Ulytau Officials Respond to Fine: Blogger Was Penalized Over Unfounded Corruption Claims

After Orda.kz reported that blogger and mother of four Asel Aitmagambetova had been fined 495,000 tengefor posting TikTok videos about murky tap water, crumbling roads, and the poor state of a hospital in Jezkazgan, Ulytau Region’s Department for Public Development issued a formal response.

According to the department, Aitmagambetova was not prosecuted for criticizing local conditions, but rather for publicly accusing regional akim Dastan Ryspek of corruption. Officials stressed that the complaint to police was filed not by the akimat, but by Ryspek himself, acting as a private citizen.

Authorities claim that on May 27, the blogger requested a three-room apartment out of turn, employment at Kazakhmys, and an increase in social assistance.

After these demands were denied and formally explained, she began publishing accusatory content.

She was given detailed explanations on each point. After that, messages appeared that contained unfounded accusations against the regional Akim. The statement to the police was not filed by the Akimat, but by Dastan Ryspek himself as a private individual, he department said.

Officials also maintain that Jezkazgan is undergoing major infrastructure renovations, unemployment is at a record low, and the local water treatment system is currently being modernized.

Original Author: Artyom Volkov