The situation has escalated: although Cherikbaev has already dismantled part of his home, the authorities are demanding that he demolish it completely. Meanwhile, the houses of neighbors, who also lack ownership documents, are not subject to demolition.
The Cherikbaev family is asking, "Why such selective treatment?"The family has appealed to the prosecutor's office for a legal assessment of the situation.
According to Murat's daughter, Zarina Beishenbaeva, their family purchased the house in 1987, although it was built back in 1957.
Problems began in 2019 when a neighbor filed a complaint with the capital's Land Use Control Department, claiming that the house was built illegally. As a result, the case was referred to court. Cherikbaev did not have ownership documents, which, according to Beishenbaeva, were issued selectively in their area. Some neighbors received documents, while others did not. Zarina's father tried to legalize his residence but was unsuccessful.
Beishenbaeva insists: "There is a clear bias in the issuance of documents in our area. We have serious questions about why only our house is being targeted for demolition, while many other buildings nearby lack ownership documents. Why did some receive them, while we are denied? I urge the Attorney General to conduct an investigation into possible corruption and determine where the violations of the law are occurring: in the issuance of documents or now?"
The dismantled part of Murat Cherikbaev's house.
Lawyer's Opinion
Indira Sautova, the lawyer representing the family, noted that the inspections conducted regarding the demolition case refer to a protected zone in the alley due to the heating pipeline.
Lawyer Indira Sautova.
"Houses in this area were built in 1957-1958, while the pipeline was laid only in 1978. Thus, the protected zone, according to the legislation, should be 25 meters. The court issued a demolition order for Cherikbaev's house based on the claim that his building should not be in this protected zone. However, we see that other houses are standing nearby, and some of their owners have ownership documents, even though they are in the same protected zone," Sautova explained.
There are houses in the alley that are practically adjacent to the pipeline.
Sautova added: "We have repeatedly appealed to the prosecutor's office of the October district regarding discrimination in the issuance of documents. Some received them in 2005 or 2008, while others did so later. The question arises: how could government agencies issue construction permits if the protected zone is not being observed? The problem is not being resolved, and all attention is focused solely on the demolition of Cherikbaev's house," the lawyer emphasized.
Sautova suspects that there is bias against Cherikbaev, as the court's decision has been executed, and part of his house located in the protected zone has already been dismantled.
"Instead of addressing the situation as a whole, the authorities have focused all efforts solely on demolishing Cherikbaev's house. We asked the prosecutor's office why his house is subject to demolition and why there is no investigation into how other neighbors received their documents. This is double standards," Sautova expressed her outrage.
According to her, the prosecutor's office responded that the statute of limitations for holding responsible parties accountable had expired. "The issue is not about the statute of limitations, but about the need to thoroughly investigate the situation. All houses in this alley violate the norms. Either the entire residential area should be demolished, or all residents should be allowed to obtain ownership documents," she added.
Murat Cherikbaev's house.
"Unfortunately, no one wants to address this situation. It seems that there is a court decision, and Cherikbaev's house needs to be demolished, and that's it. But the problem is much deeper: it concerns the entire district, not just one alley. Without a comprehensive approach, this problem cannot be solved, as it was originally an industrial zone. We appeal to the Attorney General for a complete investigation, starting from the moment the documents were issued. We suspect that those who had financial means were able to obtain documents, while law-abiding citizens risk being left without housing," concluded Indira Sautova.
Statement from the BGK Deputy
BGK Deputy Erkin Bakhtiyarov also commented on the situation, noting that in the "Tokoldosh" area, ownership documents were issued selectively.
BGK Deputy Erkin Bakhtiyarov.
"How is it possible that one person is told that this is a protected zone, while another is issued documents? A serious problem has arisen in the area. Some residents who received 'red books' are pressuring those who could not, suing them and demanding the demolition of their houses. This is extremely unfair," the deputy concluded.
