ALMATY, Kazakhstan -- Dozens of civil rights activists and opposition politicians have gathered in front of a detention center in Kazakhstan’s largest city, Almaty, to mark the 34th birthday of Zhanbolat Mamai, the jailed leader of the unregistered Democratic Party.
Mamai faces up to 10 years in prison on charges of organizing mass riots and knowingly disseminating false information during protests in January, which he and his supporters reject as politically motivated.
Mamai's supporters who gathered at the detention center on June 15 wore T-shirts with his portrait and held posters saying, "[President Qasym-Zhomart] Toqaev, Free Zhanbolat!" and "Prosecuting Zhanbolat Is Prosecuting the Future!"
The former secretary of Kazakhstan's Security Council, Tolegen Zhukeev, opposition politicians Bolat Abilov and Rysbek Sarsenbai, noted human rights defender Erlan Qaliev, and other activists were among Mamai's supporters who gathered at the detention center.
SEE ALSO: Kazakh Activist Released From Prison After Sentence CommutedMamai's wife, Inga Imanbai, was allowed to enter the detention center to meet her husband on his birthday.
Mamai's associate Abzal Dostiyarov said this was Mamai's third birthday behind bars as he was in custody on his birthdays in 2012 and 2017 as well while being held for his activism.
Human Rights Watch has demanded Kazakh authorities release Mamai immediately, saying the case launched against him appears to be totally unfounded.
The charges were filed against Mamai on June 6. He has been in pretrial detention since mid-March on separate charges of insulting an authority and distributing false information. Those charges carry a penalty of up to one year in prison.
Before that, he served 15 days in jail for organizing an unsanctioned vigil to commemorate peaceful protesters who were killed by Kazakh security forces during the January 2022 protests.
Mamai, known for his harsh criticism of the nation's authoritarian government, has been trying to register the Democratic Party of Kazakhstan but claims he is being prevented from doing so by the government. He says officials only permit parties loyal to the political powers to be legally registered.
Kazakhstan was ruled by authoritarian President Nursultan Nazarbaev from its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991 until Toqaev succeeded him in 2019.
Over the past three decades, several opposition figures have been killed and many jailed or forced to flee the tightly controlled former Soviet republic.
Toqaev recently broadened his powers after Nazarbaev and his clan left the oil-rich nation's political scene following the unprecedented deadly anti-government protests in January. The protests started over a fuel price hike spread across Kazakhstan because of discontent over the cronyism that had long plagued the country. At least 230 people were killed during dispersal of protests by security forces and police.
Several participants in the protests have been handed lengthy prison terms across the country in recent weeks on charges of organizing mass disturbances and riots. More trials are pending.