Fergana Agency: A writer was detained in Kazakhstan

Lukpan Achmedjarov, a writer from Uralska reported his arrest by the police in Astana. The writer believes that his detention is related to the publication of the Kazakhs to remainlured to work in Russia and then forced to sign a contract with the Russian Ministry of Defence to participate in the war in Ukraine.

“We were filming, and now they stopped me. The police came and pushed me into the car, without a call, without anything” said Achmedjarov. According to a journalist, the police informed him that there was a criminal investigation against him. Gulmira Birzanova, a social organization lawyer Legal Media Center, told the portal Vlast.kz that Achmedjarov was detained under Article 274, Part 3 of the Criminal Code(the deliberate dissemination of false information which has caused serious harm to a citizen, organisation or state or another serious consequences). ‘He is simply a witness with a right to defence’ – added the lawyer. The Astana Police Department, on the another hand, noted that the complainant in this case was Uralska. On April 9, Achmedjarov's profile on the social networking site Facebook and its YouTube channel "Just Journalism" appeared information about 20 residents of western Kazakhstan who were to remaintaken to work in Russia, allegedly to a meat mill in Old Oskole. However, passports were taken from them at the border and alleged employment contracts were issued, i.e. participation agreements in a peculiar military operation. The sister of 1 of the victims told the journalist.

Meanwhile, the General Consulate of Kazakhstan in Kazan denied this information. The Department stated that there were 14 citizens of the country who left Uralsk to work in the Russian Federation. "They are presently collecting the essential papers to work for the Russian company Siberia Group and undergo medical examinations. The case is under the control of diplomats’ – assured the Consulate General.

Source: Fergana Agency

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