Kazakhstan 2020 Crime & Safety Report: Almaty
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Kazakhstan 2020 Crime & Safety Report: Almaty This is an annual report produced in conjunction with the Regional Security Office at the U.S. Consulate in Almaty. OSAC encourages travelers to use this report to gain baseline knowledge of security conditions in Kazakhstan. For more in-depth information, review OSAC’s country-specific page for original OSAC reporting, consular messages, and contact information, some of which may be available only to private-sector representatives with an OSAC password. Travel Advisory The current U.S. Department of State Travel Advisory at the date of this report’s publication assesses Kazakhstan at Level 1, indicating travelers should exercise normal precautions. For more information, review OSAC’s report, Understanding the Consular Travel Advisory System. Overall Crime and Safety Situation Crime Threats The U.S. Department of State has assessed Almaty as being a LOW-threat location for crime directed at or affecting official U.S. government interests. The reported numbers of incidents in all categories of crime (violent and petty) are statistically on par with, or lower than, an average city in the U.S. Crime does not impede the operations of the U.S. private sector. Petty theft, while not common, continues to be the most likely crime against U.S. travelers. Pickpockets tend to frequent tourist sites, open-air markets, and heavily traveled public transportation—especially buses. The U.S. Consulate has received reports about vehicle break-ins (smash-and-grabs). These have occurred in well-populated and illuminated areas day and night. The perpetrators smash windows to steal items in plain view. Thieves steal the side-view mirrors off vehicles. Notably, in 2018, two thieves fatally stabbed Kazakhstani Olympic medalist Denis Ten when attempting to steal side mirrors off his vehicle, parked in an upscale neighborhood in Almaty. Drunken/disorderly behavior is commonplace, particularly in bars and nightclubs. Incidents involving assault, petty theft, robbery, driving mishaps, and violent verbal exchanges often trace back to alcohol. The U.S. Consulate is aware of several incidents in which criminals have drugged, robbed, and physically assaulted foreigners, including U.S. citizens, leaving popular bars and nightclubs in Almaty. Similarly, reports of Kazakhstani aggression toward foreigners that openly display affection for or make public sexual advances toward Kazakhstani women are also not uncommon. This issue may stem from a combination of alcohol and/or nationalist pride. Review OSAC’s report, Shaken: The Don’ts of Alcohol Abroad. 1 Cybersecurity Issues Credit cards are widely accepted. Reports of ATM skimmers are more prevalent, but fraud does not appear to be a widespread problem. Review OSAC’s reports, The Overseas Traveler’s Guide to ATM Skimmers & Fraud and All That You Should Leave Behind. Transportation-Safety Situation Road Safety and Road Conditions Driving can be extremely dangerous, particularly for those coming from the U.S. Many drivers have received little to no driver education. Drivers tend to be aggressive, routinely disregard traffic laws, do not obey signals, drive in oncoming lanes of traffic, and move at excessive speeds, even during adverse weather conditions. Road rage is common; it is not unusual to see people get out of their cars to confront each other over perceived offenses. People will regularly drive and park on sidewalks, especially during peak traffic hours when drivers’ patience runs thin. Another concern for drivers is pedestrians, who can be equally unpredictable and reckless. Many pedestrians wear dark clothing at night and cross streets without checking for oncoming traffic. Pedestrians always have the right of way on marked crosswalks, even on busy avenues/highways; therefore, they may not check the road before venturing out into the middle of the street on the crosswalk. Kazakhstan has a zero-tolerance policy for drinking and driving. Consumption of alcohol, paired with driving could result in criminal charges, fines, and/or imprisonment. Visitors who intend to drive should obtain adequate local liability insurance and maintain parallel insurance with a U.S. carrier. If you own a private car, ensure you have all required vehicular paperwork by Kazakhstani law. OSAC’s reports, Road Safety Abroad, Driving Overseas: Best Practices, and Evasive Driving Techniques; and read the State Department’s webpage on driving and road safety abroad. Public Transportation Conditions If possible, arrange for private transportation with an experienced local driver. Avoid riding overly crowded buses and microbuses whenever possible. Pickpocketing is a frequent occurrence on crowded buses. Many foreigners follow the local custom of hailing private vehicles on the street and negotiating a fee with the driver on the spot. Avoid use of these street taxis. Never get into a car if there is already a passenger in the vehicle, and get out if the driver stops to pick up another passenger. There have been instances in which taxi drivers have drugged, robbed, and beaten foreign riders, then left them at out-of- the-way locations. Ridesharing apps (e.g. Yandex) are a better/safer alternative to street taxis or private vehicle cabs. Many drivers speak some English. 2 Trains tend to be slow but relatively safe. An overnight express train runs between Nur-Sultan (Astana) and Almaty several times a week. Unless you book an entire compartment, other passengers will be sleeping in the same compartment. There have been several reports of male passengers harassing/assaulting females traveling alone on overnight trains. International trains service Russia, Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Urumqi (China). Most of these trains run on a weekly schedule. Review OSAC’s report, Security In Transit: Airplanes, Public Transport, and Overnights. Aviation/Airport Conditions As there is no direct commercial air service to the United States by carriers registered in Kazakhstan, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has not assessed the government of Kazakhstan’s Civil Aviation Authority for compliance with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) aviation safety standards. Further information is available on the FAA’s safety assessment page. International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO, a specialized agency of the United Nations) inspectors, however, previously identified serious and persistent lapses in the safety oversight of commercial air service on some Kazakhstan-registered airlines. As a result, without prior approval, U.S. government personnel may not travel on any Kazakhstani airline operating regularly scheduled flights except for Air Astana and FlyArystan. This policy only applies to the official travel of U.S. government personnel. The Embassy will reevaluate the policy as reforms occur and future technical reviews, such as ICAO audits, determine that Kazakhstan’s civil aviation operations comply more substantially with acceptable international safety standards. Travelers arriving at the airports should make prior arrangements for a hired car or taxi via a sponsor or hotel if possible. Otherwise, take marked taxis that have already dropped off passengers or use ridesharing apps. Terrorism Threat The U.S. Department of State has assessed Almaty as being a MEDIUM-threat location for terrorism directed at or affecting official U.S. government interests. The Government of Kazakhstan continues to exhibit concern about violent extremism. While the potential exists for violent extremist activity, Kazakhstan’s security elements have demonstrated an ability to interdict such activities. In January 2019, authorities detained six suspected foreign terrorists in a raid in Almaty, finding materials for improvised explosive devices, firearms, and ammunition. Authorities suspect the group of planning attacks against civilians in public areas of Almaty, and believe the suspects were coordinating with ISIS. Political, Economic, Religious, and Ethnic Violence The U.S. Department of State has assessed Almaty as being a LOW-threat location for political violence directed at or affecting official U.S. government interests 3 Civil Unrest Civil unrest and/or protests are rare. There have been occasional clashes between foreign construction workers and their Kazakhstani counterparts in a few cities. In these cases, Kazakhstani construction workers publicly complained that their wages were less than those paid to the foreign workers. Review OSAC’s report, Surviving a Protest. In order to hold a legal demonstration, organizers must file a petition with the city and receive a permit. In general, most demonstrations involve fewer than 20 participants. Occasionally, groups organize demonstrations without permits; police generally disperse the participants quickly and peacefully. Non- sanctioned demonstrations usually end with mass arrests. Religious/Ethnic Violence Occasional clashes have erupted between ethnic Kazakhs and those of other ethnicities in rural areas outside of Almaty, resulting from tensions over local issues and corruption. Security forces have stepped up their efforts to combat perceived “religious extremism.” Post-specific Concerns U.S. citizens can stay in Kazakhstan up to 30 days without a visa. When entering Kazakhstan, you must complete a white registration card and present it to the border officers, who will stamp and return it to you with your passport. You must retain this card during your stay and present it upon departure. If the card has two stamps, you have registered