On 7 November 2018, Kazakhstan’s Supreme Court upheld the conviction and sentence of Confederation of Independent Trade Unions of Kazakhstan (KNPRK) president Larisa Kharkova.
On 25 July 2017, the Enbekshinskii District Court in Shymkent, a town in southern Kazakhstan, convicted Kharkova of abuse of office and sentenced her to 400 hours of community service and banned her from holding a leadership position in any nongovernmental organisation, such as a trade union, for five years. It also imposed restrictions on her freedom of movement, including her ability to live and work where she chooses, for four years.
The conviction is widely viewed as a significant blow to the independent trade union movement in Kazakhstan and has been severely criticised by international trade union bodies and advocacy groups since it was handed down.