Tory MP criticised for Kazakhstan-funded £5k trip to observe elections

Human rights groups raise concerns after UK trade envoy Daniel Kawczynski praised the country's functioning democracy'

The Conservative MP Daniel Kawczynski is facing criticism after the Kazakh government funded a 5,100 trip for him to observe elections and quoted him praising the country's functioning democracy".

Kawczynski, a trade envoy for the prime minster, Rishi Sunak, travelled to watch parliamentary elections in Kazakhstan in March amid concerns among human rights groups about the treatment of Zhanbolat Mamai, the leader of the unregistered Democratic party. Mamai was this month banned from political activism and journalism for six years.