Kazakh court sentences activist Sembayev to 6 years for extremism
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A court in Semey on July 21 sentenced civil activist Nurzhan Sembayev to six years in prison for participating in and financing an extremist organization, according to the human rights group ActivistsNotExtremists. The court also banned him from public-political activity for three years and ordered him to pay 1.7 million tenge in court costs. Sembayev, who was arrested in February, pleaded not guilty, saying his actions lacked both the elements and the event of a crime.
The Charges
Sembayev was convicted under Article 405, Part 2, and Article 258, Part 1 of the Criminal Code (participation in and financing of an extremist organization). According to the indictment cited by Nastoyashchee Vremya, the case was based on posts and reposts on his Facebook page. The prosecution alleged that from late 2025, Sembayev intentionally provided informational support to the banned movement Democratic Choice of Kazakhstan (DVK). Among the materials examined was a repost of a publication by human rights defender Bakhytzhan Toregazhina about a protest in support of satirical news outlet Qaznews24 founder Temirlan Ensebek, who was then under arrest.
The Sentence
The court sentenced Sembayev to six years in a medium-security facility and imposed a three-year ban on public-political activity. He was also ordered to pay 1.7 million tenge for the cost of secret examinations. In his final statement, Sembayev requested an acquittal, arguing that his actions did not constitute a crime. He was arrested on February 3 at his workplace and had been held in pretrial detention since then.
Similar Cases
In 2024, journalist Duman Mukhamedkarim was sentenced to seven years on similar charges of participation in and financing of an extremist organization. The case against Sembayev is part of a broader pattern of prosecutions linked to the banned DVK movement, which the Kazakh government designates as extremist.
What's Next
Sembayev's defense team is expected to appeal the verdict within the statutory period. It remains unclear whether the sentence will be upheld or reduced by a higher court.
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Kazakh court sentences activist Sembayev to 6 years for extremism
