A scandal erupted in Almaty after a local resident complained on social media about the actions of police officers who stopped him and his friend on the evening of August 17. The man claims that law enforcement officers searched their belongings without clearly explaining the reason for the check. Following the online post, the Almaty Police Department launched an internal investigation, reports infohub.kz.
According to the man, at about 8:42 p.m., he and his friend were standing on Inzhenernaya Street waiting for a taxi when two police officers approached them. "We were calmly waiting for a taxi when two police officers came up and started shining a flashlight in our faces. Without identifying themselves, they conducted a search, asking us to empty our pockets, disregarding all protocols and procedures. Then another officer came up and started pulling my belongings out of my bag with his hands, without witnesses or video recording," wrote Bekkuzarov.
The man claims he asked the officers why they decided to check them. According to him, the police explained that the men looked suspicious because they were standing in a dark alley. One of the officers, as the Almaty resident asserts, only identified himself after they had shown their belongings.
The Almaty Police Department gave their version of events. They reported that during patrol of the Medeu district, officers noticed two citizens whose behavior seemed suspicious. "On August 17, while patrolling the Medeu district, police officers noticed two citizens whose behavior raised suspicion, and therefore they were checked. During the check, no prohibited items or substances were found, and no measures were taken against the citizens," the police said.
Now the department intends to separately review the actions of the officers themselves. An internal investigation has been launched, after which the DP promises to take appropriate measures.