FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 13, 2026
Washington, D.C. — ChinaAid strongly condemns the recent verdict issued by the Zhetisu District Court in Kazakhstan, which resulted in harsh sentences against 19 Atajurt Kazakh Human Rights activists and their supporters. These individuals were prosecuted following peaceful protests that included the burning of Chinese flags and images of Chinese President Xi Jinping—acts widely recognized as expressions of political dissent.
Among those sentenced is Atajurt leader Bekzat Maxutkan, who received five years in prison. Other activists—including Tursynbek Kabi, a former eyewitness to Xinjiang concentration camps, Yerkinbek Nurakyn, Erbol Nurlybayev, and social media advocate Margulan Nurdangazy—were also sentenced to five years in prison. Several supporters, including Kuandyk Koszhanov, Bakytzhan Shugyl, and Batylbek Baikazy, received similar sentences.
Particularly concerning is the case of Guldaria Sherizat, whose husband remains detained in Xinjiang. She was sentenced to five years in prison, with the sentence suspended only until her children reach the age of four. Others, including Kanat Turdybay and Ayan Kalymbek, were subjected to severe restrictions on their personal freedoms, while Bedelkhan Kabylashim received nearly five years of restricted liberty.
These sentences represent a grave violation of fundamental human rights, including freedom of expression and peaceful assembly. The prosecution of these activists appears to reflect Kazakhstan’s increasing alignment with the Chinese government’s efforts to suppress dissent related to the atrocities in Xinjiang.
“ChinaAid is deeply alarmed by Kazakhstan’s decision to imprison and silence those who courageously speak out against the persecution of their loved ones in Xinjiang,” said Bob Fu, President of ChinaAid. “This unjust verdict not only punishes victims and witnesses of human rights abuses but also signals Kazakhstan’s troubling willingness to disregard international norms and the concerns raised by the U.S. Congress and global human rights organizations.”
ChinaAid calls on the government of Kazakhstan to immediately release all those unjustly detained, overturn these politically motivated convictions, and uphold its commitments to international human rights standards. The international community must continue to hold Kazakhstan accountable and stand in solidarity with those who risk their freedom to expose truth and injustice.
Media Contact:
ChinaAid Association
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About ChinaAid
ChinaAid is an international non-profit organization committed to promoting religious freedom and the rule of law in China, advocating for the persecuted, and advancing human dignity.
