Kazakhstan
Zhanbolat Mamai: UN Working Group opinion and current status
The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention found that his detention "is arbitrary and falls within categories I and II". It requested his immediate release, compensation, an independent investigation and revision of Criminal Code provisions.1
Category ICategory II
Government position
The Government replied on 23 January 2023. It said Mr. Mamai was prosecuted for publicly insulting officials at an unauthorised rally and for spreading false information, including that he falsely announced a credit amnesty on Facebook. The Working Group found the Government had not shown that a permitted restriction applied.1
Background
According to the opinion, Mr. Mamai, a journalist and leader of the unregistered Democratic Party, was arrested in Almaty on 25 February 2022, given 15 days of administrative detention, and charged on 12 March 2022 with offences including insulting an official, disseminating false information and organising mass riots. He was moved to house arrest on 2 November 2022.1
Status now
Not in prison. On 10 April 2023 the Bostandyq District Court in Almaty gave him a suspended six year sentence on charges of organising mass unrest, spreading false information and insulting a government representative, per RFE/RL and Eurasianet. RFE/RL reported that the court barred him from activism, journalism and social media use for six years.2,3
As of 11 April 2023.
Sources
- UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, Opinion No. 11/2023 concerning Zhanbolat Mamai (Kazakhstan), A/HRC/WGAD/2023/11 (28 March 2023)
- RFE/RL, U.S.-Based Rights Watchdog Condemns Conviction Of Kazakh Opposition Politician (11 April 2023)
- Eurasianet, Kazakhstan: Opposition activist gets 6-year suspended sentence (11 April 2023)