activity. Persecution for comments on social networks There are numerous cases of instituting criminal cases for reposts, likes and comments on the social networks. The authorities justify such actions by fighting extremism and preventing the cultivation of racial or religious hatred. Human rights Scanning fingerprints of citizens of Kazakhstan Since the beginning of 2010 in Kazakhstan, it was proposed to introduce mandatory fingerprinting with the entry of information into the passport and identity card. This law has already been approved and will be practiced from 2021. For refusing to scan a fine will be given. Approximately since 2008, the use of punitive psychiatry was resumed in Kazakhstan, which can cost around $20,000 USD to diagnose "chronic neurasthenia" to lock up a person in an asylum. Earlier, punitive psychiatry was also widespread in the territory of the USSR before its collapse in 1991. The victims of punitive psychiatry were outstanding individuals such as the Nobel Prize laureate in literature Alexander Solzhenitsyn, academician and creator of the Soviet hydrogen bomb Andrei Sakharov, as well as a politician and activist Valeria Novodvorskaya. General Information In general, the situation in Kazakhstan is described by international legal organizations and international journalists as critical and deplorable. Accordingly, obtaining political asylum in the United States, Australia and Europe for citizens of Kazakhstan is significantly easier compared to citizens of truly democratic states. All groups of the population can get political asylum and not necessarily with the presence of earlier violations of their rights. However, the documents and the existence of precedents showing any persecution or discrimination seriously increases the chance of obtaining political asylum. The presence of a profession and education also affects the outcome, if your true goal is to escape from the regime, and not improve your financial situation by emigrating to an economically developed state. References Kazakhstan