Friends of Aigerim Tleuzhan denied visit at prison

At the women’s prison in Zhaugashty, civic activists Abzal Dostiyar and Dauren Dostiyar were denied a short-term visit with journalist and political prisoner Aigerim Tleuzhan. Prison staff explained the refusal by saying that only relatives are allowed to visit convicted prisoners.

Dauren Dostiyar reported the incident on social media. According to him, he and Abzal arrived at the prison in the morning. After registering their documents, they were asked to fill out applications for a visit, but more than two hours later they were informed that the meeting would not be allowed.

According to the author of the post, a prison officer who introduced himself as responsible for internal order said that short-term visits are granted only to relatives, not friends. The visitors pointed out that they had previously met with Aigerim Tleuzhan at the same prison.

Abzal Dostiyar asked prison staff to explain the legal grounds for the refusal and later met with the head of the institution. According to those involved, they were not given a specific explanation for why the visit had been denied.

Sergei Utkin, a lawyer with the International Foundation for Protection of Freedom of Speech “Adil Soz”, notes that the Penal Enforcement Code expressly allows short-term visits not only with relatives:

“Under Part 2 of Article 106 of the Penal Enforcement Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan, short-term visits lasting two hours are granted with a spouse, relatives or other persons in the presence of a representative of the institution’s administration, with the right to receive a parcel. In other words, short-term visits with other persons are expressly permitted by law. Visits are granted in accordance with the institutions’ internal regulations.”

Therefore, the mere absence of a family relationship is not, in itself, a ground for refusing a visit under the Penal Enforcement Code.

Adil Soz believes that the prison administration should clearly explain the legal grounds for the refusal in this specific case and identify the provision under which Aigerim Tleuzhan was not permitted to meet with the visitors.