Temirlan Yensebek Sentenced to Five Years of Restricted Freedom

Earlier today, the prosecutor requested a five-year restriction of freedom for Temirlan Yensebek, the creator of the Qaznews24 public page, accused of inciting ethnic discord, Orda reports.

The case was initiated over a post on the Qaznews24 account that mentioned Russian TV host Tina Kandelaki. The post included the song “Yo, Orystar,” which formed the basis of the charges.

In his final statement to the court, Yensebek warned that such a sentence would instill fear among journalists and pose a threat to their work, human rights advocacy, civic activism, and the ability to cover political issues freely.

This is my life experience, in this work. Just let me breathe — these restrictions feel like I’m already wearing a collar. I’m in such shock, I can’t even speak. Give me the chance to pursue another kind of work so I can earn a living. I remember that this sentence bans me from journalism, human rights work, civic and political activity… said Yensebek. 

The defendant requested the minimum sentence possible. Ideally, he said, he would prefer to receive a fine.

The court found Yensebek guilty under Article 174 of Kazakhstan’s Criminal Code and sentenced him to five years of restricted freedom. In the absence of a permanent job, Yensebek will be required to perform 100 hours of compulsory community service. If he refuses to do so, this will be a violation, according to Vlast.kz.

He is now prohibited from engaging in journalism, human rights work, political activity, and participating in peaceful assemblies. 

His laptop and phone were declared material evidence and confiscated by the state.

Under the terms of the sentence, Yensebek is barred from giving interviews, running social media accounts, receiving grants, holding offline or online meetings, or making public appearances. If he violates the restrictions, the punishment may be replaced by imprisonment.

Beynegul Kaysina added that two violations are sufficient for the defendant to be sentenced to imprisonment.

Additionally, the court imposed a fine of 20 Monthly Calculation Indices (73,840 tenge as of 2024) to be paid to the Victims’ Fund.

The verdict has not yet entered into legal force.

Original Author: Alina Pak