Aygerim Tleuzhan(ova)
Journalist and civic activist, professional translator
Serves a 4-year term in Correctional Facility “Women’s Colony”.
Article 272, Part 1 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan (Organization of mass riots accompanied by violence, looting, arson, destruction, damage to property, use of firearms, explosives, or explosive devices, as well as armed resistance against a representative of authority, including through the use of resources obtained from foreign sources, is punishable by imprisonment for a term of four to ten years.)
Was among the protesters in January 2022. By the verdict of July 11, 2023, she was found guilty under Article 272, Part 1 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan and sentenced to four years of imprisonment. On November 11, 2023, the Almaty City Court of Appeal upheld the verdict against activist and journalist Aigerim Tleuzhanova and others in the case concerning the alleged “seizure” of the airport. The judge stated that the defendants had caused substantial financial damage to several airlines and the airport. The court noted that the defendants’ actions resulted in significant losses to JSC Almaty International Airport (estimated at 313.8 million tenge), Air Astana (5.6 million tenge), Scat (1.4 million tenge), and Qazaq Air (260 million tenge).
Almaty Region, Ili District, Zhaugashty settlement, Abay Street, building 23a, Correctional Facility “Women’s Colony”
In November 2023 human rights defenders reported Aigerim Tleuzhanova went on a wet hunger strike following her transfer from Almaty to Zhaugashty, lacking basic hygiene and clothing. They urgently requested a special prosecutor to visit her to ensure her rights are restored. In response, the prosecutor’s office issued an official report stating that as of November 22, 2023, the convicted A. Tleuzhanova resumed eating and submitted a statement voluntarily ending her hunger strike.
