Arrest was prolonged till 10 May for Zhanbolat Mamay

On 31 March complaints of Mamay’s lawyer Zhanara Balgabayeva were considered by Medeu District Court of Almaty. It was planned to consider the complaints for conducting investigative actions in absence of Mamay’s lawyer and for non-provision of the status of public defender to Mamay’s father. Thehearingswerescheduledfor  3 PM.

In hour and a half before the hearings the lawyer was informed that the issue of Mamay’s pre-trial restriction would be considered as well.

Before the beginning of the hearings Mamay once again confirmed that he did not commit any crime and considered the criminal case against him to be politically motivated.  

«There was no crime committed, I have nothing to do with Ablyazov. If there is a criminal case, Ablyazov and Zharimbetov’s case should be considered first and after that my case should be considered (Zhaksylyk Zharimbetov is suspected to be Ablyazov’s bonnet). And now Zharimbetov is at liberty and I am arrested», - Mamay said.

Court hearings on all three issues were conducted behind closed doors. Dozens of Mamay’s supporters  stood in front of the court building so that Mamay could see them through the window. Besides, about 30 sureties were collected that in case Mamay would be released on bail or placed under home arrest he would appear for interrogations and other investigative actions. Among the sureties there were politician Amirzhan Kosanov, head of the “DAT”  project Ermurat Bapy, journalists Ramazan Esergepov and Rozlana Taukina and others. Nevertheless, the court did not take those sureties into account. As the public prosecutor said he was not acquainted with the sureties and did not consider them reputable citizens.

The court hearings went on till 11 PM. The pre-trial restriction in form of arrest was prolonged for Mamay for one more month – till 10 May.

«The pre-trial restriction – arrest – was prolonged for one month and the main argument for such prolongation was that “Narymbayev escaped, so Mamay would escape as well”, - said Mamay’s lawyer Zhanara Balgabayeva.

The court dismissed the complaint for the investigator’s procedural defects. As for providing the status of public defender to Mamay’s, the judge said that she would consider this issue at her sole discretion.

Searches in the editorial office of newspaper “Tribuna. Sayasi Kalam” and in the house of its editor-in-chief Zhanbolat Mamay were conducted on February 10, 2017. Later the same day Zhanbolat Mamay was detained by officers of National Anti-Corruption Bureau within the scope of investigation of the case over embezzlement of “BTA” bank funds by Mukhtar Ablyazov.

On February 11, 2017 Medeu District Court of Almaty sanctioned arrest of the editor-in-chief of  “Tribuna” newspaper Zhanbolat Mamay for two months within the frameworks of investigation of the criminal case on embezzlement “BTA Bank” funds by Mukhtar Ablyazov.

Before his arrest  Zhanbolat Mamay made a public statement:

“I, Zhanbolat Mamay, I do not plead myself guilty to charges brought against me. I have never carried out any business or financial activity. I consider this criminal proceeding to be politically motivated pressure brought upon my journalistic activity and attempt to close newspaper “Tribuna”.

On 20 February Almaty City Court dismissed Mamay’s appeal and refused to change the pre-trial restriction from arrest to bail.  

On 21 February the editor-in-chief of the newspaper “Tribuna. Sayasi Kalam” Zhanbolat Mamay informed from pre-trial detention center #18 informed of beating, extortion and serious reasons to be under apprehension of his life. 

After the active interference of human rights groups Mamay was transferred to another cell. According to him presently he is not under any pressure from the administration of the pre-trial detention center or the cellmates.