Eighteen People Detained After Protest Involving Burning of Chinese Flag

Eighteen people burned a Chinese flag and a portrait of Chinese leader Xi Jinping in a remote area of the Almaty Region, Orda.kz reports.

On November 13, police in the Uyghur District dispersed a small protest where participants set fire to China’s national symbols.

Twelve people were charged under Article 434 of the Administrative Code (“Petty Hooliganism”) and sentenced to 15 days of arrest. Six others received fines of 20 MCIs (78,600 tenge). In addition, a criminal case was opened on charges of inciting ethnic discord.

The protest was linked to demands for the release of Alimnur Turganbay, who was detained in China on July 23, 2025. At the time, Kazakhstan’s Foreign Ministry said the case was related to alleged dual citizenship.

Alimnur has been under arrest in China for four months now. Since then, China hasn’t responded with anything concrete. Alimnur is a citizen of the Republic of Kazakhstan. I won’t stop until he’s released,
 a woman in the video said.

Another protester claimed that Kazakhs were being held in camps in China and that authorities were unable to secure their release.

Online reactions were mixed. Some users criticized the protest as misguided and harmful, while others condemned the burning of national symbols as unacceptable and potentially dangerous for Kazakhstan’s relations with China.

In July, Turganbay’s wife and children recorded a video appeal outside the Almaty Akimat requesting assistance.

The Foreign Ministry confirmed his arrest, citing dual citizenship, while relatives insist he had already renounced his Chinese citizenship.

Original Author: Alexandra Mokhireva