Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government how many human rights and social media activists they believe to have been arrested in Kazakhstan in the last month; what is known about their status and wellbeing; and what estimate they have made of the number of fatalities involving protestors.

We are aware of reports that human rights activists and social media activists were among those detained during recent unrest in Kazakhstan and we are seeking further information from the authorities.

In recent meetings with the Special Representative of the President of Kazakhstan, the Deputy Foreign Minister and the Kazakh Ambassador to the UK, I underlined the importance of respect for international human rights obligations, including commitments to freedom of speech and expression. I also sought assurances that due process will be followed as those who were arrested are processed through the Kazakh judicial system.

We greatly regret the loss of life during the recent violent clashes. We are aware of figures from official sources that indicate that as many as 225 were killed in addition to 19 law enforcement officers. Many hundreds are reported to have been injured. We have urged the Kazakh authorities to make available further information, including numbers of casualties, as part of a thorough and transparent investigation into the causes and consequences of recent events.