The murder of Cherzat Polat, a 16-year-old teenager, did not go unnoticed in Kazakhstan. New elements surrounding the case emerged and fueled public attention. Supported by the population, the father continues to demand a fair investigation from the authorities, even though local power has been questioned.
On December 15, municipal elections were held in the town of Talgar, near Almaty, in southern Kazakhstan. This electoral deadline, which was initially not planned, followed the dismissal on October 15 of the former mayor after the murder of a teenager in his town, indicates the Kazakh branch of the Russian media Sputnik.
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The assassination on October 4 of Cherzat Polat, a 16-year-old boy, did not remain a simple news item confined to Talgar. The family took the case to social media, which sparked an outpouring of public support and led to national media coverage of the case. The case of this teenager had a strong echo in Kazakh society, but the aftermath of the affair had repercussions both on his family and on the local authorities.
A murder following an argument
The events took place on the night of October 4, in Talgar. Men entered the food store run by Cherzat Polat’s father to buy a beer. But the customers did not intend to pay, which sparked an argument with the father, son and his uncle, reports the Kazakh agency Tengrinews. As they left the store, customers called acquaintances who then arrived on site. According to the father, 13 individuals armed with knives were present.
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A fight followed between these individuals, the teenager and his relatives. Young Cherzat Polat was hit in the heart and lungs. His uncle was also stabbed. The father rushed to take them to the hospital where doctors pronounced his son dead from his injuries.
The start of the investigation
On October 7, a demonstration in support of the family took place in front of Talgar town hall, reports the Kazakh media Orda. The event, which brought together around 150 people, allowed the father of the murdered teenager to speak in a video broadcast on the Instagram account of local media Kris P Talgar: “My son cannot be brought back. I took to the streets because I want the investigation to be fair and the trial to be public. And also so that this type of tragic case is not repeated in the future. »
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At the same time, he explains in the video his dissatisfaction with the passivity of the authorities and the start of the investigation: “They don’t even know my son’s identity. They call us in the middle of the night, intimidate us and force us to write statements. »
That same day, the Almaty Regional Police Department (DPRA) announced that it had opened an investigation into homicide and placed it in pre-trial detention “all participants in the incident”. This concerns seven individuals suspected of being involved in the crime, specifies the Almaty region prosecutor’s office on Instagram.
On October 9, the authorities qualified the case “homicide of a minor” and indicate that the investigation is now placed “under special control of the Ministry of the Interior”. Interior Minister Erjan Sadenov specifies that a team from the ministry is on site “to guarantee the completeness and quality of the investigation”mentions Tengrinews.
The tension rises
In a new video published on October 10 on TikTok, Karjaoubaï Nourymov, the teenager’s father, addressed his compatriots, reports the Kazakh agency Kazinform. He thanks all the people who support him, while calling for calm: “I have a request to make to the people: do not organize rallies and avoid bloodshed. My enemies could take advantage of this to make me suffer. I want a fair trial, according to the law. »
Karjaoubaï Nourymov also says that he has been the subject of threats and intimidation, that he is afraid “for the safety of [sa] family “ and that individuals have already visited his home. “My brothers, everyone, let us not incite violence or any gathering. That’s what I’m asking. My son is dead, and now I don’t want other children to suffer.”he said.
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On the night of October 12, the family home of Cherzat Polat suffered a major fire. No one was present on site after the teenager’s funeral, Sputnik said. A new investigation was thus opened to “intentional destruction of another person’s property”. Following the threat weighing on those close to the young victim, the family was placed under police protection and received assistance to be temporarily rehoused.
The house fire alerted the Interior Ministry to the possible rise in tension in the city, as the affair grew in importance in society. As of October 13, the Ministry of the Interior decided to send the National Guard there “to ensure security and maintain public order”relays Radio Azattyq, the Kazakh branch of the American media Radio Free Europe.
Local authorities implicated
This affair has kicked in the anthill of local authorities. On October 15, the press service of the Talgar provincial council announced that the mayor and his first deputy were dismissed from office for “failure to fulfill their duties”. At the same time, the chief of staff of the head of the Talgar province, Aslan Kassymbayev, was relieved of his duties. Disciplinary measures against the head of the province and his deputy were taken.
On October 18, it was the turn of the deputy prosecutor of the Almaty region and the prosecutor of Talgar province to be dismissed from their posts, reports the Prosecutor General’s Office of Kazakhstan. This is a disciplinary decision in response to “the existence of considerable negligence in monitoring the legality of criminal proceedings. »
The dismissals continued even in the local police bodies. On October 19, the DPRA saw the appointment of a new head, while the first deputy, the head of the counter-extremism department, the head of the criminal police, the head of the counter-crime department organized and his deputy were dismissed on the orders of the Minister of the Interior, reports the Kazakh agency KazTAG. The head of the police department of Talgar province was also affected by these measures.
A criminal organization behind the affair?
Rumors about the involvement in the affair of a local criminal organization called Khoutorskie appeared shortly after the tragedy. For their part, the authorities have denied the existence of such a group in Talgar, underlines the Kazakh media Vlast. According to rumors, its leader is a certain Khassan Kassymbayev.
In an interview given to Orda, he admits to being the brother of ex-civil servant Aslan Kassymbaïev, but refutes any participation in a criminal organization and explains that he has always respected the law. He indicates that his other brother has been sentenced since 2017 to 14 years in prison for the murder of a customs officer.
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On November 2, the police announced the arrest of Khassan Kassymbayev for “deliberate serious harm to physical integrity and kidnapping”facts dating from three years ago, relays the Kazakh media Kursiv. The Ministry of the Interior communicated on the absence of links between the individual and the Cherzat Polat affair.
The investigation continues
Baourjan Alenov, first deputy of the Minister of the Interior, revealed on October 15 the arrest of three new suspects, bringing their number to ten, reports the Kazakh media Zakon.kz. At this stage, several cases have been opened to “vandalism, threats, homicide and failure to report an offense”he specifies.
The authorities released the same day the video surveillance images which are being examined by investigators, notes Kursiv. The recording reveals new elements such as the fact that the argument started after one of the suspects showed something to the teenager’s father on his phone, or that the latter was also holding a knife at the start of the altercation . Deputy Prosecutor General Galymjan Koigueldiev later said that no charges had been brought against the father, Tengrinews reports.
On October 17, an 11th suspect was arrested as part of the investigation into the murder of Cherzat Polat, notes Sputnik. “A set of investigative measures aimed at establishing all the circumstances of the incident is currently underway”informed the Ministry of the Interior.
New elements related to the case
As the case began to settle down, news came to update the case of the murdered teenager. Cherzat Polat’s uncle was found dead on December 9, indicates Tengrinews. According to the police, “everything indicates that it was a suicide” and not murder.
Another case was opened after the uncle’s funeral on December 10. The suspect turns out to be the father of Cherzat Polat who, at the time of the funeral, was threatening towards the police, armed with a knife, and damaged a vehicle, relays Radio Azattyq. He demanded a fair investigation so that light could be shed on the death of his loved ones.
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Karjaoubaï Nourymov was finally arrested and sentenced to 15 days of detention for vandalism on December 11, his lawyers being unable to appeal. For “calls to demonstrate”the cousin of Cherzat Polat’s father received the same sentence as well as expulsion from the territory, not being a Kazakh citizen, reports Orda.
The Almaty region prosecutor’s office reported on the progress of the case on December 13. According to this announcement, the investigation is on this date in “terminal phase, the necessary investigations have been carried out, all suspects arrested”. The case will shortly be handed over to the various parties so that they can familiarize themselves with the file, specifies the prosecution.
Claude Foucaud
Editor for Novastan
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