Here is a press release from Freedom House, independent watchdog organization dedicated to the expansion of freedom and democracy:

In response to an Almaty appellate court’s decision to uphold a large fine against the International Legal Initiative, Freedom House issued the following statement:

“Freedom House strongly condemns the court’s decision, which aims to cripple legitimate and important work by a respected civil society organization,” said Robert Herman, vice president for international programs. “The misuse of tax inspections and fines is a disturbing new tactic for stifling dissent.”

In late 2016, the Kazakhstani government began targeting three prominent Almaty-based human rights NGOs for snap tax inspections, in response to their activism during the trial of activists Max Bokayev and Talgat Ayan. After months of onerous inspections, two of these NGOs were fined several thousand dollars for failing to pay corporate tax on grants from U.S. and Western donors, despite exemptions given to grants guaranteed by standing bilateral assistance treaties. As one of the affected organizations, ILI appealed the verdict in February and again on April 6, 2017.

Kazakhstan is rated Not Free in Freedom in the World 2017, Not Free in Freedom of the Press 2017, Not Free in Freedom on the Net 2016, and receives a democracy score of 6.64 on a scale of 1 to 7, with 7 as the worst possible score, in Nations in Transit 2017.