Kazakh journalist denied driver's license renewal in Astana over Russian wanted notice

August 27, 2026 at 12:56 PM2 min

This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.

Kazakh journalist Lukpan Akhmedyarov was denied a driver's license renewal at a special public service center in Astana because he is on an interstate wanted list at Russia's request. The journalist, who runs the YouTube channel 'Prosto Zhurnalistika,' said Kazakh police refused the service, citing the Russian Interior Ministry's request. He is accused in Russia of spreading fakes about the Russian army.

Key Facts

Lukpan Akhmedyarov was denied a driver's license renewal at a special public service center in Astana on August 27, 2026.
The denial was based on an interstate wanted notice issued at the request of the Russian Interior Ministry.
Akhmedyarov is accused in Russia under the article on spreading fakes about the Russian army.
Earlier, Akhmedyarov and his family were prevented from leaving Kazakhstan at Astana airport for a vacation in Montenegro.
Akhmedyarov's car was doused with paint by unknown persons, and he said Kazakh police ignored this incident.

License Renewal Denial

Lukpan Akhmedyarov, a Kazakh journalist and author of the YouTube channel 'Prosto Zhurnalistika,' reported on his Facebook page that he was denied a driver's license renewal at a special public service center in Astana. He said the Kazakh police refused the service because he is on an interstate wanted list at the request of the Russian Interior Ministry. Akhmedyarov is accused in Russia under the article on spreading fakes about the Russian army. He noted that his current driver's license is about to expire.

Previous Incidents

Earlier, Akhmedyarov and his family were not allowed to leave Kazakhstan from Astana airport when they were planning to fly to Montenegro for vacation. Two days before the license denial, Akhmedyarov wrote that police officers stopped him at the airport upon arrival in Astana and demanded explanations about the criminal case for which the Russian Interior Ministry had put him on the wanted list. He said that Shakhir Sukhanberdin, a former resident of Uralsk who moved to Moscow after the start of the full-scale war in Ukraine, claimed that it was his statement that led the Russian Interior Ministry to put Akhmedyarov on the interstate wanted list. Akhmedyarov also said that Kazakh police ignored the fact that his car was doused with paint by an unknown person, while they prioritize requests from Russia.

Criminal Case in Kazakhstan

A pre-trial investigation is underway in Astana against Lukpan Akhmedyarov under Article 274 of the Criminal Code (spreading knowingly false information). Akhmedyarov said that a resident of Ust-Kamenogorsk, Andrei Kotov, filed a complaint against him. Kotov stated that the Ukrainian project 'Khochu Zhit' listed him in April last year as a Kazakh mercenary who fought on Russia's side, but he did not fight and worked in Russia on a rotational basis. Kotov said the publication damaged his reputation and demanded that Akhmedyarov, who spread the list, be held accountable. Another resident of Kazakhstan, Ruslan Mukhametov, published a similar complaint.