The murder of a Kazakh journalist in Kyiv: who is Aidos Sadykov and who needs his death?
2 July 2024 12:23
“He was martyred by the murderers”! On the night of 2 July, Kazakh opposition journalist Aidos Sadykov, who was assassinated in the capital of Ukraine on 18 June, died in Kyiv. His wife, Natalia Sadykova, wrote about this on Facebook, accusing the President of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Zhomart Tokayev, of being responsible for her husband’s death, reports "Komersant Ukrainian"
What Aidos Sadykov is known for
Aidos Sadykov is a Kazakh journalist and political activist who is known for his opposition to the regime of Nursultan Nazarbayev. His activities often provoked resentment from the authorities, which led to numerous conflicts and scandals. Sadykov worked for various media outlets, including opposition publications, where he covered corruption scandals, human rights viol ations and other issues related to the government of Kazakhstan. He was an active participant and organiser of various protests.
One of the most famous actions organised by Sadykov was a series of protests in 2011 during the wave of democratic movements in Kazakhstan. The aim of this movement was to protect human rights and freedom of speech in the country.
Sadykov also organised and participated in events aimed at supporting victims of political repression, including the families of arrested activists. He spoke out against the persecution of opposition politicians, activists and journalists in Kazakhstan.
Arrests and persecution
Arrest in 2009. Sadykov was arrested in Kazakhstan on charges of hooliganism, which he and his supporters believed to be politically motivated. He was sentenced to prison, but his sentence was later commuted to a suspended sentence.
Persecution in 2011. As repression against opposition activists in Kazakhstan intensified, Sadykov faced new persecution, both against him and his family. This forced him to leave the country.
Exile. The activist sought political asylum in Europe and lived in several countries, including Ukraine.
Aidos Sadykov in Ukraine
Since 2014, Aidos Sadykov and his wife have been living in Ukraine and have been granted refugee status. Here, he continued his activist work, collaborated with various human rights organisations, and advised other Kazakhstani activists.
The protests of 2019. Sadykov supported the protests that arose after the announcement of Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s victory in the presidential election. He spoke out against election fraud and demanded democratic reforms.
He also contributed to international pressure on the Kazakh authorities to carry out democratic reforms, which was apparently monitored from the pro-government offices.
In October 2023, Aidos Sadykov was put on the wanted list in his homeland for so-called “incitement to hatred”.
Details of Sadykov’s murder in Kyiv
on 18 June 2024, a shooting took place in the Shevchenkivskyi district of Kyiv. According to preliminary information from the investigation, an unknown person ran up to the car and fired a gun at Aidos Sadykov while he and his wife were in the car. The assassination attempt took place not far from the house where the couple lived.
The Kazakh opposition journalist was seriously injured in the assassination attempt.
on21 June 2024, Ukraine put two citizens of Kazakhstan on the international wanted list. They are suspected of committing an attempted murder of Aidos Sadykov. Kazakhstan denies any involvement in the murder.
on28 June, the chairman of the Senate of the Central Asian country, Maulen Ashimbayev, said that he would not extradite the suspect in the attempted murder of the oppositionist to Ukraine.
On the night of 2 July, the Kazakh oppositionist died in Kyiv. His wife, Natalia Sadykova, said on Facebook that Tokayev was responsible for her husband’s death.
Anastasia Fedor
