Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

December

• Court Rules That Ethnic Kazakh Will Not Be Deported To China RFE/RL 23 Dec 2019 -- A court in Kazakhstan has ruled that an ethnic-Kazakh woman from China's northwestern region of Xinjiang who is on trial for illegally crossing the border will not be deported to China.
• U.S. Praises Kazakhstan For Leading the Repatriation Of Citizens From Syria RFE/RL 21 Dec 2019 -- The United States has praised Kazakhstan for leading the international effort to repatriate citizens, including fighters, from war-torn Syria.
• Kazakh President Suggests Reforming Rules On Protests, Political Parties RFE/RL 20 Dec 2019 -- Kazakh President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev has suggested watering down the country's legislation regulating public gatherings and political parties.
• Arrest of Activists in Kazakhstan Likely Linked to Criticism of Plan to Deport Chinese Nationals Radio Free Asia 17 Dec 2019 -- Two activists arrested by authorities in Kazakhstan last week were likely detained because they challenged government plans to deport a pair of ethnic Kazakh Chinese nationals who fled persecution in neighboring China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR), according to fellow rights campaigners.
• Call To Halt Deportation Of Two Ethnic Kazakhs To China RFE/RL 09 Dec 2019 -- Kazakh opposition activists have called on the authorities of the Central Asian nation to halt the deportation to China of two ethnic Kazakhs from China's northwestern region of Xinjiang.
• Xinjiang Kazakhs Urge Authorities To Help Release Relatives In 'Reeducation Camps' RFE/RL 27 Nov 2019 -- Dozens of ethnic Kazakhs from China's northwestern region of Xinjiang have urged Kazakhstan to help secure the release of relatives, who they say are being kept in so-called "reeducation camps."

November

• Victims Of Kazakhstan's Soviet-Era Nuclear Tests Feel 'Abandoned' By Government RFE/RL 23 Nov 2019 -- Hundreds of thousands of people in northeastern Kazakhstan are still suffering the consequences from 40 years of nuclear-weapons tests that were conducted near their homes during the Soviet era.
• Ethnic Kazakh From Xinjiang Pleads With Court To Stay In Kazakhstan RFE/RL 12 Nov 2019 -- An ethnic Kazakh woman from China's northwestern region of Xinjiang who is on trial for illegally crossing the border has pleaded with a court in Kazakhstan to allow her to stay in the country to avoid persecution at home.
• Opposition Rallies In Kazakh Cities Demanding Democratic Reforms RFE/RL 09 Nov 2019 -- Demonstrators gathered in two cities in Kazakhstan on November 9 to demand democratic reforms in the mineral-rich Central Asian nation.

October

• Two Ethnic Kazakhs From China's Xinjiang Receive Asylum-Seeker Status In Kazakhstan RFE/RL 29 Oct 2019 -- Two ethnic Kazakhs from China's northwestern region of Xinjiang have been given asylum-seeker status in Kazakhstan.
• The Nazarbaevs Go Wild As Kazakhstan Burns RFE/RL 22 Oct 2019 -- Kazakhs could be excused in recent weeks for thinking they were stuck in a rerun of Lifestyles Of The Rich And Famous - or perhaps the rich and infamous.
• Fourteen Kazakhs Returned From Syria On Trial On Terrorism Charges RFE/RL 22 Oct 2019 -- Fourteen Kazakh citizens accused of fighting alongside the Islamic state (IS) extremist group in Syria have gone on trial in Kazakhstan's capital, Nur-Sultan.
• Kazakh President Cedes Key Powers To Predecessor Nazarbaev RFE/RL 21 Oct 2019 -- Kazakh President President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev has handed his predecessor, Nursultan Nazarbaev, more sweeping powers, according to a presidential decree published on October 21.
• Kazakh Offshore Development Projects Lose Major Investors RFE/RL 21 Oct 2019 -- Kazakhstan's effort to tap into its offshore oil and gas wealth has taken a hit with the withdrawal of major foreign investors from two Caspian Sea projects.
• U.S. Envoy Urges Kazakhstan To Improve Rights Situation RFE/RL 15 Oct 2019 -- U.S. Ambassador to Kazakhstan William Moser says Washington is "strongly encouraging" Kazakhstan's government to improve the human rights situation in the Central Asian country.
• Kazakh Ex-President Rejects Talk Of Shared Power, Blames 'Traitors' For Unrest RFE/RL 12 Oct 2019 -- Former Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbaev used an extended interview on state television on October 11 to downplay his continuing influence and defer to his successor, condemn "traitors" abroad for allegedly trying to stoke unrest, and generally praise his 29-year rule that ended earlier this year.
• Analysis: Official Trickery? Pro-Government Atajurt Gets Registered In Kazakhstan RFE/RL 12 Oct 2019 -- The Kazakhstan-based group Atajurt Eriktileri (Volunteers of the Fatherland) was finally registered after attempting to do so for some two years.

September

• Kazakh Authorities Say Dozens Detained During Unsanctioned Rallies RFE/RL 23 Sep 2019 -- Kazakhstan's Interior Minister says about 100 people were detained during unsanctioned opposition rallies on September 21.
• Kazakh Police Break Up Opposition Rallies, Detain Over 50 RFE/RL 21 Sep 2019 -- Police in Kazakhstan have broken up opposition rallies in several cities, including the capital Nur-Sultan, detaining dozens.
• Kazakhstan Doing Everything To Keep Zhanaozen Activists Away From Proposed Rally RFE/RL 20 Sep 2019 -- Following a wave of antigovernment protests across Kazakhstan earlier this month, activists from the volatile city of Zhanaozen say authorities are taking extraordinary measures to prevent them from attending another rally.
• Kazakh Prosecutor Calls On Citizens Not To Take Part In 'Illegal' Rallies RFE/RL 20 Sep 2019 -- The Prosecutor-General's Office has called on citizens not to take part in what it called "illegal" rallies planned by the banned Kazakhstan's Democratic Choice (DVK) movement on September 21.
• Kazakh President Shuffles Leadership, Names New Foreign Minister RFE/RL 19 Sep 2019 -- Kazakh President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev has named a new foreign minister and chief of staff, according to his website.
• Activists Being Jailed Across Kazakhstan Ahead Of Planned Protest Rallies RFE/RL 18 Sep 2019 -- Several Kazakh activists have been handed jail terms for taking part in unsanctioned rallies against Chinese investment just days ahead of a planned anti-government demonstration.
• Anthrax Diagnosis Confirmed In Kazakhstan RFE/RL 17 Sep 2019 -- Four residents of a village in Kazakhstan's southern region of Zhambyl have been diagnosed with anthrax.
• At Least 4 Soldiers Injured as Ammunition Depot Explodes in Kazakhstan - Officials Sputnik 14 Sep 2019 -- At least four Kazakh servicemen were injured during the routine clearance of burnt debris from an ammunition depot which caught fire in June in the city of Arys, Kazakhstan, local authorities said Saturday.
• China, Kazakhstan agree to develop permanent comprehensive strategic partnership People's Daily 12 Sep 2019 -- China and Kazakhstan decided here Wednesday to develop a permanent comprehensive strategic partnership.
• China, Kazakhstan lift ties Global Times 11 Sep 2019 -- China and Kazakhstan agreed on Wednesday to forge a permanent comprehensive strategic partnership.
• Kazakh President Arrives In Beijing Amid Anti-China Protests Back Home RFE/RL 11 Sep 2019 -- Kazakh President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev has arrived in Beijing for a two-day official visit amid anti-China protests at home.
• Anti-Chinese Protests Don't Deter Kazakh President From Visiting Beijing RFE/RL 10 Sep 2019 -- Kazakh President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev is making a state visit to Beijing this week amid a wave of protests at home against what demonstrators describe as mounting Chinese influence through financial projects and assistance to the resource-rich Central Asian state.
• Kazakhs Protest Chinese Investments For Seventh Day As Toqaev Prepares Beijing Visit RFE/RL 09 Sep 2019 -- Dozens of activists have rallied in Kazakhstan's southwestern town of Zhanaozen for the seventh day, protesting against Chinese investments and industrial projects as President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev is getting ready to pay an official two-day visit to Beijing.
• Kazakh President Pledges More Democratic Freedoms In First State-Of-The-Nation Address RFE/RL 02 Sep 2019 -- Kazakh President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev, in his first state-of-the-nation address following his election in June, has promised to support political competition and pluralism in the tightly controlled Central Asian nation.
• Protesters In Kazakhstan Demand President Scrap China Visit RFE/RL 02 Sep 2019 -- Demonstrators in Kazakhstan's volatile southwestern town of Zhanaozen have demanded President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev cancel his upcoming trip to China.

August

• 'Ground Zero': Report from the former Semipalatinsk Test Site in Kazakhstan UN News 29 Aug 2019 -- Every year on August 29, at the initiative of Kazakhstan, the UN and its Member States mark the International Day against Nuclear Tests. This year, the Day coincides with the 70th anniversary of the first atomic bomb test at the Semipalatinsk test site in Kazakhstan. UN News travelled to the remote, eerily beautiful region, for this report.
• Kazakh Village Under Quarantine After Tests Confirm Anthrax RFE/RL 19 Aug 2019 -- A village near the Kazakh capital, Nur-Sultan, is under quarantine after lab tests confirmed anthrax infections in several people.

July

• AZ Guard, Kazakh Service Members keep Partnership Rolling CENTCOM 29 Jul 2019 -- The Arizona National Guard hosted five members of the Armed Forces from the Republic of Kazakhstan for a week-long vehicle maintenance exchange at the Papago Park Military Reservation July 15-19.
• Kazakh Interior Minister Says Police Detained More Than 100 Protesters On July 6 RFE/RL 09 Jul 2019 -- Kazakhstan's interior minister says a total of 100 protesters were detained in the Central Asian country's two largest cities on July 6.
• Dozens Detained In Anti-Government Protests In Major Kazakh Cities RFE/RL 06 Jul 2019 -- Authorities detained dozens of people in Kazakhstan's two largest cities, as protesters staged the latest in a series of rallies against newly elected President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev.
• U.S. To 'Strengthen' Ties With New Kazakh Government RFE/RL 03 Jul 2019 -- Following talks with Kazakhstan's foreign minister, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has said the United States seeks to "strengthen" its ties with the energy-rich Central Asian state.

June

• Kazakhs Block Road, Demand Answers From Authorities Following Deadly Ammo Blasts RFE/RL 27 Jun 2019 -- Hundreds of people have rallied in a southern Kazakh city and blocked a major road, demanding to be relocated following a series of explosions at an ammunition warehouse that killed three people.
• Death Toll Rises From Kazakh Ammo-Warehouse Blasts RFE/RL 26 Jun 2019 -- The death toll from the massive explosions caused by fire at a military ammunition warehouse in southern Kazakhstan has risen to three, officials say.
• Criminal Probe Launched Into Deadly Blasts At Ammunition Warehouse In Kazakhstan RFE/RL 25 Jun 2019 -- Kazakhstan's president says a criminal investigation has been opened into a series of blasts that hit an ammunition warehouse that killed two people and injured dozens in the southern town of Arys.
• Dozens Injured As Massive Blast Hits Military Warehouse In South Kazakhstan RFE/RL 24 Jun 2019 -- Dozens of people have been injured and tens of thousands have been evacuated following a series of massive blasts at an ammunition warehouse in Kazakhstan's southern town of Arys, Kazakh authorities said.
• At least 70 Wounded by Munitions Depot Explosions in Kazakhstan Sputnik 24 Jun 2019 -- At the moment, firefighters can't put out the flames due to the blasts. The Kazakh National Guard has cordoned the affected area in order to prevent casualties.
• The Women Who Came Home: Kazakhstan Tries To Rehabilitate Islamic State Returnees RFE/RL 23 Jun 2019 -- Freshly returned from Syria to Kazakhstan, 24-year-old Zarina says she is taking one day at a time and has no clear plan for the future.
• Number Of Kazakhs Detained In Postpresidential Election Protests Nears 4,000 RFE/RL 18 Jun 2019 -- Kazakh Interior Minister Erlan Turghymbaev says the number of protesters detained during five days of rallies against the results of a recent presidential election has risen to almost 4,000.
• Hectic Times In Kazakhstan Recently, And For The Foreseeable Future RFE/RL 15 Jun 2019 -- Wake up, Kazakhstan. That's the name of a new movement that appeared in Kazakhstan just prior to the June 9 presidential election. But it could just as well have been advice to anyone following the campaign.
• UN Criticizes Kazakhstan's Crackdown On Protesters RFE/RL 13 Jun 2019 -- The United Nations Human Rights Office has called on Kazakh authorities "to respect freedoms of peaceful assembly, expression and right to political participation" following the detention of hundreds of protesters during rallies since Kazakhstan's June 9 presidential election.
• Toqaev Inaugurated As Kazakhstan's President Amid New Arrests RFE/RL 12 Jun 2019 -- Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev has been inaugurated as Kazakhstan's new president amid the ongoing arrest of protesters, who have challenged an election that was marred by what international observers called "widespread voting irregularities."
• Kazakh Human Rights Groups Demand Thorough Investigation Of Mass Detentions During Election RFE/RL 11 Jun 2019 -- Two leading Kazakh human rights groups have urged the government to thoroughly investigate detentions of hundreds of protesters during and after a June 9 snap presidential poll.
• The Biggest Loser In The Kazakh Presidential Election Could Be The Government's Reputation RFE/RL 10 Jun 2019 -- The election-day figures from Kazakhstan are in. Officials said nearly 80 percent of eligible voters cast ballots. Front-runner Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev was said to have received more than 70 percent of the vote. Several thousand people around Kazakhstan demonstrated against the election. More than 500 were detained.
• More Arrests In Almaty Overnight As Kazakhs Protest Election Results RFE/RL 10 Jun 2019 -- Reports from Kazakhstan say authorities have been arresting demonstrators in some districts of the country's largest city, Almaty, after hundreds of people gathered to protest the official results of the June 9 presidential election.
• Nazarbayev's Hand-Picked Successor Declared Winner in Kazakhstan VOA 10 Jun 2019 -- Kazakhstan's interim president, the hand-picked successor of long time ruler Nursultan Nazarbayev, was declared the winner of Sunday's presidential election, defeating six other government-approved candidates.
• Police 'arrest hundreds' as Kazakhs elect new president Press TV 09 Jun 2019 -- Police in Kazakhstan have reportedly arrested hundreds of opposition protesters at presidential election polls in the Central Asian country.
• Hundreds Detained In Kazakhstan As Nazarbaev's Chosen Presidential Successor Leads Exit Poll RFE/RL 09 Jun 2019 -- The first exit-poll results from Kazakhstan point to an overwhelming victory for interim President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev, who was handpicked by former authoritarian President Nursultan Nazarbaev to be his successor.
• Kassym Tokayev Wins Kazakh Presidential Election by Landslide of Some 70% Of Votes - Exit Polls Sputnik 09 Jun 2019 -- The voter turnout in Sunday's presidential election in Kazakhstan amounted to 77.4 per cent, the country's central election commission said.
• Hundreds Arrested in Kazakhstan Election Protests VOA 09 Jun 2019 -- Police in Kazakhstan have arrested about 500 protesters marching against Sunday's early presidential election that they call illegal.
• Kazakh Voters Look Set To Elect Nazarbaev's Chosen Successor, Toqaev, As President RFE/RL 08 Jun 2019 -- Voters in Kazakhstan are electing a new president on June 9 as interim President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev looks set to continue in the post.
• Uncle Toqaev Wants You! Kazakh Conscriptions, Jailings Greet Wave Of Preelection Protests RFE/RL 08 Jun 2019 -- Sensing a loosening in the authoritarian choke hold they've lived under for some 30 years, Kazakhs are rallying for rights and reforms in a stream of protests unlike any in this energy-rich Central Asian country since the early 2000s.
• Seeking 'Justice,' Dozens Demand Meeting With Kazakh Interim President Toqaev RFE/RL 04 Jun 2019 -- Dozens of people from across Kazakhstan gathered at the headquarters of the country's ruling party days before a snap presidential election, demanding a meeting with interim President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev to discuss what they call wrongful court decisions regarding themselves or their loved ones.
• Chinese Internment Camp Whistleblower Seeks Asylum in Sweden VOA 03 Jun 2019 -- An ethnic Kazakh Chinese national who exposed the existence of a so-called Muslim reeducation camp in the Xinjiang region will seek asylum in Sweden.
• Chinese 'Reeducation Camps' Whistle-Blower Leaves Kazakhstan For Unnamed Country RFE/RL 03 Jun 2019 -- An ethnic Kazakh Chinese national whose court testimony helped expose so-called "reeducation camps" in northwestern China has left Kazakhstan after Kazakh officials denied her asylum.
• Kazakh Women Rally To Demand Benefits, Days Before Snap Presidential Poll RFE/RL 03 Jun 2019 -- Dozens of women have rallied in front of the presidential palace in Kazakhstan's capital, Nur-Sultan, demanding increased social benefits and housing less than a week before a snap presidential election.

May

• Kazakh Ex-President Collects Yet Another Title -- Honorary Senator RFE/RL 30 May 2019 -- Kazakhstan's former authoritarian president, Nursultan Nazarbaev, has received yet another title - honorary member of the Senate, the upper house of the Central Asian state's parliament.
• Nazarbaev Presents Nazarbaev Medals To Putin, Lukashenka, Jeenbekov In Nur-Sultan RFE/RL 29 May 2019 -- Former Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbaev has awarded the presidents of Russia, Kyrgyzstan, and Belarus a medal named after the longtime authoritarian leader during a summit of a grouping of ex-Soviet republics in the Kazakh capital, Nur-Sultan, which is also named after him.
• Shoo-In Toqaev Skips Kazakh Presidential Campaign Debate RFE/RL 29 May 2019 -- Kazakhstan's interim President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev has skipped a televised debate between candidates in the country's June 9 snap presidential election, representatives said.
• China's Kazakh Ambassador Angrily Rejects Xinjiang Crackdown Allegations RFE/RL 28 May 2019 -- Pressed for information about what relatives and activists say is a crackdown on indigenous, mostly Muslim ethnic groups in China's northwestern province of Xinjiang, the Chinese ambassador to Kazakhstan angrily denied any wrongdoing by Beijing.
• Lukashenka Proposes Kazakhstan Ship Oil To Belarus RFE/RL 23 May 2019 -- Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka has proposed opening talks with Kazakhstan on possible oil shipments to Belarus, the state-run Belta news agency reported on May 23.
• Repatriation of extremist fighters and families to Kazakhstan, welcomed by UN rights expert UN News 17 May 2019 -- Stressing the need for some Governments to reform their laws and policies on fighting terrorism and extremism, an independent UN human rights expert welcomed on Friday Kazakhstan's repatriation of 231 of its citizens from conflict sites in Syria and Iraq, earlier this month.
• Prominent Kazakh Sinologist Arrested On High Treason Charges RFE/RL 17 May 2019 -- Kazakhstan's authorities have arrested a leading sinologist in the country, Konstantin Syroyezhkin, on charges of high treason.
• Dozens Arrested in Rare Public Protests in Kazakhstan VOA 01 May 2019 -- Kazakh police arrested dozens of people Wednesday in a rare public protest against the upcoming election.
• Kazakh Protesters Call For Presidential Election Boycott RFE/RL 01 May 2019 -- Dozens of protesters have been detained across Kazakhstan as several hundred people took to the streets to call for the release of all political prisoners and a boycott of the upcoming presidential election.
• Moonlight Madness: For Clues To How Well Kazakhstan Is Managing Wages, Just Ask Its Civil Servants RFE/RL 01 May 2019 -- For civil servant Nurzhan Sadirbekuly, a pay raise couldn't come soon enough. "Couldn't" as in it's too late.

April

• Eight Nominees Submit Applications To Run For Kazakh President RFE/RL 29 Apr 2019 -- Eight nominees, including interim President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev, who is expected to win, have submitted applications to run for president of Kazakhstan in the June snap election, the Central Election Commission said on April 29.
• Kazakhstan's Only Registered Opposition Party Boycotts Snap Presidential Election RFE/RL 26 Apr 2019 -- Kazakhstan's Nationwide Social Democratic Party (ZhSDP), the only registered party in the country that positions itself as opposition to the government, has decided to boycott an early presidential election scheduled for June 9.
• Kazakh Ruling Party Nominates Toqaev For President RFE/RL 23 Apr 2019 -- Kazakhstan's ruling Nur Otan party has nominated interim President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev for the presidency, virtually assuring his victory in a snap election scheduled for June 9.
• Kazakhstan To Hold Snap Presidential Election On June 9 RFE/RL 09 Apr 2019 -- Kazakhstan will hold a snap presidential election on June 9, the interim head of state Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev has announced, moving the vote up by almost a year following Nursultan Nazarbaev's resignation last month after 30 years in power.
• Putin Offers Russian Help To Build Kazakh Nuclear Plant RFE/RL 06 Apr 2019 -- There is once again talk in Kazakhstan of constructing a nuclear power plant (NPP) -- a proposal that's been debated on and off since the late 1990s. This time, the idea seems to have quickly picked up momentum.

March

• China Thanks Kazakhstan For 'Support' On Muslim Crackdown In Xinjiang RFE/RL 29 Mar 2019 -- China has thanked Kazakhstan for supporting its crackdown on the restive far-west region of Xinjiang, where Beijing is accused of rights abuses against indigenous ethnic groups, including Kazakhs.
• All 13 People On Board Crashed Helicopter of Kazakh MoD Killed - President Sputnik 27 Mar 2019 -- The crew of the Mi-8 military helicopter, which crashed on Wednesday in the Kyzylorda region of Kazakhstan, were killed, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said Wednesday.
• Kazakh Ex-Prime Minister Appointed Interim President's Top Aide RFE/RL 24 Mar 2019 -- Interim Kazakh President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev has appointed a recently dismissed prime minister to head his administration.
• It's Official: Kazakh Capital Now Called Nur-Sultan RFE/RL 23 Mar 2019 -- Interim Kazakh President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev has signed a decree to rename the capital Astana after former President Nursultan Nazarbaev, who stepped down abruptly earlier in the week.
• The Week In Russia: Do Kremlin Bosses Dream In Kazakh? RFE/RL 22 Mar 2019 -- Like those of tycoons, officials, and activists who have fallen afoul of the Kremlin, the trial of human rights defender Oyub Titiyev contained plenty of procedure and -- according to the defendant and his allies -- zero justice. And in resigning as president but keeping key roles, did long-ruling Kazakh leader Nursultan Nazarbaev just hand Vladimir Putin a cheat sheet for the 2024 Question?
• Resignation of President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev US Dept. of State 21 Mar 2019 -- "The United States deeply values the contributions of Kazakhstan's first President, Nursultan Nazarbayev, in establishing and promoting enduring, dynamic relations between the United States and Kazakhstan."
• Kazakh Leader's Controversial Legacy Continues After Presidency VOA 20 Mar 2019 -- A day after Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev announced his resignation, the Central Asian nation south of Russia and northwest of China watched on live television as the outgoing president, seated at a position high above the stage, looked on as former chairman of the country's Senate, Kassym-Jomart Kemelovich Tokayev, was sworn in as the country's leader.
• Nazarbayev's daughter appointed as Senate speaker IRNA 20 Mar 2019 -- Members of Kazakhstan Senate have appointed the eldest daughter of former Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev, Dariga Nazarbayeva as speaker.
• Nazarbaev's Daughter Handed Powerful Senate Post As Kazakhstan Gets New President RFE/RL 20 Mar 2019 -- Former President Nursultan Nazarbaev's eldest daughter was elected speaker of Kazakhstan's upper parliament house a day after her father announced his resignation, thrusting her into a highly prominent role just over a year ahead of the next scheduled presidential election.
• After Nazarbayev's resignation, interim president takes oath of office in Kazakhstan Press TV 20 Mar 2019 -- The head of Kazakhstan's senate has been sworn in as interim president of the country after long-time leader Nursultan Nazarbayev stepped down in a surprise move.
• Kazakhstan's New President Pledges to Continue Nazarbayev's Policies Sputnik 20 Mar 2019 -- Kazakhstan's acting President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said Wednesday that he will continue the policies of Nursultan Nazarbayev, the country's former head of state who announced his resignation yesterday.
• Explainer: Kazakh President Nazarbaev Resigns, But Is He Really Leaving? RFE/RL 19 Mar 2019 -- Having ruled Kazakhstan with an authoritarian grip since the 1980s, President Nursultan Nazarbaev shocked many when he unexpectedly announced his resignation on March 19.
• Kazakh President Nazarbaev Abruptly Resigns, But Will Retain Key Roles RFE/RL 19 Mar 2019 -- Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbaev has abruptly resigned after nearly 30 years in office, but will continue to head the ruling party and keep his lifetime post as chairman of the influential Security Council.
• Nazarbaev's Decision To Leave Office Just Might Be His Greatest Legacy RFE/RL 19 Mar 2019 -- Kazakhstan's President Nursultan Nazarbaev announced on state TV on March 19 that he will step down, ending nearly 30 years in office.
• Kazakh President Nazarbayev Resigns Sputnik 19 Mar 2019 -- President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev announced his resignation on Tuesday.
• Kazakh leader Nazarbayev resigns after 30 years in power IRNA 19 Mar 2019 -- Kazakhstan's 79-year-old President Nursultan Nazarbayev resigned on Tuesday after three decades in power, saying his oil-rich Central Asian nation now needed "a new generation of leaders".
• Kazakh president unexpectedly resigns after three decades in power Press TV 19 Mar 2019 -- Kazakhstan's president unexpectedly ends his nearly-30-year-long reign over the country, naming an ally to finish off his term.
• EU Lawmakers Call On Kazakhstan To 'Stop Political Repression' RFE/RL 14 Mar 2019 -- European lawmakers have adopted a resolution urging Kazakhstan to "respect human rights and fundamental freedoms."

February

• Kazah President Appoints New Prime Minister RFE/RL 25 Feb 2019 -- Kazakhstan's president has appointed Asqar Mamin as Central Asian nation's new prime minister, days after the government was abruptly sacked.
• Nazarbaev Sacks Kazakh Government Over Low Living Standards, Economic Failures RFE/RL 21 Feb 2019 -- Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbaev has dismissed the government, citing its failure to raise living standards and diversify the economy away from the energy sector.
• Nazarbaev Replaces Longtime Interior Minister, Keeps Him Close RFE/RL 12 Feb 2019 -- Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbaev has dismissed long-serving Interior Minister Qalmukhanbet Qasymov, who has faced criticism for years over the use of force by police, but handed him two potentially influential positions in his administration.
• Kazakhstan's President Says No Immediate Plans For Early Presidential Election RFE/RL 05 Feb 2019 -- Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbaev has said there are no immediate plans to push forward the date of the country's next presidential election, which is scheduled for 2020.
• Nazarbaev Wants Constitutional Clarification On Termination Of Presidential Duties RFE/RL 04 Feb 2019 -- President Nursultan Nazarbaev has asked Kazakhstan's Constitutional Council to provide an official interpretation of an article of the country's constitution that deals with the termination of the president's duties.

January

• Here Comes The Sun, To Help Power Kazakhstan RFE/RL 26 Jan 2019 -- Kazakhstan has just launched operation of the largest solar power station in Central Asia, in the central Karaganda Province, the heart of coal country.