Temirlan Yensebek’s Trial to Resume on April 9 in New Court

The trial of Temirlan Yensebek, who runs the satirical Instagram page Qaznews24, will resume on April 9 at 11:00 a.m. in the Nauryzbay District Court, according to his lawyer Zhanara Balgabayeva, Orda.kz reports.

The case will now be overseen by Judge Beynegul Kaysina and held offline, meaning authorities are required to ensure Yensebek's physical presence in court.

Previously, the case was heard in the Almaly District Court, but after multiple delays, first scheduled for February 14, then moved to February 21, the initial hearing finally took place on February 27.

However, during the February 27 session, prosecutor Ainash Zhuaspayeva requested the case be returned to the preliminary hearing stage, arguing it should be tried in the Nauryzbay District Court, as the alleged offense occurred within its jurisdiction.

Now transferred, the trial will continue in the new court.

According to lawyer Balgabayeva, Yensebek remains confused about the reasons for his pre-trial detention and maintains his innocence.

He believes he hasn’t done anything that would justify being held in a pre-trial detention center. Temirlan also mentioned that officials deliberately interfered with his trial during the online hearings, checking in every minute with, ‘Are you okay? Are you okay?’ By expressing their concerns, they were actually disrupting the proceedings. He was distracted, couldn’t fully hear what I was saying or what the court was saying. He believes that all of this was intentional. 

According to her, despite the pressure, Temirlan remains strong and determined. He hopes that the trial will be fair and calls for attention to the violations of his rights:

Temirlan is holding up well — he’s calm, mentally strong, and ready to fight. He believes everything will be sorted out and that he’ll be released. He hopes the guarantor of the Constitution will take notice of his case to highlight the importance of protecting human rights and preventing further violations.

Temirlan faces charges under Article 174 of the Criminal Code of Kazakhstan for “Inciting Ethnic Discord,” after posting satirical content referencing Russian TV presenter Tina Kandelaki, accompanied by the controversial song Yo, orystar.

Orda.kz will continue following the case.

Original Author: Alina Pak