Kazakh journalist Duman Mukhammedkarim (Думан Мұхаммедкәрім), known for his popular YouTube channel “Ne Deidi?” (What Do They Say? – https://www.youtube.com/@ND-arnasy/featured), has been hospitalized in Qonaev (Қонаев), Kazakhstan, due to severe health issues. His health has significantly deteriorated due to ongoing stress and multiple hunger strikes. He suffers from kidney and stomach problems, as well as a protruding disc that causes severe back pain, making it difficult for him to sit for more than two or three hours.
Mukhammedkarim was detained in June 2023 after conducting an online interview with Mukhtar Ablyazov (Мұхтар Әблязовтан), a fugitive banker and government critic. Ablyazov’s movement, the Democratic Choice of Kazakhstan (Қазақстанның демократиялық таңдауы – ҚДТ), was labeled extremist and banned in March 2018. This led to Mukhammedkarim facing charges of financing an extremist group and participating in banned group activities.
Mukhammedkarim’s trial commenced on 12 February 2024, but he alleged that he was beaten by jail guards, prompting an investigation that was later closed due to “lack of evidence.” His trial was postponed but has since resumed. If convicted, he faces up to 12 years in prison.
Throughout his detention, Mukhammedkarim has frequently protested his treatment by going on hunger strikes. His weight dropped dramatically from 95 kilograms to 60 kilograms, although he has regained about five kilograms since ending his most recent hunger strike. He has repeatedly halted his hunger strikes due to health concerns or partial fulfillment of his demands.
The South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) is in solildarity with Duman Mukhammedkarim. Mukhammedkarim faces up to 12 years in prison under accusations of financing and participating in an extremist group. SEEMO calls the authorities to secure all health support the journalists needs, stop the coutr process against him and respect human rights and press freedom in the country.
The South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) is a regional non-governmental, non profit network of editors, media executives and leading journalists in Southeast, South, East and Central Europe. SEEMO members are in Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Moldova (with the territory of Transdnestria), Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Türkiye / Turkey, Ukraine and Uzbekistan. Austria, Italy, Vatican and San Marino have a special status in SEEMO. SEEMO has over 3000 individual members, and additional media as corporate members.
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