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Yesergepov, Ramazan

Gender: .
State of concern: .

Who, Why and How exiled:

Ramazan Yesergepov is a government critic and journalist. Yesergepov was formerly editor of an obscure and sporadically published Almaty-based newspapers called 'let's start from Monday' «Начнем с понедельника» or Alma-Ata Info (Radio Free Europe, 2017). He was also head of the civil society organisation  "Journalists in Trouble" (Radio Free Europe, 2017).

Category of exile: . (Definitions here.)
Alleged affiliation: Civil society, Journalist.

Which stages experienced: Stage 1   Stage 2   Stage 3. (Definitions here.)
Date of most serious incident: 2017.
Violence experienced: .

Stage 1 details (accusations/ charges/ Interpol notice/ extradition requests):

Yesergepov believed he was going to be set up by the Kazakh government to avoid him continuing to appeal his conviction (Eurasinanet, 2017).

Stage 2 details (arrest/ detention/ extradition):

In August 2009, he was sentenced to three years in jail for purportedly reproducing classified information in an article in his newspaper. He has since lobbied to have his conviction overturned, arguing that he was denied a fair trial (Eurasianet, 2017).

Stage 3 details (attack/ abduction/ rendition/ torture/ assassination/ death):

In mid-May 2017, Yesergepov, 61, was victim of a stabbing on a train as he was heading for meeting with Western diplomats to raise the issue of a jailed newspaper editor, Zhanbolat Mamay, who is awaiting trial on charges that he used his outlet to launder money (Eurasianet, 2017).

International arrest warrant: .

Countries of transit, asylum and/or residence: .

Current status:

In 2017 Yesergepov fled to France (Paris) in self-imposed exile (Eursianet, 2017, Radio Free Europe, 2017). He applied for political asylum in France. (Radio Azattyk, 2017).


Press sources:

Eurasianet, 2017. 'Kazakhstan: Government Critic Flees, Seeks Refuge in Europe'. August 4, 2017. [Online]. Available at: http://www.eurasianet.org/node/84641?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=facebook

Radio Free Europe, 2017. "Путь Рамазана Есергепова до Парижа" August 7, 2017.[Online]. Available at: https://rus.azattyq.org/a/kazakhstan-ramazan-esergepov-francia/28660510.html

Radio Azattyk (2017) Сто дней Рамазана Есергепова в Париже. [online] Радио Азаттык. Available at: https://rus.azattyq.org/a/ramazan-yesergepov-francia-ubezhische/28849115.html[Accessed 5 Feb. 2019].