Political persecution in connection with peaceful protests on 24 April and 1 May 2021

– 3 refusals to hold protests on 24 April issued in Astana, Uralsk and Zaisan.

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– 19 preventive political persecution in 13 cities and localities (including 4 administrative arrests).

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– 33 political persecutions in 12 towns and localities on 24 April (including 13 arrests).

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3) Peaceful protests on 1 May organised by the opposition “DCK” movement, with demands: freedom for political prisoners, implementation of demands stated in the European Parliament resolution on the human rights situation in Kazakhstan dated 11 February 2021, no to compulsory vaccination against COVID-19, price increases – Nazarbayev’s fault.

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– 18 refusals issued in response to notifications to hold peaceful assemblies on 1 May in 11 cities and localities (citing “quarantine” as a reason for the refusal).

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– 53 preventive political persecution in 21 cities and localities (including 14 administrative arrests).

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– 90 political persecutions in 20 towns and localities on 1 May (including 49 detentions, 2 administrative arrests, 2 administrative fines, 2 administrative cases – trial is expected).

– Threats of prosecution from prosecutors in Almaty, Astana, Shymkent, Aktobe region.

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– Sudden closures of the following places: Arbat in Almaty due to “quarantine”, the Central Park in Almaty due to a “disinfection”, a park in Astana – places of protest.

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– Prohibition of public transport to reach Central Park (protest site) in Almaty, allegedly due to “road repairs”.

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– Other forms of persecution include surveillance outside houses, threats from police officers, hacking into social media and messengers, and blocking the internet.

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– Rough treatment (during arrests) was recorded in respect of:

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! Ninagul DZHUMANIYAZOVA – police officers used a strangulation hold (their knees pressed on her neck), multiple bruises, possible craniocerebral trauma;

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! Yerkin KAZIYEV – multiple bruises, abrasions;

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! Dastan BAZENOV – closed injury to the left shoulder joint.

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– Police and riot police officers literally captured activists and ordinary people like terrorists – without introducing themselves, without showing their documents and without explaining why.

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– The police and OMON officers covered their faces with masks, hoods, umbrellas, hats in order to avoid responsibility for gross human rights violations.