Five Activists Sentenced in Almaty: 5 to 5.5 Years in the Alleged "Akorda Seizure" Case
The Almaly district court delivered its verdict on 8 September. Prosecutors had asked for eight years each; the hearings were held behind closed doors.
On 8 September 2026 the Almaly District Court for Criminal Cases in Almaty found five civic activists guilty and sentenced them to prison terms.
According to Vlast and Fergana, Kaisar Ozbek and Talgat Ashirov received 5.5 years each, while Askar Nurmagan, Abduali Tagay and Duisenbek Zhakashev received five years each.
At trial the prosecutor had requested eight years for each defendant, to be served in a medium-security facility.
The prosecution's case
According to the indictment, the defendants held secret meetings between January and June 2025 and created a WhatsApp group called "Kairat Team".
Prosecutors accused them of planning mass disorder in Astana in order to seize power and the presidential residence, Akorda.
The court found all five guilty of:
- propaganda of the violent seizure or retention of power, committed by a group
- preparing and organising mass riots involving violence, destruction of property and resistance to representatives of the authorities
Kaisar Ozbek and Talgat Ashirov additionally faced charges of the illegal acquisition, storage and transport of explosives by a group.
The defence
When the trial opened in February all five defendants pleaded not guilty to all charges.
The hearings were held behind closed doors. Prosecutors cited witness safety; defence lawyers criticised the lack of transparency.
They don't want transparency. They want to close everything quickly and quietly.
— Zhanara Balgabayeva, defence lawyer (translated from Vlast and Fergana reports, September 2026)
Lawyers for two of the defendants told RFE/RL that security services had used people who pretended to share the activists' views and provoked them into offences. The court did not accept these claims.
By the numbers
- Verdict: 8 September 2026
- Court: Almaly District Court for Criminal Cases, Almaty
- Defendants: 5
- Kaisar Ozbek — 5.5 years; Talgat Ashirov — 5.5 years
- Askar Nurmagan, Abduali Tagay, Duisenbek Zhakashev — 5 years each
- Prosecution request: 8 years each
- Period covered by the indictment: January–June 2025
- Explosives charges: 2 defendants
Reaction
The case drew attention from human rights organisations and activists. According to The Diplomat, rights defenders issued statements after the verdict.
Several of those convicted had previously taken part in civil protests in the country.
Background
This is not the only "attempted seizure of power" case in Kazakhstan. In April 2026, 19 activists were sentenced over a peaceful protest about the situation in Xinjiang; Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch criticised that verdict.
Kazakh officials treat such cases as criminal proceedings conducted according to law. The verdict can be appealed to a higher instance; no information about an appeal has been published.