Friday 11 Feb 2022 @ 13:38
Chatham House
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The UK must use sanctions to help Kazakhstan’s people

EXPERT COMMENT

Kazakhstan’s unrest is a chance for the UK’s new sanctions powers to show it is serious about tackling kleptocratic regimes. But whether it will is doubtful.

President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s ‘shoot to kill’ order during the recent unrest in Kazakhstan and numerous press reports exposing the corruption of the country’s ruling elite provides an excellent opportunity for the UK government to use its new sanctions regime on individuals.

January’s civil unrest in Kazakhstan – resulting in at least 225 deaths – is a tragedy inflicted on the Kazakhstani people by a repressive kleptocratic regime. The UK government should react to this brutality and corruption by taking a stand about the importance of human rights and the rule of law.

One of the main tools at the UK government’s disposal is the use of sanctions against individuals. Two types of sanctions could be deployed – Global Human Rights Sanctions, introduced in 2020, and Global Anti-Corruption Sanctions, introduced in 2021.

Click here to continue reading the full version of this Expert Comment on the Chatham House website.

 

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Original article link: https://www.chathamhouse.org/2022/02/uk-must-use-sanctions-help-kazakhstans-people

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