OSCE says media pluralism is restricted in Kazakhstan

The OSCE election observation mission published an interim report on preparations for the Kurultai elections, assessing the state of the media landscape, the level of political pluralism, and the prevalence of self-censorship in Kazakhstan.

According to the report, the country’s media market is controlled by the state through direct ownership and non-transparent budget subsidies. In the mission’s assessment, this restricts media pluralism despite the large number of registered media outlets.

Interlocutors of the ODIHR mission also reported pressure on dissenting voices, which they said contributes to widespread self-censorship.

The report further notes the absence of genuinely opposition parties and independent candidates. According to some of the mission’s interlocutors, this limits opportunities for meaningful political participation and political pluralism.