On 5 June 2021, the authorities sent Bekizhan Mendygaziyev to the pre-trial detention facility for 2 months while he is being investigated in a politically motivated criminal case for alleged participation in an "organised criminal group", "tax evasion" and "money laundering".
Judge: Trumova Dina Chokanovna.
Prosecutor: Nasipkaliyeva S.R.
Investigator: Tursynov A.E.
On 17 May 2021, former colleagues of Barlyk Mendygaziyev were acquitted for alleged participation in the "organised criminal group". Earlier, the police, NSC and Prosecutor's Office had fabricated a politically motivated criminal case under Article 296 Part 2 ("illegal production, processing, purchase, storage, transportation without intent to sell drugs, psychotropic substances, and their analogues") against Bekizhan Mendygaziyev for the planted a bag of marijuana.
The authorities took Bekizhan Mendygaziyev hostage in order to put pressure on his brother, Barlyk Mendygaziyev, and force Barlyk Mendygaziyev to stop his human rights and opposition activities.
Barlyk Mendygaziyev helps to pay fines, services of lawyers for activists and provides humanitarian assistance to the families of political prisoners and political opponents. Bekizhan Mendygaziyev has also helped to pay political fines and services of lawyers.
Other relatives of Barlyk Mendygaziyev were also politically prosecuted: Kalyk, Erik Mendygaziyev, Rasim Almukhanov - for alleged theft of cattle (10 horses and 2 calves), and colleagues: Baurzhan Jussupov, Vladimir Goliusov, Natalia Dauletiyarova, Bakhtly Dzhanteleyeva.
We demand the immediate and unconditional release of Bekizhan Mendygaziyev and an end to political persecution of Bekizhan, as well as all relatives and colleagues of Barlyk Mendygaziyev.
We demand that the Human Rights Commissioner of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Elvira Azimova, immediately and publicly respond to the egregious cases of human rights violations against the relatives and colleagues of Barlyk Mendygaziyev.
We call on the embassies of the US, the EU, the UK and Canada to respond publicly to the political persecution of Barlyk Mendygaziyev's relatives and colleagues.