One of suspects in attempted murder of Kazakh opposition journalist in Kyiv turns himself in in Kazakhstan

Altai Zhakanbayev, one of the suspects in the attempted murder of journalist Aidos Sadykov, has been detained in Kazakhstan after he himself appealed to the police.

Source: General Prosecutor's Office of the Republic of Kazakhstan

Quote: "The law enforcement agencies of Ukraine, demonstrating efficiency and professionalism, identified the perpetrators of this crime in the shortest possible time.

The General Prosecutor's Office sent an international investigative order to the relevant authorities of Ukraine to provide the criminal case file on the involvement of Zhakanbayev and Karatayev in the crime."

Details: The General Prosecutor's Office of the Republic of Kazakhstan reported that on 21 June, Zhakanbayev independently appealed to the internal affairs bodies of the Republic of Kazakhstan, where he was interrogated on the circumstances of the case.

He was detained on suspicion of committing this crime on the same day.

The second suspect, Meiram Karatayev, is wanted.

For reference: Aidos and Natalya Sadykov moved from Kazakhstan to Kyiv in 2014. Criminal charges have been brought against Aidos Sadykov in Kazakhstan which he says are politically motivated.

The Sadykovs obtained refugee status in Ukraine and ran their own YouTube channel, Base (Бәсе). They are critical of the Kazakh authorities and oligarchs and were supportive of the protests that took place in Kazakhstan in 2022.

The Kazakh authorities placed Aidos and Natalya Sadykov on the wanted list in the autumn of 2023, accusing them of inciting hatred.

Background:

• Kazakh opposition journalist Aidos Sadykov was shot by an unknown assailant in Kyiv’s Shevchenkivskyi district on the afternoon of 18 June as he was sitting in a parked car.
• His wife, Natalya Sadykova, told Ukrainska Pravda that her husband is in intensive care in a serious condition. She is convinced that Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev was involved in the assassination attempt.
• It was later reported that two citizens of Kazakhstan suspected of the attempted murder crossed the border with Moldova on the day of the crime and have been put on the international wanted list.
• Commenting on the attack on Sadykov, Tokayev said that the official authorities of Kazakhstan are ready to join the investigation if necessary.

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