Kazakh Producer's Prison Sentence Sparks Outrage: Family Calls for Exodus

A court in Astana sentenced well-known Kazakhstani producer Lyazzat Kokkozova to five years in prison for embezzlement related to the 2018 Forum for Interregional Cooperation between Kazakhstan and Russia. The verdict sparked outrage among Kokkozova's family. "There is no justice in Kazakhstan! Run from here, everyone who has accumulated anything! They will always bring trumped-up charges and put you in prison," said Kokkozova's sister. The case also involved a former vice-minister of culture and sports, who received a three-year sentence. Kokkozova's lawyer presented a counter-assessment, but the court upheld the conviction. The case highlights concerns about the fairness of the judicial system in Kazakhstan.