Kazakhstan's bold new Constitution puts citizens' rights above state power
Kazakhstan's President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has presented a draft of the country's new Constitution at a forum for local deputies. He described the proposed changes as groundbreaking, calling them a humane approach to citizens' rights and protections. The reforms follow years of public debate over state accountability, particularly after the violent protests in January 2022.
The draft Constitution introduces major shifts in how the state interacts with its citizens. For the first time, it explicitly addresses harm caused by the state to individuals, including mandatory compensation for damages resulting from unlawful actions by government bodies or officials. This marks a departure from previous legal frameworks, which focused primarily on harm citizens might cause to the state.
President Tokayev highlighted that the new Basic Law prioritises human rights and freedoms above all else. He thanked the public for their input during the drafting process, noting that some provisions would once have been dismissed as unrealistic. The reforms also reflect growing demands for accountability after the 2022 protests, where hundreds of civilians died in clashes with security forces. Beyond individual protections, Tokayev stressed the need to adopt *Law and Order* as a core state ideology. He argued that this principle would reinforce Kazakh statehood while ensuring greater fairness in governance.
The proposed Constitution now moves toward formal adoption. If approved, it will require the state to compensate citizens for wrongful actions by authorities—a first in Kazakhstan's legal history. The changes come amid ongoing calls for transparency and justice following the 2022 unrest.
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