On 2 September 2021, a verdict of the court of appeal was pronounced in the politically motivated case under Article 405 Part 1 and Part 2 ("organisation and participation in the activities of an extremist organisation") against political prisoner Askar KAIYRBEK from Astana. The judges of the court of appeal Murat SOLTYBAYEV, Shynar YERGALIYEVA and Abai KOKZHALOV increased the term of imprisonment for political prisoner Askar KAIYRBEK from 1.5 years to 2 years and 2 months. On 21 June 2021, Askar KAIYRBEK was illegally sentenced to 1.5 years in prison.

⠀

Askar KAIYRBEK is being prosecuted for:

⠀

- an attempt to register a peaceful opposition movement "Koshe Partiyasy". Askar KAIYRBEK spoke about this on 10 May 2020 - before "Koshe Partiyasy" was illegally recognised as an "extremist organisation" by a secret decision of Judge Ruslan MAZHITOV.

⠀

- appealing on his Youtube channel to the Kazakh-speaking audience to participate in peaceful "subbotage" (evening) marches.

⠀

- the appeal to the international community in connection with the secret ban on “Koshe Partiyasy” and Kazakhstan's violations of its international obligations.

⠀

- the appeal to representatives of the United States, the European Union, the UN, Canada, Switzerland and the United Kingdom to note that the activists were detained when they came to receive a copy of the secret decision to ban “Koshe Partiyasy”.

⠀

The political conviction and prosecution of Askar KAIYRBEK is further evidence of the Kazakhstani authorities' violations of international human rights obligations, including under the EU-Kazakhstan Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement.

⠀

We call for the immediate release of political prisoner Askar KAIYRBEK. In its resolution of 11 February 2021, the European Parliament called for the immediate release and full rehabilitation of all political prisoners, including Askar KAIYRBEK.

⠀

We call on the US, the EU, the UK and Canada to impose personal sanctions on: the head of the NSC, Karim MASSIMOV; the Prosecutor General, Gizat NURDAULETOV; and the Minister of Internal Affairs, Yerlan TURGUMBAYEV.