On 13 May 2021, at 09:00 the court on politically motivated criminal case under Article 405 Part 2 ("participation in the extremist organization") will be held. On 16 April 2021 an investigator of the Investigative Division of Astana city Police Department, Kalzhanov K.A. drew up an indictment in a politically motivated criminal case against civil activist Aibek Sabitov. Aibek Sabitov is prosecuted under Article 405 Part 2 ("participation in an extremist organisation"). The "grounds" for the political criminal case are:
1. Aibek Sabitov "has repeatedly been prosecuted under Article 488" ("violation of the law on peaceful assembly") for calling and participating in peaceful protests.
2. On 24 May 2020, Aibek Sabitov posted a video on Facebook: "Koshe Partiyasy”, “DCK” are true patriots of the country. We don't believe other parties. If someone says that Aibek is from the “DCK” or “Koshe Partiyasy” - I have nothing against it. But if you say that you are Aibek from the “DPK” or “Oyan Kazakhstan”, this is an insult, thus spreading propaganda for the activities of the “DCK” and “KP” (note: KP stands for “Koshe Partiyasy”).
3. On 27 June 2020, Aibek Sabitov published a post on Facebook: "What is it, gentlemen? Peaceful walk, dance and songs - and I have been enrolled in the DCK. I like that."
4. On 24 September 2020, Aibek Sabitov published a Facebook post: "Tomorrow is a holiday, tomorrow we will hold a rally with the whole country".
5. On 12 October 2020, Aibek Sabitov "shared a post" on Facebook: "Leader, opens the way for other leaders. Thank you, Mukhtar Kabulovich", attaching a photo of Mukhtar Ablyazov to the post.
6. Aibek Sabitov published Facebook posts calling for peaceful protests: 19 October 2020, 3 and 5 June 2020, 6 September 2020.
7. On 17 September 2020, Aibek Sabitov published a Facebook post advising citizens to ask girls out to a peaceful protest on 25 September 2020.
8. On 4 May 2020, Aibek Sabitov published a Facebook post, "The country is run by political corpses".
9. On 17 April 2020, Aibek Sabitov published a Facebook post: "Military fighter jet fell in peacetime. The Tenge has fallen, confidence in the authorities has fallen. Regime, it’s your turn".
On 22 April 2020, the deputy prosecutor of Astana, Kilimzhanov E.T., approved the indictment.
Aibek Sabitov is being prosecuted for calling for and participating in peaceful protests. In its
resolution of 11 February 2021, the European Parliament has condemned the abuse of anti-extremism legislation by the Kazakhstani authorities to persecute supporters of the peaceful opposition movements “DCK” and “Koshe Partiyasy” and called on the Kazakhstani authorities "to drop politically motivated charges and end all forms of arbitrary detention, reprisals and harassment against human rights activists, religious organisations, civil society organisations, trade unions, journalists and political opposition movements".
We call on the US, the EU, the UK and Canada to impose personal sanctions on: the head of the National Security Committee, Karim Massimov; the General Prosecutor, Gizat Nurdauletov; and the Minister of Internal Affairs, Yerlan Turgumbayev.
DCK (Democratic Choice of Kazakhtstan opposition movement)*
