The Ministry of Finance of Kazakhstan has, for the first time, published a registry of "foreign agents," which includes 240 individuals and legal entities, including human rights activists, journalists, and representations of foreign companies, as reported by "Nastoyashchee Vremya."
The document is available on the website of the revenue committee of the Kazakhstani ministry.
Among those included in the list of "foreign agents" by the Ministry of Finance of Kazakhstan are:
- Kazakhstan International Human Rights Bureau,
- Erkindik Qanaty Foundation,
- Youth Information Service of Kazakhstan,
- Masa.Media publication,
- International Center for Journalism MediaNet,
- "International Legal Initiative,"
- Human Rights Fund "Ar.Rukh.Khak,"
- International Freedom of Speech Protection Fund "Adil Soz,"
- Environmental Society "Green Salvation,"
- Federation of Trade Unions of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
The list of declared "foreign agents" includes individuals like journalist Aynur Koskina, former Majilis (Kazakhstan's parliament) candidate Dinara Yegeubaeva, and journalist and author of the YouTube channel "Za nami uzhe vyekhali" (They've Already Come for Us) Dmitry Dubovitsky.
The Kazakh Service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (Radio Azattyk) noted that, in addition to the names and surnames of individual "foreign agents," their individual identification numbers (IIN) are also listed in this registry, which pertains to personal data.
Furthermore, the authorities of Kazakhstan have included representations of foreign companies and funds in the registry of "foreign agents."
For instance, the Kazakhstani representations of Russia's "Gazprombank," the international news agency Reuters, the "Kiev Vitamin Plant," and the Royal Dutch Tuberculosis Foundation in Central Asia have been declared "foreign agents."
In 2022, the Kazakhstani authorities introduced amendments to the Tax Code, which envisage the publication of a registry of entities receiving foreign funding. The government stated that this measure is aimed at "increasing the level of citizens' trust" and applies to legal entities and non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
CentralasianLIGHT.org
September 21, 2023