An Islamic man was waving a machete and threatening people on the street.
Instead of waiting for police, the crowd took matters into their own hands and dealt with him.
Do you stand with these brave civilians?
A. Yes
B. No
January 23, 2026
Today, in the city of Taldykorgan, Almaty Region of Kazakhstan, a court hearing was held in the case against 19 citizens accused of “burning the flag of the People’s Republic of China and a portrait of Chinese President Xi Jinping.” Eighteen of the defendants are members of the Atajurt human rights organization, while one defendant has no affiliation with the organization.
Prior to the hearing, government representatives officially announced that the trial would be conducted in an open format. However, shortly before the hearing began, a sudden decision was made to hold the trial behind closed doors.
After international human rights organizations declared that they would closely monitor the case and provide a legal assessment, it became known that the Kazakh authorities had taken various measures to keep the case out of the international spotlight.
In particular, officials visited the home of the wife of one detained defendant and exerted pressure on her. They demanded that she submit a request agreeing to a closed trial, offering in return to arrange a single, short-term meeting with her husband.
The woman firmly refused this demand.
Following this, the authorities turned to the defendant who is not a member of the Atajurt organization and persuaded him to agree to a closed trial. It has emerged that this individual’s mother-in-law had, back in 2019, betrayed the Atajurt organization and begun cooperating with the National Security Committee (KNB).
Today, at a decisive moment, this same defendant also betrayed the other defendants.
One thing is now clear:
The Kazakh authorities are doing everything possible to conceal this case from the international community and to cover up the unjust trial being conducted against the 19 citizens.
Initially, the authorities aimed to convict all 19 defendants, completely shut down the activities of the Atajurt organization, and thereby appease the Chinese government. However, after international organizations and the U.S. Congress committee dealing with China-related issues intervened, this plan failed.
As a result, the authorities were unable to hide the consequences of their actions and found themselves internationally embarrassed and disgraced.
The court hearing has been postponed until January 29, 2026.
The January 29 hearing will also be held behind closed doors.