Grants to Media and Human Rights Defenders: US Foundation Publishes Report on NGO Funding in Kazakhstan in 2021

The American National Endowment for Democracy has published a report on grants allocated in 2021 for projects in Kazakhstan.

Their total amount was approximately $1.3 million ($1,338,860 million).

These funds were spent on engaging with youth, civil society organizations, activists and "independent" media.

The NED receives funding directly from the US Department of State, according to the federal government's electronic budget spending resource.

According to the Foundation's report, the International Republican Institute (IRI)** received the largest grant in the amount of $250,000 last year for the purpose of conducting trainings on human rights.

“The Institute will conduct a series of training and exchange events to increase collaboration between organizations, hone their internal activities and provide them with advocacy skills and best practices based on experience gained in the region to strengthen civil society in Kazakhstan and empower activists across Central Asia” , says the document seen by RT.

Smaller grants were awarded to several Kazakh organizations involved in human rights work.

For example, the Wings of Freedom public foundation was supposed to use this money to create a network of human rights instructors who speak Russian and Kazakh, and help them conduct training in their cities.

And the Ar Rukh Haq institution was required to provide legal support to political prisoners and other persons subjected to political repression.

In addition, the report mentions the "Kazakhstan International Bureau for Human Rights and Rule of Law", whose role was to promote freedom of peaceful assembly.

The organization was supposed to develop ways to monitor violations during such events.

Among the grantees were also CA Analysis & Research Center, the International Foundation for the Protection of Freedom of Speech "Adil Soz" and the "North Kazakhstan Legal Media Center".

They were to provide legal assistance, deal with internet blockages in the country and advise the government on legislative reforms in the field of freedom of speech.

The American structure also paid attention to increasing the "civic activity" of the youth of Kazakhstan.

It was planned to hold seminars in six regions of the republic on the topic of human rights, and to award the best graduates of the program with scholarships for the implementation of their "civil initiatives".

The organization of the event was entrusted to the Youth Information Service of Kazakhstan.

In addition, NED-led projects have included hosting webinars for major political movements in the country and posting political messages in plain language on social media. 

Several more grants from the foundation were directed to support "independent" media in the republic.

In particular, Vlast Media Group LLP (Vlast MEDIA GROUP, LLP) received $236,000.

“The organization will produce and publish breaking news, in-depth analytics, investigative journalism, podcasts and documentaries, and other content.

The project team will act as mentors to a group of journalists in the region to prepare and publish materials on the problems of their local communities.

The content will be in Russian and Kazakh languages,” the report says.

In addition, NED funds were planned to create news channels on YouTube, Telegram and Instagram, conduct investigative journalism, cover protests and provide residents with an “alternative” point of view.

• Media representative in Kazakhstan

• © AP Photo/Sergei Grits

Versatile approach

It should be noted that NED has been implementing its projects in Kazakhstan for many years.

According to the data presented on the official website of the foundation, $1.1 was spent on grants for NGOs in 2020.

Many of the Kazakh organizations mentioned above have received funding from the NED for several years.

For example, the Youth Information Service of Kazakhstan and Adil Soz worked on projects of the American structure back in 2015.

In addition to NED, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) provides “support” for activists and civil society in Kazakhstan.

As it turned out, in 2020-2021, the department allocated at least $9.14 million for various programs, including those to “strengthen a favorable legal environment” and involve citizens in political processes.

The well-known American lobbyist George Soros's Open Society Foundation*** also contributes.

In 2016, the organization launched a project in Kazakhstan to train young people under 35 who are able to develop and implement advocacy projects in the field of human rights protection.

The latest available report on the foundation’s projects in Kazakhstan states that in 2020, Open Society allocated $3.8 million to “support” democratic practices, education, journalism, the human rights movement, and other goals.

At the same time, since 1995, the fund has spent more than $100 million on various civil society initiatives in the republic.

Suspicious coincidence

The activities of organizations associated with the US government in Kazakhstan demonstrate Washington's clear interest in this country, said Konstantin Blokhin, a researcher at the Center for Security Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

“Kazakhstan is a fat tidbit in terms of hydrocarbon reserves and its critical geopolitical position between Russia and China.

For the United States, Kazakhstan is also interesting for the purpose of trying to drive a wedge, to have leverage on Moscow and Beijing, ”the analyst said in an interview with RT.

According to Vladimir Olenchenko, senior researcher at the Center for European Studies at IMEMO RAS, information about projects funded by American structures could be of interest to the Kazakh authorities, who are currently investigating the circumstances of the January riots.

He did not rule out the possibility of involvement of the "partners" of the United States in the aggravation of the situation in Kazakhstan.

“It is worth finding out how the money was used, whether among the rioters there were representatives of NGOs whose work is paid from American sources.

After analyzing the behavior of these non-profit organizations, their conclusions and assessments after the events, we can draw conclusions about the specific purpose of funding and how it was disposed of in the republic,” he explained.

Recall that in early January, residents of Kazakhstani cities massively took to the streets calling for lower fuel prices.

Soon the protests swept the whole country and escalated into riots.

Participants caused significant damage to infrastructure, state and public institutions, robbed shops and burned cars.

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Later, the President of the Republic, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, said that the country was facing aggression from international terrorist groups, and turned to the leaders of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) for help.

The peacekeeping forces managed to stabilize the situation.

According to the head of Kazakhstan, the rioters tried to seize power in the country.

He also noted that "free" media and "foreign figures" could be involved in organizing the protests.

“The so-called free media and foreign figures, who are far from the fundamental interests of our multinational people, play an accommodating and, in fact, instigating role in violations of law and order,” the president said.

Tokayev added that the irresponsible actions of "unfortunate activists" distract the police from their main activities, and law enforcement officers are often subjected to insults and violence.

These "human rights activists" also "narrow" the Internet, infringing on the interests of citizens and businesses, the Kazakh leader concluded.

** Corporation "International Republican Institute" (International Republican Institute) - an organization whose activities are recognized as undesirable on the territory of the Russian Federation by decision of the Prosecutor General's Office dated 18.08.2016

*** The Open Society Foundation is an organization whose activities are recognized as undesirable on the territory of the Russian Federation by decision of the Prosecutor General's Office dated November 26, 2015.