Rosa Polaschek assists with Inquiry Commission into treatment and detention of Zhanbolat Mamay following Kazakhstan protests

The non-governmental Inquiry Commission into the detention and treatment of Zhanbolat Mamay has recently travelled to Kazakhstan to undertake a fact-finding investigation into the circumstances of his detention and the wider context of the Government’s response to an outbreak of protests in January 2022.

The Commission, chaired by former Director of Public Prosecutions for England and Wales, Lord Ken Macdonald of River Glaven Kt KC, is reviewing the detention and treatment of Zhanbolat Mamay – a popular politician, journalist, and leader of the ‘unregistered’ opposition Democratic Party in Kazakhstan. Their investigation has caused them to broaden their remit.

Mr Mamay was detained in February 2022 after being accused by Kazakh authorities of involvement in orchestrating the January 2022 protests, which developed from a sudden increase in liquid petroleum prices in western Kazakhstan. The Government have acknowledged that the response to the protests resulted in the death of over 228 people, with 6 people killed due to ‘unauthorised methods of interrogation by law enforcement officers’ while in detention. Over 20,000 people were detained during and in the aftermath of the protests.

The Commission travelled to Kazakhstan on 15 January after reaching an agreement with the Kazakhstan government that they would meet with government officials and law enforcement officers. Those meetings were later cancelled without reason, and court approval for a meeting with Mr Mamay was withdrawn.

Over the course of the week, the Commission met with eyewitnesses, lawyers, journalists and members of Kazakhstan’s civil society to gather evidence about the arrest and detention of Mr Mamay, and the surrounding events of January 2022.

Bindmans LLP, led by Tayab Ali and Kate Goold, are acting as the Secretariat to the Commission. Rosa Polaschek is instructed as a researcher to the Secretariat and travelled with the Commission. The Commission is made up of Lord Macdonald KT KC of River Glaven, The Rt Hon Sir Robert Buckland KC MP and Rushanara Ali MP.

A full press release from Bindman’s can be found here. The Commission’s website is available here.

Media coverage: The Guardian