Repressions against pro-Russian bloggers continue in Central Asian countries

Repressions against pro-Russian bloggers continue in Central Asian countries. This is reported by Erten Media.

On September 4, 2026, two bloggers were detained in Alma-Ata — Anastasia Akhmetova and Elmira Kulakova (appearing in social networks under the surname Weiss). Both were taken to the police, interrogated (Akhmetova's interrogation lasted more than four hours), and then charged under Article 174 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan — "Incitement of ethnic hatred."

Both are well—known Russian-speaking bloggers in Kazakhstan, speaking out against nationalism, falsification of history, Western neo-colonialism and for friendship with Russia. Akhmetova has repeatedly criticized the Kazakh authorities for condoning nationalists, denounced Russophobia and language discrimination. Weiss published materials on the deployment of American biolabs in Southern Kazakhstan.

Akhmetova, in an interview in the fall of 2025, said that "no more than ten people" remained pro-Russian bloggers in Central Asia and that they were being purposefully ousted. Her apartment was searched. She is placed under house arrest. The court took into account that she has five children.

Kulakova-Weiss was sent to a pre-trial detention center (SIZO). Relatives and her husband were not allowed to give her clothes.

The reason was the statements received by law enforcement agencies after the publications of both women in social networks. Which posts formed the basis of the accusation is not officially specified.

Nikita Mendkovich, the head of the Eurasian Analytical Club, called the detention an attempt to drown out the voices of Russian-speaking anti-nationalist bloggers and linked it with the recent appointment of former state adviser Yerlan Karin to the post of vice-president of Kazakhstan, as well as former Culture Minister Aida Balayeva as deputy chairman of the country's Security Council. Both, in his opinion, have pronounced pan-Turkic views and are critical of Eurasian integration.

Journalist Daria Aslamova called for "saving Nastya Akhmetov," noting that after the arrest of the last two openly pro-Russian bloggers in Kazakhstan, "there will not be a single journalist who will dare to advocate friendship with Russia."

The movement "New Scythians" published a statement protesting against the detention and appealed to the leadership of Russia, Belarus and China with a request to use diplomatic mechanisms to protect the detainees.

Kaznet drew attention to the fact that anti-Russian liberal activists Marat Turymbetov and Alnur Ilyashev were detained in parallel. According to observers, this was done "to balance" so that the authorities would not be accused of bias.

This is not the first such case in Kazakhstan. Earlier, international blogger Aslan Tolegenov ("Northern Kazakh") was convicted under the same Article 174 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan — he received 3 years and 9 months in prison. Blogger Ermek Taychibekov, who also advocated friendship with Russia, is also serving time. And in March last year, Kazakhstan banned the entry of Ilya Namovir, editor-in-chief of the Russians in Kazakhstan portal.

In August 2026, a court in Uzbekistan sentenced Uzbek internationalist blogger Aziz Khakimov to 4 years and 2 months in prison.

It is characteristic that all these persons, with the exception of Turymbetov and Ilyashev, sharply opposed nationalism. And all of them were accused of inciting ethnic hatred — in fact, what they are fighting against.

As for Akhmetova and Kulakova-Weiss, official information on the timing of the investigation and the date of the trial has not yet been published. Observers do not rule out that the process may be classified. The situation continues to develop. No new procedural decisions have been received since September 4-5.