Activist Who Filmed Deputy Akims Became Defendant in Case

In early September, Orda.kz published an article about the Kerbulak district deputy Akims, whom local activist Kunsulu Mulkibayeva recorded drinking during working hours.

The activist is now a defendant, while the officials remained untouched.

The officials Dauren Zholzhanov and Nurlan Abdenov filed a lawsuit against her. That case was eventually closed, but by the end of November, Mulkibayeva had become a defendant in six administrative and one criminal cases. 

Orda.kz has looked into the matter.

On November 26, activist Kunsulu Mulkibayeva and journalist Sandugash Duysenova spoke at a press conference at the Kazakhstan International Bureau for Human Rights.

Sandugash Duysenova said the cases are a form of harassment targeting the activist, especially considering that some are directly related to the September 6 incident.

The trial concerns, in particular, the claim of a waitress at the cafe "Tavern-21," where Mulkibayeva found Zholzhanov and Abdenov. The employee considered that the activist insulted her. The court agreed with her and fined Kunsula Mulkibayeva 51 thousand tenge. 

Sandugash Duisenova said there were several violations in that trial. For instance, two district police officers, whom the activist called, testified as witnesses:

She recorded the video on September 6, the material was released on September 7. And the statement was written only a week later. It turns out that they watched Kunsulu insult the waitress, and then told her: 'Come back in six days?'  Sandugash Duisenova said.

Duisenova asserts that the district police officers' actions can be regarded as concealment of an offense based on this logic. 

The second case, for which the court also fined Mulkibayeva – 52 thousand tenge – concerned an incident between the activist and an employee of the school in Saryozek.

The court stated Mulkibayeva called him "mal," that is, "cattle."

As Sandugash Duisenova says, the activist was insulted first and only responded to the statement, "Move away, animal."

According to the journalist, the fines attempt to put pressure on Mulkibayeva with money as a mother of many children. She is also currently unemployed. 

According to Sandugash Duisenova, deputy Akims' lawsuit also targets this, demanding that both she and Mulkibayeva pay four million tenge.

As the activist and journalist said, after losing the first lawsuit in September, the one where the waitress talked about tea in shot glasses and lemonade in beer mugs, the officials filed a new civil lawsuit.

Now, it is against both Kunsulu and Sandugash. The trial is still ongoing.

However, lawyer Inga Imanbay, who represents the activist, is confident that they will win.

There is not even a subject of the claim here! the lawyer declares.

Meanwhile, criminal prosecution is underway against Kunsulu Mulkibayeva under the article “Assault and Battery.”

According to the investigation, Kunsulu allegedly entered the office of the deputy chief physician, Abdenov's wife, and assaulted her. At first, the case was opened under Article 293 - 'Hooliganism.' And two days later, the alleged victim was examined by her subordinate, a surgeon. Two bruises were found on her arm. And because of these bruises, her article was changed from 293 'Hooliganism' to 109 'Assault and Battery,' says Sandugash Duisenova.

In this case, the journalist also draws attention to oddities:

The victim in the case is district deputy Akim's wife, her colleague, and two subordinates are witnesses. The examination was also carried out by a subordinate.

According to Inga Imanbay, this is evidence that Kunsulu Mulkibayeva is being harassed.

These officials, the deputy Akims, were offended that she was looking for them during working hours, found them at a table in a cafe, and they started the harassment, it turns out, on behalf of the state. Because they use state resources, the lawyer says. 

Original Author: Igor Ulitin