“It needs to be reviewed”: Prosecutor General’s Office on media reports about Nurlan Saburov

Tengrinews.kz – Journalists in the corridors of the Mazhilis asked Deputy Prosecutor General Galymzhan Koigeldiyev to comment on media publications about comedian Nurlan Saburov.

Koigeldiyev said the situation must be examined first and stressed that Kazakhstan cannot comment on decisions made by another country.

“We cannot comment on the decision of a foreign state. Everything that is written in the media requires research and review. What they are saying there about Article 170 — that falls under the jurisdiction of the National Security Committee,” he said.

Article 170 of Kazakhstan’s Criminal Code refers to mercenary activities — including recruitment, training, financing or using people in war, armed actions, or attempts to overthrow power and violate a country’s territorial integrity. The penalty ranges from 7 to 12 years in prison.

Background

Earlier, reports said Saburov was banned from entering Russia for 50 years. According to previous coverage, he learned about the ban during border control at Moscow’s Vnukovo Airport after arriving from Dubai, declined free deportation back to Dubai, and then bought a ticket to Kazakhstan.

Kazakhstan’s Foreign Ministry later said Saburov and his representatives had not contacted the Kazakh Embassy in Moscow, and no official information about any detention had been received from Russian authorities.

Saburov himself has said he will not comment on the situation.