A criminal case against a 66-year-old resident of the Turkestan region, detained after a public speech at a wedding in Zhetysai, has reached court. His remarks were deemed to contain signs of inciting religious and social discord.
WHAT IS KNOWN
As reported by MIA «Kazinform» citing the police department (DP) of the Turkestan region, the pre-trial investigation against Kanayev K. has been completed. On 26 August 2026, the criminal case was sent to court.
The head of the investigative department of the DP of the Turkestan region, Mukhtar Seidildayev, said that the case was investigated under Part 1 of Article 174 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan (“Incitement of social, national, tribal, racial, class or religious discord”). According to him, the qualification of the criminal offence was neither changed nor supplemented during the investigation.
A preventive measure in the form of detention for a period of two months was chosen for the suspect. This period was not extended.
A comprehensive forensic religious studies, political science and psychological-philological examination was also commissioned and completed in the criminal case.
Other details of the pre-trial investigation are not disclosed in accordance with Article 201 of the Criminal Procedure Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
HOW THE SITUATION DEVELOPED
A video recording of the man's speech was discovered during monitoring of social networks. At the wedding, he called singers “heralds of shaitan” and stated that men and women should sit separately “according to Sharia law”.
After the video was circulated, the incident gained wide public resonance. Police opened a criminal case in connection with the incident, and on 5 August the man was detained and placed in a temporary detention facility (TDF).
The Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) reminded that Kazakhstan is a secular state, and the Constitution prohibits discrimination, including on grounds of gender and attitude to religion.
The MIA also stressed that any public statements that demean human dignity, insult women or contain signs of inciting religious or social discord receive a legal assessment in accordance with the law.
WHAT THE DETAINEE'S DAUGHTER SAID
After the man's detention, his daughter made a public address. She stated that her father had never been a radical, had not called for extremism, had not created religious groups or spread ideas directed against the state and society.
According to her, her father said that before his speech he had watched a video about the place of music in Islam and, impressed by what he had seen, decided to express his opinion during a family celebration.
The daughter also attempted to explain the word “urghashy” used by the man, which had provoked a public reaction. She stated that her father had been speaking before relatives and close people and had not been addressing women across the whole country.
HOW YERLAN KARIN RESPONDED
Yerlan Karin also responded to the situation. He stated that the humiliation of women and a negative attitude towards singers and musical art do not correspond to the principles of a secular state.
Karin emphasised that the Constitution of the Republic of Kazakhstan remains the guiding reference for society, and that setting art and culture against religion is unacceptable.
