenders urges the authorities in the Republic of Kazahstan to cease the harassment of LGBTI rights defenders and ensure their protection from vigilantism and other forms of aggression. The organisation calls on the authorities to withdraw the proposed law on so-called “LGBTI propaganda”, as it poses a significant risk of harassment to LGBTI rights defenders from both state and non-state actors. Front Line Defenders urges the authorities of Kazakhstan to ensure that LGBTI rights defenders can carry out their legitimate human rights activities without fear of reprisals and free of restrictions.
