A trial of thirteen civil activists has begun in Kazakhstan, three of them are on the list of political prisoners.
As reported by the Kazakhstan International Bureau for Human Rights (KIBHR), Noyan Rakhimzhanov, Kairat Klyshev, Askhat Zheksebaev, Ermek Koziev, Darkhan Ualiev, Abai Begimbetov, Dametkan Aspandiyarova, Gulzipa Zhaukerova and Ninagul Zhumaniyazova are charged under part 1 and part 2 of Article 405 of the Criminal Code of Kazakhstan “Organization and participation in the activities of a public or religious association or other organization after a court decision to ban their activities or liquidate them in connection with the implementation by them of extremism or terrorism”. If the court finds them guilty, and Kazakhstani human rights defenders have no doubts about this, the defendants will face punishment in the form of a fine of up to $ 41,000, or correctional labor in the same amount, or restriction or imprisonment for up to six years.
Four other defendants (Bakdaulet Alibekov, Bolat Smagulov, Marat Kurbanov and Diana Baimagambetova) are charged with only part 2 of Article 405. If they are found guilty, they will face punishment in the form of a fine of up to $ 13.6 thousand, or correctional labor in the same amount, or restriction or imprisonment for up to two years.
As ACCA has already reported, civil activists Askhat Zheksebaev, Kairat Klyshev and Abai Begimbetov, detained for participating in the banned party “Koshe partiyasy”, were included in the list of political prisoners in Kazakhstan in December last year.
As state prosecutors said at the trial, all thirteen defendants are accused of destabilizing the situation, undermining sovereignty and national security, calling for the resignation of the government and for changing the system from a presidential to a parliamentary form of government.
It should also be noted that initially, all thirteen defendants were also charged with Article 182 of the Criminal Code “Creating, managing an extremist group or participating in its activities”. This article provides for a punishment of 10 to 17 years with confiscation of property. However, subsequently, only Article 405 remained in the charge.
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