Danat Namazbaev
Namazbaev is a blogger and online commentator who uses Facebook to express/post political opinion commentary that is critical of Russia. He was arrested with Marghulan Bornabai in 2020. He… More
Marghulan Boranbai
Boranbai is an online commentator who is often critical of Russia. He was arrested on January 28, 2020, and tried for "inciting ethnic hatred" and "incitement to usurp power… More
Ermek Taichibekov
Initially detained in 2017 for pro-Russian comments online and released after serving less than 2 years of his sentence, online commentator Taichibekov was rearrested in September 2020. He was… More
PEN America Condemns Internet Shutdown in Kazakhstan
“This blackout is a blatant attack on freedom of expression by the government of Kazakhstan,'' said Polina Sadovskaya, PEN America’s Eurasia director. More
Aigul Otepova
Blogger Otepova was placed under house arrest in September 2020 and accused of supporting the Democratic Choice of Kazakhstan (DVK), labelled an extremist movement. She was forcibly brought to… More
Alnur Ilyashev
Detained in April 2020, Ilyashev was sentenced in June to three years of restricted freedom and a five year ban on political activism for Facebook posts criticizing the Kazakh… More
Bigeldy Gabdullin
President of the Kazakh PEN Club, Gabdullin was detained in November 2016 after a career of criticizing government officials in the media. He pled guilty to charges of extortion… More
Aron Atabek Aron Yedigheev
Activist, writer, and publisher Atabek was convicted in 2007 of organizing mass disorder and killing a police officer, charges unsupported by sound testimony. While serving his 18 year prison… More
Bigeldy Gabdullin | Status: Conditional Release | Kazakhstan
Bigeldy Gabdullin, journalist and President of the Kazakh PEN Club, was detained on November 15, 2016, and formally arrested on November 16, on charges of extortion. The international community… More
Ill Poet Beaten in Prison
PEN is deeply concerned by reports that the imprisoned poet Aron Atabek, who is in ill health, has been tortured and otherwise ill-treated by prison guards. More
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