Activist Timur Danebayev Released After Serving Prison Term

Human rights defender Bakhytzhan Toregozhina announced that Astana activist Timur Danebayev has been released, Orda.kz reports.

In a Facebook post, Toregozhina briefly wrote: “Timur is free!”

However, the activist’s brother, Marat Danebayev, claimed on social media that Timur was given an additional six-month sentence.

Toregozhina later clarified in a comment to Orda.kz that no new sentence was imposed.

Timur fully served his term. But unfortunately, the Criminal Executive Code provides for an additional measure called probation. Its length usually depends on the time already served. In Timur’s case, it is six months. By international standards, of course, there should be no probation. But unfortunately, our system still carries the legacy of the Soviet past,  the rights activist explained.

Danebayev became widely known in September 2023 after a video surfaced showing prison staff in the Atbasar colony beating inmates with rubber batons. Danebayev, who was serving a sentence for incitement to discord, was among those injured.

A year later, former colony employees went on trial with a jury. In February 2025, they were acquitted, but that ruling was overturned on appeal, and the case was sent back to the lower court. Proceedings are still ongoing.

Toregozhina also shared a video of Danebayev urging supporters to attend the hearings.

Original Author: Igor Ulitin