Human rights defender Lukpan Akhmedyarov completed sentence and was released from administrative detention
On 27 April 2023, human rights defender and journalist Lukpan Akhmedyarov completed his sentence of 15 days administrative detention in Uralsk.
On 21 April 2023, human rights defender and journalist Raul Uporov, reported on his Facebook page that human rights defender and journalist Lukpan Akhmedyarov was transferred to an incarceration unit for those suspected of criminal offences. On 18 April 2023, East Kazakhstan Regional Court refused the complaint of human rights defender and journalist Lukpan Akhmedyarov concerning his 15-day administrative arrest for the alledged violation of the “peaceful protests” law. The Court upheld the decision of a lower Court to sentence the human rights defender to a 15-days arrest.
On 12 April 2023, human rights defender and journalist Lukpan Akhmedyarov was detained and sentenced to 15 days of administrative detention. Law enforcement officers stopped Lukpan Akhmedyarov’s car on the road, and informed him that he was being detained for violating the rules on public protest, an administrative offence envisioned by Article 488, part 7, of the Civic Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan. On the same day he was sentenced to 15 days administrative detention.
Lukpan Akhmedyarov is a Kazakh human rights defender, journalist and former editor-in-chief of the newspaper Uralskaya Nedelya (Uralsk Week). Currently he works on his own YouTube project “Just Journalism,” where he covers human rights violations in Kazakhstan. The human rights defender has conducted several civil campaigns in defence of fundamental rights and freedoms. The authorities have repeatedly subjected Lukpan Akhmedyarov to unlawful arrests and detentions for his human rights work. In 2012, he received the Peter Mackler Award by the international human rights organisation Reporters Without Borders for his civil courage and protection of the principles of independent journalism.
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- 9 May 2023 : Human rights defender Lukpan Akhmedyarov completed sentence and was released from administrative detention
- 21 April 2023 : Court upholds the sentencing of human rights defender Lukpan Akhmedyarov
- 18 April 2023 : Human rights defender and journalist Lukpan Akhmedyarov sentenced for 15 days of administrative arrest
On 27 April 2023, human rights defender and journalist Lukpan Akhmedyarov completed his sentence of 15 days administrative detention in Uralsk.
Upon his release, the human rights defender stated that he was first placed in an incarceration unit with awful detention conditions. The unit was extremely small (2m by 4m), overcrowded and dirty, the mattresses were extremely poor quality, and the cell was filled with smoke. He made multiple requests for a transfer into a different unit yet, with no explanation, he was transferred to a pre-trial detention facility, where he remained until his release.
On 21 April 2023, human rights defender and journalist Raul Uporov, reported on his Facebook page that human rights defender and journalist Lukpan Akhmedyarov was transferred to an incarceration unit for those suspected of criminal offences. On 18 April 2023, East Kazakhstan Regional Court refused the complaint of human rights defender and journalist Lukpan Akhmedyarov concerning his 15-day administrative arrest for the alledged violation of the “peaceful protests” law. The Court upheld the decision of a lower Court to sentence the human rights defender to a 15-days arrest.
Lukpan Akhmedyarov is a Kazakh human rights defender, journalist and former editor-in-chief of the newspaper Uralskaya Nedelya (Uralsk Week). Currently he works on his own YouTube project “Just Journalism,” where he covers human rights violations in Kazakhstan. The human rights defender has conducted several civil campaigns in defence of fundamental rights and freedoms. The authorities have repeatedly subjected Lukpan Akhmedyarov to unlawful arrests and detentions for his human rights work. In 2012, he received the Peter Mackler Award by the international human rights organisation Reporters Without Borders for his civil courage and protection of the principles of independent journalism
On 21 April 2023, the human rights defender and journalist Raul Uporov, reported on his Facebook page that Lukpan Akhmedyarov was transferred to an incarceration unit for those suspected of criminal offences. Lukpan Akhmedyarov has not been formally charged with any offence. According to Raul Uporov, Lukpan Akhmedyarov doesn’t have access to his lawyer, his access to outside walks are limited, and he is subjected to daily personal searches.
On 18 April 2023, East Kazakhstan Regional Court refused the complaint of human rights defender and journalist Lukpan Akhmedyarov concerning his 15-day administrative arrest for the alleged violation of the “peaceful protests” law. Human rights defender and journalist was detained on 12 April 2023, allegedly for his peaceful protest on 9 April 2023, in Uralsk. In Court, Lukpan Akhmedyarov argued that he can not be held accountable for “organising a peaceful protest in violation of the law,” an administrative offence envisioned by Article 488, part 7, of the Civic Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan, as he was only participating in an event organised by a different group of activists. Despite the human rights journalist’s claims, the Judge, Gulnara Minius, ordered for him to be returned to the Special Detention Center of the City of Uralsk.
Lupan Alhmedyarov has stated that his detention and arrest were related to his publicly announced intention to visit Zhanaozen and report on the situation in the city, where oil workers are protesting their labor conditions and the recent detention of their colleagues in Astana. The Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan has been trying to silence the coverage of the protests by oil workers in Zhanaozen and in Astana; some journalists covering the protests in Astana were detained, and there are reports of internet shutdowns in Zhanaozen.
Front Line Defenders is gravely concerned about the crackdown on protests in Kazakhstan and is deeply worried about the news concerning the human rights defender and journalist Lukpan Akhmedyarov’s transfer to an incarceration unit for those suspected of criminal offences. Front Line Defenders condemns the continued judicial harassment of Lukpan Akhmedyarov for his legitimate and peaceful human rights work and urges the Government of Kazakhstan to grant him immediate access to his lawyer and unconditionally release the human rights defender.
On 12 April 2023, human rights defender and journalist Lukpan Akhmedyarov was detained and sentenced to 15 days of administrative detention. Law enforcement officers stopped Lukpan Akhmedyarov’s car on the road, and informed him that he was being detained for violating the rules on public protest, an administrative offence envisioned by Article 488, part 7, of the Civic Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan. On the same day he was sentenced to 15 days administrative detention.
Lukpan Akhmedyarov is a Kazakh human rights defender, journalist and former editor-in-chief of the newspaper Uralskaya Nedelya (Uralsk Week). Currently he works on his own YouTube project “Just Journalism,” where he covers human rights violations in Kazakhstan. The human rights defender has conducted several civil campaigns in defence of fundamental rights and freedoms. The authorities have repeatedly subjected Lukpan Akhmedyarov to unlawful arrests and detentions for his human rights work. In 2012, he received the Peter Mackler Award by the international human rights organisation Reporters Without Borders for his civil courage and protection of the principles of independent journalism.
On 12 April 2023, on his personal Instagram account, Lukpan Akhmedyarov broadcasted a live video, which showed at least two local law enforcement representatives, accompanied by at least three representatives of Security Service Personnel of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Their faces were covered with black masks as theyapproached his car trying to force the human rights defender out. In the video Lukpan Akhmedyarov stated that he also noticed security service personnel in front of his house in Uralsk. The law enforcement officers then stated that on 9 April 2023, Lukpan Akhmedyarov participated in a protest that was not sanctioned by the authorities, where he called out restrictions on freedom of speech. The authorities cited his participation in this protest as the reason for his detention, stating that the human rights defender violated Article 488, part 7 of the Civic Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan, as he “organised and (or) held a meeting, rally, demonstration, march, picket or other public events held in violation of the procedure established by the legislation of the Republic of Kazakhstan on the procedure for organising and holding peaceful assemblies, if these actions do not have signs of a criminally punishable act.”
Lupan Alhmedyarov has stated that his detention and arrest were related to his publicly announced intention to visit Zhanaozen and report on the situation in the city, where oil workers are protesting their labor conditions and the recent detention of their colleagues in Astana. The Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan has been trying to silence the coverage of the protests by oil workers in Zhanaozen and in Astana; some journalists covering the protests in Astana were detained, and there are reports of internet shutdowns in Zhanaozen.
Front Line Defenders condemns the judicial harrasment of human rights defender and journalist Lukpan Akhmedyarov for his legitimate and peaceful human rights work. Front Line Defenders expresses serious concerns about a pattern of targetting human rights journalists with arrests and detentions in order to prevent them from covering human rights violations. Systemic attacks against independent human rights journalists negatively impact the development of civil society in Kazakhstan.
