The report features the probe of the Department of Money Laundering Investigation involving the country's former prime minister.

ARTICLE 19 calls on Kazakh authorities to immediately and unconditionally release the imprisoned Kazakh activists and uphold the right to peaceful protest.

Junta authorities said the ban was imposed because the outlets published content detrimental to national security.

In 2025, PEN International documented 140 cases of persecution worldwide, including 32 writers who are in prison.