DISINFO: Kazakhstan is a shrinking space for the Russian language
SUMMARY
The situation in Ukraine has affected the cultural and humanitarian cooperation between Russia and Kazakhstan. Concerts by Russian performers, other events and projects in Kazakhstan are being cancelled due to campaigns initiated by non-governmental organizations (NGOs) funded by the West.
RESPONSE
The article promotes a recurring disinformation narrative about Russophobia. It also claims that there is a cancel-culture trend towards Russian culture and language, as well as discrimination against ethnic Russians living in former USSR republics, currently independent states such as Ukraine, Kazakhstan and others.
There is no discrimination against Russian language or Russian culture in Kazakhstan. The status of Russian language as official language is guaranteed by the Article 7, Clause 2 of the Constitution of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Several aspects are also regulated by the law "On Languages in the Republic of Kazakhstan," which specifies that the Russian language is officially used on an equal basis with the Kazakh language in state bodies and self-government bodies, in official correspondence, in legal proceedings, in educational institutions, and is a mandatory subject in schools. It is worth noting that legislation only regulates the use of languages in the public spheres. Russian and other languages of national minorities can be freely used in private communication, in book publishing, in the press, radio, television, education, and the service sector.
Regarding the claims about the concerts, a few concerts featuring Russian singers were cancelled recently in Kazakhstan following waves of outrage on social media. Some social media users disagreed with the arrival of singers who openly support Russia's invasion of Ukraine and some of them even promised money to the armed forces to destroy Ukrainian tanks in Kazakhstan. Meanwhile those artists who do not spread aggressive military rhetoric, can freely perform in Kazakhstan.
See similar cases about Russian language under attack such as Moldova: Maia Sandu is attempting to forcibly "Romanize" almost all spheres of life and Russian language is banned in Ukrainian regions controlled by the Kyiv junta.