Kazakhstan has recently tightened the citizenship requirements for ethnic Kazakhs from Xinjiang, China. Many Xinjiang Kazakhs who have arrived in Kazakhstan continue to receive cross-border calls from the Xinjiang Public Security Bureau, which involve threats, warnings, and requests for information. Interviewees pointed out that amid the long-term high-pressure rule of ethnic minorities in Xinjiang by the Chinese Communist Party, these restrictive policies and cross-border intimidation are pulling tens of thousands of Xinjiang Kazakhs who have immigrated to Kazakhstan in the past two years back onto the track of Chinese Communist control.
The human rights organization in Kazakhstan, the Atazhul Volunteer Organization, has long documented cases of Xinjiang Kazakhs being detained and losing contact with their families. On February 25, the founder of the organization, Sayrkhan, stated in an interview with Epoch Times that from early 2025 to February 2026, immigration offices in various parts of Kazakhstan have again requested applicants from Xinjiang to submit a “certificate of no criminal record” issued by the Chinese police, along with a new requirement for a “proof of consent to join Kazakh citizenship” from the Chinese Public Security Bureau at their birthplace.
Sayrkhan said, “This is equivalent to handing over decision-making power back to the Chinese Communist Public Security system. Who would dare to go back to Xinjiang to get such a certificate? As soon as you go to the Public Security Bureau and say you want to renounce Chinese citizenship, they will immediately control you.”
According to the information obtained by the Atazhul Volunteer Organization, those affected are mainly Xinjiang individuals who have entered Kazakhstan through legal channels in the past one to two years and are preparing to apply for Kazakh citizenship, with the number possibly reaching tens of thousands. Many of them left Xinjiang after large-scale detention operations, as they knew that once they returned, their passport might be confiscated, and they could even lose their freedom.
Sayrkhan revealed that such “certificate of no criminal record” requirements were used several years ago. At that time, Xinjiang Kazakhs repeatedly reported that the Chinese public security authorities did not actually issue similar documents to ordinary citizens. The official Chinese media had also previously issued notices about “reducing unnecessary certifications.” Later, the relevant requirements were temporarily cancelled in Kazakhstan. Now, the old regulations reappear, with the addition of the new “Public Security Permit Certificate,” making the naturalization process more complicated and embedding the Chinese Communist influence over overseas Xinjiang individuals back into the administrative process.
Sayrkhan disclosed that a young person who has already obtained Kazakh citizenship recently received a call from the Urumqi Public Security Bureau, requesting information on the activities of the overseas Kazakh community and warning that “his parents are still in Xinjiang.” The young person told him, “They asked if I had listened to your YouTube program and said not to listen.” When he questioned the previous claim that Sayrkhan had been detained, the other end of the call became emotional and threatened his family’s safety.
Residents currently living in Kazakhstan told reporters that such calls have almost become routine. “Many people told me that the police not only intimidate but also require them to take pictures at mosques to confirm if anyone from Xinjiang is attending activities. This is a typical cross-border intelligence coercion.”
At the same time, ethnic minority families in Xinjiang are still in a state of high fear. Several individuals mentioned that their families dare not discuss sensitive topics over the phone and are even afraid to turn off internet-connected devices at home.
In response, Sayrkhan stated, “They believe that TV set-top boxes and temperature control devices are under surveillance, monitoring the activities of ethnic minorities at home through these devices, and they are not allowed to dismantle them. Even if it’s just speculation, this fear has deeply permeated daily life.”
He believes that this is one of the Chinese Communist Party’s long-standing ways of extending control over Xinjiang Kazakhs and Uighurs: “The CCP does not allow Xinjiang Kazakhs to truly break free from control. Even if people are abroad, they must be controlled through their families, through threatening phone calls, and through administrative documents.”
In recent years, Kazakhstan and China have signed multiple agreements in visa issuance, law enforcement cooperation, and information exchange. Against this backdrop, if the Kazakh government restores or intensifies the citizenship proof requirements for Xinjiang Kazakhs, it effectively provides a systemic interface for China’s cross-border control.
Sayrkhan said, “These people have experienced detention, disappearance, and political pressure. Now, after finally escaping, they are being pushed back to the edge of danger by the system.”
As for whether he advises applying for political asylum, he said the reality is not optimistic. Some who have applied for refugee status in Kazakhstan have not received final confirmation for many years, renewing annually, unable to obtain complete travel documents, and facing restrictions on employment and leaving the country. “They can neither go back nor leave.”
Sayrkhan bluntly stated that the Chinese Communist Party is currently extending its control over Xinjiang beyond its borders. Returning to Xinjiang poses freedom risks, while staying in Kazakhstan keeps their status uncertain; speaking out publicly could implicate family members, but staying silent means continuing to be threatened.
He said, “For many Xinjiang people who have fled the high-pressure environment, even though they are abroad, it is difficult for them to truly shake off the shadow of the CCP.”