Open Letter in Solidarity with Protestors in Kazakhstan: Satire is NOT a Crime
We, the undersigned academics, stand in solidarity with the political activists, journalists, and writers in Kazakhstan in their fight for democracy, justice, and Constitutional rights. We are alarmed by the imprisonment of the political activist. Temirlan Yensebek who is facing seven years in prison for his political jokes and content published in the satirical news Qaznews24. Yensebek is charged with the criminal offence of inciting the interethnic discord for posting a track ‘Yo Orystar’ (Hey Russians) in response to the obscene comments of Tina Kandelaki that questioned Kazakhstan’s sovereignty and independence.
We are also appalled by the arrests of those activists who rallied in support for his release – journalist Ruslan Biketov imprisoned on Sunday, 19th January and political activist, journalist, researcher, and writer Assem Zhapisheva who was arrested and imprisoned on Monday 20th January. Zhapisheva and Biketov will stay in prison for 15 days for practicing their Constitutional right for a one-person protest and a peaceful assembly while Yensebek will stay under arrest until his court hearing which can take up more than two months. Every day more activists are rallying in support of Yensebek and all imprisoned activists. These rallies happen across the country, in Almaty, Aqtobe, and Kostanay where protestors are also arrested and fined.
Political satire is an integral part of freedom of expression and democratic values. The right for peaceful assembly and freedom of expression are human rights. Education and research cannot flourish in the context of censorship, political oppression and lack of freedom of speech, expression and thought. The imprisonment of political activists, journalists, researchers and writers opens up space for the widespread censorship and political persecution of dissent.
We, the members of the international academic community, stand in solidarity with political activists, researchers, journalists, and writers in Kazakhstan and support their right and demands to express themselves without fear of political persecution.
With unwavering solidarity,
The RUTA Association for Central, South-Eastern, and Eastern European, Baltic, Caucasus, Central and Northern Asian Studies in Global Conversation
Please join us in signing this letter and extending our solidarity and support towards our Kazakhstani colleagues to help them protect academic freedom, sovereignty and democracy.
- Assel Tutumlu (Independent Scholar)
- Epp Annus (Tallinn University, Ohio State University, RUTA board member)
- Tereza Hendl (University of Augsburg, RUTA Board Member)
- Martin-oleksandr Kisly (Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, RUTA Board Member)
- Tamarakhonum Davlatova (University of Fribourg)
- Selbi Durdiyeva (Postdoctoral Fellow, Philipps Marburg University, Germany)
- Sophie Zviadadze (Ilia State University)
- Cynthia Buckley (Ph.D. International Consultant)
- Viliuia Choinova (TU Berlin)
- Denis Esakov (de_colonialanguage)
- Mariya Kochneva
- Marta Antonova (University of Bern)
- Una Bergmane (University of Helsinki)
- Almira Tabaeva (Nazarbayev University)
- Adina Onalbayeva
- Yuliya Yurchuk (Södertörn University)
- Stas Sharifulla (Universität Basel)
- Iliuza Mukhamedianova (Charles University)
- Mira Gafar (independent researcher and artist)
- Olexii Kuchanskyi (Universität Basel)
- Rico Isaacs (University of Lincoln, United Kingdom)
- Helen Faller (Independent Scholar)
- Moldir Tazhibekova (Nazarbayev University)
- Diana T. Kudaibergen
- Elmira Kakabayeva (Family Ethnography project)
- Georgii Malykh (Sound Artist)
- Eldar Tagi (UDK Berlin)
- Zarina Mukanova (Warsaw University)
- Aizhan Ramazanova (Nazarbayev University)
- Marija Mitic (Bertha von Suttner Private University, Austria)
- Maya Akisheva (Independent editor)
- Vlada Vazheyevskyy (University of St Andrews)
- Marie-Ève Ouimette (Université du Québec à Montréal)
- Timur Nusimbekov (independent journalist, editor-in-chief ADAMDAR/CA www.adamdar.ca)
- Kamila Smagulova
- Lawrence Markowitz (Rowan University and Columbia University)
- Abigail Scripka (ZZF Potsdam)
- Nazym Zharasbayeva
- Leyla Zuleikha Makhmudova (Johns Hopkins University)
- Marat Tıleubek (Oyan Qazaqstan)