Gov’t Plans to Invite Int’l Experts to Zhanaozen, Prosecution Initiates Cases against Police for Use of Deadly Force
30-12-2011
ASTANA, December 29 – Kazakhstan is taking steps to ensure complete and objective investigation into all circumstances of the December 16 mass disturbances in Zhanaozen, and also considers the possibility of inviting independent foreign experts to join the process. Official representatives of the Foreign Ministry and the Prosecutor General’s Office announced the corresponding messages on December 29.
“The Government of Kazakhstan is committed to ensuring full and objective investigation of crimes, the establishment of true organizers and all participants of mass disturbances in Zhanaozen with the observance of human rights of citizens in accordance with the Constitution and international obligations of Kazakhstan,” Altai Abibullayev, the Foreign Ministry’s spokesperson said at the Ministry’s briefing.
“Consistently acting in the spirit of openness and transparency, the Government of Kazakhstan is considering the possibility of bringing in the near future UN experts and independent experts from other countries to ensure an objective and thorough investigation into the facts relating to mass disturbances in Zhanaozen in compliance with all norms of the national legislation, human rights, and international legal practices in the investigation of mass disturbances,” he added.
On December 27, the Prosecutor General’s Office initiated a criminal case on the fact of death caused by the use of weapons by police officers under a Criminal Code Article that envisages responsibility for abuse of power and authority with the use of weapons, spokesperson of the Office Nurdaulet Suindikov said at his briefing today.
To ensure objectivity, this case is being investigated by a team led by a special prosecutor. At present, a number of necessary legal examinations have been assigned under the case. The Prosecutor General’s Office has adopted a package of measures to ensure the investigation is transparent, Suindikov said.
The investigation task force also includes a public commission, headed by the Chairman of the Board of Veterans of the Mangistau region Omirzak Ozganbayev. Members of the Commission have access to the town morgue, the detention centre and can meet with the people detained under the criminal case.
In order to resolve complaints relating to the unlawful detention of citizens and use of illegal methods of investigation, the commission was set up including labour veterans, elders of the town, members of nongovernmental organizations, as well as relatives of the detained people along with the prosecution personnel.
The commission members were presented lists of arrested persons and administrative detainees. They were able to visit the temporary detention centre and a special detention centre for administrative detainees. Members of the commission talked to the detainees, personally inspected the conditions of confinement and made sure the detainees are in the normal state of health. In addition, at their own initiative, they examined the household court territory, and garages of the town’s police department, as well as the basement and the morgue of the town’s hospital.
“This work has allowed the commission members to see that rumours about illegal detention, torture, and murder are groundless,” Suindikov said.
The law enforcement bodies continue to verify information from various sources concerning the Zhanaozen events, not confirmed by official data.
“We interviewed Aluash Ungarova, who previously stated to separate media representatives that during the riots in Zhanaozen her daughter-in-law Sholpan had personally closed eyes to 23 dead people. Meanwhile, Sholpan Otekeeva has denied Ungarova’s words and said she had not closed eyes of the dead and personally saw only three people who died on the town square on December 16. In addition, she noted that she is not Ungarova’s daughter-in-law,” Nurdaulet Suindikov said.
At present, the prosecution considers bringing Aluash Ungarova to administrative liability for knowingly giving false information to the media. According to the prosecution, to this day, the investigation task force has apprehended 20 people under the criminal cases launched previously. Eighteen of them were arrested with the court’s approval.
“According to the latest data, a total of 16 people died as a result of the Zhanaozen events. As noted earlier, the death of some of them is not related to the actions of law enforcement bodies,” Suindikov said, adding that the Office is investigating circumstances and performing legal assessment for each case of death individually.
At the briefing, Nurdaulet Suindikov called on the media representatives to rely on proven facts and information, when covering the events, and prevent the publication of false information. He also asked citizens of the Mangistau region to observe the rule of law and not give in to provocation in a distributed misinformation.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Internal Affairs informed that a total of 17 law enforcement officers were injured during mass disturbances in Zhanaozen. One of them was admitted to the Aktau hospital in a serious condition. From December 16 to 18, a total of 35 police officers turned for medical help with a variety of injuries/, the Novosti-Kazakhstan agency wrote on December 29.
