Arrests, internet slowdowns, and memorial events. How is Independence Day being observed?
On the morning of December 16, a traditional flower-laying ceremony took place at the Independence Monument in Almaty. The event was attended by officials led by the city akim, Yerbolat Dosaev, participants of the December events of 1986, also known as Zheltoksan, activists, and local residents.
Some of the Zheltoksan participants held leaflets featuring words from Kazakhstan's President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev about the youth involved in those events.
Following that, the attendees sang the song "Atameken." Some gathered noted that the events from 38 years ago remain unresolved to this day.
After the official part of the ceremony at the Independence Monument, residents honored the memory of the deceased and recited a prayer.
"ZHELTOKSAN, ZHANAOZEN, KANTAR"
On the same day, members of the informal Kazakhstani movement Oyan, Qazaqstan shared videos on their social media platforms showing the distribution of leaflets with the message "We will not forget, we will not forgive. 1986, 2011, 2022." The exact timing of the video recording is unknown.
In this way, Oyan, Qazaqstan activists referenced three dark chapters in Kazakhstan's history: the December events of 1986, the Zhanaozen events of 2011, which also occurred in December, and the January events of 2022, known as Kantar or "Bloody January."
Movement representatives and other activists insist that December 16 should not be a festive day in Kazakhstan, but rather a day of remembrance.
38 years ago on this day, after the Kremlin appointed Gennady Kolbin as the first secretary of the Communist Party of the Kazakh SSR, Kazakh youth took to the central square of Almaty to protest against the transfer of power to someone unfamiliar with the republic. The Soviet authorities brutally suppressed these student protests.
On December 16, 2011, in the city of Zhanaozen in the Mangistau region, the police opened fire on oil workers who had been peacefully protesting for several months, demanding better working conditions. According to official data, 17 people died as a result of the Zhanaozen events.
The January events of 2022 began at the very start of the year in the west of the country following a rise in gas prices and spread to other regions. In some places, protests escalated into riots. The protests resulted in bloodshed, with law enforcement using firearms, leading to at least 238 fatalities.
Experts believe that the full truth about these bloody events remains undisclosed.
Official Astana tries to avoid direct references to those pages of history.
In a congratulation from President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, published on Monday, December 16, there is no direct mention of the bloodshed.
"This holiday symbolizes the revival of our statehood and the realization of our people's dream of freedom. On this day, we all deeply understand the importance of being true to the legacies of our ancestors and taking responsibility for the nation's future. Independence is our collective invaluable asset, the foundation of all our achievements. Independence above all. Protecting it as the apple of our eye is the duty of every citizen," the statement on the Akorda website reads.
ARRESTS OF ACTIVISTS
On the eve of December 16, human rights defenders reported an increase in the persecution of activists.
According to recent data, in Astana, Akmolinsk, and Mangistau regions, as well as in Petropavlovsk, at least five activists were arrested for periods ranging from 5 to 20 days. They faced charges under the articles: "Minor hooliganism," "Disobedience to lawful demands of a representative of authority," "Violation of the procedure for holding peaceful assemblies."
The arrested individuals dispute the charges and label the incidents as "political persecution."
Among them:
- Nurbol Onerkhan, an activist from Petropavlovsk,
- Sandugash Kantarbaeva, an activist from Astana,
- Marat Musabaev, an activist from Astana,
- Ulbolsyn Turdieva, an activist from Mangistau region,
- Amangeldy Zhakhin, an activist from Akmolinsk region.
The law enforcement agencies refrained from commenting on these cases. Overall, official Astana denies the existence of political persecution in the country.
On the eve of December 16, Kazakhstani users began reporting a slowdown in internet speed. The Telegram channel Buzyq contacted Beeline's support service, where the decline in connection quality was explained as "the introduction of certain restrictions."
"Some restrictions are in place across Kazakhstan," representatives of the company stated. When asked, "Who imposed these restrictions?" no answer was provided.
The official authorities also did not comment on users' complaints.