Impunity for torture and other ill-treatment by law enforcement officials remains commonplace in Kazakhstan’s criminal justice system. Of the hundreds of reports of torture that human rights organizations receive each year in Kazakhstan, just a handful ever lead to a conviction. Despite positive revisions to legislation and policy, remedies available to victims remain ineffective. The official complaints process is complex, riddled with loopholes that allow perpetrators to evade justice, and leaves victims open to intimidation and retaliation. Many victims do not even attempt to register a complaint, and those who do often end up feeling helpless, intimidated, and overwhelmed.
