Additional Name(s): Дадаш Мәженовтің
Gender: Male
Current Location: ZK-169/1 Prison, Kyzylorda
Perpetrator: Kazakhstan
Religion or Belief: Muslim – Sunni
Reports of Torture: Yes
Reports of Medical Neglect: No
Appeal: Rejected
Sentence: 7 Years, 8 Months' Imprisonment
Date of Detainment: April/23/2018
Date of Sentencing: October/13/2020
Current Status: Not Released
Religious Leader: No
Most Recent Type of Abuse: Imprisonment
Reason for Persecution: Giving, Sharing, & Listening to a Religious Speech Online Activity
Nature of Charges: Incitement to Commit Crime & Violence Terrorism
Dadash Mazhenov is imprisoned for posting online religious content.
On April 23, 2018, authorities arrested Mazhenov in relation to posts he made online containing religious sermons in 2015, despite deleting the content in 2017.
On November 16, 2018, the Burabai District Court sentenced Mazhenov to seven years and eight months in prison for “promotion of terrorism or public calls for making of the act of terrorism…with use of mass media or networks of telecommunications” (Art. 256-2 KCC). It also fined him 60,790 tenges.
On January 30, 2019, the Akmola Regional Court upheld Mazhenov's sentence but reduced his fine to 1,255 tenges.
On February 25, 2019, Mazhenov's bank accounts were frozen after he was placed on the Finance Ministry's watch list.
On January 21, 2020, the Supreme Court annulled Mazhenov's conviction and ordered that he be given a new trial.
On October 13, 2020, the Akmola Regional Court upheld Mazhenov's original verdict and fined him 134,599 tenges.
Mazhenov has reportedly been tortured while imprisoned, specifically in relation to practicing his religion in prison.
Mazhenov is serving his sentence in Kyzylorda's ZK-169/1 Prison.
Mazhenov is married.
Photo Credit: Sanya Toiken (RFE/RL); Copyright (c)2023 RFE/RL, Inc. Used with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave NW, Ste 400, Washington DC 20036. "Терроризмді насихаттады" деп сотталған Мәженовтің анасы: Ұлымды түрмеде-ұрып соққан, азаптаған
""Терроризмді насихаттады" деп сотталған Мәженовтің анасы: Ұлымды түрмеде-ұрып соққан, азаптаған" Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL)
"Kazakhstan: Tortured prisoner of conscience jailed again" Forum 18
2020 Report on International Religious Freedom: Kazakhstan U.S. Department of State
Kazakhstan: Events of 2020 Human Rights Watch
"Жоғарғы сот "терроризм" айыбымен сотталған Маженовтің ісін қайта қарауға жіберді" Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL)
"Kazakhstan: Second long jailing for online Islamic talks" Forum 18
"Kazakhstan: Ever harsher jailings for religious talks" Forum 18