Kazakh rights group releases second report on 2022 January events

September 2, 2026 at 05:50 PM2 min

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

Kazakh rights activists presented the second part of the 'Shoot to Kill' report on the 2022 January events in Almaty on September 2. The report reconstructs a nearly minute-by-minute chronology based on court verdicts and rulings. Some verdicts have become inaccessible in the public 'Judicial Cabinet' system, activists said.

Key Facts

The report covers criminal verdicts in nine cities and administrative court rulings in 55 regional and district centers and 66 settlements.
The verdict against former National Security Committee chairman Karim Masimov is not accessible because his case was heard in closed session.
The first part of the report was released in June 2023 and raised eight questions to the authorities that remain unanswered.
Activists are considering a third part focused on reports of torture after the January events.

Report Presentation

The presentation took place on September 2 at the Kazakhstan International Bureau for Human Rights in Almaty. Rights defender Bakhytzhan Toregozhina said documentation of the January events has continued for four years. She stated that some court decisions have become inaccessible in the 'Judicial Cabinet' system, with some receiving closed status and others disappearing from open access. Toregozhina warned that without documentation, the events could become surrounded by myths within five to ten years.

Chronology Reconstruction

The authors used court materials to reconstruct the sequence of events, including when unrest began, which objects were attacked, and when weapons were used. The report includes high-profile cases involving the deaths of minors and cases of military personnel, some ending in acquittals. The authors emphasize that the resulting picture remains incomplete. Toregozhina noted that several verdicts against former heads of security agencies are missing from the open document array.

Future Plans

The first part of the report was released in June 2023 and analyzed available information on rights violations and investigation results. Toregozhina said the eight questions posed to authorities in the first report remain unanswered. Activists are considering a third part dedicated to reports of torture after the January events. They continue to push for a separate law on rehabilitation of peaceful participants in the January events.