Kyrgyz Musician Seeks Compensation From Kazakhstan For Beating In Custody.

Vikram Ruzahunov says he suffered a chest injury, broken ribs, a concussion, and multiple bruises while in custody.

BISHKEK -- A well-known Kyrgyz jazz musician who was severely beaten while detained by police in Kazakhstan during deadly anti-government protests in January will seek financial compensation from Astana after an investigation into his treatment by police officers is complete.

Vikram Ruzakhunov's lawyer, Bakyt Avtandil, told RFE/RL on December 6 that the move will be made after the ongoing evidence-checking process and the investigation end.
Ruzakhunov, who says he suffered a chest injury, broken ribs, a concussion, and multiple bruises while in custody, visited Kazakhstan in September after Kazakh officials launched a probe into his beating in Almaty. Anti-government protests sparked by a fuel-price hike erupted in Kazakhstan in early January. President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev has publicly blamed what he said were "extremists" trained abroad for attacking Almaty during the unrest. He has not produced any evidence to back up the claim. Ruzakhunov's situation was amplified when a Kazakh television channel showed a video in which he said he was recruited by an unspecified group to take part in the unrest for $200. In the video, severe bruises can be seen on Ruzakhunov's face, backing up his claims that he was forced to make the statement. The video sparked protests in Kyrgyzstan, where Ruzakhunov was immediately recognized by fans. He was freed several days after his arrest and allowed to go to Bishkek after the Kyrgyz government demanded his release. Kazakh officials said earlier that six people were tortured to death after being arrested for taking part in the protests, and 238 people died during or after the unrest, which was violently dispersed by law enforcement and the armed forces. The Kazakh Prosecutor-General's Office has said 25 people were officially considered victims of torture as investigators used hot irons during their interrogations. Human rights groups insist that the number of killed during the unrest may be much bigger, presenting proof that many peaceful demonstrators and persons who had nothing to do with the protesters were killed by police and military personnel following Toqaev's "shoot-to-kill-without-warning" order. In July, police in the Kyrgyz capital, Bishkek, concluded that Kazakh authorities had inflicted severe injuries on Ruzakhunov's body during his illegal arrest in January.