"Ресейдің сұрауы бойынша": Oral police detain independent journalist Лұқпан Ахмедияров after Russia reportedly placed him on international search

Police in the city of Oral (Uralsk) in Kazakhstan’s West Kazakhstan region detained independent journalist Лұқпан Ахмедияров on June 22 after telling him he was the subject of an international search issued at the request of the Russian Federation, a colleague reported on social media. The detention was disclosed by journalist Рауль Упоров on his Facebook page, who said that Ahмедияров called him to say he had been stopped on the street by police and informed that Russia had placed him on an international wanted list.

Uporov said the case on which the search is based was opened on December 25 of last year by the Moscow region branch of Russia’s interior ministry — referred to in local reporting as "Ресейдің Мәскеу облысының ішкі істер министрлігі". According to Uporov, Oral city police told Ahмедияров that they would take statements from him as part of that case. At the time of the report, Ahмедияров remained at a police facility in Oral.

Oral city police had not provided a public explanation for the detention when Azattyq published its report. The West Kazakhstan regional police department later told Azattyq, as well as Kazakh outlets Vlast and Ulysmedia.kz, that it was preparing an official comment regarding the detention of Лұқпан Ахмедияров.

Лұқпан Ахмедияров is known in Kazakhstan as one of the country’s independent journalists. He is the author of the YouTube project "Просто журналистика", which he runs with colleague Рауль Упоров. The channel has repeatedly covered politically sensitive subjects in Kazakhstan, and has also produced reporting from Ukraine, where the pair have traveled multiple times to document life in a conflict zone.

Ahмедияров’s reporting and public activism have previously brought him into conflict with authorities. On March 5 of this year, after returning from Ukraine, Ahмедияров, Упоров, and their camera operator Еркебұлан Ғапуов were stopped by law enforcement at the Astana airport; their documents were reportedly confiscated at that time and the three were briefly detained before being released. Last year, Ahмедияров was brought into police custody in Astana as a witness in a case described in local coverage as "көрінеу жалған ақпарат тарату" after he published video material alleging that some Kazakhs working in Russia were being pressured by Russian military authorities into signing military service contracts. The precise status and scope of that criminal investigation remain unclear beyond previous summonses and questioning by police.

Ahмедияров, a native of the West Kazakhstan region who has lived in Astana in recent years, has received multiple awards for his professional work. He has also faced lawsuits from officials and other forms of official pressure in response to reporting that criticizes government failings, exposes alleged corruption, or addresses sensitive political topics. The journalist survived an assassination attempt in 2012, according to prior reporting.

The detention in Oral, reported to be connected to actions by Russian authorities, underscores growing concerns about cross-border law enforcement measures affecting journalists and the use of international requests in ways that may chill independent reporting. Kazakhstan has in recent years been criticized by media freedom advocates for pressures on independent outlets and journalists; the latest case will likely draw attention from press freedom organizations and legal observers monitoring whether Russian authorities have formally sought extradition or other legal cooperation, and how Kazakh authorities will respond to such a request.

As of publication, regional police had indicated they were preparing an official statement, but had not released details about the grounds for the detention, whether a formal extradition request has been filed, or any next steps in legal proceedings. Journalists, media organizations, and human rights observers will be watching for clarifications from law enforcement and for any developments regarding charges, access to legal counsel, and the rights of the detained journalist under Kazakh and international law.