Kazakhstan: Investigation concerning the death of a civil activist was completed

The Prosecutor’s office of the city of Nur-Sultan named the cause of death of the civil activist Dulat Agadil. According to investigators, the activist died due to acute myocardial infarction, the cause of which was an apparent spasm of the coronary arteries and arterioles. It led to impaired blood coagulation with increased thrombosis and insufficient blood supply to the left ventricle of heart. The supervisory authority also emphasized that no injuries were found on the body of the civil activist.

Recall that Dulat Agadil died on the night of February 24-25 in the capital’s detention center, just a few hours after he was taken there.

On February 25, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Kazakhstan officially announced that acute cardiovascular collapse was the cause of Agadil’s death. In addition, the MIA emphasized that when the detainee was taken to a pre-trial detention center, he was intoxicated.

These statements, together with videos of the civil activist’s detention, caused a flurry of public indignation in the country.

The video shows how five men in civilian clothes read out the rights to Agadil, who was standing in the middle of the room in his underwear. Then they handcuffed him, not even allowing him to get dressed. Only thanks to the indignation of friends who witnessed the detention, the civilian activist was given the opportunity to get dressed, after that he was taken away by car with civilian and not patrol plate number.

In a matter of minutes, video of detention scattered across social networks. In the comments, users compared what was happening with 1937, and the behavior of the detainees of Agadil with the behavior of the officers of the People’s Commissariat of Internal Affairs.

And a few hours after that, it became known that Agadil died in jail.

It is worth noting that on the same day, Human Rights Ombudsman, Elvira Azimova, said that a check would be carried out on the subject of torture of the civil activist.

“There is a video camera in each cell. A person, as soon as he crosses the fence line, he is traced by the camera. The camera, where Agadil was located, was viewed; the entire recording is about 8 hours. Its check will take time. Having regard to the situation, what Agadil was doing – a civil society activity, there is a doubt from the side of society. All areas of tolerance must be allowed, including civilian, so that no violations are committed,” Azimova said at a briefing at the Police Department of Nur-Sultan.

“Agadil was a suspect who, having violated his recognizance not to leave, evaded the investigating authority and was put on the wanted list. For these reasons, the court changed his measure of restraint for arrest. Thus, the arrest of Agadil and his detention was carried out by police officers as part of the requirement of the law on the obligation of execution of a court decision. The causes and circumstances of death were thoroughly investigated by a commission of experienced forensic experts and a specialist-cardiologist of the highest category. Among them there were experts involved at the request of close relatives of the deceased. In this regard, on May 25, the criminal case on the death of Agadil was completed due to the absence of a criminal offense,” the Prosecutor’s office noted.

Recall also that the famous Kazakh lawyer, a member of the National Council of Public Confidence under the President of Kazakhstan, Ayman Umarova, subsequently joined the case of Agadil. However, soon Umarova said that she refused to take any further part in this case, because she didn’t want her name to be used in political games.

“I am a lawyer and human rights activist, not a puppet that can be used on the side of any political group trying to use the death of Dulat Agadil in their interests under the guise of human rights activities,” Umarova explained.