Media: Kazakhstan arrests critic of constitutional amendments

Kantemir Almyshev, a resident of Astana who had previously publicly criticised amendments to Kazakhstan’s Constitution, has been placed under administrative arrest, as reported by the local outlet KazTAG.

“An Astana resident, Kantemir Almyshev, was arrested for 15 days following a visit from police officers. On the evening of February 20, he was taken directly from his workplace at a barbershop. Prior to that, Almyshev managed to record a video of the police arrival and inform his wife that he was being detained. The court sentenced him to administrative arrest under the article on ‘petty hooliganism,’” the report said.

According to the news outlet Otkir Kurek, the formal grounds for the charge may have been an alleged insult directed at comedian Nurlan Saburov. Almyshev reportedly posted profane comments on Threads, which is legally considered a “public space.” He had also published a series of posts on Threads criticising the constitutional amendments.

Media outlets previously reported that he had received calls from the akimat requesting that he delete those publications.

KazTAG has contacted the Astana Police Department’s press service for comment regarding the situation.

By Khagan Isayev