The Almaty District Court of Astana dismissed the claim of Vikram Ruzakhunov against the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan for the protection of honor, dignity and business reputation. The musician’s page on Instagram says.
The lawyers of the Kyrgyzstani asked to recognize the information spread about him as untrue and to oblige the Ministry of Internal Affairs to issue a public apology.
Judge Rasul Karagev presided over the trial. The court held four preparatory sessions and three hearings on the case.
«The head of the press service of the Almaty Police Department Saltanat Azirbek was questioned at the trial. According to her, on January 8, 2022, she, with the personnel and the operator of the Almaty TV channel, visited the reception center in Koshmambet village, where they interviewed four detainees, including Vikram Ruzakhunov — all materials were transmitted via the local network to the Ministry of Internal Affairs,» the statement says.
In response to lawyers’ questions, the witness explained that she did not remember who gave her the order to take the interview, it was oral.
She allegedly did not notice any signs of beatings on the musician, she only saw untied shoelaces. The names of the detainees were not given to her.
After questioning the witnesses and oral statements of the parties, the court went to the deliberation room.
«The court announced the operative part of the decision — to dismiss the claim in full. A private complaint can be filed against the court ruling within 10 days,» the statement says.
The plaintiff and his official representatives intend to appeal this decision to a higher authority.
On January 9, social media and Kazakh TV channels showed a video, in which a man says that he came to Kazakhstan to participate in a rally in Almaty. It is said in the video that some people called the Kyrgyzstani on January 1 and offered to participate in the rally for $200. The man was identified as the head of a jazz orchestra from Bishkek Vikram Ruzakhunov.
Activists and journalists of Kyrgyzstan appealed to the authorities of the two countries with a request to release the detained musician and return him to his homeland. He crossed the Kyrgyz-Kazakh border on January 10 at 6.40 p.m.
«All my evidence in the video is false. Bruises and scratches appeared on January 7, it was a harsh detention with the use of force,» the musician told journalists after arrival in Bishkek.
Criminal cases have been initiated on the fact of detention and ill-treatment of Kyrgyzstanis Cholponbek Sydykov and Vikram Ruzakhunov.
