Kazakh Activists Say Police Blocked Trip to US Embassy Over Xinjiang Advocacy

Kazakh Activists Say Police Blocked Trip to US Embassy Over Xinjiang Advocacy Members of Atajurt Kazakh Human Rights, who document the detention of ethnic Kazakhs and other minorities in China’s Xinjiang region, allege they were detained while trying to travel to the U.S. Embassy. The group intended to voice concerns about the prosecution of activists involved in Xinjiang-related advocacy. These alleged actions by Kazakh authorities are seen as pressure on activists whose work challenges Beijing’s policies and Kazakhstan’s relationship with China.

• Kazakh human rights activists and relatives claim they were detained and intercepted while attempting to reach the U.S. Embassy in Kazakhstan’s capital.
• The activists intended to raise concerns about the prosecution of individuals linked to Xinjiang-related advocacy.
• Atajurt Kazakh Human Rights is a group that documents the detention of ethnic Kazakhs, Uyghurs, and other minorities in China’s Xinjiang region.
• Rights advocates suggest these actions by Kazakh authorities indicate growing pressure on activists whose work impacts Beijing’s Xinjiang policies and Kazakhstan-China relations.