In May 2022, a number of people gathered in a cramped office room in Almaty to meet with three lawyers, Tolegen Berlikozha, Ainara Aidarkhanova, and Zhalgas Saparkhanova. They were some of the participants in Qandy Qantar (Kazakh for “Bloody January”, the violent repression of urban protests across the country), and they wanted justice.
Some of them had been victims of violence during the events of Qandy Qantar, some had suffered torture during their detention. Around 10,000 people were arrested in the commotion of January 2022, which resulted in 238 killed and thousands injured.
Vlast spoke with the three lawyers, who are still defending their clients, more than a year and a half later.