Human Rights and Freedom in Kazakhstan

https://www.humantruth.info/kazakhstan_human_rights_and_freedom.html

By Vexen Crabtree 2018

#gender #kazakhstan #kazakhstan_gender #misogyny #women

Kazakhstan Republic of Kazakhstan [Country Profile Page]
Status	Independent State
Social and Moral Index	86th best
Location	Asia
Population	18.3m₁
Life Expectancy	69.36yrs (2017)₂

Kazakhstan is generally poor at ensuring human rights and freedom compared to the rest of the world. Kazakhstan does worse than average in the rate of gender bias (from 7 indicators)₃ (still good for Asia), commentary in Human Rights Watch reports₄, supporting personal, civil & economic freedoms₅, freethought₆, supporting press freedom₇ and in its average Freedom in the World rating. And finally, it falls into the worst 20 in terms of combatting modern slavery₈. LGBT folk hide their sexual orientation out of fear of reprisals or discrimination, and they face hostility from authorities₉. Kazakhstan seemed determined in 2017 to make its overall record even worse; suppressing independent trade union activity and persecuting critics and journalists, and threatening to further decrease citizen's religious freedoms₉. Torture and ill-treatment in detention persist₉.

1. Kazakhstan's Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance

#equality #freedom #gender_equality #human_rights #kazakhstan #morals #politics #prejudice #tolerance

Compared to Asia (2025)₁₀
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₁₀
1	Japan	31.6
2	Taiwan	41.3
3	S. Korea	44.8
	...
21	India	104.4
22	Russia	104.9
23	Sri Lanka	105.7
24	Kazakhstan	108.1
25	Cambodia	109.0
26	Kuwait	109.5
27	Lebanon	109.6
28	Tajikistan	109.9
29	Laos	113.3
	Asia Avg	103.00
q=52.

Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance (2025)₁₀
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₁₀
1	Sweden	7.8
2	Netherlands	8.7
3	Denmark	8.8
	...
126	Cuba	106.0
127	Sierra Leone	106.3
128	Grenada	107.1
129	Kazakhstan	108.1
130	Benin	108.6
131	Papua New Guinea	108.8
132	Cambodia	109.0
133	Central African Rep.	109.1
	World Avg	89.80
q=199.

The best countries in the world at ensuring human rights, fostering equality and promoting tolerance, are Sweden, The Netherlands and Denmark₁₁. These countries are displaying the best traits that humanity has to offer. The worst countries are Somalia, Eritrea and Saudi Arabia₁₁.

31 datasets are used to calculate points for each country, including multiple decades of data on supporting press freedom, combatting modern slavery, supporting personal, civil & economic freedoms, its average Freedom in the World rating, commentary in Human Rights Watch reports, its nominal commitment to Human Rights, speed of uptake of HR treaties, opposing gender inequality, the rate of gender bias (from 7 indicators), the year from which women could participate in democracy, its success in fighting anti-semitic prejudice, LGBT equality and freethought. The regions with the best average results per country are Scandinavia, Baltic States and Europe₁₁, whereas the worst are The Middle East, Africa and Asia₁₁.

For more, see:

" Which are the Best Countries for Human Rights, Equality and Tolerance?" by Vexen Crabtree (2025).

Amnesty International's 2023-23 summary on human rights in Kazakhstan stated:

“The rights to freedom of expression, assembly and association were unduly restricted, including in the context of mass protests in January. Security forces used excessive force against peaceful protesters, injuring and killing scores. Demonstrators were arbitrarily arrested and faced torture in detention. Law enforcement officers generally enjoyed impunity for attacking and ill-treating protesters. Journalists who reported on the protests were targeted and some were detained. Kazakhstan abolished the death penalty for all crimes.”
"The State of the World's Human Rights 2022/23" by Amnesty International (2023)₁₂

“[In 2017, Kazakhstan's] human rights record further deteriorated. Authorities suppressed independent trade union activity and continued to target government critics, including journalists, with politically motivated criminal charges and other harassment. Several activists and union leaders remain wrongfully imprisoned. The government is considering legislative amendments that appear to propose even further restrictions on freedom of religion. Impunity for torture and ill-treatment in detention persist. [...] Authorities continued to misuse the vague and overbroad criminal charge of "inciting discord" to target outspoken activists and others.”
"World Report 2018" by Human Rights Watch (2018)₉

2. Human Rights & Tolerance Datasets

2.1. Press Freedom

#democracy #freedom #Freedom_of_Speech #Good_Governance #mass_media #politics #UK

Press Freedom Higher is better₇
Pos.		2025₇
1	Norway	92.31
2	Estonia	89.46
3	Netherlands	88.64
	...
137	Guatemala	40.32
138	Sri Lanka	39.93
139	Hong Kong	39.86
140	Kazakhstan	39.34
141	Honduras	38.51
142	Uganda	37.61
143	Kyrgyzstan	37.46
144	Ethiopia	36.92
	Asia Avg	39.69
	World Avg	54.65
q=179.

Kazakhstan ranks 140th in the world in terms of supporting press freedom.

The freedom to investigate, publish information, and have access to others' opinion is a fundamental part of today's information-driven world, and is linked with Freedom of Speech and Good Governance. Scores on the Press Freedom Index are calculated according to indicators including pluralism - the degree to which opinions are represented in the media, media independence of authorities, self-censorship, legislation, transparency and the infrastructure that supports news and information, and, the level of violence against journalists which includes lengths of imprisonments. The index "does not take direct account of the kind of political system but it is clear that democracies provide better protection for the freedom to produce and circulate accurate news and information than countries where human rights are flouted". The rankings are used as one of the datasets of the Social and Moral Development Index₁₃

It must be noted that press freedom is not an indicator of press quality and the press itself can be abusive; the UK suffers in particular from a popular brand of nasty reporting that infuses several of its newspapers who are particularly prone to running destructive and often untrue campaigns against victims. The Press Freedom Index notes that "the index should in no way be taken as an indicator of the quality of the media in the countries concerned".

For more, see:

"Human Rights" by Vexen Crabtree (2019).

Continuing a long-term trend of press persecution, in 2017 "independent and opposition journalists continued to face harassment, physical attacks, and spurious criminal prosecutions₉.

Averages by decade for Kazakhstan (for the ranks, lower is better):

Press Freedom	2000s Average	2010s Average
Kazakhstan:	41.56	45.82
World Rank:	136th	⇣ 160th
World Avg:	27.44	65.91

2.2. Slavery in the 2020s

#burundi #eritrea #human_rights #indonesia #slavery

Slavery in the 2020s Lower is better₈
Pos.		Total Per 1000₈
1=	Switzerland	0.50
1=	Norway	0.50
3=	Germany	0.60
	...
141=	S. Sudan	10.30
142=	Azerbaijan	10.60
142=	Pakistan	10.60
144	Kazakhstan	11.10
145	Belarus	11.30
146	Albania	11.80
147	Turkmenistan	11.90
148	Myanmar	12.10
	Asia Avg	9.89
	World Avg	7.15
q=160.

In terms of combatting modern slavery, Kazakhstan comes 17th-worst in the world.

Modern slavery includes forced labour (often of the under-age), debt bondage (especially generational), sexual slavery, chattel slavery and other forms of abuse, some of which can be surprisingly difficult to detect, but often target those fleeing from warzones, and the poverty-stricken vulnerable.₁₄. Some industries (diamond, clothing, coal) from some countries (Burundi₁₅, Eritrea₁₅, Indonesia₁₆) are a particular concern. The Walk Free Foundation, say in their 2023 report, that 50 million people are living in modern slavery₁₅, and, nearly two-thirds of those in forced labour are employed at the end of supply chains working for large multinationals that creating products consumed by rich countries₁₇.

For more, see:

"The Historical Slave Trade and Modern Slavery" by Vexen Crabtree (2018).

Averages by decade for Kazakhstan (for the ranks, lower is better):

Slavery	2010s Average	2020s Average
Kazakhstan:	4.20	11.10
World Rank:	84th	⇣ 144th
World Avg:	6.54	7.15

2.3. Personal, Civil & Economic Freedom

#freedom #politics

Personal, Civil & Economic Freedom Lower is better₅
Pos.		2014 Rank₅
1	Hong Kong	1
2	Switzerland	2
3	New Zealand	3
	...
93	Botswana	93
94=	Liberia	94
94=	Lesotho	94
96	Kazakhstan	96
97	Ecuador	97
98	Kyrgyzstan	98
99	Tanzania	99
100	Uganda	100
	Asia Avg	94.6
	World Avg	79.7
q=159.

With respect to supporting personal, civil & economic freedoms, Kazakhstan ranks 96th in the world.

The Human Freedom Index published by the Fraser Institute is...

“... a broad measure of human freedom, understood as the absence of coercive constraint. It uses 79 distinct indicators of personal and economic freedom in the following areas: Rule of Law, Security and Safety, Movement, Religion, Association, Assembly, and Civil Society, Expression, Relationships, Size of Government, Legal System and Property Rights, Access to Sound Money, Freedom to Trade Internationally, Regulation of Credit, Labor, and Business. [...]
The highest levels of freedom are in Western Europe, Northern Europe, and North America (Canada and the United States. The lowest levels are in the Middle East and North Africa, South Asia, and sub-Saharan Africa. [...]
Countries in the top quartile of freedom enjoy a significant higher per capita income ($37,147) [compared with] the least-free quartile [at] $8,700). The HFI finds a strong correlation between human freedom and democracy.”
"The Human Freedom Index" by The Fraser Institute (2016)₁₈

For more, see:

"Human Rights" by Vexen Crabtree (2019).

2.4. Freedom in the World

#freedom #human_rights #hungary #politics #USA

Freedom in the World Lower is better
Pos.		2024 Score
1=	Norway	1.0
1=	Canada	1.0
1=	Cape Verde	1.0
	...
159=	Zimbabwe	5.5
159=	Abkhazia	5.5
159=	Qatar	5.5
162=	Kazakhstan	6.0
162=	Niger	6.0
162=	Kyrgyzstan	6.0
162=	Ethiopia	6.0
162=	Gabon	6.0
	Asia Avg	5.0
	World Avg	3.7
q=205.

Kazakhstan is positioned 162nd in the world in terms of its average Freedom in the World rating.

Freedom House's long-standing annual report has been running since the 1970s, collecting data on political rights (PR) and civil liberties (CL). Their reports rate countries as "Free", "Partially Free" or "Not Free", however the results here are based on their numerical values. Many countries score the best combination of scores (1 and 1), which is why the table of results show many places equally placed in 1st place. In the past two decades, some well-established democracies like the USA and Hungary have been falling. Whilst most of the world in general is improving rights and freedoms over time, the 2020s has seen some regression.

For more, see:

" Which are the Best Countries for Human Rights, Equality and Tolerance?" by Vexen Crabtree (2025).

Averages by decade for Kazakhstan (for the ranks, lower is better):

Freedom in the World	1990s Average	2000s Average	2010s Average
Kazakhstan:	5.3	5.5	5.7
World Rank:	143rd	⇣ 162nd	⇣ 167th
World Avg:	3.6	3.4	3.4

2.5. Human Rights Watch Comments

#human_rights

Human Rights Watch Comments Higher is better₄
Pos.		2017 Score₄
1=	UK	9
1=	France	9
1=	Germany	9
	...
95=	Bangladesh	-6
95=	Bosnia & Herzegovina	-6
95=	Jordan	-6
95=	Kazakhstan	-6
95=	Cuba	-6
100=	Yemen	-7
100=	Egypt	-7
100=	Equatorial Guinea	-7
	Asia Avg	-5.0
	World Avg	-1.9
q=123.

Kazakhstan is 91st in the world in terms of commentary in Human Rights Watch reports.

Human Rights Watch comments concentrate mostly on negative issues, however, they also make positive comments for those countries that engage in human rights defence around the world, or who make improvements at home. By adding up positive and negative comments (including double-points for negatives that involve large scales and crimes against humanity), the Social and Moral Index turns HRW commentary into quantified values. Some countries may be unfairly penalized because HRW have not examined them, and, some countries "get away" with abuses if they manage to hide it, or if it goes unnoticed - a negative point has been given for those countries in which HRW specifically state that access to investigators has been barred. The points were limited to a minimum of -10 because there are some points at which things are so bad, with abuses affecting so many, it is difficult to be more specific about the depths of the issues.

For more, see:

"Human Rights" by Vexen Crabtree (2019).

2.6. Nominal Commitment to HR

#human_rights

Nominal Commitment to HR Higher is better₁₉
Pos.		2009 Treaties₁₉
1	Argentina	24
2=	Chile	23
2=	Costa Rica	23
	...
59=	Netherlands	19
59=	Nicaragua	19
59=	Canada	19
59=	Kazakhstan	19
59=	Luxembourg	19
59=	Greece	19
59=	Ireland	19
66=	Lithuania	18
	Asia Avg	12.7
	World Avg	15.1
q=194.

Kazakhstan is positioned 51st in the world with regard to its nominal commitment to Human Rights.

There are many international agreements on human rights, and, many mechanisms by which countries can be brought to account for their actions. Together, these have been the biggest historical movement in the fight against oppression and inhumanity. Or, putting it another way: these are rejected mostly by those who wish to oppress inhumanely. None of them are perfect and many people object to various components and wordings, but, no-one has come up with, and enforced, better methods of controlling the occasional desires that states and peoples have of causing angst for other states and peoples in a violent, unjust or inhumane way. Points are awarded for the number of human rights agreements ratified by the country, plus the acceptance of the petition mechanisms for disputes. The maximum possible score in 2009 was 24.

For more, see:

"Human Rights" by Vexen Crabtree (2019).

2.7. HR Treaties Lag

#human_rights #international_law #micronesia #politics #small_islands

HR Treaties Lag Lower is better₂₀
Pos.		2019 Avg Yrs/Treaty₂₀
1	Ecuador	2.15
2	Uruguay	2.25
3	Tunisia	3.65
	...
122	Angola	11.59
123	Cameroon	11.63
124	Sudan	11.65
125	Kazakhstan	11.67
126	Switzerland	11.71
127	Macedonia	11.71
128	Czechia	11.73
129	Malawi	11.77
	Asia Avg	10.97
	World Avg	10.02
q=195.

Kazakhstan ranks 125th in the world in terms of speed of uptake of HR treaties.

Human Rights (HR) Treaties Lag is a count of how long it took each country to sign each of 11 key HR treaties. From the date of the first signatory of each treaty, all other countries have one point added to their score for each day they delayed in signing. Results are presented as average time in years to sign each one. The lower a country's score, the more enthusiastically it has taken on international Human Rights Treaties - which are, of course, minimal standards of good governance. The slowest are the countries of Micronesia, Melanesia, Australasia and Polynesia all lagged by over 12 years per treaty. The best regions are The Americas, Scandinavia and the Mediterranean.

For more, see:

" Which are the Best Countries for Human Rights, Equality and Tolerance?" by Vexen Crabtree (2025).

3. Gender Equality Datasets

Kazakhstan is on the way towards ending gender inequality, even though women were prevented equal voting and standing rights until quite late.

“In July [2017], President Nursultan Nazarbaev signed amendments to the criminal code decriminalizing battery and light bodily harm, including in cases of domestic violence. The law does not envisage criminal sanctions for repeat offenses.”
"World Report 2018" by Human Rights Watch (2018)₉

See:

"Religion Versus Womankind" by Vexen Crabtree (2007)

3.1. Gender Inequality

#gender #gender_equality #human_rights #misogyny #women

Gender Inequality Lower is better₂₁
Pos.		2022₂₁
1	Denmark	0.01
2	Norway	0.01
3	Switzerland	0.02
	...
39	Latvia	0.15
40	Malta	0.15
41	Moldova	0.17
42	Kazakhstan	0.18
43	Slovakia	0.18
44	Russia	0.18
45	USA	0.18
46	China	0.19
	Asia Avg	0.33
	World Avg	0.34
q=166.

In terms of opposing gender inequality, Kazakhstan is 42nd in the world.

The UN Human Development Reports include statistics on gender equality which take into account things like maternal mortality, access to political power (seats in parliament) and differences between male and female education rates. Gender inequality is not a necessary part of early human development. Although a separation of roles is almost universal due to different strengths between the genders, this does not have to mean that women are subdued, and, such patriarchalism is not universal in ancient history. Those cultures and peoples who shed, or never developed, the idea that mankind ought to dominate womankind, are better cultures and peoples than those who, even today, cling violently to those mores.

For more, see:

"Gender Equality" by Vexen Crabtree (2023).

Averages by decade for Kazakhstan (for the ranks, lower is better):

Gender Inequality	2000s Average	2010s Average
Kazakhstan:	0.33	0.22
World Rank:	50th	⇡ 46th
World Avg:	0.41	0.37

3.2. Gender Biases

#gender #gender_equality #prejudice #women

Gender Biases Lower is better₃
Pos.		2022 %₃
1	Sweden	31.8₂₂
2	New Zealand	34.4₂₃
3	Australia	37.0₂₃
	...
46	Ecuador	92.3₂₃
47	Venezuela	92.4₂₃
48	Nicaragua	93.2₂₃
49	Kazakhstan	93.4₂₃
50	Morocco	93.7₂₃
51	Vietnam	93.8₂₃
52	Georgia	94.7₂₂
53	Thailand	95.5₂₃
	Asia Avg	94.24
	World Avg	83.93
q=88.

Kazakhstan ranks 49th in the world when it comes to the rate of gender bias (from 7 indicators).

The Gender Social Norms Index (GSNI) looks at gender biases across seven criteria; the % given here is for the total people who are biased across any of those criteria. By subtracting the value from 100%, you can see that those who do well on this index, you are seeing a count of those who do not appear to be biased against women in any of the criteria, and so, doing well on this index is a very positive sign for any country.

The data was included in UN (2022) with full results in Annex table AS6.7.1; their data stems for ranges between 2005 and 2022, depending on the country in question.

3.3. Year Women Can Vote

#christianity #gender_equality #human_rights #politics #women

Year Women Can Vote Lower is better
Pos.		Total Year
1	New Zealand	1893
2	Australia	1902
3	Finland	1906
	...
180=	Central African Rep.	1986
181	Namibia	1989
182	Samoa	1990
183	Kazakhstan	1993
184=	Moldova	1994
184=	Oman	1994
186	Qatar	2003
187	Kuwait	2005
	Asia Avg	1907
	World Avg	1930
q=189.

With respect to the year from which women could participate in democracy, Kazakhstan is positioned 5th-worst in the world.

Women now have equal rights in the vast majority of countries across the world. Although academic literature oftens talks of when a country "grants women the right to vote", this enforces a backwards way of thinking. Women always had the right to vote, however, they were frequently denied that right. The opposition to women's ability to vote in equality with man was most consistently and powerfully opposed by the Catholic Church, other Christian organisations, Islamic authorities and some other religious and secular traditionalists.

For more, see:

"Gender Equality" by Vexen Crabtree (2023).

4. Prejudice Datasets

4.1. Anti-Semite Opinions

#antisemitism #christianity #germany #indonesia #jordan #judaism #laos #morocco #netherlands #pakistan #philippines #religion #religious_violence #saudi_arabia #spain #sweden #turkey #UK #vietnam

Anti-Semite Opinions Lower is better₂₄
Pos.		2014 %₂₄
1	Laos	0
2	Philippines	3
3	Sweden	4
	...
47=	Russia	30
47=	Bolivia	30
49=	Georgia	32
49=	Kazakhstan	32
49=	Bangladesh	32
49=	Bosnia & Herzegovina	32
49=	Costa Rica	32
54=	Uruguay	33
	Asia Avg	48.2
	World Avg	36.8
q=101.

Kazakhstan comes 50th in the world in terms of its success in fighting anti-semitic prejudice.

Anti-Semitism is the word given to irrational racism against Jews. It's not the same as anti-Judaism (arguments against the religion) nor the same as anti-Zionism (arguments against Israel). In history, influential Christian theologians concocted the arguments against Jews that led, very early on, to widespread Christian action against Jews₂₅_,₂₆_,₂₇_,₂₈. As Christianity rose to power in the West and presided over the Dark Ages, there were repeated violent outbursts against Jews of the most horrible kind. Entire Crusades were aimed at them and the feared Spanish Inquisition paid Jews particular attention. The horror of the holocaust instigated by German Nazis in the 1940s was followed (finally) by the era of European human rights and a movement against racism in general.

The places that are the least anti-Semitical are a few countries of south-east Asia (Laos, the Philippines and Vietnam) and some of the secular liberal democracies of Europe (Sweden, the Netherlands and the UK). The worst countries for antisemitism are Islamic states of the Middle East₂₉, which are undergoing their own Dark Age. Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Morocco, Indonesia, Pakistan and Turkey see the most oppressive and violent actions towards Jews₃₀_,₃₁. Jews in Muslim countries face a host of restrictions and "ceaseless humiliation and regular pogroms"₃₂. In 2004 the European Union Monitoring Center on Racism and Xenophobia reported on violent anti-Jew crimes in the EU and found that that largest group of perpetrators were young Muslim males₃₃.

For more, see:

"Anti-Semitism" by Vexen Crabtree (2017).

4.2. LGBT Equality in the 2020s

#equality #homosexuality #human_rights #ICCPR #intolerance #sexuality #tolerance

“Many lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people hide their sexual orientation or gender identity out of fear of reprisals or discrimination. On rare occasions when LGBT people report abuse, they can face indifference and hostility from authorities. Transgender people must undergo humiliating and invasive procedures - including a psychiatric diagnosis and coerced sterilization - to change gender on official documents. Feminita, an Almaty-based lesbian, bisexual and queer (LBQ) group, reported that “police not only use vulgar, evil, insulting jokes, but also blackmail, [and] sometimes violence".”
"World Report 2018" by Human Rights Watch (2018)₉

LGBT Equality in the 2020s Higher is better₃₄
Pos.		Total Score₃₄
1=	Germany	4.88
1=	Spain	4.88
3	Portugal	4.81
	...
80	Panama	0.74
81	Monaco	0.72
82	Thailand	0.49
83	Kazakhstan	0.41
84	Suriname	0.34
85	India	0.30
86=	Nicaragua	0.23
86=	Vietnam	0.23
	Asia Avg	-2.88
	World Avg	-1.21
q=215.

Kazakhstan comes 83rd in the world regarding LGBT equality in the 2020s.

Discrimination against Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) folk is rife across the world. Legal restrictions co-exist alongside social stigmatisation and physical violence₃₅. LGBT tolerance and equal rights have been fought for country-by-country against tightly entrenched cultural and religious opposition. Adult consensual sexual activity is a Human Right and protected by privacy laws₃₆. Despite this, it is illegal to be homosexual in over 60 countries (as of 2025)₃₇. The Vexen LGBT Equality Index as part of the Social and Moral Development Index grants points to each country depending on its LGBT stance since the 1970s₃₈_,₃₉. Europe is by far the least prejudiced region, but in the Middle East and Africa cultural prejudice goes hand-in-hand with state intolerance, all too often including physical violence.

For more, see:

" LGBT Rights Across the World: Which are the Best and Worst Countries?" by Vexen Crabtree (2025).

Homosexuality in Kazakhstan has been legal from 1997 since soviet-era laws were repealed, which had previously made it illegal to be a male homosexual. Same-sex marriage and civil unions remain banned. ILGA researchers in 2017 found that Kazakhstan had no legal protections against anti-LGBT discrimination and supportive NGOs are banned. LGBT people face severe social stigma, limited protections, and new "anti-LGBT propaganda" legislation passed in 2025 threatens to roll back visibility and rights.

Actions taken at the United Nations:

⇣ Opposed a 2003 resolution at the UN Commission tabled by Brazil, on prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation and opposed it again in 2004 (it was defeated both times by the Vatican and a collection of Islamic countries).
⇣ Opposed the 2006 Norway Joint Statement on sexual orientation and gender identity at the UN.

Averages by decade for Kazakhstan (for the ranks, lower is better):

LGBT Equality	1970s Average	1980s Average	1990s Average	2000s Average	2010s Average	2020s Average
Kazakhstan:	-3.00	-3.00	-4.75	-2.50	0.45	0.41
World Rank:	79th	⇣ 85th	⇣ 147th	⇡ 111th	⇡ 93rd	⇡ 83rd
World Avg:	-2.98	-2.87	-2.60	-2.15	-1.10	-1.21

4.3. Freedom of Thought

#europe #freedom_of_belief #freethought #human_rights #netherlands #religion #religious_tolerance #secularism #the_enlightenment

Freedom of Thought Lower is better₆
Pos.		2021₆
1=	Belgium	1.0
1=	Taiwan	1.0
1=	Netherlands	1.0
	...
141=	Nicaragua	3.5
141=	Papua New Guinea	3.5
141=	Solomon Islands	3.5
141=	Kazakhstan	3.5
141=	Suriname	3.5
146=	Angola	3.7
146=	Uzbekistan	3.7
146=	Andorra	3.7
	Asia Avg	3.7
	World Avg	3.0
q=196.

With regard to freethought, Kazakhstan comes 132nd in the world.

Freedom of Religion and Freedom of Belief are upheld in Article 18 the United Nation's Universal Declaration of Human Rights₄₀. It affirms that it is a basic human right that all people are free to change their beliefs and religion as they wish₄₁. No countries voted against this (although eight abstained). This right was first recognized clearly in the policies of religious toleration of the Netherlands and elsewhere in Europe in the post-enlightenment era₄₂ of the 19th century. In democratic countries, freedom of belief and religion is now taken for granted₄₃. In 2016 a study found that over 180 countries in the world had come to guarantee freedom of religion and belief₄₄. The best countries at doing so are Belgium, The Netherlands and Taiwan₆_,₄₅ and the worst: Afghanistan, N. Korea, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia₆_,₄₆.

Long-term studies have shown that religious violence and persecution both decrease in cultures where religious freedom is guaranteed₄₇. Despite this, there still are many who are strongly against freedom of belief₄₁, including entire cultures and many individual communities of religious believers. Their alternative is that you are not free to believe what you want and they often state that you cannot change religion without being punished (often including the death penalty): this is bemoaned as one of the most dangerous elements of religion₄₈ and "the denial of religious freedoms is inevitably intertwined with the denial of other freedoms"₄₉ and the solution is, everywhere, to allow religious freedom and the freedom of belief.

For more, see:

"Freethought - Freedom of Belief and Freedom of Religion" by Vexen Crabtree (2022).