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Government agency of Kazakhstan From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The National Security Committee of the Republic of Kazakhstan (NSC, Kazakh: Қазақстан Республикасының Ұлттық қауіпсіздік комитеті, ҰҚК, romanized: Qazaqstan Respublikasynyñ Ūlttyq qauıpsızdık komitetı, ŪQK; Russian: Комитет национальной безопасности Республики Казахстан, КНБ) is an intelligence agency in Kazakhstan founded on 13 July 1992.[3][5] It primarily manages the Border Service of Kazakhstan, which conducts oversight over the international borders of Kazakhstan. The NSC also oversees the Arystan ('Lions') commando unit.[6]
Қазақстан Республикасы Ұлттық Қауіпсіздік Комитеті (Kazakh) Комитет Национальной Безопасности Республики Казахстан (Russian) | |
![]() The emblem of The National Security Committee of the Republic of Kazakhstan | |
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Agency overview | |
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Formed | 13 July 1992 |
Preceding agency | |
Agency executive |
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Website | knb.kz |
Footnotes | |
Also referred to by the abbreviations KNB[1][2] or NSC,[3] or unofficially as the Kazakh National Security Service[4] |
The NSC was created in accordance with a law passed by parliament in July 1992 which authorised the establishment of an agency to replace the KGB, the old national security apparatus of the Soviet Union. Initially, it retained most of the staff which the KGB had employed in Kazakhstan, as well as the powers the KGB had held; its first head, Bulat Baekenov, had worked for the KGB for over two decades. Its early years were marked by close cooperation with Russia on issues of border security and counter-intelligence against alleged foreign spies.[1]
In December 1995, a new presidential decree modified some of the NSC's powers.[7]
In January 2010, Kazakhstani president Nursultan Nazarbayev appointed his nephew Samat Abish as the NSC's head of human resources; opposition lawmaker Serikbolsyn Abdildin of the Communist Party of Kazakhstan claimed this shows that Nazarbayev considers personal loyalty more important than skill in government posts.[2]
In November 2008, journalist Ramazan Yesergepov published an article entitled "Who Rules the Country: President or National Security Committee?" It contained private NSC correspondence which was later listed as classified, resulting in his 2009 arrest and conviction on security charges.[8] The case led to domestic and international condemnation.[9][10] In early 2021, the NSC, in coordination with the Foreign Ministry and the United States, conducted an operation under the auspices of "Operation Zhusan" to return a group of Kazakhstani citizens from Syria.[11][12]
Nominal structure Structural divisions and departments of the National Security Committee:
The Arystan ("Lions") Commando Unit (Russian: специального назначения «Арыстан», romanized: spetsial'nogo naznacheniya "Arystan") is a special forces unit of the Office of the NSC and the armed forces.[14] It was created as part of the Presidential Security Service on 13 January 1992. It succeeded the Alpha Group of the Soviet KGB based in the Almaty Oblast (12th Group), which was dissolved in October 1990. Since April 1993, the unit has been referred to as the Arystan Unit. Every year, personnel of the unit are required to pass a qualifying exam. It currently operates in Nur-Sultan, Almaty, and Aktau (the latter being done in order to ensure safety in the oil-producing fields).[15] Its nickname is the Holy Slim of Kazakhstan (Kazakh: Қасиетті Елім Қазақстан, romanized: Qasiettı Elım Qazaqstan). Today's training of "Arystan" is based on extensive international experience, having training from the Special Purpose Center (CSN) of the Russian Federal Security Service, the American Central Intelligence Agency and Federal Bureau of Investigation, as well as the GSG 9 of the German Federal Police. Notable commanders include Viktor Fyodorovich Karpukhin and Amangeldy Shabdarbayev.
In 2006, five members of the unit were arrested and charged with the kidnapping and death of the co-chairman of the opposition Naghyz Ak Zhol party Altynbek Sarsenbayuly, as well as his driver and bodyguard.[16] Interior Minister Baurzhan Mukhamedzhanov stated that the unit members were paid $25,000 in return for committing the murder.[17]
The KNB of Kazakhstan is headed by the chairman, who is appointed by the President of the Republic with the consent of the Senate of the Parliament of the Republic and dismissed by the president of the Republic from office.
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