MONITORING OF POLITICAL PERSECUTION IN THE REPUBLIC OF KAZAKHSTAN FROM April 1 to April 30, 2023

April 1, Almaty, the first meeting of the “People’s Parliament” was held, which consisted of many former candidates for deputies of Majilis and Maslikhats. Most of them have the evidence of their victory in the elections and massive violations of the right to elect and be elected, but the authorities have decided “otherwise”, as participants of the meeting believe[1].

On April 1, in Almaty, Imanbay I. said at a meeting of the “People’s Parliament”: “If they do not release Mamay Zh., Nurpeisov K., Namazbayev D., Narymbay E. and others, we should not sit quietly, but must achieve this by all means, and among others, by holding rallies”[2].

April 1, Almaty, journalist L. Akhmedyarov told a meeting of the “People’s Parliament” about the obviously unequal campaign conditions for self-nominated candidates and government candidates[3].

April 2, Astana, police detained Dzhakhin A., Kenzhebekov A., Nugumanov M., Amrenov A. when they tried to hold a rally against the results of the elections to the Majilis and Maslikhats[4].

April 2, Almaty, police detained Imangalieva B., Abishev A., and Knasov A when they tried to hold a rally against the results of the elections to the Majilis and Maslikhats [5].

April 4, Uralsk, the court rejected the appeal of Okhasov O. In March, the court sentenced him to 7 days of administrative arrest “for disobedience to police officers”. The court decided to uphold the decision of the specialized court of 17 March 2023 and to dismiss the lawyer’s complain [6].

April 4, Almaty, the Bureau for Human Rights held a press conference of activists from Astana Altynbaev N., Zhakupova A. and Nurkishev J., who told about a new phenomenon in Kazakhstan’s punitive practices — the simultaneous administrative punishment of two dozen people for publicly expressing their negative attitude to the verdict pronounced in court on a political case[7].

April 4, Astana, Aidar Elkeev, a journalist with Masa Media, picketed the Ministry of Finance building to protest against the register of “foreign agents” and organizations that receive foreign funding in Kazakhstan[8].

April 4, Almaty, Tleuzhan A., Article 272, Part 2 of the Criminal Code of the RK, house arrest, who is being tried together with several other people on charges of seizing the Almaty airport during the January events, called her case politically motivated [9].

4 April, West Kazakhstan region, Aksai city akimat did not give Baitemirov E. permission to hold a peaceful protest on 9 April 2023. Subject: Cancellation of the results of illegitimate elections. Reason for refusal: Sports event that had been previously agreed upon[10].

April 4, Karaganda region, the appellate panel of the court issued a decision that the district court deprived Zvereva S., a resident of Temirtau, of the right to protection. Previously, she had taken a picket in Karaganda against the actions of the district court. At the same time, the regional court dismissed her petition to “punish” the judge for the ensuing consequences[11].

April 5, “Election results in Kazakhstan have been ‘drawn’ again”, says Kireev Alexander, an election observation expert and creator of the Electoral Geography project [12].

April 5, “Regarding the past Majilis elections, the European Union (EU) relies on the assessment of the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE),” — EU ambassador to Kazakhstan Kestutis Jankauskas says[13].

April 5, Almaty, in the Bureau of Human Rights, members of the “People’s Parliament” have come out in support of Mamay Zh. On April 4, a trial was held in the Bostandyk Court No. 2 where the prosecution requested six years and six months’ probation for Mamay. Supporters of Mamay, consider the case trumped up and are against his being banned from journalistic activities[14].

April 5, Almaty, the akimat of the city did not give permission to activists to hold a rally on April 9, 2023, in the square named after Sh. Valikhanov. Subject: Against the results of unfair elections. Reason for refusal: holding a previously scheduled cultural and mass event[15].

April 5, Astana, Akimat of the city did not give permission to Zhylanbaev M. to hold a peaceful protest on April 9, 2023. Subject: Cancellation of the results of illegitimate elections. Reason for refusal: Holding a previously agreed event[16].

April 5, Uralsk, the city akimat refused Baitemirov E. to hold a peaceful protest on 9 April 2023. Subject: Cancellation of the results of illegitimate elections. Reason for refusal: holding a previously agreed sporting event[17].

April 6, Kazakhstani authorities came to regard social conflicts as a threat to national security, so the National Security Committee (NSC) will be authorized to intervene in them and “carry out activities”. The relevant set of amendments to the Presidential Decree “On Approval of the Provisions of the National Security Committee of the Republic of Kazakhstan” was posted on the portal “Open NLA” (Open Normative Legal Acts) on April 6 for public discussion, which will run until April 20[18].

April 6, Almaty, PF “Adil Soz” presented a study of the situation in Kazakhstan with regard to the right to freedom of expression, receiving and disseminating information from March 30 to April 6, 2023[19].

April 7, “Kazakhstan has not succeeded in eliminating the practice of torture and ill-treatment of detainees in prisons or police stations and detention centers”, stated members of the UN Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture, who made their second visit to Kazakhstan and visited places of deprivation of liberty in Kazakhstan[20].

April 8, Astana, participants of the rally in the park for women’s rights demanded to toughen the punishment for domestic violence and to criminalize harassment. They urged to transfer beating and intentional infliction of minor damage to health from the category of administrative offenses to the category of crimes, to ratify the Istanbul Convention on Combating Violence against Women[21].

April 8, Astana, “The law enforcement authorities will take administrative and criminal law measures against offenders. Thus, the organization and participation in meetings, marches, assemblies or demonstrations held in violation of the law (paragraph 3 of Article 3) is illegal and punishable by up to 25 days of arrest under Article 488 of the Code of Administrative Offences of the RK”, states the representative of the Prosecutor General’s Office Umiraliev Zh., prior to the 9 April rally[22].

April 8, Karaganda, police officers broke into the house of Toregeldy Amanzholov and carried out an illegal search. Police officers detained Amanzholov for interrogation (interrogation was conducted without a lawyer). The authorities opened a politically motivated criminal case against him under Article 405, Part 2 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Status: Witness entitled to protection[23].

April 9, in Uralsk, Baibulova K., was detained on the square in front of the monument “Glorious Daughters of the Kazakh People” on the day of the rally. Journalist Akhmedyarov Lukpan also held a protest action there[24].

April 9, Uralsk, police detained Bashanov Zh. who was going to take part in a protest against falsification in the parliamentary elections. He was brought to the Abay police department[25].

April 9, in Astana, the police detained A. Syzdykov on the day of the announced rally and released him after being held for 4 hours at the Almaty Police Department[26].

April 9, Zhanaozen, a group of residents, who since April 4 have been standing in front of the akimat building, demanding their permanent employment, reported on Sunday evening about an attack on them by unknown people. In the words of the protesters, who do not disperse and camp out in the open air overnight, the young men who attacked them used physical force against several people and tried to take away their mattresses and blankets[27].

April 9, Astana, on the day of the announced rally against the results of the parliamentary elections, the police detained Bekzadina E. She was grabbed by several police officers as she was leaving her house and forcibly pushed into the car. They took away her phone to prevent her from video recording. For more than 10 hours Bekzadina E. was kept in the police department of the Almaty district of Astana[28].

April 9, Uralsk, police detained Bashanov Zh. who was going to take part in a protest against falsification in the parliamentary elections. He was brought to the Abay police department. During the questioning, investigator Toksanov was asking if Bashanov J. supported the ideas of the DCK [29].

April 9, Almaty, protesters against the results of the elections gathered in the Republic Square. About 60 people were present, their demands: 1. To recognize the elections to the Majilis and Maslikhats as illegitimate. 2. To add the Republic Square to the list of venues allocated for the rallies. 3. To strictly prohibit any forms of separatism in the country. 4. To release political prisoners. In some places the Internet was inaccessible; police officers were on duty along the perimeter of the square[30].

10 April, Uralsk, Police refused Akhmedyarov Lukpan to initiate a criminal case following a video of alleged ballot box stuffing in the early parliamentary elections that were held in Kazakhstan on March 19. “There is no corpus delicti in the actions of the members of the election commission”, police lieutenant colonel Izteleuov M. reports in his letter to a journalist[31].

April 10, Astana, on Monday at least 82 former employees of the oil service company BerAli Mangistau Company arrived in Astana by train and went from the railway station to the building of the Ministry of Energy. In their words, they want to ask their questions to officials and representatives of KazMunayGas. Workers who have gathered near the government building say they do not intend to disperse[32].

April 10, Astana, Mamay Zh., Article 272, Part 1/2, Articles 378, 274 of the Criminal Code of the RK: the Court No. 2 of Bostandyk district has sentenced Mamay Zh, who is charged with “organizing mass riots” during the events of January 2022, to 6 years of a suspended sentence, a ban on social and political activities, including journalism and political journalism and participation in the work of public associations[33].

April 10, Almaty, the Bureau for Human Rights held a press conference in connection with another violation in terms of law by one of the main law enforcement agencies of the country of one of the main legal principles, namely the presumption of innocence. Prosecutor General Asylov B., publicly called extremists and terrorists two Kazakhstani citizens, in relation to whom there is no court verdict yet[34].

April 9, Mangistau region, Beineu village, Korbakov Merey, Article 488, Part 12 of the Code of Administrative Offences of the RK, 10 days of arrest for having called a rally on April 1, 2023 in his Facebook page[35].

April 11, Almaty, investigation into the death in Almaty of Kulsultanova G. and Bitkenbaev K., “zheltoksanovtsy “ (participants in the December 1986 events in Almaty), whose car was shot by security forces and completely burned down in the evening of January 7, 2022, was terminated [36].

April 11, Astana, a photographer of Vlast.kz Karimova Zh. was detained while covering a protest near the office of KazMunayGas. She was brought to the police station; the law enforcement officers seized her camera . The police twice tried to prevent the Vlast.kz journalist Moldagaliyev from videotaping and knocked down his camera. After online journalist Vlast reported about the incident in its Telegram channel Karimova Zh. was released [37].

April 11, Astana, officers of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (SOBR) roughly detained all the workers from Mangistau, who had been protesting outside the building of the Ministry of Energy in Astana for a day. The protesters were put into police vans and taken to police stations. At first, the gathered people were surrounded by the police in order to use kettling. Then people who were dressed in black attacked the participants and started to take them to the police vans[38].

April 11, Astana, the police issued a press release in which they explained the reason for the detention of protesting oil workers from Zhanaozen. The release, disseminated by local media, states that “since yesterday a group of employees of an oil service company organized an unsanctioned rally in the capital city without prior notification”[39].

April 11, Zhanaozen, a group of local residents gathered outside the akimat office and demanded the release of oil workers, who were detained a few hours ago outside the building of the Ministry of Energy in Astana during a strike. “If they do not release our colleagues in Astana, then we will raise all of Zhanaozen!” said one of the protesters. His words were accompanied by approving hum of voices[40].

April 11, Astana, Dzhakibayeva A., who has organized a women’s march in Astana last week, together with other detainees is in the Saryarka police department. Activist was released from police after five hours of detention[41].

April 11, Atyrau, M. Bokayev demands the release of oil workers detained in Astana. “They came to the main city of the country in search of justice, but they were forcibly pushed into police vans by masked police officers. This is a very big mistake of the Tokayev’s government”, believes Bokayev M.[42].

April 11, Astana, the police prohibited volunteers to put tables to distribute hot drinks and food to workers in front of the Ministry of Energy, where oil workers from Zhanaozen have been protesting for the second day. Activists were able to convince the police to allow the delivery of water and food for the protesters, but the police officer did not allow setting up the tables. He referred to the alleged requirement to get permission from the akimat. He did not indicate which point of the legislation made such a requirement [43].

April 11, the Washington-based non-governmental organization Freedom Now condemned the sentencing of Mamay Zh. and urged the Kazakh authorities to reverse the court’s decision and lift all restrictions imposed on Mamay Zh.[44].

April 11, Almaty region, Kaskelen settlement, Kaziev Yerkin, Article 380, Part 1, Article 405, Part 2 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan, 2 years of imprisonment in a colony-settlement. Taking into account the time spent in the pre-trial detention facility, he has 1 year and 1 month left to serve his sentence[45].

April 12, Semei, the city court held a session that considered the joint lawsuits of 5 people. They have been kept in pre-trial detention for months, and later released for lack of evidence of their guilt. They claim that they suffered beatings, torture, ill-treatment and harassment after their detention. The plaintiffs demand a written apology and compensation for the moral and physical harm they suffered. The state bodies do not reject that the compensation should be paid, but insist on lowering the amount demanded[46].

On April 12, Astana, all 126 oil workers who had been detained during the April 11 strike in front of the Ministry of Energy in Astana were released by the police. Five of them were held administratively liable in the form of warnings[47].

April 12, Mangistau region, Zhanaozen, Internet and mobile communications in Zhanaozen are reported to be disconnected. “In Zhanaozen there is no Internet, no connection”, — local residents inform[48].

April 12, Stepnogorsk, Sochnev A. was summoned to the police for a video and words of support to the residents of Zhanaozen. “They asked me whether I would remove this video? I said no. A representative of the prosecutor’s office read out articles according to which the post is a violation of the law. Specifically, the law on peaceful assemblies, allegedly this video is agitation, they did not detain me, I returned home”, — says Sotchnev Artem[49].

April 12, Shymkent, Perneeva Aklima held a solitary picket near the building of the city branch of the party of power “Amanat”. She demanded the dismissal of Akim Aitenov M. and Chairman of the Territorial Election Commission Kunanbaev K., who, in the activist’s opinion, allowed “falsification of the voting results”. The activist stood for nearly an hour, and then returned home. During the action she was watched by the akimat staff and police officers[50].

April 12, Zhanaozen, the police began to severely detain people who came out to support the oil workers protesting in the city of Astana. On the video you can see how the SOBR, dressed in black, detained people harshly and placed them in a police van. Later they were all released[51].

April 12, Astana, Altayev N., Article 488, Part 6 of the Code of Administrative Offences of the RK was sentenced to 15 days of arrest for participation in an unauthorized event on April 9 on Independence Square in the city of Almaty. The court accused him of “calls to an illegal rally”[52].

April 12, Almaty, a group of activists gathered at the Republic Square. They put forward a number of demands to the authorities: to fulfill the demands of Zhanaozen residents, who demand permanent work; to release activist Altayev N., arrested for 15 days; to dismiss the Minister of Energy, who did not start a dialogue with oil workers and «did not listen to their wants and needs”[53].

April 12, Uralsk, Akhmedyarov L., Article 488 of the Code of Administrative Offences of the RK received 15 days of arrest after being found guilty of holding an “illegal” rally on April 9 in the square near the monument “Glorious Daughters of the Kazakh People”[54].

April 12, Almaty, Ilyashev A., Article 488, Part 6 of the Code of Administrative Offences of the RK, received 15 days for participating in a public event, a rally on April 9 in the Republic Square[55].

April 12, Almaty, Taizhan M., Article 488 of the Code of Administrative Offences of the RK was arrested for 15 days on charges of violating the order of organization and holding a peaceful rally in Almaty’s Republic Square on April 9[56].

On April 12, Aktobe, the judicial board of the regional court upheld the decision of the court of first instance regarding 18 people who had been criminally charged after the January events, including Isayev Nursultan, who was sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment, and Darkhan Kami, who was sentenced to 4 years in prison[57].

April 13, the protesting oil workers, who are now on a train to Mangistau, said they were ready to return to Astana if the issue of their unemployment was not resolved positively. “One of the guys who are now on the train is urinating blood, another one has suffered a kidney injury, and a third one is unable to open his eye because hematomas”, — the oil workers stated at one of the stations in their video message, which is addressed to the government [58].

April 13, Astana, members of the organizing committee for the creation of the opposition party “Alga Kazakstan!” for the 13th time submitted a list of the initiative group to the Ministry of Justice to begin registration of the party. The authorities rejected the application citing Article 8 of the Law on Political Parties, saying that the list of the initiative group does not meet the requirements of the law. The authorities did not provide a specific answer as to what did not comply[59].

April 13, PF “Adil Soz” presented a study of the situation in Kazakhstan with regard to the right to freedom of expression, receiving and disseminating information from April 06 to April 13[60].

April 13, Almaty, Sarsenbaiuly R. Article 488 of the Code of Administrative Offences of the RK: the court fined him 120,750 tenge. He was charged with violating the law «On peaceful assemblies» for his participation in a rally on April 9 against the results of the election of deputies, which took place on March 19[61].

April 13, Almaty region, Talgar city, Karaev Asylbek, Article 488, Part 6 of the Code of Administrative Offences of the RK, was sentenced to 15 days of arrest for participating in an unauthorized rally on April 9 in the Republic Square[62].

April 13, Almaty, Abdumonapov M., Article 488, Part 6 of the Code of Administrative Offences of the RK, was fined 72,450 tenge; Aitbayev M. was fined 103500 tenge; Ospanov M. was fined 72450 tenge for participating in an unauthorized rally on April 9, 2023 in the Republic Square[63].

April 13, Astana, Saya Kanat, Mukhametzhan S., Gulbakhram Zh., Iskakov T., Zeitov, Tyulebaev B., Article 488, Part 6 of the Code of Administrative Offences of the RK, were sentenced to a fine of 72500 tenge and Tyulebaev N. to a fine of 120750 tenge for participating in the rally against the results of the elections to Majilis and maslikhat in Astana on April 9, 2023[64].

April 14, Almaty, Mukhtarov Ravkat, a former candidate for the Maslikhat in the March 19 elections, held a solitary picket in protest against the election results. At the intersection of Abai Avenue and Momyshuly Street in Almaty[65].

April 14, Astana, a group of oil workers, who have remained in the capital for negotiations as representatives of their protesting colleagues, demands that KazMunayGas representatives ensure the accountability of all participants in the negotiation process and establish rules of procedure[66].

April 14, Almaty, Kuketaeva Madina, the police detained a former candidate for the Majilis of the Parliament. The summons says that she is summoned on April 14 at 5 p.m., under Article 488 of the Code of Administrative Offences of the Republic of Kazakhstan, violation of the law “On peaceful assemblies”[67].

April 15, Almaty, B. Isabekov is one of the 24 persons who suffered from the actions of NSC officers. Before the events of January 2022, he worked as a driver. On January 6 he went out to get bread and was kidnapped by bandits. Then the law enforcers got hold of him. He was beaten, tortured, and humiliated. He demands open trial of 11 members of NSC who are accused of torture and murder of E. Otepbaev[68].

April 17, the Soros Foundation in Kazakhstan, which has been working in the country for 28 years, announced that it would cease funding civic initiatives and transform itself into a center of expertise. The Foundation attributes this to the transformation of the Open Society Network, which the Foundation is part of. Some organizations which received funding from the Foundation are concerned about this fact. They believe that the Foundation’s withdrawal will have a negative impact on civil society[69].

April 17. Almaty, “They started the conversation from afar, saying that we know your position regarding ‘Oyan Kazakhstan’, we want to cooperate, to convey your ideas to the authorities and the akimat. They say that for this we will give 150 thousand tenge per month. This is how much it costs to sell your conscience, friends, and I’m very sorry, if there are people who agree to this”, — writes Janel Shahan, an activist of “Oyan Kazakhstan”, on her page[70].

April 18, Aktobe, the Court of Appeal upheld a ruling to impose a fine of 17,500 tenge (about $380 at the current exchange rate) on Farhad Gaziz for his solitary picket on March 24, at which he expressed his disagreement with the results of the elections to the Majilis of the Parliament and Maslikhats[71].

18 April, Almaty, the court sentenced Atinbaev B. under Article 488, Part 11 of the Code of Administrative Offences of RK to a fine of 17,500 tenge, and Abdullaev H. under Article 488, Part 11 of the Code of Administrative Offences of RK to a fine of 72,450 tenge for participating in a rally on April 9, 2023 against the official results of the parliamentary elections [72].

18 April, Uralsk, L. Akhmedyarov, Article 488 of the Administrative Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan, 15 days of arrest. The regional court rejected the journalist’s appeal against the court decision to arrest him for 15 days for giving a four-minute speech in front of the monument «Glorious Daughters of the Kazakh People» on April 9[73].

April 19, Almaty, Kuketayeva M., Article 488, Part 6 of the Code of Administrative Offences of the RK, a fine of 72,450 tenge for participating in a rally on April 9, 2023 against the official results of the early parliamentary elections[74].

April 20, Mangistau region, Zhanaozen, the third week is over since dozens of unemployed residents of the monotown in the Mangistau region came out for a peaceful protest to the building of the Zhanaozen akimat. Dozens of unemployed spent the night of April 20 in front of the local administration building[75].

On April 20, Almaty, Dinmuhamed Kamatay was detained and fined by the court under Article 488 of the Code of Administrative Offences in the amount of 172500 tenge and Shchekuteev A. in the amount of 72450 tenge for attending an unauthorized meeting held in Almaty on April 9 in Republic Square[76].

April 20, Mangistau region, Zhanaozen, workers who had gathered in front of the office of “Ozenmunaigas” and the akimat, were approached by officials of the prosecutor’s office and the akimat. They reprimanded the workers. Employees of the prosecutor’s office speak of the «illegality» of the workers’ meeting[77].

April 20, Astana, 10 workers from Zhanaozen, who stayed in the capital for negotiations, report that negotiations with representatives of KazMunayGas (KMG) have been taking place for almost 10 days, but there is no result yet. They say that on April 20 the scheduled negotiations did not take place. Representatives of KMG stated that «a commission has been created» which will go to Zhanaozen. According to the oil workers, they have not been told why a new commission has been created and who was included in it[78].

April 20, PF “Adil Soz” presented a study of the situation in Kazakhstan with regard to the right to freedom of expression, receiving and disseminating information from April 13 to April 20[79].

April 21, Mangistau region, Zhanaozen , “About 60 people gathered on the square outside the akimat. No one came and asked us about our problem. The akim did not come either. We demand permanent employment”, says activist Izbayev Bekzat[80].

April 21, Uralsk, L. Akhmedyarov, Article 488 of Code of Administrative Offences of the RK, 15 days of arrest, told his colleagues that he has been transferred from the special detention facility for people arrested under administrative articles to the detention facility for those suspected of committing criminal offenses[81].

April 21, Almaty, the journalist Severny Vladimir and his wife Nargiz were detained. The press service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs states that the spouses were detained at the complaint of the head of one of the companies in Almaty about the alleged extortion of money «»for not publishing negative materials, upon transferring part of the requested money”[82].

April 21, Almaty, the court dismissed a lawsuit filed by Veronika Fonova, an activist of the KazFem movement and founder of the “Schitaetsya” (It is Considered) project, against the city Akimat and Akim Dosayev E., following the refusal of local authorities to approve a feminist march on March 8. In her lawsuit, the activist requested that the court find illegal and cancel the akimat’s decisions to refuse to hold the March 8 march and rally[83].

April 21, Aktobe, the criminal case on the death of Zhubanazarov Ruslanbek, who was shot during the January 2022 events, was dropped for the second time. The police and the prosecutor’s office claim: “There is no corpus delicti”[84].

On 22 April, in Astana, the Yesil District Court obliged the publication “Exclusive” not only to publish a refutation of the published materials, but also to “apologize” to the plaintiffs. Journalists appealed against the court decision and asked the Adil Soz Foundation for legal assistance[85].

April 24, Mangistau region, Beineu settlement, M. Korbakov, Article 667 of the Code of Administrative Offences of the RK. He was placed under arrest for 8 days under Article 667 of the Code of Administrative Offences of the Republic of Kazakhstan for disobeying a police officer’s demand. He was about to leave by train to Astana to register the party “Nastoyaschii Atajurt” (True Atajurt)[86].

April 24, Shymkent city, Sauyrbaev Bekzhan, Article 669, Part 1 of the Code of Administrative Offences of the RK, the court sentenced the activist to 2 days of arrest for non-compliance with the court decision[87].

April 25, Semey , the akimat did not give permission to Mubarak D. to hold a peaceful protest on May 1, 2023. Subject: Support for Ukraine. Withdrawal from the CSTO. Reason for refusal: Holding a previously approved event [88].

April 25, Almaty, people who were recognized as victims after the January events in the torture case, in which National Security Committee (NSC) officers are accused, demand a public trial and taking the suspects into custody. The victims do not agree with the fact that the Turksib District Court of Almaty decided to classify the case. They made their demands at a press conference at the Bureau for Human Rights[89].

April 25, “Enough time has passed since Special Prosecutors received the right to investigate cases of torture after the January events, but during this time the number of cases that have come to trial has not increased”, says human rights defender Ibraeva Anara[90].

April 25, “It is important to realize that torture continues. From January to March 2023, 58 men, 5 women, 1 minor, and 1 transgender person have complained of torture. There were appeals from a transgender person who stated that he has been humiliated while being detained, and when he used the toilet, the officers watched him do it”, says Akylbekova Roza[91].

April 25, «In Taldykorgan alone, we were contacted by 44 people, including women and children. A total of 190 people approached us. Most of them — 165 applications were filed by men, 12 by women, and 13 cases were filed by minors. Children couldn’t file a statement themselves that they survived torture. Members of the Coalition helped them to write such statements. In Taldykorgan, medics recorded facts with irons against children» — reports Rosa Akylbekova[92].

April 26, Astana, the akimat of the city did not give permission to Dzhakhin A. to hold a peaceful protest on May 1, 2023. Subject: Support for Ukraine. Withdrawal from the CSTO. Reason for refusal: Holding a previously approved event [93].

April 26, Karaganda, the akimat of the city did not give permission to Molchanov E. to hold a peaceful protest on May 1, 2023. Subject: Support for Ukraine. Withdrawal from the CSTO. Reason for refusal: Holding a previously approved event[94].

April 26, Mangistau region, Zhanaozen, protesters once again made a video appeal, with several demands for permanent jobs, decent wages, and the cancellation of the visa-free regime with China[95].

April 26, in Almaty, there was a press conference devoted to the posthumous rehabilitation of Aron Atabek. The conference was organized by Nutushevа A., the daughter of the poet and dissident. She spoke about the work to be done to rehabilitate her father’s honest name[96].

April 26, Almaty, the akimat of the city did not give permission to Abishev A. to hold a peaceful protest on May 1, 2023. Subject: Support for Ukraine. Withdrawal from the CSTO. Reason for refusal: Holding a previously approved event[97].

April 26, Uralsk, the city akimat refused to hold a peaceful protest on May 5, 2023 in response to the notification of activists. Subject: Support for Zhanaozen, raising salaries, pensions and benefits by 2 times, withdrawal from the CSTO and EAEC. Reason for refusal: Incomplete data were provided [98].

April 26, Almaty, at the moment in the Turksib district court in closed regime the trial of eleven defendants from the National Security Committee is taking place. Witnesses talk about two corpses. One of them is Otepbayev E. And who is the other one?» reports Toregozhina Bakhytzhan[99].

April 27, Almaty, Ilyashev A. and Taizhan M., as well as Akhmedyarov L., were released after serving 15 days of administrative arrest for participating in an unauthorized rally held on April 9 against the election results[100].

April 27, Pavlodar region, Aksu, Kurmanov E., the court arrested the activist for 15 days under Article 488 of the Code of Administrative Offences of the Republic of Kazakhstan on charges of violating the order of organizing and holding peaceful assemblies. Kurmanov E. says that he was detained “in connection with the announced peaceful protest on May 1, 2023”[101].

April 27, Astana, Baikonur District Court No. 2, D. Makin, Article 256 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan, court sentenced him to 7 years in a general regime colony on the charge of «propaganda of terrorism[102].

April 27, Kokshetau, akimat did not give permission to hold a peaceful protest on 6 May 2023 to Negmetov U. Subject: Rally against the increase in prices of fuels and lubricants (gasoline, gas, diesel). Reason for refusal: Holding a previously approved event[103].

April 27, Mangistau region, Munayli district, Turdiyeva U., Article 653, Part 1 of the Code of Administrative Offences of the RK, 20 days of arrest for contempt of the court. Turdiyeva went on a hunger strike to protest against police and judicial arbitrariness. She is disabled of the 3rd group, she suffers from a serious blood disease, and she is under the regular medical check-up with the diagnosis: rheumatoid arthritis[104].

April 27, Petropavlovsk, the akimat of the city did not give permission to Shirobokova O. and Izmailov S. to hold a peaceful protest on May 1, 2023. Subject: Support for Ukraine. Withdrawal from the CSTO. Reason for refusal: Holding a previously approved event “Wall of Unity”[105].

April 27, Taldykorgan, Aliaskarov Bauyrzhan, who was detained after the January events and sentenced to one year of a suspended sentence under Article 272, Part 2, and Article 321 of the Criminal Code of the RK, was released in the courtroom under an amnesty[106].

April 28, Taraz city, the criminal court announced the sentence of the defendants who were accused of participating in and organizing mass riots in January 2022 under Article 272, Part 1/2, Article 380-1, Part 2, and Article 291, Part 2 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Dzhumanov E. was sentenced to 16 years’ imprisonment, Sagintay A. and Abdullayev Zh. to 5 years each, and Makhatov N. to 6 years’ imprisonment in a in a general regime penal colony. Another five defendants were released under an amnesty[107].

On April 28, the International human rights organization Amnesty International believes that Mamay Zh.’s sentence is revenge for his criticism of the authorities[108].

April 28, Astana, the General Prosecutor’s Office of Kazakhstan unveiled details of the charges against ex-general Kudebayev Serik. The investigation believed that it was his fault that the city was plunged into chaos. And 23 citizens were tortured in the building of the Police Department with his tacit consent[109].

April 28, Shymkent, the akimat of the city did not give permission to Sauyrbaev B. to hold a peaceful protest on May 1, 2023. Subject: Support for Ukraine. Withdrawal from the CSTO. Reason for refusal: The notification does not indicate the approved full regulations of the peaceful assembly[110].

April 28, Kostanay, the city akimat did not give permission to Sand-Ahmet Sandugash to hold a peaceful protest on May 1, 2023 Subject: registration of “Alga Kazakhstan!” as a political party. Reason for refusal: Holding a previously approved event[111].

[1] https://t.me/elmedia_kz/1536

[2] https://t.me/elmedia_kz/1536

[3] https://t.me/elmedia_kz/1536

[4] https://mediazona.ca/news/2023/04/02/alga

[5] https://mediazona.ca/news/2023/04/02/alga

[6] https://rus.azattyq.org/a/32349303.html

[7]https://bureau.kz/novosti/byut-i-plakat-ne-dayut/?fbclid=IwAR1leW3js1GtYuk4J9FslJ_6BHc3u2nNcrppivSXHsr3PoRexooCo34HLNk

[8] https://masa.media/ru/site/zhurnalist-masa-media-provel-odinochnyy-piket-protiv-sozdaniya-reestra-inoagentov-v-kazakhstane

[9] https://kaztag.kz/ru/news/yakoby-my-vse-organizovannaya-gruppa-no-ya-so-vsemi-nimi-poznakomilas-v-sude-tleuzhan

[10] https://www.facebook.com/groups/ActivistsNotExtremists/posts/3529584334027491/

[11] https://rus.azattyq.org/a/32350644.html

[12] https://kaztag.kz/ru/news/rezultaty-vyborov-v-kazakhstane-byli-opyat-narisovany-mezhdunarodnyy-ekspert