MEPs adopted - by 589 votes to 35 with 47 abstentions - a motion for a resolution reacting to the crackdown on January protests in Kazakhstan, on Thursday 20 January.
In the text, the elected representatives ask the Kazakh authorities to abide by their “international obligations and respect human rights and fundamental freedoms”. They call on the EU and the international community to monitor events in the country, but also to open an international investigation into the crimes committed against the Kazakh people.
They also state that Kazakhstan’s neighbours should refrain “from all interference which could have a negative impact on Kazakh internal affairs”, referring to the Russian military intervention in Kazakhstan.
Some MEPs pointed to the lack of EU action in this conflict at the European Parliament plenary on 19 January. Others have even suggested that the EU had a role to play in the country’s situation: “We should probably evaluate our European support to a Kazakh elite that only saw their own enrichment and the impoverishment of their people”, said Marie Arena (S&D, Belgium).
On behalf of the ID Group, Thierry Mariani (France) accused the authors of the resolution of wanting to “use every situation to attack Russia and China”.
See the draft resolution: https://bit.ly/3nHSonF (Original version in French by Léa Marchal)