Kazakhstan: What Are Incarcerated Persons' Aims with Hunger Strikes?

On December 19, a press conference was held at the Kazakhstan Bureau for Human Rights press center, Orda reports.

It was dedicated to incarcerated people who declared hunger strikes. More specifically, it concerned journalist Duman Mukhametkarim, the unregistered party "Alga, Kazakhstan!" leader, and marathon runner Marat Zhylanbayev. 

Orda.kz explains why they have done so.

Journalist Duman Mukhametkarim was convicted under the article "Financing an Extremist Organization" in August of this year. The reason was a request to donate funds for Mukhtar Ablyazov's lawyers. 

In November, an appeal was held on his case, which upheld the sentence.

And, as Mukhametkarim's lawyer, Galym Nurpeisov, says, after that, his client was supposed to be transferred to a penal colony in Zarechny.

However, this has not happened. 

As Nurpeisov said, Mukhametkarim, who was in the temporary detention facility, was initially told that, according to the regulations, he should have been sent to a pre-trial detention facility.

He agreed and was transferred to one.

There, Duman's arms were twisted and he was thrown into a cell. He began to demand that his rights be respected, after which he was transferred to a cold punishment cell - without heating, without warm clothes, on a cold floor, Nurpeisov said, pointing out that his client has kidney problems.

The hunger strike that Mukhametkarim eventually declared was a way to draw attention to the violation of his rights, including the transfer from the pre-trial detention center to the penal colony, as provided by law.

For this purpose, as Galym Nurpeisov explained, Mukhametkarim cut his arms, stomach, and neck.

The lawyer emphasized that his client did not try to commit suicide. However, they cannot explain why Duman is not being sent from the pre-trial detention center.

During this time, there have already been six transfers to Zarechnoye. But Duman was never transferred.

Now, Mukhametkarim has stopped his hunger strike.

And Marat Zhylanbayev, also mentioned at the press conference, has been on a hunger strike since November 13.

This is not his first hunger strike.

Zhylanbayev was convicted at the end of 2023 under the article on participation in and financing of an extremist organization, namely the banned "Democratic Choice of Kazakhstan." 

As Alga, Kazakhstan! activist Sergei Izmailov and Zhylanbaev's lawyer, Meirzhan Doskarayev, said the convicted marathon runner is protesting the conditions of his detention.

He is serving his sentence in the Stepnogorsk penal colony and is currently in a disciplinary isolation cell.

Izmailov and Doskarayev said the conditions are terrible - rats are running around, and there is very high humidity.

They even have mushrooms growing in their cell. It's damp and moldy there! Doskaryaev complains.

However, the initial reason for the hunger strike was the lack of communication with loved ones.

Zhylanbayev requested permission to use Skype to contact his relatives. He was told that installing the messenger was prohibited. Izmailov specified that Marat is wholly deprived of communication with the outside world.

He has no opportunity to watch TV. He doesn't even receive letters, although by law he should receive them unrestricted, immediately after undergoing redaction, says Sergei Izmailov.

Meirzhan Doskarayev also drew attention to the fact that Kazbek Baikadamov currently heads the colony in Stepnogorsk.

In 2023, he headed the colony in Atbasar when the employees were physically assaulting incarcerated persons.

The trial over this has begun recently.

Original Author: Igor Ulitin