The European Parliament adopted a resolution on Kazakhstan. The resolution was tabled by the EPP, ECR, ALDE, S&D, and Greens/EFA groups. It expresses its deep concern and its condolences regarding the events that took place on 16 December 2011 in the Zhanaozen district of Kazakhstan, when 17 people died and 110 others were injured, after more than 3000 people rallied peacefully on the main square in support of the demands of oil workers who had been on strike since May for higher wages and better conditions and the right to choose their own union representation. Members strongly condemn the violent crackdown by the police against demonstrators in Zhanaozen, and call for an independent and credible investigation into the events, with an international component. It believes that bad handling of the labour dispute in the oil sector in western Kazakhstan was the main cause of the deepening popular discontent before the mid-December 2011 events.
Members declare their intention to continue to conduct dialogues with civil society actors, as part of Parliament’s relations with Kazakhstan and in line with its practices in its relations with other third countries. They call on the EEAS to undertake close monitoring of the trial of those accused of organising the demonstrations, and to report back to Parliament.
Parliament regrets that the past few months have been marked by the deterioration of the human rights situation in Kazakhstan, as reflected in the EU's statements in the OSCE Permanent Council and in recent statements by the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media and the Director of the OSCE's Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights. It urges the Kazakh authorities to make every effort to improve the human rights situation in their country, and underlines that progress in the negotiation of the new enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement between the EU and Kazakhstan must depend on the progress of political reform. It encourages Kazakhstan to maintain its declared commitment to further reforms, in order to build up an open and democratic society including an independent civil society and opposition, respectful of fundamental rights and the rule of law.
Members also call on the Kazakh authorities to address the OSCE/ODHIR findings as a matter of priority, in order to allow the country's opposition to play its rightful role in a democratic society and they call on the EEAS to support Kazakhstan in tackling these issues. Parliament wants the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy to monitor developments closely, to raise all issues of concern with the Kazakh authorities, to offer assistance, and to report regularly to Parliament.
Lastly, Parliament highlights the participation since January 2012 of official representatives of Kazakhstan in open and constructive meetings with MEPs in the European Parliament, with participation by civil society and NGOs, in which they showed themselves to be open to investigations with an international component into the events, and promised information regarding the arrests of the past months. It expects that these announcements will be followed up with concrete actions.