Olesya Khalabuzar was sentenced to two years of restriction of liberty for incetement of discord

On 1 August the head of NGO "Young Professionals Society" Olesya Khalabuza tried the csae on chare on icetement of ethnic discord (art. 174, part 1 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan). Judge of Almaly district court of AlmatyBeinegul Kaisina managed to conduct the case within one hour and sentenced the civic activist to two years of restriction of freedom.

According to Khalabuzar, she is not intended to appeal the court decision, thus it will automatically come into force. Before the sentence comes into legal force, Khalabuzar will be under recognizance not to leave. Than Khalabuzar will have to appear befor the probation suprvision within 10 days after the sentence comes into force and to observe the corresponding rules.

According to the prosecution, 39-year-old Almaty inhabitant Olesya Khalabuzar who had no criminal background "committed a serious crime against the peace and security of the mankind". At the beginning of 2017, Khalabuzar "had a direct criminal intent aimed at inciting ethnic discord by producing leaflets containing a text that had signs of inciting ethnic discord and hostility and spread them on the territory of Almaty." According to the prosecution, Khalabuzar produced those leaflets in her office this February when she was heading the NGO "Young Professionals Society" and then distributed them in Almaty.

Olesya Khalabuzar formally pleaded no defence in the court, stated repentance. The court herings were conducted in a fast-track procedurewithout interrogation of the victims and witnesses, with no witnesses on the case at all.