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MONITORING OF POLITICAL PERSECUTION IN THE REPUBLIC OF KAZAKHSTAN FROM APRIL 1 TO APRIL 30, 2022

On April 1, in Almaty, the City Akimat rejected permission to hold a peaceful rally on April 3 on Valikhanov Square under the topic “For Peace, Stability and Consent. Let’s keep the territorial integrity”. The reason for the rejection: there will be “cultural and mass events” at the place of the rally on April 31.


On April 1, in Zhanaozen, the state municipal institution “Ozenenergoinvest” sued 67 of its employees who had gone on strike with a demand to raise their wages. The company which is responsible for providing electricity to Zhanaozen considers the employees’ strike to be unlawful
2.

April 1, “To release immediately Mamay Zhanbolat from custody and to stop persecution associated with his peaceful exercise of the right to freedom of expression and assembly,” Amnesty International stated in an appeal to Kazakh President Tokayev”3. Amnesty International has launched a campaign to support Mamay, urging people to send letters to Kazakh President Tokayev requesting that action be taken to free Mamay4.

On April 1, in Shymkent, supporters of people arrested under criminal charges in connection with the January events stated that they had ended the hunger strike announced the day before in the building of the city prosecutor’s office. About a dozen people who came to the prosecutor’s office explained their decision by the authority’s promise to speed up the investigation so that the cases could be brought before the court5.

April 1, Nur-Sultan, Aydar Syzdykov, convicted under Article 405 Part 2, Article 131 Part 2 of the Criminal Code of the RK, a court hearing was held on the substitution of the outstanding sentence in the form of restriction of liberty for imprisonment. The session was held with gross violations: the quality of sound and visual quality was poor; the defendant could not see the chairman of the court and the board of judges. The motion for disqualification of the entire composition of the Yessil District Court No. 2 has been denied6.

April 1, monitoring of human rights violations in Kazakhstan presented by the human rights movement Kaharman.kz
7.

April 1, Almaty, the press service of the city court reported that 133 criminal cases against 200 people have been submitted to the Almaty courts in connection with the QANTAR2022 events. The cases of 106 individuals have been considered. 93 of them were charged with theft. Seven individuals were sentenced under the Article “Theft or extortion of weapons”, there were 62 cases pending, in which 94 individuals were charged. Eight people were sentenced to prison terms in cases related to the January events8.

On April 1, in Aktobe, Kogay Ainur held a one-person protest “For the election of akims” and sent a written request to President Tokayev urging him to initiate political reforms
9.

On April 2, Nur-Sultan, about 100 people gathered in the square in front of the circus to oppose the Sarym-Zakiyeva amendments to the law that would restrict access to social networks and messengers. Organizers believe that the authorities are trying to tighten control over social networks under cover the law on cyberbullying of children 10.

On April 2, in Uralsk, civic activists held an action of protest to demand freedom for political prisoner Okhasov Orynbay, Article 405, Part 2 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan. On March 25, 2022, the court replaced the activist’s remaining term of restriction of liberty with a 7-month prison sentence for violating the conditions of probation supervision11.

On April 2, in Nur-Sultan, activist Karakoyshina Lazzat, Article 434, Part 4 of the Administrative Offences Code of the RK, was fined for 42882 tenge, activist Ilipova Adina, Article 434, Part 1 of the Administrative Offences Code of the RK, was fined for 10,721 tenge. The reason for the sentence was the material damage to the property of the Sharyn market.

On April 3, in Nur-Sultan, the National Security Committee of Kazakhstan reported the detention of a “foreign intelligence agent”, who turned out to be a citizen of Kazakhstan. He has been accused of planning an assassination attempt on President Tokayev and “a number of senior government officials” with carrying out the task of spreading anti-Russian propaganda and anti-Russian attitudes in society through the publication of relevant materials on social networks”. Investigation under Article 24, Part 1 and Article 255, Part 4 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan12.

On April 3, in Almaty, Igor Ushakov, an activist of the left-oriented Internet community “Krasnaya yurta” (Red Yurt) held a one-man picket against the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The action at the entrance to the Russian Consulate passed off without incident13.

April 3, monitoring of human rights violations in Kazakhstan provided by the human rights movement Kaharman.kz 14.

On April 4, in Almaty, Yermekbai Nurzat was detained by police in front of the Chinese consulate. Together with other protesters, she was taking part in an action calling for the release of their relatives from the Xinjiang concentration camps15.

4 April, Nur-Sultan, the General Prosecutor’s Office reported: «In Kazakhstan, 152 persons have been convicted in the cases related to the January events, and 17 of them have been sentenced to actual terms of imprisonment. The Prosecutor General’s Office has 262 criminal cases, including 44 on «acts of terrorism» and 47 on «mass disorder». 209 criminal cases against 323 persons have been taken to court”16

April 4, Nur-Sultan, “Nine criminal cases of alleged failure of duty have been initiated. On January 5, the heads of 2 police departments and 3 NSC departments left their buildings. The former deputy head of the Zhambyl Oblast police and the head of the Line Police Department of the Almaty Airport have been detained», reported a representative of the General Prosecutor’s Office, Kilymzhanov17.

On April 4, in Nur-Sultan, Kutmambetova Zinagul, Muzhkenova Kulyash, Turlybaeva Botagoz, Kalieva Orynbasar held solitary pickets in front of the House of Ministries and expressed their discontent with the policies of the President and government of Kazakhstan, but about half an hour after the actions began they were detained and brought to the Yesil district police station18.

On April 4, in Aktobe, activist Yessmurzaeva Zhanna, Article 272, Part 1 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan, who was detained soon after the January events and taken into custody, has been released under house arrest
19.

April 4, monitoring of human rights violations in Kazakhstan provided by the human rights movement Kaharman.kz 20.ар-24» раз.

On April 4, in Petropavlovsk, the pre-trial investigation into the criminal case for impeding the professional activities of journalists of the Khabar24 TV channel was dropped for the fourth time, under Article 35, Part 1, paragraph 2 of the Criminal Code of the RK – in the absence of a criminal offence21.

On April 5, in Taldykorgan, 11 participants of the January riots were detained. The detainees are being investigated under Article 272 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Firearms, protective equipment and ammunition that had been stolen earlier from the law enforcement officers were seized from the detainees22.


On April 5, relatives of the victims of the January events and of the people injured at the time say that their claims go unheeded and investigations are delayed. Hundreds of people claimed to have been beaten in the detention center, but there are only nine people who have been detained in cases of torture. Human rights activist Shormanbayev said that the criminal cases have been red-taped
23.

On April 5, in Taldykorgan, residents wrote a collective appeal to the president of Kazakhstan asking to take action against lawlessness in the Almaty region. They have repeatedly drawn the attention of the authorities to corruption, raiding, and torture of detainees after the January events. In doing so, they accuse the leadership of the Internal Security Directorate of the Almaty region Police Department. The appeal was signed by 120 people
24.

April 5, Almaty, Mamay Zhanbolat, Articles 378 and 274 of the Criminal Code of the RK, the court refused to grant him amnesty based on his refusal to plead guilty25.

April 5, Zarechnyi village, facility LA-155/14, Narymbayev Yermek, Article 174 of the Criminal Code of the RK, a public statement “I ask you to stop the “parades” of 1000 prisoners in the camp IK-103, which take place 2 times a day for 1.5 hours at 9 am and 5 pm (3 hours daily). It’s a form of torture to keep so many people out in the cold, the wind, the rain, then in the heat in the summer, the old people practically pass out”26.

On April 5, in Nur-Sultan, Ilipova Adina, Article 73-1 Part 3, of the Administrative Offences Code of RK, was fined in the amount of 85,764 tenge. The reason was the repeated violations during the year
.


On April 6, in Temirtau, journalist Tatyana Kovaleva reported that the Chairman of the City Court Amrashev T.B. removed her from the courtroom and gave her permission to watch the proceedings online, although she could not hear anything. He also warned Kovaleva that he would consider it as pressure on the court if she filed a complaint against him. Nevertheless, she filed a complaint
27.

April 6, Nur-Sultan, Ombudsman Elvira Azimova met with Maran Turner, Executive Director of the NGO Freedom Now and Matthew Schaaf, Advocacy Director. At the meeting they discussed issues of human rights protection, implementation and compliance with the commitments made
28.

On April 6, in Ust-Kamenogorsk, 16 people placed in detention after the January protests went on hunger strike in the facility OV-156/1. Relatives and a lawyer reported that the protest was related to the extension of the investigative procedures and the extension of their detention for another month
29.

7 April, Nur-Sultan, “The National Security Committee has not yet confirmed that the foreign agent who was planning to assassinate Tokayev was a journalist”, Senate Speaker Ashimbayev said30.


April 7, Nur-Sultan, “The greatest asset of the law is that it would limit the period for taking action against online bullying of children to 3 days. During this time, the authorized body shall verify the information and contact a representative, who within 24 hours of the complaint shall remove the content that shows signs of cyberbullying”,said Mazhilis deputy Dinara Zakiyeva
31.

April 7, Almaty, “In Kazakhstan, 29 activists were held criminally liable for the cases related to the January events, 18 of them remain in custody, and the rest are under house arrest or under the written pledge not to leave the country”, human rights activist Toregozhina Bakhytzhan said. 32.

On April 7, in Shymkent, the police opened up the grave of 22-year-old Ansar Islam, who had been shot dead during the January events in Almaty. In the afternoon of April 7, the remains were removed from the Akzhaiyk cemetery and sent for forensic examination. The parents of the deceased were against it. Police officers forcibly took a journalist of Azattyk from the territory of the cemetery
33.

April 7, monitoring of human rights violations in Kazakhstan provided by the human rights movement Kaharman.kz 34.


8 April, Semey, the term of arrest of Ismagambetov Yerlan was extended until April 24, 2022 upon request of the investigator. The investigation wants to make Ismagambetov the organizer of the protests. At the last moment he was removed from the list of persons to be placed under house arrest
35.

April 8, monitoring of human rights violations in Kazakhstan provided by the human rights movement Kaharman.kz 36.

On April 8, in Almaty, police used force to detain activists Baibolat Kunbolatuly and Akikat Kaliola, who were demanding in front of the Chinese consulate that their relatives be released in Xinjiang province. The police used force against the protesting pensioners Khalida Akytkhan and Gulpiya Kazybek as well37.

On 9 April, in Almaty, a group of activists of the youth movement “Oyan Qazaqstan” near the consulate of the Russian Federation organized a performance about the tragedy of the Ukrainian city of Bucha, the participants were detained and released after 2 hours. Sharipov Darkhan pointed out that there have been discussions between police officers who were divided into two factions with regard to the war in Ukraine38.

On April 9, the Western media reported that the reforms that Kazakh President Tokayev has promised to carry out may prove to be just a show. The press noted that the U.S. now had a good opportunity to reduce Russia’s influence in Central Asia3940.

On April 11, Aktau, Bolat Nurgazin, received a refusal to hold a peaceful rally on May 1 with the topic “In Solidarity with Ukraine. No to the war. For the withdrawal from the CSTO and the EAEU; To raise the incomes of the population”. Akimat refused based on the fact that at the place of the rally cultural and mass events would be held41.

On April 11, in Zhana-Ozen, the Akimat refused Dosekeeva Zhadra to hold a peaceful rally on May 1 with the topic “Solidarity with Ukraine. No to War. For the withdrawal from the CSTO and the EAEU. To raise the incomes of the population”. Akimat refused on the grounds that large-scale city sport and mass events were planned on that day
42.

April 11, Nur-Sultan, “Special prosecutors have identified 12 organized criminal groups that were involved in the January events. The most active of them are: the group of Dikiy Arman, “Kazakhstanskie” and “Aishuak – Zhantugel”. 23 members of the organized criminal group have been arrested, including 4 criminal bosses”, – 547 people have been identified as suspects in the Bloody January events, and 269 people have been placed under arrest”, said Kilymzhanov, a representative of the prosecutor’s office43.

April 11, Nur-Sultan, “A total of 1,430 weapons and more than 35,000 rounds of ammunition have been seized in Kazakhstan. That included 323 pistols, 148 automatic rifles, 195 assault rifles, nine grenade launchers, 69 special weapons, eight rifles and six machine guns”, prosecutor Kilymzhanov said
44.

On April 11, in Nur-Sultan, an initiative group of people who have not been able to challenge their (or their relatives’) sentences in court for a year, and who regularly attempted to make their way to the Supreme Court to address Zh. Asanov and President K. Tokayev, went on hunger strike45.

April 11, Nur-Sultan, “We are encouraging a transparent response on the part of the government and one that results in full accountability. But at the same time, it all has to comply with the law. And I think that’s very important especially after the events of January and it reflects the depth of our relationship over the last 30 years,” said U.S. Undersecretary of State Uzra Zeya
46.

April 11, Almaty, Arnur Baltabay was killed during the January events. The man’s body was exhumed three months after the funeral. The family demanded a fair investigation by the authorities and punishment for the perpetrator of the shooting. Arnur left behind a wife and three children
47.

11 April, Almaty, «We demand that human rights defenders be admitted as observers to the courts on the January events! » stated human rights activist Toregozhina Bakhytzhan48.

April 11, Almaty, Kairat Klyshev, Article 405 Part 1/2 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kapshagai City Court upheld a petition to replace the unserved part of his prison term with restriction of liberty. Klyshev will remain under restriction of liberty for 2 years49.

April 11, Nur-Sultan, a group of Kazakhstanis from Almaty, Taraz and East Kazakhstan Region came to the capital and are seeking to be received by the President. They are united by the January events: their relatives were either killed in the unrest or they are under arrest now50.

April 11, Nur-Sultan, Zakirova Sanavar, Article 488, Part 6 of the Administrative Offences Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan, was sentenced to 15 days of arrest for holding a one-man picket for the resignation of the Prosecutor General
51.

April 11, monitoring of human rights violations in Kazakhstan provided by the human rights movement Kaharman.kz
52.

April 12, Temirtau, “The Karaganda Regional Court overturned the decision of Judge Gavrichenkova of the Temirtau City Court on the prohibition of media participation in the off-line session”, journalist Tatyana Kovaleva reported53.

On 12 April, political prisoner Amirov Yerulan from Almaty (the facility SI-18) was again transferred to the detention facility of the National Security Committee in Shymkent. The conclusion of the psychiatric examination will be ready in 2 weeks and it becomes clear whether the case will be dropped or the trial will continue. The forensic medical examination is the 5th, and Amirov has been under arrest for more than a year. He is charged under Article 256, 174, 405 of the Criminal Code of the RK54.

On April 12, in Semey, dozens of students of the College of Geodesy and Cartography protested against the possible seizure of academic buildings in order to transfer them to the facilities of the law enforcement bodies of the newly established Abay region. The students chanted: “We are against it!”55.

April 12, Almaty, “Hundreds of detainees after the January events reported that they were beaten and subjected to pressure during the investigation. Later the authorities have initiated 234 criminal cases under the article “Torture”, but so far only 9 suspects have been detained. According to the lawyer Galym Nurpeisov, “Those involved in torture during the investigation can avoid punishment”56.

On 12 April, in the Turkestan region, Saryagash district, the police conducted a search in the house of Galymzhan Karabayev, Article 405 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The reason for the prosecution was the publication on his Facebook page of the post, which refers to the ex-President of Kazakhstan Nazarbayev and the opposition leader Ablyazov Mukhtar 57.


On April 12, in Almaty, the Akimat refused Polatova and Amrenov to hold a peaceful rally on May 1. The topic: “In Solidarity with Ukraine. No to war. For the withdrawal from the CSTO and the EAEU. To raise the incomes of the population”. Reason for refusal: there will be cultural events on this day in the square named after Valikhanov and in the square behind the Saryarka cinema
58.

On April 12, in Nur-Sultan, the Akimat refused Sembay Askar to hold a rally on May 1. The topic of the rally was “In Solidarity with Ukraine. No to war. For the withdrawal from the CSTO and the EAEU. To raise the incomes of the population”. The reason for the refusal “the place of peaceful gathering specified in the notification was not included into the list of specialized places”59.


On April 12, in Stepnogorsk, activist Sadvakasova Aya, Article 274, Part 4, paragraph 2 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan: another criminal case was opened against activist Sadvakasova under Article. 405, Part 2 of the Criminal Code of the RK. The case “was created” based on the report of investigator Shakenov M, which stated that the seized computer and laptop “show signs of participation in the activities of extremist organizations DCK and Koshe »
60.

13 April, Almaty, Mamay Zhanbolat, Article 274, 378 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan, by the court decision was remanded in custody in view of the incompleteness of the investigative actions61.

On April 13, the Kazakstan Khalkyna (To the People of Kazakhstan) Foundation reported the recognition of 21 civilian victims to date, the families of whom shall be paid compensation. Earlier, the Foundation had stated that it had decided to pay financial aid to the families of the dead and badly wounded security officers, as well as to the families of the dead civilians who turned out to be “occasional” victims during the bloody January events62.

April 13, Kyzylorda, Bedenbayev Adilkhan, Article 272, Part 2 of the Criminal Code of the RK, the lawyer in respect of which the proceedings were initiated after the January events, has been transferred to house arrest 3 months later. The lawyer denies all accusations and claims that he was tortured by the police. Authorities are asking forensic experts as to whether the suspect could have self-inflicted injuries63.

April 13, “The practice unlawful or arbitrary killing by or on behalf of the government; torture by and on behalf of the government; arbitrary detention continues in Kazakhstan; there are politically motivated prosecutions and political prisoners; torture in prisons still goes unpunished; freedom of speech and media, freedom of peaceful assembly are seriously restricted, as well as the right to participate in political life; corruption remained widespread in the high places of power”, according to the US State Department report on the human rights situation in Kazakhstan and the world in 202164.

On April 13, in Uralsk, the Akimat refused the activists Yeskendirova Marua and Orazbayev Amangeldy to hold an anti-war rally in support of Ukraine on May 1. The reason for the refusal was that the place of peaceful rally specified in the notification was not included in the list of specialized places for the rally 65.

On April 13, in Aksai, the West Kazakhstan region, activists Sarsenov and Baitemirov as well as Baibulova Klara were refused by the Akimat to hold an anti-war rally in support of Ukraine on May 1. The reason was that in the places where the rally was to be held other festive events would be held6667.

April 13, Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan’s parliament decided to limit journalists’ access to the session hall. Deputies also demanded that reporters should not “run” behind them in the corridors68.

13 April, in Kazakhstan, 234 criminal cases were filed on allegations of torture in January. As of today, there are only nine suspects. People who have been beaten in police cells and police stations are afraid that perpetrators will get away with it69.

April 13, Nur-Sultan, Zakirova Sanavar, Article 488 Part 6 of the Administrative Offences Code of the RK, the court has reduced the sentence from 15 days to 5 days after lodging an appeal
70.

April 13, Nur-Sultan, President Tokayev amended the Decree “On further measures of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the field of human rights” and changed the priorities71.

April 14, Amirov Yerulan, Article 274, 405 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan: “He has been under arrest for 1 year; there has been an attempted suicide. We addressed a request to Ombudsman Azimova to render medical psychological help. But no one helped him, the situation has just got worse”, human rights activist Toregozhina Bakhytzhan said72.

On 14 April, in Nur-Sultan, a group of activists came to the building of the General Prosecutor’s Office and appealed to release Kayirbek Askar under Article 405, Part 1/2 of the Criminal Code of the RK, who was sentenced to 2.2 years in prison on charges of “participation” in the activities of a prohibited organization73.

April 14, Nur-Sultan, the Senate of Kazakhstan’s parliament returned with amendments to the Majilis a Law on cyberbullying, “which may require foreign social networks and messengers to register in Kazakhstan and establish representations in the country”74.

April 14, Nur-Sultan, “Senators excluded from the law wide powers that would have allowed the authorized body at its discretion to limit access, or suspend the work of Internet resources, social networks and messengers”, Senate Speaker Maulen Ashimbayev said at a session of the Senate75.

April 14, Almaty, Baibolat Kunbolat, Article 667, Part 1 of the Administrative Offences Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan, was fined in the amount of 61260tg. The reason was insubordination to a representative of the authorities during a protest near the Chinese consulate seeking the release of their relatives imprisoned in re-education camps in Xinjiang76.

April 14, Almaty, “I do not agree with the court ruling. They imposed a fine, it’s very hard for me to pay it, I’ve been going to protests for two years. Now our situation is very difficult. My children were kicked out of kindergarten for non-payment, debts to utilities have reached half a million”, said Baibolat Kunbolatuly
77.

April 14, Almaty, “For 20 minutes while they were taking me to the police station of Medeu district, while we were driving in the traffic jam, they were strangling me. When I didn’t have enough air, I screamed three times and asked to stop it, but the police officer was strangling me even harder” said Baibolat Kunbolatuly78.

On April 14, in Zhana-Ozen, for the third week in a row, dozens of workers from the Tazalyk-S communal enterprise have been gathering outside the company’s garage, calling for higher wages and better working conditions. The 66 garbage collectors of the only enterprise in the city that is responsible for keeping the streets clean have refused to go to work since March 30
79.

14 April, Almaty, “Yesterday I had a meeting with representatives of the European Union. I am grateful for the opportunity to speak to them and tell them about my persecution, torture, and the fact that in 3 months the officers involved in torture and execution have still not been arrested”, said activist Abishev Aset
80.

April 14, Almaty, “I participated in a meeting where human rights activists and representatives of the European Union were present. The European Parliament urged to investigate cases of torture and penalize those responsible for torture. But the persons responsible for torture were not held accountable, and the illegal criminal case against me was not closed” – said one of the victims Adilbekuly Sayat
81.


April 15, Almaty region, Zarechnyi village, facility LA-155/14, political prisoner Askhat Zheksebayev, Article 405, Part 1 of the Criminal Code of the RK, the court upheld the motion and changed the measure of restraint not related to custody82.

April 15, Almaty, the daughter of Aron Atabek Nutushev Alma says that the police refuse to release to relatives “an unknown object found during the autopsy of the body and extracted from his leg”83.

On April 15, in Semey, lawyer Akkuzhanov Yerbol held a solitary picket in Auezov Square accompanied by the song “Imagine” by John Lennon, with an appeal to stop the war in Ukraine, while holding a banner with the words: “No war”. When the police arrived, they did not intervene and watched from the sidelines
84.

On April 15, the Union of Journalists of Kazakhstan and the International Foundation for the Protection of Freedom of Speech “Adil Soz” addressed to the Speakers of Parliament and the Minister of Information and Public Development with a public letter “On the unacceptability of restricting the work of journalists in parliament”85.

April 15, Nur-Sultan, “Chairman of the Supreme Court Asanov cannot hold a personal reception of citizens who are not satisfied with the court decisions. The judicial process must be held in the courtroom according to strict compliance with the rules of the Procedural Code, and it is illegal to make a personal reception as an alternative to the judicial process”. – Chairman of the Judicial Chamber for Civil Cases of the Supreme Court Sharipov said86.


On April 15, in Nur-Sultan, the Akimat refused to hold a rally on May 1 in response to the notification submitted by activist Kendzhibekov Aset. The topic of the rally was: “In Solidarity with Ukraine. No to war. For the withdrawal from the CSTO and the EAEU. To raise the incomes of the population”. The reason for the refusal – “the organizer of the peaceful rally has not given consent to the processing of his personal data” in the notification87.

15 April, Ust-Kamenogorsk, facility OV-156/1, Zholatov Aziz, Kaptushev Aidyn, Irzhanuly Timur, Tugelbaev Mukhit and Berikhanuly Ernar, Article 272, 269 of the Criminal Code of RK, went on hunger strike to protest against the extension of the investigative procedures. They demand to release them from the detention center, under house arrest at least, or under the written pledge not to leave88.

On April 15, in Zhanaozen, geophysicists of Uzenpromgeofizika JSC held a peaceful strike. They asked for 100 percent payment of wages, the 13th wage and putting the employees, who have IE, on the payroll. Employees of JSC say that they have already sent letters to the management, but it did not take up their demands89.

On April 15, in Aktau, dozens of employees of ArcelorMittal Tubular Products Aktau went on strike, calling for an increase in wages. They recorded a video appeal to President of Kazakhstan Tokayev and regional Akim Nogayev urging them to intervene in the situation90.

On April 16, in Kulsary, the Atyrau region, a rally was organized to demand that environmental and social problems of the city be solved. The rally was authorized by the local Akimat. Organizers stated in the written notification that up to 500 people would participate in the rally, but the protest gathered about 30 participants on Saturday
91.

On April 17, in Almaty, there was a rally authorized by the authorities against the recycling fee, which brought together about a hundred people in Valikhanov Square92.

On April 17, in Nur-Sultan, there was a peaceful rally on the topic “Let the Torgai region be established”. About 500 people took part in the event. Police officers and buses surrounded the rally venue
93.

April 18, Almaty region, Kemelbayev Ruslan was wounded during the January events. He was shot in the shoulder and the bullet fragments were spread over his rib cage. “I didn’t tell anybody that I was injured because I was afraid of reprisals”, Kemelbayev admits. But police summoned Kemelbayev for questioning last week94.

On April 18, Nur-Sultan, an initiative group to establish the opposition party “Alga, Kazakhstan!” (Go Ahead, Kazakhstan!) come to the Ministry of Justice to submit documents for the registration of this political association, but they were unable to start the registration immediately – having been refused by the Ministry because some of the documents were incomplete 95.

April 18, Nur-Sultan, “The Ministry of Justice of Kazakhstan is considering applications from four initiative groups seeking registration of their associations as political parties. The documents for registration were submitted by the founders of the following political associations: “El Tiregi”, “Halyk Derbestigi”, “Namys” and “Baitak”, – stated at a press conference Minister of Justice Musin Kanat 96.


On April 18, in Aktau, Turdiyeva Ulbosyn received a refusal from the Akimat to hold a rally on May 1. The Akimat explained the refusal by the fact that on that day in the place specified in the application cultural events to celebrate the holiday “Day of Unity and Concord” will be held
97.

On April 18, in Kostanay, Puzhansky Nikita, was summoned to the Southern police department of the city to be questioned in the political criminal case under Article 405, Part 2 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan as a witness on the eve of the May 1 rally
98.

On April 18, in Shymkent, Akimat refused Muratbayeva Gulzhan and Dzhanzakova Sholpan to hold a rally on May 1 with the topic “In Solidarity with Ukraine. No to the war. For the withdrawal from the CSTO and the EAEU. To raise the incomes of the population”. Akimat refused because the venue indicated in the notification is not included in the list of specialized places for holding rallies99.

April 18, monitoring of human rights violations in Kazakhstan presented by the human rights movement Kaharman.kz 100.

On 19 April, in Shymkent, relatives of Zhanmurat Ashtayev, Sultanbek Kairat and Dosmambetova Lyazzat, who were detained after the January events, once again rallied in front of the building of the city prosecutor’s office. However, no one came out, and participants recorded an appeal to the President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Zhomart Tokayev demanding that their relatives be released 101.

April 19, Nur-Sultan, the Senate informed that “last week the press center was relocated to the basement, where there were not enough workplaces and no Internet service. Now the Senate press center has been relocated back to its original location”, said Senate spokesman Daniyar Ramazanov 102.

April 19, Pavlodar region “Based on the results of an inspection of the medical care provided to inmates in the facilities of the Penal and Correctional System, it was found that the annual medical examinations of 1,547 inmates were incomplete: blood tests were not taken, electrocardiography was not done, there are no notes of examination, conclusions and recommendations of a physician, phthisiatrician,, dentist, medications that are not included in the National Formulary were purchased”, the Regional Prosecutor’s Office reported.103.

April 19, Nur-Sultan, «In social networks, fake information keeps appearing, including about the use of unlawful methods of investigation on the suspects. We check each fact. The Criminal Code establishes liability for spreading false information”,”said a representative of the General Prosecutor’s Office Kilymzhanov 104.

April 19, Nur-Sultan, “Eleven pre-trial investigations have been registered following complaints about the use of “’unlawful methods of investigation” against suspects. One case has been filed with the court”,said a representative of the Prosecutor General’s Office, Kilymzhanov 105.

April 19, Nur-Sultan, “Investigators of the internal affairs authorities have completed and referred to the court 255 criminal cases against 402 defendants on the January events, 20 people have received actual prison sentences”, – said a representative of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Adilov.
106.

April 19, Nur-Sultan, “323 suspects were released from custody: 78 were released on bail, 67 were released under the written pledge not to leave country, 96 were released under house arrest, 11 were released on personal guarantee, and another 71 were released on court orders”, Interior Ministry Spokesman Adilov said. 107.

On April 19, in Zhanaozen, about 150 workers of the “TrubRemCenter” enterprise, which is engaged in washing and cleaning oil wells of “Ozenmunaigaz”, held a strike with posters calling for modernization and stopping harassment of trade union members. They demanded that wages be increased by 60 percent and working conditions be improved108.

On April 19, in Almaty, Dzhabbarbekov Davlat lodged a complaint with the city prosecutor Zhuyriktaev A.B. asking to open a criminal case for torture and institute criminal proceedings against law enforcement officers who severely tortured and beat him in the LA-155/18 facility109.

April 19, monitoring of human rights violations in Kazakhstan presented by the human rights movement Kaharman.kz
110.

On April 19, in Uralsk, Yeskendirova Marua and Urazbayev Amangeldy were detained and their home was searched. The detention was the result of a recent speech given by Yeskendirova to the People’s Assembly, in which she told about the January events, the policy of Nazarbayev-Tokayev and about the situation in Ukraine111.

20 April, Almaty, Human rights defenders of the Coalition against Torture of Kazakhstan are ready to provide a lawyer to Sydykov Cholponbek, a Kyrgyz citizen who was detained, beaten and suffered fractures in both legs while crossing the border in the days of the Bloody January. According to him, he was tortured by the police officers and extorted a confession about the rioting and looting. He was forced to confess under pressure112.

20 April, “”We demand that the General Prosecutor’s Office of Kazakhstan immediately check the investigative actions and an urgent visit of Ombudsman Azimova to the protesters who went on hunger strike in Ust-Kamenogorsk in the facility OV-156/1 because Katpushev needs urgent medical care and hospitalization!” – stated human rights activist Toregozhina Bakhytzhan113

On April 20, in Uralsk, the police initiated a criminal case against Yeskendirova Marua and Orazbayev Amangeldy under Article 405, Part 2 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan. They were handing out leaflets in the city center the day before, after submitting another application to hold a rally on May 1, but were detained by the police114.

20 April, Almaty, “Shymkent NSС officers came and summoned Bekkulova Shalipa, lawyer of the PF “Ar.Rukh.Hak” for interrogation (witness status). She was released after 6: 30 p.m.” – reported human rights activist Toregozhina Bakhytzhan 115.

April 20, Shymkent, according to human rights activists, there were 4 cases registered in the court under the Articles “mass disorder” and “theft”. Activists Kulbaev Yergali and Sadibekov Moldabay are among those registered. Their names are included in the list of about 30 activists who have been prosecuted after the January protests116.

April 20, Nur-Sultan, “The Parliament has adopted a law that would allow for the removal of content that was illegal against children. During the plenary session, the Majilis accepted the amendments to the law made by the Senate and approved the exclusion from the draft law of high-profile norms on the blocking of social networks”, – said the Speaker of the Majilis, Yerlan Koshanov 117.

On April 20, the Coalition against Torture, operating within the framework of the Alliance, received 140 appeals from 11 cities. The Coalition registers all the facts, attracts lawyers with experience of working with torture cases, carries out medical examinations and provides assistance in documenting bodily injuries. They also render psychological assistance to survivors of torture and their relatives and provide medication118.

20 April, “Human rights defenders have joined together in an alliance to help citizens in four areas. Line 1 – “torture” – all members of the alliance help to receive these messages and respond to them immediately. Line 2 – “advocacy assistance”. Line 3 – “call centers”, there are a person and phone numbers in each region to report information. Line 4 – “documenting”, since it will be necessary to determine the cause of what happened sooner or later, – said Zhovtis Yevgeny 119.

On April 20, Zhana-Ozen, the workers of the oil service company “Kezbi” who repair wells at the fields of “Ozenmunaigaz” went on strike. The oil workers, who suspended their work, have been demanding additional payments to their wages during three days. 120.

April 20, monitoring of human rights violations in Kazakhstan presented by the human rights movement Kaharman.kz 121.

April 21, Zhana-Ozen, Tileubaev Serik activist and blogger was summoned to the police for interrogation as a witness in a criminal case that is unknown at the moment. He recently found out that his bank account and card were blocked122.

On April 21, in Almaty, there was a press conference summarizing the work of the Qantar Foundation, which was initiated by businessmen. They asked President Tokayev for a monthly public reporting on the investigation of each criminal case of the January events, as well as to bring independent international experts to the investigation of all criminal cases123.

April 21, Almaty, Kanafin Daniyar, lawyer and coordinator of the Qantar Foundation, reported that: “The Foundation supports 55 high-profile cases by 26 experienced lawyers: 18 cases of causing death, which involve 22 people, 4 cases of suspected participation in mass riots, 18 cases of torture, 1 case of a missing person, 5 cases of gunshot wounds”124.

21 April, “The Prosecutor’s Office should inspect the investigator in the case of Zhanbolat Mamay. Because the investigator was obliged to grant amnesty, the investigator violated the ‘Law on Amnesty’ in a flagrant manner”, believes Zhovtis Evgeniy125.

April 21, “Human rights activists point out that after the January events activists who were generally considered to be relatively moderate found themselves under pressure. 18 civil activists, who had gone to peaceful protests and had not been involved in pogroms, are now in custody”126.

21 April, Brussels, MEP Róża Thun voices justified and well-reasoned criticism of the policy of the European External Action Service and the EU Delegation to Kazakhstan on the human rights situation. In particular, the MEP says that European diplomats turn a blind eye to serious human rights violations and do not participate in political trials online127.

April 21, monitoring of human rights violations in Kazakhstan presented by the human rights movement Kaharman.kz 128.

April 21, Geneva, Ombudsman E. Azimova discussed with the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet current human rights issues in Kazakhstan and key aspects of technical cooperation for the implementation of reforms129.

April 22, Almaty, “Deputy of Maslikhat Kudaibergen Kairat has been detained. He together with Dzhumageldiev A.B. (so-called “Dikiy Arman”) has arranged a gathering of people in the hotel “Kazakhstan” and urged to rally around Dzhumageldiev and put forward the demands to the authority. This was evidenced by video footage seized in the hotel” – reported in the Press Service of the Prosecutor’s Office130.

On April 22, the Kazakstan Khalkyna Foundation rendered financial assistance to the families of 13 deceased civilians, paying 97 million tenge. Families of the dead were paid KZT7m each and the relatives of seriously injured children were paid KZT3m each, the Foundation’s press office said131.

April 22, Zhana-Ozen, the Financial Monitoring Agency of the Republic of Kazakhstan stated that: “Tileubayev Serik was not on the list of persons involved in the financing of terrorism and, accordingly, as AFM stated, measures to block his bank accounts have not been taken. Earlier Tileubayev said that his bank account and the card that he used “to buy food for the protesters” have been blocked132.

On April 22, the Almaty Department of the Penal and Correctional System denied that they had welded shut the door to the room in LA-155/18 “where Adilbekuly Sayat was tortured” in the January events and where, according to multiple testimonies and reports, detainees had been tortured during the January events133.

On April 22, Nurkadilov Kairat, the son of opposition politician Nurkadilov Zamanbek, was given a reply from the General Prosecutor’s Office, in which the Agency repeats the authorities’ version of a “suicide” and declares that “there are no grounds for cancelling the decision of the investigative body”134.

On April 23, in Almaty, an authorized rally against the draft law on the regulation of social networks was held in Gandhi Park. There were about 30 people at the rally. Speakers at the rally said that if the law enters into force, it would make the situation with freedom of speech even worse. They urged the president to exercise his veto and not sign the document135.

On April 23, the house of lawyer Nurpeisov Galym and lawyer Bekkulova Shalipa was searched by officers of the Shymkent department of the National Security Committee. The search was authorized by the ruling of the examining court of the city of Shymkent. The lawyer said that the investigators have not seized anything during the search. Nurpeisov considers the actions of the NSC officers as putting pressure on the lawyer and the human rights organization136.

23 April, Petropavlovsk, facility EC-164/3, Kaiyrbek Askar, Article 405, Part 1/2 of the Criminal Code of the RK, was beaten up in the prison. A physical examination of the convict revealed two hematomas of 4-6 centimeters in size and minor redness in the area of the buttocks. According to the convict, the injuries were allegedly inflicted by members of the National Guard of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan137.

24 April, Almaty, “I and my colleagues from the foundation believe that the search in the house of lawyer Bekkulova Shalipa, the inspection of her phone and interrogations are a pressure on the human rights activities of our organization. Besides, we are concerned that in violation of Article 35 of the Law ‘On Advocacy and Legal Assistance’ of the RK, an attorney of the Almaty Bar Association Nurpeisov Galym, who also provides legal assistance in the cases related to the January events, was searched”, – human rights activist Toregozhina Bakhytzhan said138.

On April 24, in Almaty, a rally was held in Valikhanov Square, with a demand to release political prisoners, the following participants were detained: Tleuzhanova Aigerim, Beysaliev Beken, Atinbaev Bauyrzhan, Barmenkul Alina, Abdiev Konay, Khuanysh Doszhan, Article 488, Part 11 of the Administrative Offences Code of the RK, 20 days of arrest. Mukhtarov Rafkhat, Gabdulina Maira, Article 488, Part 6 of the Administrative Offences Code of the RK, 15 days of arrest. Berdikozhanova Bulbul, Khodzhiev Esanboy, Shirinbekova Bayan were fined 91,890 tenge.

April 24, Almaty, Kudaibergen Kairat, the examining court authorized detention in custody for a period of 1 month as a preventive measure. There is no evidence against the detainee in the sanction document, except for the decision of the investigators and the interrogation of Kudaibergen himself139.

April 24, monitoring of human rights violations in Kazakhstan presented by the human rights movement Kaharman.kz»
140.

April 24, Aktobe, Abdirova Alima reported that the Akimat refused her request to hold a one-person picket on May 1 in support of Ukraine. The Akimat referred to the provision in the legislation stipulating the refusal to hold any public action, the purpose of which is, in particular, “incitement of social, racial, national, religious, class and tribal hatred” 141.

April 25, Almaty, Aitelenov Nurali, a blogger, held a single anti-war picket in front of the Consulate General of Russia. His picket was based on chronology: Sunday 24 April was exactly two months since Russia’s army began its invasion of Ukraine142.

April 25, Aktau, Caspian Drilling fired all the striking workers who were seeking higher wages and better working conditions. All laid-off workers and their families attended a rally at the Akimat, demanding to meet with Akim Nogayev, the protesters intended to hold continuous rallies in front of the Akimat building143.

April 5, Nur-Sultan, “Two security officers were arrested in connection with the death of Almas Mukashev, a resident of Taldykorgan, whose family claimed that he had been tortured during his detention in the January events. Special prosecutors are investigating “the bodily injuries that led to his death”, – said General Prosecutor’s Office spokesman Kilymzhanov144.

April 25, Nur-Sultan, “11 pre-trial investigations into complaints about ‘unauthorized methods of investigation’ were registered, eight NSC officers and one police officer were detained”, – said General Prosecutor’s Office spokesman Kilymzhanov145.

April 25, Nur-Sultan, “243 persons were convicted in the cases of the January events, 585 persons are in custody awaiting trial. At least 16 people, including five members of the security forces, were killed in the January events in the Almaty region”, – said General Prosecutor’s Office spokesman Kilymzhanov146.

On April 26, in Almaty, Imanbay Inga at 3 p.m. was summoned to the City Prosecutor’s Office for participation in the investigative actions as a witness in a criminal case147.

On April 26, in Aktobe, about 20 mothers of many children rallied outside the regional Akimat, complaining about the rising prices of food and basic necessities. They demanded to meet with Regional Akim Orazalin Ondasyn 148.

April 26, Almaty, “Four months have already passed. Where are the explanations from the Kazakh authorities as to why 238 people were killed and about 1,000 Kazakhs were wounded? We demand an international investigation!” – stated the human rights activist Toregozhina Bakhytzhan149.

26 April, Kokshetau, activists Zhanuzakov Marat, Baltashev Bauyrzhan, Negmetov Ualikhan and Mukhamedzhanov Kuat received a “warning” under Article 48,8 Part 6 of the Administrative Offences Code of the RK for an anti-war action in cars in support of Ukraine
150.

On April 26, in Aksu, Pavlodar region, the Akimat refused the request of Kurmanov Embergen to hold a peaceful rally on May 1 in support of Ukraine. The reason for refusal: the estimated number of participants was not provided151.


April 27, Almaty, the deputy of the Almaty Maslikhat, Kudaibergen Kairat, who has been detained on suspicion of having organized and participated in mass disturbances in January of this year, is being subjected to moral and psychological pressure. This was reported by his lawyer Amitov Murat.
152.


April 27, Almaty region, Zarechnyi village, facility LA-155/14, political prisoner Kalyshev Kairat, Article 405, Part 1/2 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan, was released from the colony153..

On April 27, in Aktau, Nurgazin Bolat, Article 488 of the Administrative Offences Code of the RK, was arrested for 15 days for posting an appeal on his Facebook page for a rally in support of Ukraine on May 1154.

On April 27, in Almaty, Zholayev Meirkhan, Article 488, Part 6 of the Administrative Offences Code of the RK, was sentenced by court to 15 days of arrest for posting on his Facebook page an appeal for participation in a protest action in front of the Almaty city court on March 28, 2022, at 12-20155.

April 27, Kapshagay, political prisoner Abay Begimbetov, Article 405, Part 1/2 of the Criminal Code of the RK; the court upheld the motion of the convicted activist to replace the unserved part of his prison term with restriction of liberty156.

April 27, Nur-Sultan, “The law guaranteeing ex-President Nazarbayev immunity from prosecution and immunity of assets will cease to be in force after the amendments to the Constitution are adopted”,- said Speaker of the Majilis of the Parliament Koshanov 157.

On April 27, in Almaty, Baiterekov Nurbol, Mirmambetova Gulnar, Article 488, Part 11 of the Administrative Offences Code of the RK, received a fine of 153 150 tenge for their participation in the protest rally to free Mamai Zhanbolat, which took place in front of the Police Department on 4 April.


April 27, Almaty, “The police have intensified persecution of activists of the party, over the past few days its members have been subjected to administrative arrests and fines, while others have been summoned to police stations time and again. The persecution is associated with the protest actions that are planned to be held on May 7”, – said activist of the unregistered Democratic Party Imanbai Inga at a press conference. 158.

On April 27, in Shymkent city, dozens of people gathered for a protest rally in front of the Akimat, expressing their disagreement, after the authorities called “unauthorized” the tender held earlier for the sale of credit housing through the “7-20-25” program. They claimed that they had fulfilled the conditions of the tender and had made a down payment, and therefore they demanded that the apartments be made available159.

On April 28, in Semey, there were public hearings on the January events. The purpose of the event: To provide assistance for the humanization of the preliminary charges against persons suspected of participating in the January events in Semey. The organizers were: KIBHR, Foundation for the Development of Parliamentarism in Kazakhstan, PF Ar.Rukh.Hak, Independent Commission AMANAT, PF QANTAR.160.


April 28, Semey, “Dozens of January detainees, including civic activists, accused of committing serious crimes remain in the region’s detention centers, and the criminal cases opened after the bloody January are being investigated in a repressive manner”, – stated representatives of human rights organizations and public commissions.
161.

April 28, Semey, “As long as there is no actual evidence, there is no video or photos from the terrorist base where they were trained, we will consider everyone a civilian. The video where they are standing in the square cannot be a proof that a person can be charged under this article” – said human rights activist Toregozhina Bakhytzhan 162.

April 28, Uralsk, Yeskendirova Marua, Orazbayev Amangeldy, Article 405, Part 2 of the Criminal Code of the RK, the investigating court imposed a preventive measure in the form of house arrest for a period of two months. The reason was that they had been repeatedly brought to administrative liability for participation in unauthorized rallies163.

On April 28, in Zhana-Ozen, Dosekeeva Zhadra, the activist started receiving calls from the outpatient clinic, asking her and her child to see a psychiatrist. Medical workers insisted on the 10th inpatient course of treatment for her child. Then a woman and 3 men arrived, they introduced themselves as employees of the City Department of Education and wanted to examine the children’s living conditions 164.

April 28, “The decision to terminate the pre-trial investigation was unreasonably taken with regard to the journalists and the operator of the Khabar Agency… to take a final procedural decision with referral of the case to court”, – reads the decision of the Prosecutor’s Office 165.

On April 28, Nur-Sultan, the General Prosecutor’s Office hosted a press tour for journalists from Europe and Israel. The journalists got acquainted with the progress of the investigation of the January events, and the full chronology of those days was reproduced. The press was informed about the objectivity of the investigation and measures taken to ensure the constitutional rights of the participants in the process166.


On April 28, in Aksu, Pavlodar region, Kurmanov Embergen was illegally detained early in the morning and brought by police to the detention center on the eve of a peaceful anti-war rally on May 1
167.

On April 28, in the village of Bestobe, Akmola region, at a meeting attended by representatives of state agencies, the Prosecutor’s Office, and the National Security Committee residents demanded that Nikolai Katchiyev and Alexandra Nazarenko be released from criminal prosecution. They are currently being tried on charges of inciting social hatred and arbitrariness, for which they face a prison sentence168.

28 April, Nur-Sultan city, Sembay Askar, Article 488, Part 12 of the Administrative Offences Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan, 5 days of arrest – for posting a message on Facebook calling for a rally on May 1.

April 28, Nur-Sultan, Ombudsman Azimova met with media representatives of European countries and spoke about the situation on the protection of citizens’ rights in relation to the investigation of mass riots in early January 2022169.

April 29, Taldykorgan, Ten Victor, human rights activist said that after the January events 180 people were detained. Currently more than a dozen persons under investigation remain in pre-trial detention centers. The human rights activist said that the investigation of the criminal cases, which were opened following the detainees’ complaints of torture, was not progressing at the present time170.

On April 29, in Beineu village, Mangistau region, Baidakov Yergali was sentenced to 10 days of arrest under Article 434 of the Administrative Offences Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The lawyer was not provided with the case file, the protocols were completed without Baidakov’s participation. The reason for the arrest was his criticism of the authorities on the eve of the anti-war rally on May 1171.


On April 29, Kazakh President Tokayev has suggested holding a referendum on amendments to the Constitution of Kazakhstan. “I believe that constitutional alteration through nationwide voting would become a vivid demonstration of the people’s will”,- said President Tokayev at the XXXI session of the Assembly of the People of Kazakhstan
172.

On April 29, the Kazakh edition of NewTimes.kz received a warning from the Russian Roskomnadzor (Federal Service for Supervision in the Sphere of Telecom, Information Technologies and Mass Communications), demanding that a reprint of the BBC article on EU sanctions against Russia be removed because it violates Russian legislation173.

April 29, Nur-Sultan, Aset Kendzhibekov, Article 488, Part 7 of the Administrative Offences Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan – 5 days of arrest – for his Facebook post calling to attend the rally on May 1.

On April 30, in Nur-Sultan, there was an authorized rally against climate change. Organizers have expected, that 60-100 people will attend, but there were about 20-30 participants. “The rally has been organized to attract the attention of Kazakhstanis to the global problem – the climate crisis, global temperature increase, which will result in desertification, famine, and the extinction of animals and people”- stated the eco-activists 174.

On April 30, in Nur-Sultan , Tastayev Nursultan, Article 488, Part 12 of the Administrative Offences Code of the RK was sentenced to 25 days of administrative arrest for having called for an anti-war rally on May 1 on his Facebook page175.

April 30, monitoring of human rights violations in Kazakhstan presented by the human rights movement Kaharman.kz176.





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