6 police officers sentenced for torture of Uzbeks, Tajiks, and Kyrgyz in 2022 Kazakhstan unrest

The Karasay district court of Kazakhstan has sentenced six police officers to three years in prison for torturing citizens of Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan during the mass unrest that occurred in January 2022. This was reported by the court's press service.

In January 2022, 44 victims, including citizens of Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan, were detained in a special reception room at a police department. The defendants abused their official powers, committing unlawful acts and torturing the detainees.

The court’s verdict was supported by the testimony of witnesses, expert opinions, and other evidence presented during the trial. The defendants were found guilty under Articles 146 (Torture) and 362 (Abuse of Official Power) of the Criminal Code of Kazakhstan. In addition to their prison sentences, the officers were also deprived of the right to work in the civil service or hold any special titles.

The unrest in Kazakhstan in January 2022 saw widespread violence, with participants attacking police and military personnel. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev described the events as an attempted coup and called for assistance from the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO). By January 7, the situation had been brought under control, and the state of emergency was lifted across the country on January 19. Official reports indicate that 238 people lost their lives, and more than 4,500 were injured during the unrest.

Additionally, it should be noted that a criminal case was previously opened in Kazakhstan regarding an incident in which an Uzbek driver was injured.