On June 30, a public rally for freedom of peaceful assembly and democratic reforms was held at the square behind Sary Arka cinema in Almaty. The rally was initiated by Alnur Ilyashev, an activist who had filed 35 requests for holding a rally to Almaty Mayor’s office (“akimat”).
All his previous requests had been denied by the authorities, so the activist took them to court but lost all the lawsuits. On 36th time Ilyashev finally got a permission to hold a rally in Almaty.
Before and during the rally, a considerable number of police and specialized vehicles was accumulated around the square: squad cars, minibuses, police vans and tow trucks.
Several hundreds of citizens participated in the rally. Among them were members of democratic, environmental and feminist movements and associations.
Young people made up over a half of the crowd. A significant part of protesters was from creative class: artists, musicians, filmmakers, designers. Many people held up banners with slogans in Kazakh, Russian and English.
At the beginning, while people were gathering, some popular protest songs sounded from speakers: “Changes” by KINO, “The Song in the Name of Nazarbayev” by Anuar Nurpeisov and “I am dying in Nur-Sultan” by Opia, an indie duo from Almaty.
Temujin Duisenov's banner reads in Russian, “For peaceful rally without permission”Suinbike Suleimenova's banner reads in Kazakh, “There's no need for a permission to hold a peaceful assembly”«I don't need a permission to speak»“Agree with the change”Left to right: “I demand the right to protest against anti-female policy every day”; “I am dying behing Sary-“For peaceful rally without permission”“If not now, when?”
Apart from appeals for freedom of assembly and abolition of the permission-based system for rallies, people called for political reforms, ban on the construction of nuclear power plants in Kazakhstan, release of political prisoners, end of the policy of suppression of peaceful assemblies by the police, and the end of mass illegal detentions.
“If not now, when?”“This is my first rally. Hopefully, not the last one.”“I demand the right to protest against anti-female policy every day”Left to right: «I don't need a permission to speak»; “Got money for the birthday party but not for Arys”; “If not now, when?”“Go out to the square — get yourself the country back”; “If not now, when?”
«I demand the reform of the police and the justice system...”“For peaceful rally without permission”
Among the speakers were Rysbek Sarsenbayev, activist Asya Tulesova, jounalist Yermurat Bapi, human rights activist Marzhan Aspandiyarova, poet Samat Jamayev, journalist Assem Zhapisheva and others.
Zhanar Jandossova's banner reads, “For peaceful rally without permission”“I am/We are at-risk population group”“There's no need for a permission to hold a peaceful assembly”“We are tired of being afraid”“No God, no husband, no khan”
“There's no need for a permission to hold a peaceful assembly”The article from Kazakh Constitution that guarantees the freedom of peaceful assembly“For peaceful rally without permission”“For peaceful rallies”; “For peaceful rally without permission”“I am here to honour memory of Atynbek Sarsenbayev whom you killed” “If not now, when?”
The rally concluded with the crowd singing Kazakhstan’s national anthem.
“For peaceful rally without permission”“For peaceful rally without permission”“It's my country; I rally wherever I want to”«If not now, when?”; “For peaceful rally without permission”“Fake rally — fake democracy”“For peaceful rally without permission”“For peaceful rally without permission”
“Today it's Denis Ten, tomorrow it could be you. For the police reform.”“There's no need for a permission to hold a peaceful assembly”«I don't need a permission to speak»Vadim Boreiko
Photographs by Malika Autalipova and Timur Nusimbekov.
