Kazakh police raided the home of Batikha Bilash, the sister of Sergei Sergei, a Kazakh human rights activist residing in the United States, late on June 26 and took her into custody for questioning. The case ostensibly involves allegations of fraud, but Sergei and his defense lawyer argue that the allegations lack factual basis and that the police action is related to Sergei's continued advocacy for Kazakhs in Xinjiang within the United States.
The whistleblower alleges that Batiha, under the guise of "providing social assistance to Kazakh compatriots overseas," deceived others into sending her money, which she then used for personal gain. Reportedly, Batiha's lawyer, Shinkute Baizanov, stated that police have received reports from approximately 20 people concerning remittances by Serkden and her sister Batiha, but no concrete evidence has been found so far.
Baizanov, acting as Batikha's defense lawyer, pointed out that Batikha herself never asked for money transfers on social media or in public, nor did anyone post messages such as "Batikha is helping her compatriots, so please transfer money to her account." He argued that classifying such transfers as fraud lacked factual basis.
Sergei Sergei, who lives in exile in the United States, regularly gives speeches on YouTube. Some Kazakhstani viewers wanted to support his programs with small donations. Since Kazakhstani bank accounts cannot transfer money to the United States, and some YouTube membership features are unavailable locally, he offered his sister's bank account to his supporters.
Sergei Sergei told this station on June 30: "Many people said they wanted to support my YouTube channel, the kind that costs ten dollars a month. But Kazakhstan has banned that feature on YouTube. So many people said, 'If you provide us with a bank account, we'll essentially be paying for your speeches or sponsoring you.' So I provided my sister's bank account."
Police's late-night search raises questions
The Kazakh police's handling of the case has also been questioned by lawyers. Defense lawyer Baizanov argued that even if the police received a report, they should have first summoned Batikha to appear for questioning, arranged for her to confront the informant, and obtained information from the bank before deciding whether to open a case. However, the police entered her residence late on June 26th, searched it, and took her away, treating her like an organized criminal.
Sergei Sen believes this case is not a typical criminal complaint, but rather an operation orchestrated by the Kazakh National Security Service against his relatives. He said the approximately 20 people who reported his sister did not know each other. He described it as a premeditated political repression: "There were twenty people organized, purely twenty people organized by the Kazakh National Security Service. These twenty people did not know each other."
Sergei Sergei has been consistently concerned about the situation of Kazakhs and other ethnic minorities in Xinjiang, China, and has spoken out on related issues in the U.S. Congress. Baizanov believes this case is related to Sergei's activities in the United States, with the aim of pressuring him through his relatives.
Sergei Sergei told this station, “They said they were funding me, but my sister used the funds for other purposes. This is purely the work of the National Security Service of Kazakhstan. Through this method, they control me, make things difficult for me, or tell other people, ‘If you support Sergei, this is what will happen to you.’ They are trying to create fear among the people.” He said that in recent years, topics related to Xinjiang and the CCP have become increasingly sensitive in Kazakhstan, and the space for open discussion has shrunk.
The court decided to detain him for 10 days.
According to Serkjan, Batiha immigrated to Kazakhstan from Xinjiang many years ago and is currently a housewife while her husband works elsewhere. After police took her away late on June 26, her family received relevant legal documents. The first hearing has concluded, and the court has decided to detain Batiha for 10 days, from June 26 to July 5.
According to reports, Almaty Regional Police spokesman Saidirdin previously stated that information regarding the case was ready and would be released after approval. As of now, the police have not released full details of the case.
China and Kazakhstan have enjoyed close relations in recent years and have established a "permanent comprehensive strategic partnership." Kazakh media reported in June that bilateral trade between the two countries reached $48.7 billion by 2025, and both sides plan to increase trade to $100 billion in the coming years.
China's "soft power" exports to Kazakhstan
Kazakh scholar Zina told reporters that against this backdrop, public activities in Kazakhstan concerning Xinjiang Kazakhs, the CCP's Xinjiang policies, and cross-border human rights issues have faced increasing pressure in recent years. He said, "China is exporting its influence to countries around the world through trade cooperation. Kazakhstan is the first stop of China's Belt and Road Initiative. The authorities have abandoned human rights for economic interests. Now, some people are calling on the government to pay attention to the suppression of Xinjiang Kazakhs and the restrictions on their entry into Kazakhstan. When they negotiate with the government, they are instead being followed."
Sergei Sergei is the founder of the Atajurt Volunteer Organization. This organization has long collected testimonies regarding the detention, disappearance, and family separation of Kazakhs and other Turkic Muslims in Xinjiang, and has exposed the situation in Xinjiang's "re-education camps" through videos and public statements. Sergei Sergei was arrested in Kazakhstan in 2019, later leaving Kazakhstan and going into exile in the United States. He has over 431,000 subscribers on social media platforms and regularly discusses Kazakh and international events, the situation of Kazakhs in Xinjiang, and other issues. The recent detention of Batiha has also drawn international attention to how Kazakh authorities handle the relatives of activists on Xinjiang issues.
