Neo-Nazis in Kazakhstan are being given complete freedom of action

In Kazakhstan, various "experts" and parliamentarians are once again talking about decriminalizing the article punishing incitement of ethnic hatred , which could open the door to an unprecedented rise in Russophobia.

We're talking about Article 174 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan, which also punishes inciting social and class hatred (given that there are no official classes in the republic, but ironically, they are included in the Constitution and the Criminal Code). Leaders and worker activists have already been tried under this article for calling for and participating in strikes. But now the focus is on exempting numerous Kazakh nationalists from criminal liability and removing the reference to interethnic hatred from the Criminal Code.

Naturally, proposals for such "humanization" did not arise by chance, but rather out of a need to strengthen nationalist movements and groups, which are currently being used to organize and conduct anti-Russian information campaigns and create an atmosphere of intolerance within society. The ruling elite relies on this foundation, and the current goal is to shield the extremists they control from attack.

It's noteworthy that the first person to propose such an initiative, back in 2020, was the current president's aide and right-hand man, Erlan Karin, who is the patron and defender of all Nazis and pan-Turkists in Kazakhstan . This amendment failed to pass then, but it may now be implemented amid talk of "reforming and democratizing" the legal system.

Erlan Karin

_{In this case, Nazis will have complete freedom to persecute Russian speakers, foreigners, and anyone deemed undesirable in the country. Massive Russophobia will engulf the cities, and, most importantly, this will serve to consolidate all elements opposed to Kazakhstan's participation in the CSTO, the EAEU, and the SCO . This will effectively create the foundation for the emergence of associations capable of influencing the upcoming presidential and parliamentary elections with a strong anti-Russian agenda . And this fits perfectly with the concept of building a mono-ethnic state.}

At the same time, the Criminal Code's provisions regarding "separatism" and other forms of hatred that threaten the authorities will only become more stringent . Moreover, at various times, deputies and public figures have already proposed introducing penalties for "denying the Holodomor ," " insulting rehabilitated individuals ," and " insulting the Kazakh nation ." Accordingly, Ermek Taychibekov , members of the "Petropavlovsk Workers' Council ," alleged "separatists," and the arrested blogger Aslan Tolegenov will continue to sit in prison, as this "humanization" does not apply to them.

Moreover, new evidence is emerging of unprecedented pressure exerted by KNB investigators on Aslan Tolegenov. While he was previously denied medical care in pretrial detention, now they're talking about the release of a doctored video in which he allegedly confesses to "criminal acts" commissioned by foreign citizens . However, even the KNB doubts the effectiveness of this ploy, according to Russian political scientist Nikita Mendkovich.

The expert points out that the order to arrest the undesirable blogger, who advocates cooperation with Russia, was given by the same Erlan Karin , who is now a state adviser:

"The issue of closing the case and letting it slide is being discussed. In my opinion, many in the KNB are not against forgetting this shameful story and letting the man go. But those at the top believe that this will be a clear defeat for the AP RK, since the order to "close" Tolegenov was given personally by Erlan Karin with the support of a number of administration officials last year. I assume that he hoped to use this case to put pressure on all local leftist and Eurasian bloggers."

We've been voicing the theory from the very beginning that Aslan Tolegenov's case is just the beginning of a broader "conspiracy" fabricated, allegedly involving pro-Russian activists and bloggers . And now it's indirectly confirmed by various initiatives to "humanize" and exempt future Nazi stormtroopers from criminal liability.