(Almaty – February 2, 2026) In Taldykorgan, a city hundreds of kilometers from Kazakhstan’s largest city, Almaty, a court trial involving 19 activists is being held in secret. The case not only poses a serious threat to the freedom of these activists but is an even starker test of judicial independence and freedom of expression in Central Asia, as the region contends with mounting cross-border pressure from its powerful neighbor, China.
All 19 defendants, including 17 members of the human rights organization Nagyz Atajurt and two supporters, are charged under Article 174 of Kazakhstan’s Criminal Code for “inciting national, ethnic, or social hatred.” This charge is not new in Kazakhstan’s human rights context; international observers have long criticized this article as a tool used by authorities to suppress dissenting voices.
The case stems from a November 2025 protest held at the border of Kazakhstan and China, where activists gathered to demand the release of Kazakh truck driver Alimnur Turganbay, who was detained by Chinese authorities in Xinjiang in July 2025 despite having obtained Kazakh citizenship and formally renouncing his Chinese citizenship.
After a closed hearing on January 29, Riza Alimnur stated that all procedures related to her father’s acquisition of Kazakh citizenship had long been completed. His Chinese household registration had been cancelled, and his written, notarized application to renounce Chinese citizenship and obtain Kazakh citizenship had been officially recognized by both Chinese and Kazakh authorities. She said Chinese authorities continue to claim her father remains a Chinese or dual citizen baselessly. She added that she had heard that he was sentenced to two and a half years in prison without receiving any official written notice.
Kazakh authorities have prohibited the family from meeting Alimnur and deprived them of their right to know about his conditions. Reports suggest his detention may be linked either to his religious activities or to the testimony he provided on behalf of relatives illegally detained in Xinjiang. During the protests, activists burned Chinese flags and portraits of China’s leader, actions that triggered strong diplomatic protests from the Chinese Consulate in Almaty. Kazakh authorities then swiftly acted and classified the peaceful demonstration as a criminal offense.
Since the trial began on January 23, proceedings have been shrouded in secrecy and delays. Citing “security concerns” raised by one defendant, the judge declared that the trial would be conducted behind closed doors, barring media, family members, and international observers.
“This is clearly a delaying tactic,” said Serikzhan Bilash, the organization’s founder, now living in exile in the United States. “They want to exhaust the public with long journeys and financial pressure, to wear them down and break their will.”
Defense lawyers, meanwhile, are forced into silence; the judge ordered them not to disclose any details of the trial to the public, warning that failure to comply could result in the revocation of their licenses.
On January 29, Kazakh authorities were on high alert and entered an undeclared, informal state of emergency in response to the Atajurt case, deploying personnel nationwide to maintain round-the-clock surveillance of Atajurt members.
For years, Atajurt has been an important organization documenting testimonies of victims of Xinjiang’s “re-education camps.” Since 2019, the group has been under strict surveillance by Kazakh authorities. The government has rejected the group’s attempts to be officially registered, imposing frequent fines, freezing bank accounts, and even threatening family members of individuals involved in the organization.
ChinaAid, Amnesty International, and Human Rights Watch have issued statements calling on the Kazakh government to drop the case, arguing that it “fails to meet international human rights standards for protection of freedom of expression and assembly.” Human rights experts describe the case as a classic example of “transnational repression,” where China uses economic leverage to silence criticism of Beijing’s policies beyond its borders.
Kazakhstan now finds itself in a diplomatic dilemma: on one hand, it maintains lucrative energy and infrastructure cooperation with Beijing; on the other, its population feels deep solidarity with ethnic kin suffering in Xinjiang.
The trial has been postponed until February 5. For families traveling long distance from Almaty, the harsh winter of Taldykorgan seems even longer.
“This is not only for Alimnur,” said a family member of one of the defendants outside the courthouse, speaking on condition of anonymity. “It’s about whether we are still allowed to speak out, for our brothers and sisters whose lives are in danger, here in our own land.”
As the next court date approaches, this judicial struggle in the heart of Central Asia is becoming a litmus test for the state of human rights in the region and for China’s transnational repression.
Gao Zhensai, Special Correspondent for ChinaAid
