Nurzhan Altayev, former deputy and leader of the unregistered "El-Tiregi" party, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison by the Astana court, with a lifelong ban on holding a position in public service.
The verdict, which accuses Altayev of accepting a substantial bribe, was reported by The Village. Altayev dismissed the charges, labeling the case as a "political conspiracy" and asserting that his criticism of the authorities led to his imprisonment.
During the court proceedings, Altayev stated, "I am a politician engaged in political activities. I criticized the authorities, so they decided to put me in prison." The court ruled that Altayev serve his sentence in a general regime colony and ordered the collection of KZT 50.1mn ($109,587) from him as "illegally acquired property" related to the bribe. The trial took place behind closed doors, and the verdict has not yet become legally binding.
Formerly a member of parliament from the "Nur Otan" (now "Amanat") party between February 2019 and November 2020, Altayev's plan to establish an opposition party led to his expulsion from "Nur Otan" and the removal of his deputy position. Altayev, who repeatedly accused the authorities of obstructing the registration of "El-Tiregi," now faces a decade-long prison term amid claims of political persecution.
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