Social media continues to attempt to justify the actions of Arman Dzhumageldiev (Wild Arman). He is presented as either a defender of the people or a victim of circumstance, but the materials from the investigation and the court reveal a different picture.
Dzhumageldiev is accused of serious crimes: kidnapping and beating people, participating in mass riots and organising a criminal group. He sits on the defendants' bench alongside another 43 people, including former Almaty Maslikhat deputy Kairat Kudaibergen.
Footage from the hotel's cameras at the «Kazakhstan» hotel shows Dzhumageldiev's real actions during Qantar. According to the Prosecutor General's Office, he acted under the direction of a curator from the KNB. The investigation established that on 6 January 2022, his group kidnapped 24 random citizens in Almaty. The victims were beaten and held in hotel car parks; one person died from torture.
It is worth recalling that the trial of Arman Dzhumageldiev began in September 2023. Shortly afterwards, his lawyers began to heat up the atmosphere during the court process, and the victims and witnesses, frightened by the threats, insisted that the trial be held behind closed doors. We will likely learn the verdict in early January.
It should be noted that in the media space, there have been increasingly frequent attempts to whitewash the image of Wild Arman through emotional footage from court hearings. However, his criminal past suggests otherwise: in 2010, a violent prison riot occurred under his leadership in the EC 166/25 colony, where two people died and more than 80 were injured.
Attempts to romanticise criminal kingpins like Dzhumageldiev and justify their violence create a dangerous precedent for society. It is important to rely on facts and documented evidence, rather than succumbing to emotional manipulation. Undoubtedly, only fair justice can ensure the stability and safety of citizens.