The Expert Council of human rights defenders of Kazakhstan has edited the list of political prisoners in Kazakhstan. The list has been revised for the second time in the last two months. However, this is connected not with a decrease in the number of political prisoners, but, on the contrary, with their increase.
According to Kazakhstan International Bureau for Human Rights and Rule of Law, the list was updated on September 8.
The Expert Council struck out seven people who were released from prison. We are talking about trade union activist Erlan Baltabay, public figure Kaiyrly Omar, lawyer Sanat Bukenov, journalist Amangeldy Batyrbekov, civic activist from Mangistau region Zhambyl Kobeysinov, as well as Mukhtar Dzhakishev and Iskander Erimbetov.
At the same time, the Expert Council recognized six activists from the opposition and the civil sector as political prisoners and entered them on the list.
Among them: civic activist Sanavar Zakirova, who was sentenced to 1 year in prison because of the persecution of the ruling party “Nur Otan”; a civil activist from Kostanay Askar Ibraev, sentenced to a year in prison for participating in rallies and protests; civil activist Serik Idyryshev from the East Kazakhstan region (was sentenced to a year of restriction of freedom for participating in protests, and after taking part in a flash mob demanding to punish those responsible for the death of Dulat Agadil; Idyryshev’s sentence was replaced with a real term; civil activists Askhat Zheksebaev, Kairat Klyshev and Abai Begimbetov from Almaty (they were detained for participating in the banned party “Keshe partyasy”).
Recently, the Expert Council added eight more names to the sad list: an activist from the city of Atyrau, Askar Azhguzhinov, an activist from Almaty Ulasbek Akhmetov, an activist from Kyzylorda Muratbai Baymagambetov, an activist from Zhambyl region Bagdat Baktybaev, an activist from Chimkent, Marat Duysembiev, an activist from Karaganda Askar Nurmaganov, an activist from Almaty Noyan Rakhimzhanov and a resident of Almaty Shukhrat Kibirov, sentenced to 6 years and 8 months for publishing Muslim songs from films on social networks.
All activists (except Kibirov) are known for their repeated statements criticizing the authorities and participating in protests.
In addition, human rights activists remind that Aron Atabek, Ruslan Ginatullin, Almat Zhumagulov, Kenzhebek Abishev, Maks Bokayev, Aset Abishev, Yerzhan Elshibaev, Igor Chuprin and Igor Sychev continue to remain in places of detention.
“Thus, at present, 22 people are in colonies of Kazakhstan and pre-trial detention centers for expressing their civil position,” states the resolution of the Expert Council of human rights defenders. “In the last year, dozens more people were sentenced for the same reason to various terms of restriction of freedom with a ban on engaging in social activities or expressing their opinions. Hundreds of activists and their family members have become victims of political persecution in different forms: beatings, threats, damage to property, administrative arrests, and dismissal from work. The short-term political thaw after the President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev took the place of Nursultan Nazarbayev passed very quickly.
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