Politically motivated convictions 2021, 3 August

Astana: 1) Judge Sabyrzhan KARIMOV illegally sentenced political prisoner Yerbol YESKHOZHIN to 2.5 years in prison in a politically motivated criminal case under Article 405 Part 1 («organisation of an extremist organisation»).

Prosecutor: ABYZHANOVA Laura.

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He is politically prosecuted for:

— Participation and calling for participation in peaceful protests;

— Publicly congratulating Mukhtar ABLYAZOV on his birthday;

— Publicly announcing the establishment of a peaceful opposition movement, “Koshe Partiyasy”;

— Reposting of publications of the human rights movement Veritas on holding Asar, a collection of humanitarian aid for the families of political prisoners.

4 August. Aktobe:

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1) Judge Zhanas KUANYSHEV illegally sentenced civil activist Askar KALASOV to 2 years of restriction of liberty in a politically motivated case under Article 405 Part 2 («participation in an extremist organisation»).

Prosecutor: ABUOVA Akmaral.

Askar KALASOV is being prosecuted on political grounds:

— For calling for participation in protests and for allegedly calling for a violent takeover of power;

— For campaigning and distributing leaflets calling to vote for the registered Akzhol party in the 10 January 2021 parliamentary elections.

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In its resolution on the human rights situation in Kazakhstan of 11 February 2021, the European Parliament called on the Kazakhstani authorities to stop all politically motivated prosecutions and release all political prisoners immediately and unconditionally.

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The European Parliament condemned the Kazakhstani authorities’ abuse of anti-extremism legislation to persecute supporters of the peaceful opposition movements “DCK” and “Koshe Partiyasy”.

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We call on the US, the EU, the UK and Canada to impose personal sanctions on: the head of the NSC, Karim MASSIMOV; the General Prosecutor, Gizat NURDAULETOV; and the Minister of Internal Affairs, Yerlan TURGUMBAYEV.