According to the akyn Askhat Zhetigen, in colony No. 27 he became a victim of abuse and threats after sharing information about corruption and violations of prisoners' rights with the ombudsman's commission. These details were published by human rights activist Gulshaiyr Abdirasulova in the form of a letter from the prisoner to his lawyer Nurbek Akbar.
Zhetigen, demanding protection and public attention to his situation, characterized the actions of the administration as gross violations of human rights. He also mentioned that on March 2, 2026, the head of the operational department named Ulan sent him to the SHIZO (punishment cell) without any legal grounds, threatening him in response to a question about the reasons for such a decision.
According to him, Ulan claimed that he would "return me to my previous harsh living conditions," and also made a false accusation that Zhetigen was allegedly "agitating the prisoners." The akyn emphasized that he has never supported criminal activities, and this fact is known to everyone. He also noted that the staff member who drafted the act regarding his placement in SHIZO could not specify the reason for the violation in the document.
Zhetigen believes that the real reason for his persecution lies in the exposure of numerous violations occurring in the colony.
Since April 2025, according to him, the coal allocated by the state for heating the prisoners' premises has been misused by the colony staff.
“At least four times a week, from evening until morning, they use coal to heat the bathhouse for their leisure. Such behavior and abuses among the staff have been ongoing for a year. Moreover, the staff has set a fee of 2,000 soms for visiting the gym, which restricts the prisoners' rights to engage in sports while they themselves use the gym without restrictions, even during working hours,” Zhetigen claims.
The letter also states that the offices of the heads, separate sections of the dining room, kitchen, bathhouse, mosque, and gym were renovated with funds collected from the prisoners. Last week, the akyn reported these facts to the ombudsman's representatives during their visit to the colony.
“During the conversation, the head of the operational service, Ulan, tried to conceal the violations, which led to a conflict between us. The intervention of the ombudsman’s representative allowed stopping his unlawful actions. This staff member is known for his rude and cruel behavior. Every time before the arrival of commissions, prisoners are forced to say that ‘everything is fine,’” he noted in his address.
According to Zhetigen, those who try to speak the truth face brutal beatings, humiliation, and coercion to hard labor in SHIZO.
He emphasizes that the staff are effectively torturing the prisoners, creating an atmosphere of fear and silence. The day after the ombudsman's visit, Ulan gathered all the prisoners and began to openly threaten them.
“He said: ‘The commission will be here for only a day, and then you will stay with me. I will show you! When the orozо ends, I will arrange a different regime for you. I have enough spirit for that.’ After that, open threats and pressure began. My current stay in SHIZO is revenge for not being afraid to contradict the head of the operational service and for telling the truth to the commission,” the prisoner stated.
Zhetigen also reported that the conditions in which he is held in the isolation cell are being violated: he was not taken out for lunch, and he spent more than an hour in the rain in the walking yard.
“In light of the above, I ask you to make this information known as soon as possible and to initiate an operational response from law enforcement agencies to provide me with protection and assistance,” he concludes in his letter to the lawyer.
- Askhat Zhetigen is a well-known akyn and civil activist sentenced to three years in prison for calls for mass riots and seizure of power. The criminal prosecution began in March 2024, after his video appeals on social media criticizing the authorities.
