Respublika (Kazakh activist organisation)


Respublika is a Kazakh citizens' group that became known in June 2019 during the 2019 Kazakh protests. It aims for political change in Kazakhstan.

Creation and leadership

, one of the leaders of Respublika is Bella Orynbetova.

Membership

The group was founded by Kazakh-language bloggers., Respublika had 100 members, mainly former members of the civil service.

Aims

At a press conference on 19 June 2019, Respublika representatives called for a review of the 2019 Kazakh presidential election, the release of imprisoned election protestors, and for Nur-Sultan's name to be restored to Astana, as it was prior to March 2019.

Actions

In July 2019, when the National Council of Public Confidence was created by the Kazakh authorities as a compromise in relation to the presidential election protests, Respublika was not offered any seats on the 44-person council. Orynbetova stated that Respublika had communicated its "conditions for dialogue" to the authorities.
On 9 November 2019, 24 Respublika activists protested in a park in Nur-Sultan against the presidential system of government after gaining permission from the authorities.