Street in Talgar may be renamed after Sherzat

Tengrinews.kz – A lawyer representing the parents of 16-year-old Sherzat Polat, who was killed in Talgar last year, has proposed renaming one of the city’s streets in his honor. The mayor has pledged to support the initiative.

Sherzat was fatally stabbed during a mass brawl at the intersection of Mendeleev and Shota Rustaveli streets in Talgar on the night of October 3–4, 2024. He died from severe blood loss caused by a chest wound that damaged his left lung.

The case drew widespread public attention, sparking debate among the media, lawyers, and human rights advocates.

Lawyer Meirman Shekeyev said on social media that he had approached Talgar mayor Arystanbek Abilkaiyruly with a proposal to rename Mendeleev Street after Sherzat.

“Sherzat was only 16 when he was killed at the intersection of Mendeleev and Rustaveli streets. These names are tied to the Soviet past, not to Kazakh figures who contributed to Talgar or Kazakhstan. That is why I suggested renaming Mendeleev Street in Sherzat’s honor. The mayor said he would try to support the proposal as much as possible,” Shekeyev wrote.

Recently, hundreds of residents gathered in the Talgar suburbs to commemorate both Sherzat and his uncle, 30-year-old Nurkanat Gaipbayev, who died by suicide in December 2024. Their deaths shocked the entire region.

On July 5, 2025, nine people were convicted in connection with Sherzat’s murder. The main defendant received a long prison sentence for killing a minor, while others were found guilty of attempted murder, hooliganism, theft, and failure to report a serious crime. On August 19, an appeals court upheld the verdicts.