Kazakh court sentences ex-defense minister to 12 year in prison

ASTANA. KAZINFORM - A Kazakh court confirmed Thursday it had sentenced former defense minister Murat Bektanov to 12 years in prison for his role in the January events that shocked the country at the start of 2022, Kazinform has learned from BaigeNews.kz.

The specialized military court reportedly announced the 12-year sentence to the ex-defense minister on February 24, 2023.

No additional details were added since Bektanov’s case was marked as ‘top secret’.

The investigation into Murat Bektanov’s role and culpable inaction during the January events began on February 19, 2022.

According to President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, during the January unrest that gripped Kazakhstan last year military forces had demonstrated criminal inaction and were not able to perform their duties properly.

This January Prosecutor General Berik Assylov said Bektanov was charged for issuing unobeyable orders, abandoning strategically important military objects and malfeasance in service conditions.