PRESS RELEASE
Zhanar Sekerbayeva, Board Member of EL*C, Sentenced to 10 Days of Administrative Arrest
February 28th, 2025 – The EuroCentralAsian Lesbian* Community (EL*C) condemns the unjust arrest of Zhanar Sekerbayeva, feminist activist, co-founder of the Kazakhstani association Feminita, and Board Member of EL*C, who has been sentenced to 10 days of administrative detention in Kazakhstan. This politically motivated arrest is an attempt to silence her activism ahead of March 8, preventing her from organizing and participating in public events for International Women’s Day.
Zhanar’s detention follows her participation in a peaceful protest in May 2024 demanding life imprisonment for Kuandyk Bishimbayev, a former minister convicted of brutally murdering his wife. Feminist activists in Kazakhstan have been at the front of efforts to hold perpetrators of gender-based violence accountable, pushing for stronger legal measures and an end to impunity in femicide cases.
Targeted Repression Against Feminist Activists
Authorities did not issue a summons before arresting Zhanar—she was detained while training at the gym and later sentenced under Article 488, Part 7 of the Administrative Code, which penalizes alleged violations of public assembly regulations. She was taken into custody directly from the courtroom.
This is not the first time Zhanar and her colleagues have faced state repression for their activism. The Kazakh government continues to criminalize peaceful feminist activism, suppressing fundamental rights to freedom of expression and assembly.
However, what makes this case even more alarming is that during the court hearing, LGBT issues were explicitly mentioned, despite the protest not being focused on LGBTI rights at all. This demonstrates the institutional LGBTphobia embedded in the Kazakh legal and political system, where feminist and lesbian activists are frequently targeted. This is part of a broader pattern of state repression against LBTIQ* rights in Kazakhstan, where feminist organizations such as Feminita have been denied legal registration for years, and activists are systematically harassed, fined, and criminalized for their work.
According to Silvia Casalino, EL*C executive co-director, “Zhanar Sekerbayeva’s arrest is yet another flagrant attempt to silence feminist and lesbian activists in Kazakhstan. Criminalizing those who demand justice for femicide exposes the deep-rooted misogyny and institutional LGBTphobia at play. We stand in unwavering solidarity with Zhanar and all those fighting for gender equality—no government should fear those who simply seek justice“.
Call to Action: Demand Zhanar’s Immediate Release!
EL*C stands in full solidarity with Zhanar Sekerbayeva, Feminita, and all activists fighting for gender equality. We urge on the international community, human rights organizations, and feminist movements to demand her immediate release and to hold Kazakh authorities accountable for their repression of feminist and lesbian voices.
🚨 Join us in raising awareness and demanding justice!
🗞 For media inquiries, please contact:
- Kika Fumero, Media Officer of EL*C
- Phone number: +34 666899735
- Email address: kika.fumero@lesbiangenius.org
