The Prosecutor General’s Office in Kazakhstan has opened an inquiry into recent events in North Kazakhstan after a video circulated on social media. The footage shows participants at a gathering linked to the Petropavlovsk city scene, where some speakers proclaimed rejection of the current Republic and called for a return to the Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic structure. Reports on the matter have been covered by Tengrinews.kz and other outlets, prompting official scrutiny.
On March 30, 2023, the North Kazakhstan regional department of the National Security Committee initiated a preliminary inquiry under Article 180, Part 2 of the Criminal Code. The charge concerns planning separatist propaganda among a group of people using media channels. The move marks the start of formal investigative steps aimed at establishing the facts and assessing potential violations of local and national law. Investigators said the process would involve reviewing communications, gathering testimonies, and examining related materials to determine the scope of any planned activities.
A dedicated investigative team has been formed, and prosecutors have been assigned to handle the case. The authorities have conducted searches for pertinent documents and have ordered forensic examinations to support the legal assessment. These actions illustrate the state’s approach to upholding constitutional order while ensuring due process in the handling of sensitive political discourse that surfaces online and in public forums.
The initial video emerged from a gathering described as a meeting of workers in Petropavlovsk. It appears to depict efforts to recreate or restore a council associated with the Kazakh SSR based on the 1937 constitutional framework. The content has sparked discussion about regional identity and the historical context of the Kazakh state, as observers analyze the implications of revisiting historic constitutional arrangements and their resonance with present-day governance and legal norms. Officials emphasize that the ongoing inquiry will carefully separate lawful expressions from any actions that could threaten national unity or constitutional provisions, and it will proceed with due process and clear legal standards in mind.