Responding to news that Kazakhstani authorities have detained Batikha Bilashkyzy, whose brother, Serikzhan Bilash, is a human rights defender and the founder of the Atajurt movement, Marie Struthers, Amnesty International’s Eastern Europe and Central Asia Director, said:
“Batikha Bilashkyzy’s detention on apparently politically motivated and fabricated fraud charges is deeply alarming. She must be released unless she is promptly charged with an internationally recognizable criminal offence and her fair trial rights are respected.”
“Any targeting of Batikha Bilashkyzy solely because of her family ties or peaceful expression of solidarity with Atajurt’s mission would amount to another attempt by the Kazakhstani authorities to intimidate those associated with the Atajurt movement and its work documenting the repression of ethnic Kazakhs and other Turkic minorities in China.
“The Kazakhstani authorities must end the harassment of Atajurt members, supporters and their families.”
Background
On the evening of June 25, law enforcement and security officers forcibly entered the home of Batikha Bilashkyzy, elder sister of Serikzhan Bilash, in the village of Saimasai, Almaty Region. They confiscated her mobile phone and copies of the Koran, and took her to the police station in the town of Konaev. At the time of writing, she remains in custody. Her lawyer and family have not been told when a detention hearing will take place.
Batikha Bilashkyzy is not known to have been politically active. She reportedly attended several court hearings in support of Atajurt members but stopped after local officials reportedly intimidated her.
Her detention comes amid a wider crackdown on the Atajurt movement. In April 2026, 19 activists were convicted over a peaceful protest calling for the release of a Kazakhstani citizen detained in China’s XUAR. Eleven received five-year prison sentences for “incitement of interethnic or social discord,” while eight others received non-custodial sentences. Their convictions were upheld on appeal on June 9.
Amnesty International has previously called on the Kazakhstani authorities to quash the convictions of the Atajurt activists and ensure that everyone in Kazakhstan can exercise their rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association without intimidation or reprisals.
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