The murder of Zhanbolat Agadil on 10 November 2020 is the fifth political killing registered in Kazakhstan this year. His father, Dulat Agadil, a well‑known Kazakhstani human rights activist and supporter of the ‘Koshe Partiyasy’ peaceful opposition movement, died in February 2020 while in police custody, as a result of repeated torture and medical negligence. Zhanbolat was a key witness to his father’s arrest and a strong human rights advocate. Now, Agadil’s sons are being threatened with death and the family is under strict surveillance for denouncing Dulat’s death to the EU. Systematic persecution is being carried out by the authorities: at least 177 000 ‘Koshe Partiyasy’ supporters are at risk of prosecution while 83 politically motivated proceedings have already been initiated against some of them and activists who either participated in peaceful protests or provided humanitarian aid to Agadil’s family.

The upcoming EU‑Kazakhstan Human Rights Dialogue is a crucial opportunity to bring the above‑mentioned cases to the table. Will the EU Delegation on the ground monitor and raise these tragic events during this bilateral meeting with the Kazakhstani authorities?

Considering the worrying circumstances, does the EU Delegation plan to pay a visit to the family of Dulat Agadil?