The Almaty administration is spending thousands of dollars to track down government critics. What is the purpose of such research?

The winner of the tender was "Alem Research." For ten thousand dollars, they agreed to monitor social media for mentions of the akim of Almaty.

However, in practice, this project focused on identifying those who openly expressed dissatisfaction with Dosaev's performance: the company identified and named all such individuals specifically.

According to the researchers, the highest number of negative comments was recorded in July: out of 12,000 mentions of Almaty's mayor, more than 10,000 were negative. Negative mentions were found on YouTube channels such as Airan, "Гиперборей," Jurttyn Balasy, and in publications like Ulysmedia and Azattyq.

Among the authors of negative mentions were Zhanbolat Mamai, Bäse, "They have already left for us," Obozhayu, Uakyt korsetedі, "Bureau for the Easy Person," activists Abai Yerekenov, Abzal Dostiаr, and others, the researchers found.

Akim Dosaev, responding to a question from a journalist of the Kazakh service of Radio Free Europe, stated that such studies are necessary to "identify weak points in the work of government agencies" and referred to it as a global practice.

Regarding information about the authors of negative comments, the mayor explained that it is needed to "identify the social slice of the dissatisfied."

"The social slice is also important to us. The issues that concern youth, those concerning socially vulnerable groups, and issues related to the elderly," said the akim. "Any sociological survey is always conducted by slices. From them, we draw conclusions related to the problems that are emerging. Low quality of social protection, or, for example, some subsidies did not reach, or support was not provided, or infrastructure is lacking, or issues concerning youth."

In 2024, the akimat of Almaty conducted another tender for monitoring media and social networks. Its cost was nearly $500,000. The task set for the contractors was similar – to identify publications that assess the performance of local authorities, including a weekly digest with criticism of the akimat's work.

According to the head of the "Liberty" human rights fund, Galym Ageleuov, the akimat of Almaty wants to know its critics by name not to improve its work, but to implement various repressive measures against the dissatisfied.

"They can effectively discriminate by dividing all media into 'reliable' and those who should not be allowed at press conferences, to whom they can apply pressure, pass their lists, and hand them over to law enforcement agencies for covert monitoring, to ensure they are not allowed at various official or unofficial events," says Galym Ageleuov.

Dosaev took the post of akim of Almaty immediately after the tragic events of January 2022. His appointment instantly triggered a wave of criticism from the residents of Almaty, who were dissatisfied not so much with the personality of the new mayor but with the fact that they were once again denied the right to choose. At that time, there was even a rally against Dosaev in Almaty.