Accessibility links

Breaking News

Kazakh Rights Activist Aidar Syzdyqov Detained


Aidar Syzdyqov was filmed being forced on a bus by Spetsnaz officers in Astana on May 16.
Aidar Syzdyqov was filmed being forced on a bus by Spetsnaz officers in Astana on May 16.

Security officers in Astana on May 16 detained Kazakh activist Aidar Syzdyqov on unspecified charges. Syzdyqov's wife, Aigul Toqpaeva, shared a video showing Syzdyqov being taken away by Spetsnaz officers. Toqpaeva said she went to a police station hoping to find her husband there, but had to rush home after her neighbors said police were searching her apartment. Later, officers leaving her residential building tried to take her telephone to prevent her from filming them. They told her they were from the anti-drugs directorate. Syzdyqov is an activist of the unregistered opposition Algha, Qazaqstan (Forward, Kazakhstan) party. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Kazakh Service, click here.

  • 16x9 Image

    RFE/RL's Kazakh Service

    RFE/RL's Kazakh Service offers informed and accurate reporting in the Kazakh and Russian languages about issues that matter in Kazakhstan, while providing a dynamic platform for audience engagement and the free exchange of news and ideas.

RFE/RL has been declared an "undesirable organization" by the Russian government.

If you are in Russia or the Russia-controlled parts of Ukraine and hold a Russian passport or are a stateless person residing permanently in Russia or the Russia-controlled parts of Ukraine, please note that you could face fines or imprisonment for sharing, liking, commenting on, or saving our content, or for contacting us.

To find out more, click here.

XS
SM
MD
LG