Kazakhstan: Prominent journalist killed in Ukraine

Journalist and prominent government critic Aidos Sadykov died on July 2, after a shooting in Kyiv on June 18 left him comatose and hospitalised. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joins its affiliates, the Federation of Equal Kazakh Journalists (FEJK), and the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine (NUJU) in strongly condemning the killing and urging both Kazakh and Ukrainian authorities to conduct a transparent and thorough investigation into the incident.

Journalist Aidos Sadykov was fatally shot on June 18, dying of his injuries on July 2. Credit: Twitter

According to Aidos' wife, Natalya Sadykov, the journalist was shot while driving near his home in Kyiv's Shevchenkivsky district when a man emerged and fired into the vehicle, striking Aidos in the head. According to Al Jazeera, Ukrainian authorities have described the killing as 'carefully planned'. Following the attack, the journalist was hospitalised, and was rendered comatose. The journalist's wife confirmed he had died at 3:00am on July 2 in a Facebook post.

Ukrainian police reported that they had identified two suspects on June 20, with Ukraine's prosecutor general alleging that two Kazakh citizens suspected of involvement had left the country for neighbouring Moldova that same day. One alleged suspect, Altai Zhakanbayev, is currently in Kazakh custody after turning himself in to Kazakh internal affairs authorities on June 22. Another alleged suspect and former police officer, Meiram Karataev, is currently at large. Kazakhstan has refused to extradite Zhakanbayev to Ukraine.

Kazakh authorities have denied the involvement of its government in the killing, with President Tokayev emphasising his government's commitment to the rule of law. On July 3, the Ukrainian Prosecutor General's Office has officially reclassified the case under premeditated murder and criminal conspiracy charges.

Prior to the attack, Natalya reported the couple had received threats for their coverage of political events in Kazakhstan.

Aidos and Natalya have lived in Ukraine as refugees since 2014, running the YouTube channel 'Base', known for its criticism of Kazakh authorities. Previously a regional leader of the opposition Nationwise Social Democratic Party and advocate for trade unions in the oil and gas sectors, Aidos was arrested for two years in prison in 2010 on 'hooliganism' charges. In October 2023, Sadykov was placed on a wanted list in Kazakhstan for "incitement of enmity", related to his reporting and support for protests in 2022.

The NUJU said: "The National Union of Journalists of Ukraine (NUJU) expresses its heartfelt condolences to Aidos Sadykov's family and all our Kazakh colleagues. It's tragic when someone falls victim to a targeted, murderous attack due to their active citizenship and professional journalistic activities. This is especially poignant in a country actively experiencing war, where the journalistic community's efforts are primarily focused on war-related threats. Ukrainian law enforcement swiftly identified the killers, who have since left our country. We hope the international community will assist in bringing them to justice. It's vital to demonstrate that crimes against journalists will be thoroughly investigated, regardless of where they were committed or where the perpetrators have fled."

The FEJK said: "Their channel has a large audience and people trusted Aidos and Natalya Sadykov. We demand that those responsible are found and are held to account."

IFJ General Secretary Anthony Bellanger said:"The killing of Aidos Sadykov by Kazakh assailants in Kyiv is tragic, and must be be subject to a thorough investigation from both Kazakh and Ukrainian authorities. Journalists must be free to operate without fear of retribution, and Aidos' killing while in asylum is deeply suspicious. Those responsible must be held to account."