Bolat Atabaev

In May 2011, oil workers in the city of Zhanaozen in Kazakhstan's Mangystau Province began striking. Atabaev joined the workers and worked to communicate their demands to authorities.

On 16–17 December 2011, the region saw a series of riots in which striking oil workers clashed with state security forces. At least 15 civilians were killed and 100 wounded by police shootings.{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-17867171 |title=Kazakh police on trial over Zhanaozen violence |date=27 April 2012 |publisher=BBC News |access-date=23 June 2012}}

Atabaev publicly protested the use of lethal force against the protesters. In early 2012, he joined a public commission founded by activists to investigate the violence.{{cite web |url=http://www.rferl.org/content/member_of_public_commission_probing_kazakh_oil_town_charged_with_crime/24472282.html |title=Member Of Public Commission Probing Kazakh Oil Town Clash Charged With Crime |date=3 February 2012 |publisher=Radio Free Europe |access-date=23 June 2012}} In March, he also staged a play in Almaty which dealt with the Zhanaozen events indirectly. Titled Avalanche, the play showed daily life in a mountain village in which villagers must obey every order of their elders in order to avoid actions which might trigger a deadly avalanche. After the elders order a pregnant woman to be buried alive, however, the villagers realize the threat of avalanche was manufactured by the elders to maintain control, and they rebel. All proceeds from the play were donated to the families of those who died in the Zhanaozen shootings.{{cite web |url=http://www.rferl.org/content/kazakh_play_indirectly_references_zhanaozen_bviolence/24516812.html |title=Kazakh Play Indirectly References Zhanaozen Violence |date=15 March 2012 |publisher=Radio Free Europe |access-date=23 June 2012}}

On 6 January 2012, the National Security Committee of the Republic of Kazakhstan (NSC) charged Atabaev with "inciting social discord" for his role in the protests. He was later released on bail. The charge carries a maximum sentence of ten years' imprisonment. Several other opposition figures were arrested in connection with the protests, including journalist Zhanbolat Mamay, politician Serik Sapargali, and Democratic Choice of Kazakhstan leader Vladimir Kozlov.{{cite web |url=http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Central_Asia/NF08Ag01.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120607211310/http://atimes.com/atimes/Central_Asia/NF08Ag01.html |url-status=unfit |archive-date=7 June 2012 |title=Kazakh riot trials spread punishment |author=Margarita Assenova |date=8 June 2012 |work=Asia Times Online |access-date=23 June 2012}}

In early June, Atabaev refused to report for an interrogation, which the court had made a condition of his bail. On 14 June, the court authorized his arrest, and he was arrested by the NSC the following day. Atabaev stated that he had "refused to go for interrogation so as to protest against the charges brought against him and to highlight the injustice of the government's treatment of protesters and striking workers in Zhanaozen."

Amnesty International condemned the charges, which it described as "trumped-up". The organization designated Atabaev a prisoner of conscience, "detained solely for exercising his right to freedom of expression". Human Rights Watch also protested the arrest of Atabaev and other activists, stating that "If the Kazakh authorities can prove these political activists were involved in the violence in Zhanaozen, they shouldn’t need to resort to using vague and undefined criminal allegations to imprison them ... The 'inciting social discord' charge should be dropped immediately and those against whom there is no evidence of any violent activity should be released from custody."{{cite web |url=https://www.hrw.org/news/2012/01/24/kazakhstan-opposition-activists-arrested |title=Kazakhstan: Opposition Activists Arrested |date=25 January 2012 |publisher=Human Rights Watch |access-date=23 June 2012}} Anti-censorship group ARTICLE 19 described the charge as "spurious" and "alarming", warning that the arrests of Atabaev and others would have "a chilling effect on freedom of expression in Kazakhstan".{{cite web |url=http://www.article19.org/resources.php/resource/3332/en/kazakhstan:-activists-arrested-on-charges-of-inciting-hatred |title=Kazakhstan: Activists arrested on charges of inciting hatred |date=15 June 2012 |publisher=ARTICLE 19 |access-date=23 June 2012}}

The German government called for his release, with Human Rights Commissioner Markus Loening describing Atabaev as "guilty of only using his constitutional right of free expression".{{cite web |url=http://www.rferl.org/content/kazakhstan-theater-director-atabaev-germany/24619908.html |title=Germany Calls For Release Of Kazakh Theater Director |date=20 June 2012 |publisher=Radio Free Europe |access-date=23 June 2012}} German film director Volker Schlöndorff, a friend of Atabaev's, also appealed to the Kazakh government on his behalf.

Atabaev was released on 3 July after being made to sign a document stating that "I am sorry that the bloodshed happened". His official status was subsequently changed from "accused" to "witness".{{cite web |url=http://www.rferl.org/content/kazakhstan-theater-director-atabaev-freed-clashes-incitement/24634882.html |title=Kazakh Authorities Free Director Held Over Labor Deaths |date=4 July 2012 |publisher=Radio Free Europe |access-date=4 July 2012}}

In August 2012, Atabaev was awarded the Goethe Medal of Germany's Goethe-Institut, a prize of the German government for non-citizens for artistic contributions.{{Cite web|url=https://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/en/newsroom/news/120828-stmpieper-goethe-medaillen/251290|title = Speech by Minister of State Cornelia Pieper upon the presentation of the 2012 Goethe Medal to Irena Veisaitė, Dževad Karahasan and Bolat Atabayev, Weimar, 28 August 2012}}

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Category:1952 births

Category:2021 deaths

Category:Amnesty International prisoners of conscience held by Kazakhstan

Category:Place of birth missing

Category:Kazakhstani prisoners and detainees

Category:Kazakhstani theatre people

Category:People from Almaty Region